Possessive + ho
Myself, Yourself: Possessive + Ho
Possessive + ho means -self: me ho (myself), ne ho (himself, herself), Ɔhwɛ ne ho (She looks at herself).
How It Works
1. The forms
Take the possessive pronoun and add ho:
- me ho (myself)
- wo ho (yourself)
- ne ho (himself, herself, itself)
- yɛn ho (ourselves)
- mo ho (yourselves)
- wɔn ho (themselves)
2. Ne ho or no?
Ɔhwɛ ne ho means she looks at herself. Ɔhwɛ no means she looks at him or her, someone else. The same goes for every person: Mehwɛ me ho (I look at myself), never Mehwɛ me.
3. With split verbs
In verbs that wrap around their object, the reflexive sits in the middle: Hwɛ wo ho so (Take care of yourself). See Split Verbs.
4. Ho in everyday phrases
Ho also means the body, which is why Wo ho te sɛn? asks how your body is: how are you? You have already met it in Me ho yɛ (I am well).
5. Related patterns
- Repeating the reflexive gives each other: Wɔdɔ wɔn ho wɔn ho.
- For emphasis rather than a reflexive object, use ankasa: Ɔno ankasa na ɔkaeɛ (He himself said it).
Examples (6)
- Ɔhwɛ ne ho.
She looks at herself.
Word by Word: she-looks her self
- Hwɛ wo ho so.
Take care of yourself.
Word by Word: look your self on
Hwɛ ... so means look after; the reflexive goes in the middle.
- Ɔpiraa ne ho.
He hurt himself.
Word by Word: he-injured his self
- Medɔ me ho.
I love myself.
- Yɛboa yɛn ho.
We help ourselves.
To say we help each other, repeat the reflexive: Yɛboa yɛn ho yɛn ho.
- Kofi resɛe ne ho.
Kofi is ruining himself.
Word by Word: Kofi is-spoiling his self
Common Mistakes
Using a plain object pronoun for the doer.
Mehwɛ me.Mehwɛ me ho.When you are both the doer and the object, the object must be me ho, not me.
Using no when the person acts on themselves.
Ama hwɛ no. (meaning she looks at herself)Ama hwɛ ne ho.Ama hwɛ no means Ama looks at someone else. To say she looks at herself, use ne ho.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Reflexives combine a possessive with ho.
Related Patterns
- wɔn ho wɔn ho (Each Other)Each Other
Repeating the reflexive gives each other.
Level 3 - ankasaOneself, Really: Ankasa
Ankasa adds emphasis (he himself) rather than acting as the object.
Level 3 - Object Pronouns
A plain object pronoun points to someone other than the doer.
Level 1 - gye ... di (Believe)Split Verbs: Gye ... Di
In split verbs such as hwɛ ... so, the reflexive goes between the parts.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice Possessive + ho in Bubblegum
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