me dea (Mine)
Mine and Yours: Me Dea
Put dea after the owner to say mine, yours or someone's: Eyi yɛ me dea (This is mine).
How It Works
The forms. Put dea after a possessive or a name: me dea (mine), wo dea (yours), ne dea (his or hers), yɛn dea (ours), mo dea (yours, to several people), wɔn dea (theirs), Ama dea (Ama's). As everywhere in Twi, ne dea can mean his or hers.
Using it. Me dea works like any noun. It often follows yɛ: Sika no yɛ me dea (The money is mine). It can also be a subject or an object: Me dea yɛ kɛseɛ (Mine is big), Mempɛ wo dea (I do not want yours). To ask whose, use hwan: Nwoma yi yɛ hwan dea? (Whose is this book?)
Dea or a possessive? Dea stands in place of the noun. When you say the noun, use the possessive alone: me nwoma (my book), but Nwoma no yɛ me dea (The book is mine).
Dea and deɛ. Do not mix up dea with deɛ, which marks a topic: Me deɛ, mempɛ (As for me, I do not want it). Some people also say me deɛ for mine in speech, but in writing use dea for ownership.
Examples (6)
- Eyi yɛ me dea.
This is mine.
Eyi (this one) + yɛ (is) + me dea (mine).
- Sika no yɛ me dea.
The money is mine.
Me dea after yɛ says who owns it.
- Safoa no yɛ wo dea.
The key is yours.
Wo dea: yours, to one person.
- Ɔkraman no yɛ yɛn dea.
The dog is ours.
Yɛn dea: ours.
- Nwoma yi yɛ hwan dea?
Whose is this book?
Hwan dea asks whose.
- Me dea yɛ kɛseɛ.
Mine is big.
Me dea can be the subject, standing for a noun already mentioned.
Common Mistakes
Dropping dea when you mean mine.
Eyi yɛ me.Eyi yɛ me dea.Eyi yɛ me means This is me. To say This is mine, add dea: Eyi yɛ me dea.
Using dea before a noun.
Me dea fie yɛ kɛseɛ.Me fie yɛ kɛseɛ.Dea replaces the noun. When the noun is there, use the possessive alone: me fie (my house).
Using dea for as for.
Me dea, mempɛ.Me deɛ, mempɛ.As for me is me deɛ. Me dea means mine, so Me dea, mempɛ does not say As for me, I do not want it.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Dea follows a possessor.
Related Patterns
- My, Your, His and Her
The possessives me, wo, ne and so on that dea follows.
Level 1 - deɛ (As For)As for: Deɛ
A similar-looking word that marks a topic, not ownership.
Level 3 - yɛ (Be)To Be: Yɛ
Me dea most often follows yɛ: Eyi yɛ me dea.
Level 1 - hwan (Who)Who: Hwan
Hwan dea asks whose.
Level 1 - eyi / ɛnoThis One and That One
Eyi (this one) is a common subject with me dea: Eyi yɛ me dea.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice me dea (Mine) in Bubblegum
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