meda wo ase

Thank You: Meda Wo Ase

Level 1

Meda wo ase means Thank you. In everyday speech it is usually shortened to Medaase.

How It Works

Da ... ase is a split verb. Its two parts wrap around the person being thanked, just like gye ... di (believe).

  • Me-da wo ase: I thank you (one person).
  • Me-da mo ase: I thank you (several people).
  • Yɛ-da wo ase: We thank you.
  • Ɔ-daa me ase: He or she thanked me. In the past, da becomes daa, because a word follows it. See the past before an object.

Medaase is the short, everyday form. It leaves out the person, so it works for one listener or many. To make it stronger, add paa or pii: Medaase paa! (Thank you so much!), Meda wo ase pii (Thank you very much).

To say what you are thankful for, add a clause with sɛ: Meda mo ase sɛ moaba (Thank you all for coming).

Replying to thanks. Common answers are Me nso medaase (I thank you too), Ɛnna ase (No need to thank me) and Ɛnyɛ hwee (It's nothing).

The noun aseda (thanks, gratitude) is built from the same two words in reverse order: Aseda nni hɔ (There is no need for thanks).

Examples (6)

  1. Meda wo ase.

    Thank you.

    Word by Word: I-thank you.

    The full form, with wo (you) between da and ase.

  2. Medaase paa!

    Thank you so much!

    Word by Word: I-thank really!

    Medaase is the short form; paa makes it stronger.

  3. Meda mo ase sɛ moaba.

    Thank you all for coming.

    Word by Word: I-thank you(pl) that you(pl)-have-come.

    Mo (you all) goes inside da ... ase, and sɛ adds the reason.

  4. Yɛda wo ase.

    We thank you.

    Word by Word: We-thank you.

    The prefix yɛ- (we) changes who is doing the thanking.

  5. Ɔdaa me ase.

    He thanked me.

    Word by Word: He-thanked me.

    In the past, da becomes daa, because me follows it.

  6. Awurade, meda wo ase.

    Lord, I thank you.

    Word by Word: Lord, I-thank you.

    The full form is common in prayers and formal thanks.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the person after the whole verb.

    Meda ase wo.
    Meda wo ase.

    Da ... ase is a split verb. The person being thanked always goes between da and ase.

  • Adding the person after Medaase.

    Medaase mo.
    Meda mo ase.

    Medaase has no place for a person. To name who you thank, use the full form with mo inside, or simply say Medaase.

How It Connects

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

meda wo aseLevel 1Thank You: Meda Wo Ase

Words in This Pattern

meda wo asemedaaseda ase