kɔ so (Continue)

Keep on: Kɔ So

Level 4

Kɔ so kasa means Keep talking. Word by word: go on (and) talk.

How It Works

1. The pattern
kɔ so + the next verb.

  • Kɔ so kasa. (Keep talking.)
  • Kɔ so! (Go on! Carry on!)

2. Tense on both verbs
In the past, both verbs are past: Ɔkɔɔ so yɛɛ adwuma no (He went on doing the work). See past on every serial verb. In the future, bɛ- goes on kɔ and the next verb takes a-: Yɛbɛkɔ so ayɛ adwuma no ɔkyena (We will continue the work tomorrow). See consecutive a-.

3. Commands to several people
Mo- and the nasal go on kɔ, and the next verb takes the nasal too: Monkɔ so nsua Twi (Keep learning Twi, all of you). See commands to several people.

4. Saying no
The negative also goes on both verbs: Wankɔ so anyɛ adwuma no (He did not go on with the work). See negation in serial verbs.

5. Kɔ so ara
Ara stresses that someone kept on regardless: Ɔkɔɔ so ara yɛɛ dede (He kept on making noise). In reports, Ɔkɔɔ so kaa sɛ ... means He went on to say that ...

6. Toa so and nkɔsoɔ
Toa so (join on) also means continue, often picking up again after a stop: Yɛbɛtoa so ɔkyena (We will continue tomorrow). The noun nkɔsoɔ (progress) comes from kɔ so.

Examples (6)

  1. Kɔ so kasa.

    Keep talking.

    Word by Word: go on speak

  2. Ɔkɔɔ so yɛɛ adwuma no.

    He went on doing the work.

    Word by Word: he-went on did work the

    Both kɔ and yɛ are in the past.

  3. Yɛbɛkɔ so ayɛ adwuma no ɔkyena.

    We will continue the work tomorrow.

    Word by Word: we-will-go on and-do work the tomorrow

    Bɛ- goes on kɔ only; the next verb takes a-.

  4. Monkɔ so nsua Twi.

    Keep learning Twi, all of you.

    Word by Word: you(pl)-go on learn Twi

    Both verbs carry the nasal of a command to several people.

  5. Wankɔ so anyɛ adwuma no.

    He did not go on with the work.

    Word by Word: he-not-went on not-did work the

  6. Ɔkɔɔ so ara yɛɛ dede.

    He kept on making noise.

    Word by Word: he-went on still made noise

    Ara stresses that he did not stop.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the past on kɔ only.

    Ɔkɔɔ so yɛ adwuma no.
    Ɔkɔɔ so yɛɛ adwuma no.

    In the past, every verb in the series is past, so yɛ must become yɛɛ too.

  • Repeating bɛ- on the next verb.

    Yɛbɛkɔ so bɛyɛ adwuma no.
    Yɛbɛkɔ so ayɛ adwuma no.

    Bɛ- goes on the first verb only. Later verbs in a future series take a-.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

kɔ so (Continue)Level 4Keep on: Kɔ So

Learn This First

Continue is followed by another verb.

Words in This Pattern

kɔ so