nnya (Not Yet)

Not Yet: Nnya

Level 3

Not yet = nnya + a negative perfect verb: Kofi nnya mmaeɛ (Kofi has not come yet), Ɔnnya nkɔeɛ (She has not gone yet).

How It Works

1. The frame
Subject + nnya + negative perfect verb:

  • Kofi nnya mmaeɛ. (Kofi has not come yet.)
  • Ɔnnya nkɔeɛ. (She has not gone yet.)
  • Mennya nhunuu no. (I have not seen him yet.)

2. Both verbs are negative
The main verb keeps its own negative nasal and ending. Kofi nnya baeɛ is wrong; say Kofi nnya mmaeɛ. This negative on every verb is the same habit you see in Negatives in Serial Verbs.

3. Where it comes from
Nnya is the negative of nya (get, have a chance). On its own it still means does not get: Ɔnnya sika (He does not get money). Before a negative perfect verb it means not yet.

4. Before, in stories
With a closing no, a nnya clause sets the time before something happened: Kofi nnya mmaeɛ no, na yɛredidi (Before Kofi came, we were eating). Akuapem Bible readers meet it as Abraham nnya mmae no (Before Abraham was).

5. Already
The positive counterpart of not yet is the perfect with dada: Wadidi dada (He has already eaten).

Examples (6)

  1. Kofi nnya mmaeɛ.

    Kofi has not come yet.

  2. Ɔnnya nkɔeɛ.

    She has not gone yet.

  3. Mennya nhunuu no.

    I have not seen him yet.

    Word by Word: I-not-yet not-saw him

  4. Nsuo nnya ntɔeɛ.

    It has not rained yet.

    Word by Word: water not-yet not-fell

  5. Yɛnnya nwieeɛ.

    We have not finished yet.

    Wie (finish) in the negative perfect is nwieeɛ.

  6. Kofi nnya mmaeɛ no, na yɛredidi.

    Before Kofi came, we were eating.

    Word by Word: Kofi not-yet not-came the, then we-were-eating

    The closing no turns the not-yet clause into a before clause.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the main verb positive.

    Kofi nnya baeɛ.
    Kofi nnya mmaeɛ.

    After nnya, the main verb must be in the negative perfect too, with its own nasal.

  • Using the negative present after nnya.

    Ɔnnya nkɔ. (meaning she has not gone yet)
    Ɔnnya nkɔeɛ.

    The verb after nnya needs the perfect ending. Nkɔeɛ, not nkɔ.

How It Connects

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

nnya (Not Yet)Level 3Not Yet: Nnya

Learn This First

Nnya is used with the negative perfect.

Words in This Pattern

n-