My, Your, His and Her
me my, wo your, ne his, her, its, yɛn our, mo your (all), wɔn their. They go before the noun: me fie (my house).
How It Works
The six forms
- me: me fie (my house)
- wo: wo din (your name)
- ne: ne maame (his mother, her mother; also its)
- yɛn: yɛn kuro (our town)
- mo: mo sukuu (your school, said to several people)
- wɔn: wɔn papa (their father)
Write them as separate words
The possessive is its own word: me fie, not mefie. Joined to a verb, me- is the subject prefix: Mekɔ (I go). See subject prefixes.
Keep wo and wɔn apart
wo is your (to one person) and wɔn is their. They differ in the vowel, o or ɔ, and in the final n, so listen and spell carefully.
Before a vowel
Before a noun that starts with a vowel, me, wo and ne usually shorten: m'adamfo (my friend), n'agya (his father). See short possessives.
Adding no
A possessed noun can still take no when you mean a particular thing you both know: Me nwoma no wɔ he? (Where is my book?).
More uses of the same words
- With place nouns: me nkyɛn (beside me). See location nouns.
- With ho (body, self): ne ho (himself, herself). See reflexive ho.
- Standing alone, add dea: me dea (mine). See me dea (mine).
Two words spelled ne
Ne (his, her) looks like ne (and). Their place tells them apart: Kofi ne ne maame means Kofi and his mother.
Examples (6)
- Me din de Kofi.
My name is Kofi.
Word by Word: my name (is) Kofi
- Wo maame wɔ fie?
Is your mother at home?
Word by Word: your mother is-at home
- Ne nua yɛ ɔkyerɛkyerɛfoɔ.
His sibling is a teacher.
Word by Word: his/her sibling is teacher
Ne covers his and her, so this can also mean Her sibling is a teacher.
- Yɛn fie wɔ Kumase.
Our house is in Kumasi.
Word by Word: our house is-at Kumasi
- Wɔn mmofra wɔ sukuu.
Their children are at school.
Word by Word: their children are-at school
- Me nwoma no wɔ he?
Where is my book?
Word by Word: my book the is-at where
No after the noun points to one particular book that you both know about.
Common Mistakes
Putting the possessive after the noun.
Fie me wɔ Kumase.Me fie wɔ Kumase.The owner comes first in Twi: me fie, wo din.
Writing the possessive joined to the noun.
Mefie wɔ Kumase.Me fie wɔ Kumase.The possessive is a separate word. Joined me- is the subject prefix on a verb, as in Mekɔ (I go).
Using wɔn (their) when you mean your.
Wɔn din de sɛn?Wo din de sɛn?The question is meant to ask What is your name? Wɔn din means their name. Your, to one person, is wo.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Possessives reuse the independent pronouns.
Related Patterns
- m' / w' / n'Short Possessives Before Vowels
Me, wo and ne shorten before a noun that starts with a vowel.
Level 2 - Possession by Placement
A name or noun can be the owner in the same place: Kofi fie.
Level 1 - me dea (Mine)Mine and Yours: Me Dea
Add dea to say mine or yours without naming the thing.
Level 2 - Possessive + hoMyself, Yourself: Possessive + Ho
The same forms with ho make myself, yourself and so on.
Level 3 - ne (And)And Between Nouns: Ne
Ne (and) is spelled like ne (his, her): Kofi ne ne maame.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice My, Your, His and Her in Bubblegum
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