enti (So)

So, Therefore: Enti

Level 3

Reason, then enti + result: Ɔyare, enti ɔmmaeɛ means She is sick, so she has not come.

How It Works

1. So and therefore
reason + enti / ɛno nti + result.

  • Ɔyare, enti ɔmmaeɛ. (She is sick, so she has not come.)
  • Menni sika, ɛno nti merenkɔ. (I have no money, so I will not go.)

2. Nti after a noun or pronoun
Nti follows the word it belongs to: wo nti (because of you), ɛno nti (because of that). With focus na it gives that is why: Ɛno nti na mebaeɛ (That is why I came), Wo nti na mebaeɛ (I came because of you). See Focus on the Subject: X na.

3. Nti after a clause
Nti can also close the reason clause itself: Ɔbaa ntɛm nti yɛtenaa abɔnten kakra (He came early, so we sat outside a little).

4. Opening a sentence
Enti at the start of a sentence draws a conclusion from what came before: Enti, wobɛba anaa? (So, will you come?).

5. The other direction
To give the reason instead of the result, use Because: ɛfiri sɛ. The question word Why: adɛn nti is built with the same nti: because of what?

Examples (6)

  1. Ɔyare, enti ɔmmaeɛ.

    She is sick, so she has not come.

    Word by Word: she-be.sick, so she-NEG-come-PERF

    Ɔmmaeɛ is the negative perfect of ba (come).

  2. Nsuo retɔ, enti yɛbɛtena fie.

    It is raining, so we will stay at home.

  3. Menni sika, ɛno nti merenkɔ.

    I have no money, so I will not go.

    Word by Word: I-not.have money, that because.of I-NEG.FUT-go

    Ɛno nti is the full form of enti.

  4. Ɛno nti na mebaeɛ.

    That is why I came.

    Word by Word: that because.of FOCUS I-come-PAST

  5. Wo nti na mebaeɛ.

    I came because of you.

    Word by Word: you because.of FOCUS I-come-PAST

    Nti follows the pronoun wo.

  6. Ɔbaa ntɛm nti yɛtenaa abɔnten kakra.

    He came early, so we sat outside for a while.

    Here nti closes the reason clause.

Common Mistakes

  • Using enti where you mean because.

    Merenkɔ enti meyare.
    Merenkɔ ɛfiri sɛ meyare.

    The intended meaning is I will not go because I am sick. With enti the sentence says I will not go, so I am sick. Enti introduces the result; ɛfiri sɛ introduces the reason.

  • Putting nti before the noun, like English because of.

    Nti wo, mebaeɛ.
    Wo nti na mebaeɛ.

    Nti always follows the word it refers to: wo nti, ɛno nti.

Words in This Pattern

ntiɛno