ka / se (Say)

Say: Ka and Se

Level 2

Ka is the full verb to say: Ɔkaa nokorɛ (She told the truth). Se just passes on someone's words: Ɔse ɔbɛba (He says he will come).

How It Works

1. Ka: say something
Ka takes what is said as its object.

  • Ka bio. (Say it again.)
  • Ɔkaa nokorɛ. (She told the truth.)
  • Dɛn na ɔkaeɛ? (What did he say?)

To report a statement with ka, add sɛ (that): Ɔkaa sɛ wabrɛ (She said she was tired). See That: sɛ. The negative past is wanka: Wanka sɛ ɔbɛba (He did not say he would come).

2. Se: someone says
The reported words follow se, often directly: Ɔse ɔbɛba (He says he will come), Maame se bra (Mum says come). You will also hear sɛ after it: Ɔse sɛ ɔbɛba means the same. The person spoken to comes straight after se: Ɔsee me sɛ ɔbɛba (He told me he would come). See is its past form. For a negative, speakers normally use ka: Wanka sɛ .... With wɔ- it gives the hearsay form wɔse.

3. Se and sɛ are different words
Se (with e) means say. Sɛ (with ɛ) means that or if, or be fitting, as in ɛsɛ sɛ. Tone is not written, so the vowel letter is what tells them apart on the page.

4. Tell and speak
To say something to someone, use ka kyerɛ: Ka kyerɛ no (Tell him). To speak a language, use kasa: Ɔkasa Twi (She speaks Twi).

Examples (6)

  1. Ka bio.

    Say it again.

    Word by Word: say again

    What is said is left out because both people know it.

  2. Ɔkaa nokorɛ.

    She told the truth.

    Word by Word: she.said truth

  3. Dɛn na ɔkaeɛ?

    What did he say?

    Word by Word: what FOCUS he.said

    Kaeɛ is the past at the end of a clause.

  4. Ɔkaa sɛ wabrɛ.

    She said she was tired.

    Word by Word: she.said that she.has.tired

    After ka, a reported statement starts with sɛ.

  5. Ɔse ɔbɛba.

    He says he will come.

    Word by Word: he.says he.will.come

    After se, the words follow directly.

  6. Ɔsee me sɛ ɔbɛba.

    He told me he would come.

    Word by Word: he.said me that he.will.come

    See is the past of se. The person spoken to, me, comes straight after it.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing se (say) with ɛ.

    Ɔsɛ ɔbɛba.
    Ɔse ɔbɛba.

    Sɛ with ɛ is a different word (be fitting, resemble, that). Say is spelled se, with e.

  • Using se with an object, like ka.

    Ɔsee nokorɛ.
    Ɔkaa nokorɛ.

    After se comes the person spoken to or the words themselves, not a thing such as the truth. To say or tell a thing, use ka.

How It Connects

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

ka / se (Say)Level 2Say: Ka and Se

Learn This First

Say uses ordinary verb forms.

Words in This Pattern

kakase