Noun Subjects Take No Prefix
The subject prefix stands in for a subject you have not named. Once you name it, the prefix goes: Kofi kɔ sukuu (Kofi goes to school), Ɔbaa no tɔn nkwan (The woman sells soup).
How It Works
Pronoun or noun, not both
Compare Ɔtɔn nkwan (She sells soup) with Ɔbaa no tɔn nkwan (The woman sells soup). The noun takes the place of ɔ-. This is true for every kind of subject:
- Me maame wɔ fie. — My mother is at home.
- Mmofra no redi agorɔ. — The children are playing.
- Nsuo reto. — It is raining. (Literally "Water is falling." The noun is the subject, so there is no ɛ-.)
Markers stay on the verb
With no prefix, the verb begins with its marker: Kofi rekasa (Kofi is speaking), Ama bɛba ɔkyena (Ama will come tomorrow), Kofi akɔ (Kofi has gone), Kofi nnim (Kofi does not know).
When a prefix comes back
Later you will meet patterns where a pronoun prefix does follow a noun. They are separate structures, not exceptions to this rule:
- After focus na: Kofi na ɔbaeɛ (Kofi is the one who came). See Focus on the Subject: X na.
- In a second clause: Kofi tɔɔ aduane na ɔdiiɛ (Kofi bought food and ate it). See And Then: na.
- Inside a relative clause: ɔbaa a ɔtɔn nkwan no (the woman who sells soup). See Pronouns Inside Relative Clauses.
- After a topic and a pause: Kofi deɛ, ɔbɛba (As for Kofi, he will come). See Topics Taken Up by a Pronoun.
In a plain statement with no pause, the order is simply subject, verb, object. See Basic Word Order.
Examples (6)
- Kofi kɔ sukuu.
Kofi goes to school.
Word by Word: Kofi go school.
- Ɔbaa no tɔn nkwan.
The woman sells soup.
Word by Word: Woman the sell soup.
- Me maame wɔ fie.
My mother is at home.
Word by Word: My mother be-at home.
- Kofi rekasa.
Kofi is speaking.
Word by Word: Kofi is-speaking.
Re- attaches straight to the verb when there is no prefix.
- Mmofra no redi agorɔ.
The children are playing.
Word by Word: Children the are-doing play.
A plural noun works the same way: no wɔ-.
- Nsuo reto.
It is raining.
Word by Word: Water is-falling.
The noun nsuo is the subject, so no ɛ- is needed.
Common Mistakes
Adding ɔ- after a name.
Kofi ɔkɔ sukuu.Kofi kɔ sukuu.Kofi is already the subject, so the verb takes no pronoun prefix. In a plain statement, ɔ- is only used when the person is not named.
Adding wɔ- after a plural noun.
Mmofra no wɔredi agorɔ.Mmofra no redi agorɔ.Plural nouns follow the same rule. The progressive re- goes straight onto the verb.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Noun subjects are contrasted with prefixed pronoun subjects.
Related Patterns
- Basic Word Order
The plain statement order this rule belongs to.
Level 1 - na (Subject Focus)Focus on the Subject: X Na
After focus na, a person subject is taken up again with ɔ-: Kofi na ɔbaeɛ.
Level 3 - Pronouns Inside Relative Clauses
Inside a relative clause, a person subject keeps ɔ-.
Level 3 - Topics Taken Up by a Pronoun
A noun set off as a topic, with a pause, is repeated by a pronoun later.
Level 5 - re- (Progressive)Progressive Re-
Markers such as re- attach straight to the verb after a noun: Kofi rekasa.
Level 1
Practice Noun Subjects Take No Prefix in Bubblegum
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