N- (Negative)

Twi has no separate word for "not". To make a verb negative, put a nasal sound, written n or m, straight in front of the verb. It comes after the subject prefix: me + n + kɔ gives Menkɔ (I do not go). With a name or noun as the subject, it attaches directly to the verb: Kofi nkɔ sukuu (Kofi does not go to school).

All the persons. Menkɔ (I do not go), Wonkɔ (you do not go), Ɔnkɔ (he or she does not go), Yɛnkɔ (we do not go), Monkɔ (you all do not go), Wɔnkɔ (they do not go). See the subject prefixes.

n or m? Write m before b, f, m and p: Mempɛ (I do not want), Memfa (I do not take it). Write n before every other sound: Mente ase (I do not understand), Ama ntɔn nkosua (Ama does not sell eggs). In speech the nasal moves to the same place in the mouth as the next sound, so the n of Menkɔ sounds like the ng in "sing".

Some verbs change their first sound. After the nasal, b becomes m and d becomes n, so you hear one long nasal: ba (come) becomes mma (Ɔmma ha, He does not come here), and da (sleep) becomes nna. Verbs that already begin with m or n simply double it: nim (know) gives Mennim (I do not know), and nom (drink) gives Mennom (I do not drink). Sounds such as t, k, s and p stay as they are. See sound changes after the negative.

What this form covers. The nasal on the plain verb is the negative of the simple present and of state verbs such as nim (know), pɛ (want) and te (live). Other tenses add the nasal to their own marker: Merenkɔ (I will not go), Mankɔ (I did not go). Two everyday negatives are special words: nyɛ (is not) and nni (is not at, does not have).

Listen for the melody. Tone is not written, and the negative Yɛnkɔ (We do not go) is spelled exactly like the optative Yɛnkɔ (Let us go). Only the melody and the situation tell them apart, so learn negative phrases by ear. See tone in grammar.