-ba (Small, Young)
Small and Young: -ba
Add ba (child) to name a young one: akokɔ (chicken) and akokɔba (chick), oguan (sheep) and oguamma (lamb).
How It Works
1. The young of animals
- akokɔ (chicken) and akokɔba (chick)
- oguan (sheep) and oguamma (lamb): n + b becomes mm
- nantwi (cow) and nantwi ba (calf)
- abirekyie (goat) and abirekyi ba (kid)
2. The plural: mma
Ba (child) has the plural mma (children), as in ɔba and mma. The first noun takes its own plural too: nkokɔmma (chicks), from nkokɔ (chickens) and mma.
3. Sound change
When the first noun ends in n, the n and b both become m: oguan + ba gives oguamma. This is the same change as in Sound Changes After the Negative.
4. Fruit: the child of a tree
Aduaba (fruit) comes from dua (tree) and ba, so a fruit is literally a tree's child. Its plural is nnuaba (fruits). This is one of many Compound Nouns.
5. Young or just small?
-ba names a young one. To say an adult is small, use an adjective after the noun: akokɔ ketewa (a small chicken) is not the same as akokɔba (a chick). For male and female animals, see Male and Female: -nini, -bedeɛ.
Examples (5)
- Akokɔba no retu mmirika.
The chick is running.
Word by Word: chicken-child the is-running race
Tu mmirika means run.
- Akokɔbedeɛ no ne ne nkokɔmma wɔ abɔnten.
The hen and her chicks are outside.
Nkokɔmma is the plural of akokɔba.
- Oguamma no da fam.
The lamb is lying on the ground.
Oguan + ba becomes oguamma. Da describes lying down.
- Nantwi ba no nom nufusuo.
The calf drinks milk.
Nantwi ba is usually written as two words.
- Aduaba yi yɛ dɛ.
This fruit is sweet.
Word by Word: tree-child this is sweet
Aduaba (fruit) is built from dua (tree) and ba (child).
Common Mistakes
Keeping ba unchanged in the plural.
Nkokɔba no wɔ abɔnten.Nkokɔmma no wɔ abɔnten.Ba (child) has the plural mma, so the plural of akokɔba is nkokɔmma.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- -nini / -bedeɛMale and Female: -nini, -bedeɛ
Male and female animals are named with -nini and -bedeɛ in the same way.
Level 4 - Person Nouns With a Nasal Plural
Ɔba (child) has the plural mma, which explains nkokɔmma.
Level 2 - Compound Nouns
Aduaba and akokɔba are compound nouns.
Level 5 - Adjectives After the Noun
Ketewa (small) after a noun describes size, not age.
Level 1 - N- (Plural)Plurals with a Nasal Prefix
Akokɔ takes the nasal plural nkokɔ, which appears in nkokɔmma.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice -ba (Small, Young) in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Twi lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
