obi / biribi / baabi

Someone, Something, Somewhere

Level 2

obi (someone), biribi (something), baabi (somewhere): Obi reba. (Someone is coming.)

How It Works

1. Three words for three kinds

  • obi: a person (someone, somebody)
  • biribi: a thing (something)
  • baabi: a place (somewhere)

All three contain bi (a certain, some).

2. As the subject
Obi and biribi behave like a name or a noun, so the verb takes no subject prefix: Obi reba (Someone is coming), Biribi reba (Something is coming). See Noun Subjects Take No Prefix.

3. After the verb
As an object: Mepɛ biribi (I want something), Mehunuu obi (I saw someone). Baabi follows a verb of movement directly, with no word for to: Merekɔ baabi (I am going somewhere). See Going Somewhere: kɔ.

4. In questions
With question melody, obi covers English anyone: Obi wɔ hɔ? (Is anyone there?)

5. Related forms

  • Add -ara for every: obiara (everyone), biribiara (everything), baabiara (everywhere). See Every, Any: biara.
  • With a negative verb, obi means nobody: Obi nni hɔ (Nobody is there). For nothing, Twi uses hwee: Menni hwee (I have nothing).
  • For some people, use ebinom.

6. In speech
Biribi often sounds like biibi in fast speech. Written Twi keeps the full form.

Examples (6)

  1. Obi reba.

    Someone is coming.

    Obi is the subject, so reba has no prefix.

  2. Obi frɛɛ wo.

    Someone called you.

    Frɛɛ is the past of frɛ (call) before an object.

  3. Obi wɔ hɔ?

    Is anyone there?

    In a question, obi covers anyone.

  4. Mewɔ biribi ma wo.

    I have something for you.

    Word by Word: I-have something give you

  5. Mehunuu biribi wɔ kwan no so.

    I saw something on the road.

    Biribi is the object of hunuu (saw).

  6. Merekɔ baabi.

    I am going somewhere.

    Baabi follows kɔ directly, with no word for to.

Common Mistakes

  • Using obi when you mean something.

    Mepɛ obi.
    Mepɛ biribi.

    Obi is only for people, so Mepɛ obi means I want someone. For a thing, use biribi.

  • Adding a subject prefix after obi.

    Obi ɔreba.
    Obi reba.

    In a plain statement obi is a noun subject, like Kofi, so the verb takes no ɔ-.

How It Connects

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obi / biribi / baabiLevel 2Someone, Something, Somewhere

Learn This First

The indefinite words are built on bi.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

obibiribibaabi