ɛtɔ da a (Sometimes)

Sometimes: Ɛtɔ Da a

Level 4

Ɛtɔ da a, + habit = sometimes: Ɛtɔ da a, mekɔ hɔ (Sometimes I go there).

How It Works

1. The pattern
Ɛtɔ da a, + clause.

  • Ɛtɔ da a, mekɔ hɔ. (Sometimes I go there.)
  • Ɛtɔ da a, menoa me ara m'aduane. (Sometimes I cook my own food.)

2. A habit uses the simple present
Something that happens now and then is a habit, so use the plain verb from Simple Present, not the progressive re-. See Simple Present or Progressive?.

3. Negatives
The phrase does not change; the verb carries the negative: Ɛtɔ da a, Kofi mma adwuma (Sometimes Kofi does not come to work).

4. Ɛtɔ da bi a and other times
Adding bi (a certain) gives ɛtɔ da bi a, which means the same and is just as common. To contrast two habits, use ɛtɔ da bi nso a (and at other times): Ɛtɔ da a, yɛdi ɛmo; ɛtɔ da bi nso a, yɛdi fufuo (Sometimes we eat rice; at other times we eat fufu).

5. How often?

  • daa: always, every day: Daa mekɔ adwuma.
  • taa: often: Metaa kɔ hɔ. See Often: taa.
  • ɛtɔ da a: sometimes: Ɛtɔ da a, mekɔ hɔ.
  • da with a negative verb: never: Menkɔ hɔ da. See Never: da.

Examples (6)

  1. Ɛtɔ da a, mekɔ hɔ.

    Sometimes I go there.

    Word by Word: it-falls day (when), I-go there

  2. Ɛtɔ da a, menoa me ara m'aduane.

    Sometimes I cook my own food.

  3. Ɛtɔ da bi a, ɔkɔ Kumase.

    Sometimes she goes to Kumasi.

    Ɛtɔ da bi a means the same as ɛtɔ da a.

  4. Ɛtɔ da a, nsuo tɔ anɔpa.

    Sometimes it rains in the morning.

  5. Ɛtɔ da a, Kofi mma adwuma.

    Sometimes Kofi does not come to work.

    The negative goes on the verb: ba becomes mma.

  6. Ɛtɔ da a, yɛdi ɛmo; ɛtɔ da bi nso a, yɛdi fufuo.

    Sometimes we eat rice; at other times we eat fufu.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the closing a.

    Ɛtɔ da, mekɔ hɔ.
    Ɛtɔ da a, mekɔ hɔ.

    The a closes the time phrase, just as in sɛ ... a. It is always part of ɛtɔ da a.

  • Using the progressive for a habit.

    Ɛtɔ da a, merekɔ hɔ.
    Ɛtɔ da a, mekɔ hɔ.

    Re- describes an action in progress right now. Something that happens sometimes is a habit, so use the simple present.

How It Connects

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

ɛtɔ da a (Sometimes)Level 4Sometimes: Ɛtɔ Da a

Learn This First

Sometimes is a fixed when-clause.