anka ɛsɛ sɛ (Should Have)

Should Have: Anka Ɛsɛ Sɛ

Level 5

Anka ɛsɛ sɛ + plain verb = should have: Anka ɛsɛ sɛ woba. (You should have come.)

How It Works

1. From must to should have

  • Ɛsɛ sɛ woba. (You must come. You should come.)
  • Anka ɛsɛ sɛ woba. (You should have come.)

Anka adds the idea that it did not happen. The verb woba does not change.

2. Should not have
Use the negative ɛnsɛ sɛ and keep the verb after sɛ positive: Anka ɛnsɛ sɛ woka saa. (You should not have said that.)

3. Showing the time
Because the verb keeps its plain form, a time word or the next clause makes the past clear: Anka ɛsɛ sɛ mekɔ nnɛra, nanso mantumi ankɔ (I should have gone yesterday, but I could not go). For the negative on both verbs in mantumi ankɔ, see Negatives in Serial Verbs.

4. Things that ought not to be
Anka ɛnsɛ sɛ can also describe something that keeps happening but ought not to: nsɛm a anka ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔka (things that they ought not to say).

5. Pointing at the person
To stress who should have acted, put that person first with na: Wo na anka ɛsɛ sɛ wofrɛ me (You are the one who should have called me). For conditions that did not happen, see Unreal Conditions: sɛ ... a, anka.

Examples (5)

  1. Anka ɛsɛ sɛ woba.

    You should have come.

    Word by Word: would it-is-fitting that you-come

    Anka shows it did not happen; woba keeps its plain form.

  2. Anka ɛnsɛ sɛ woka saa.

    You should not have said that.

    The negative is in ɛnsɛ; the verb after sɛ stays positive.

  3. Anka ɛsɛ sɛ mekɔ nnɛra, nanso mantumi ankɔ.

    I should have gone yesterday, but I could not go.

    Nnɛra (yesterday) places it in the past.

  4. Anka ɛsɛ sɛ mebisa wo ansa.

    I should have asked you first.

    Ansa at the end of the clause means first, beforehand.

  5. Wo na anka ɛsɛ sɛ wofrɛ me.

    You are the one who should have called me.

    Focus with na puts the person first.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out anka when talking about the past.

    Ɛsɛ sɛ woba nnɛra.
    Anka ɛsɛ sɛ woba nnɛra.

    Without anka, ɛsɛ sɛ is a present or future duty, which clashes with nnɛra (yesterday). Anka shows that the right thing did not happen.

How It Connects

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

anka ɛsɛ sɛ (Should Have)Level 5Should Have: Anka Ɛsɛ Sɛ

Learn This First

Should have combines anka with ɛsɛ sɛ.

Words in This Pattern

ɛsɛ sɛɛ