Question Word + na

Question Words with Na

Level 2

Question word + na + the rest: Dɛn na wopɛ? (What do you want?). Or keep it in place: Wopɛ dɛn?

How It Works

1. Two ways to ask
Twi lets the question word stay where the answer would go, or move to the front with na:

  • Wopɛ dɛn? / Dɛn na wopɛ? (What do you want?)
  • Wotɔɔ dɛn? / Dɛn na wotɔeɛ? (What did you buy?)

Adults very often choose the fronted form, and it puts a little more weight on the question word.

2. Na is required
When the question word comes first, na must follow it. This is the same na used for focus: see Focus on the Object.

3. Watch the verb ending
When the question word moves forward, the verb may be left at the end of its clause. In the past it then takes the clause-final form: tɔɔ becomes tɔeɛ. See Simple Past at the End of a Clause.

4. Asking who
When who is the subject, the verb keeps its person prefix after na: Hwan na ɔbaeɛ? (Who came?). When who is the object, the pronoun no stays behind the verb: Hwan na wohunuu no? (Whom did you see?). See Who: hwan.

5. Many question words work this way

  • Dɛn (Asante often ɛdeɛn): Dɛn na woreyɛ?
  • Ɛhe: Ɛhe na worekɔ?
  • Berɛ bɛn: Berɛ bɛn na wobɛba?
  • Adɛn nti: Adɛn nti na woresu?
  • A noun + ahe: Sika ahe na wopɛ?

Examples (6)

  1. Hwan na ɔbaeɛ?

    Who came?

    Word by Word: who FOC he/she-came

    The verb keeps ɔ- after na.

  2. Dɛn na wopɛ?

    What do you want?

    Word by Word: what FOC you-want

  3. Dɛn na wotɔeɛ?

    What did you buy?

    Word by Word: what FOC you-bought

    In place, the same question is Wotɔɔ dɛn? Fronting leaves the verb at the end, so it becomes tɔeɛ.

  4. Hwan na wohunuu no?

    Whom did you see?

    Word by Word: who FOC you-saw him/her

    For a person object, no stays behind the verb.

  5. Ɛhe na worekɔ?

    Where are you going?

    Word by Word: where FOC you-are-going

  6. Sika ahe na wopɛ?

    How much money do you want?

    Word by Word: money how-much FOC you-want

Common Mistakes

  • Fronting the question word without na.

    Dɛn wopɛ?
    Dɛn na wopɛ?

    A question word at the front always needs na after it. Without fronting, say Wopɛ dɛn?

  • Keeping the before-object past form after fronting.

    Dɛn na wotɔɔ?
    Dɛn na wotɔeɛ?

    Once dɛn moves forward, the verb ends the clause, so it takes the clause-final past: tɔeɛ.

  • Dropping no when asking whom.

    Hwan na wohunuiɛ?
    Hwan na wohunuu no?

    When who is the object, the pronoun no stays after the verb.

How It Connects

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

Question Word + naLevel 2Question Words with Na

Learn This First

Fronted questions put a question word first with na, and the verb takes its clause-final form.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

nahwandeɛn