Negatives in Serial Verbs

Level 4

Make every verb in the series negative: Mantumi ankɔ (I could not go), not Mantumi kɔ.

How It Works

1. Present and habits: N- on each verb
Mentumi nkɔ (I cannot go), Ɔntɔ aduane mma me (She does not buy food for me). The nasal changes b to m as usual: Mentumi mma ɛnnɛ (I cannot come today). See Sound Changes After the Negative.

2. Past: a- + N- on each verb
Every verb takes the negative past from Did Not: a- + N-: Mantumi ankɔ (I could not go), Wantɔ aduane amma me (She did not buy food for me), Kofi antumi amma (Kofi could not come). A motion prefix comes after the negative: Mantumi ankɔfa hwee (I could not go and fetch anything).

3. Future: re- + N- first, then N-
Only the first verb takes re-. Later verbs take the plain nasal, as in Will Not: re- + N-: Merentumi nkɔ (I will not be able to go), Merentɔ bi mma wo (I will not buy any for you).

4. Commands: N- on each verb
Mfa nwoma no nkɔ (Don't take the book away), Mma me werɛ mfi (Don't let me forget). See Don't: Negative Commands.

5. De turns into fa
De never takes the negative. Its partner fa does, and the next verb is negative too: Wamfa sekan antwa nam no (He did not cut the meat with a knife). See Using Something: de and Bring and Take: fa ... bra, fa ... kɔ.

6. Check the last verb
Learners most often forget the negative on the last verb. Mantumi kɔ mixes a negative first verb with a positive second one, so it is wrong. Read the series to the end and make sure every verb carries the negative.

Examples (6)

  1. Mantumi ankɔ.

    I could not go.

    Word by Word: I-did-not-manage I-did-not-go

  2. Mantumi ankɔfa hwee.

    I could not go and fetch anything.

    An-kɔ-fa: the negative past, the motion prefix kɔ- and fa (take).

  3. Wantɔ aduane amma me.

    She did not buy food for me.

    Ma (for) becomes amma, like the first verb.

  4. Merentumi nkɔ ɔkyena.

    I will not be able to go tomorrow.

    Re- appears only on the first verb; kɔ takes the plain nasal.

  5. Mentumi mma ɛnnɛ.

    I cannot come today.

    After the nasal, ba (come) becomes mma.

  6. Mfa nwoma no nkɔ.

    Don't take the book away.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the second verb positive.

    Mantumi kɔ.
    Mantumi ankɔ.

    In the past, each verb takes a- + N-. Kɔ must become ankɔ.

  • Negating only the second verb and keeping de.

    Ɔde sekan antwa nam no.
    Wamfa sekan antwa nam no.

    Both verbs must be negative, and de has no negative form. Fa takes its place: wamfa.

  • Leaving the second verb positive in a command.

    Mfa nwoma no kɔ.
    Mfa nwoma no nkɔ.

    A negative command puts the nasal on every verb in the series.

How It Connects

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

Negatives in Serial VerbsLevel 4

Learn This First

Negatives in a series extend the past-on-every-verb rule.