ky / gy / hy

KY, GY and HY

Level 1

ky ≈ ch, gy ≈ j, hy ≈ sh. Each is one sound written with two letters: Maakye (Good morning), gye (take), hyɛ (wear).

How It Works

  • ky, close to the ch in cheese: Maakye (Good morning), kyerɛ (show), Mepa wo kyɛw (Please).
  • gy, close to the j in jeep: gye (take, receive), gyina (stand), gyae (stop), ogya (fire).
  • hy, close to the sh in sheep: hyɛ (wear, put on), hye (burn), afahyɛ (festival).

All three are made in the same place: the front of the tongue presses up toward the roof of the mouth, as for the y in yes. That is why the spelling uses y. They sound a little softer than English ch, j and sh, and the lips stay relaxed rather than pushed forward.

Because each pair is one sound, kyɛ (share) has one syllable, and gyina has two: gyi-na.

Watch the vowel after these sounds as well: hyɛ (wear) and hye (burn) are different words. See ɛ and ɔ.

The same three sounds said with rounded lips are written tw, dw and hw. See tw dw hw kw. You will hear ky in two greetings you will use every day: Maakye and Mepa wo kyɛw.

Examples (5)

  1. Maakye!

    Good morning!

    Ky here sounds close to English ch.

  2. Mepa wo kyɛw, gye sika no.

    Please take the money.

    Word by Word: I-beg you pardon, take money the.

    Ky in kyɛw and gy in gye are each one sound.

  3. Gyina ha.

    Stand here.

    Word by Word: Stand here.

    Gyina has two syllables: gyi-na.

  4. Hyɛ wo ntadeɛ.

    Put on your clothes.

    Word by Word: Wear your clothes.

    Hyɛ, with ɛ, means wear or put on.

  5. Ogya no rehye.

    The fire is burning.

    Word by Word: Fire the is-burning.

    Hye, with e, means burn. Compare hyɛ (wear).

Common Mistakes

  • Spelling the ch sound with ch.

    Maache!
    Maakye!

    Twi has no c. The sound close to English ch is written ky.

  • Mixing up hyɛ (wear) and hye (burn).

    Hye wo ntadeɛ.
    Hyɛ wo ntadeɛ.

    Hye means burn, so the incorrect sentence says Burn your clothes. To say put on, write hyɛ.

How It Connects

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

ky / gy / hyLevel 1KY, GY and HY

Learn This First

The ky, gy and hy spellings are read from the alphabet.