saa ... no

That: Saa ... No

Level 2

Frame the noun: saa + noun + no means that, as in saa abofra no (that child) and saa berɛ no (at that time).

How It Works

1. The frame
Saa comes before the noun and no closes the phrase. Together they point to one particular person or thing that you and your listener already know about.

  • saa abofra no (that child)
  • saa ntoma no (that cloth)
  • saa da no (that day)
  • saa berɛ no (at that time, back then)

2. The closing word is required
Saa never stands before a noun on its own. The phrase must end with no for that, or with yi for this: saa abofra yi (this child). See This: yi.

3. Describing words stay inside
Adjectives and numbers sit between the noun and no, in their usual order: saa mmofra baanu no (those two children), saa ataadeɛ tuntum no (that black shirt). Twi has no separate word for those: a plural noun inside the frame is enough. See Order in the Noun Phrase.

4. Saa ... no or just no?
No on its own already points back to something known, so abofra no can mean the child or that child. Add saa when you want to single it out: that particular child, the one you were talking about.

5. Words to keep apart

  • Ɛno means that one and stands alone, with no noun: Mepɛ ɛno (I want that one).
  • Saa with no noun after it means so or like that: Ɛte saa (It is so).
  • Saa before a noun always comes with no or yi at the end.

6. Setting the scene
Saa berɛ no and saa da no often open a sentence: Saa berɛ no, na mete Kumase (At that time, I lived in Kumasi). Akuapem writes the same phrase saa bere no.

Examples (6)

  1. Saa papa no baa ha.

    That man came here.

    Word by Word: that man the came here

    Papa here means a man or gentleman. Saa ... no picks out one man both speakers know about.

  2. Saa abofra no yɛ me nua.

    That child is my brother.

    Word by Word: that child the is my sibling

    Nua means a brother or sister; the context tells you which.

  3. Mepɛ saa ntoma no.

    I want that cloth.

    The whole frame saa ntoma no is the object, so it follows the verb.

  4. Saa mmofra baanu no te ha.

    Those two children live here.

    Word by Word: that children two the live here

    The plural noun mmofra turns that into those. The number stays inside the frame, before no.

  5. Saa berɛ no, na mete Kumase.

    At that time, I lived in Kumasi.

    Saa berɛ no sets the time. Na before the state verb te places it in the past.

  6. Saa da no, nsuo tɔeɛ.

    That day, it rained.

    Word by Word: that day the, water fell

    Nsuo tɔ (water falls) is how Twi says it rains. Tɔeɛ is the past at the end of a clause.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the closing no.

    Saa papa baa ha.
    Saa papa no baa ha.

    Saa always needs no (that) or yi (this) at the end of the noun phrase. Without it, the phrase is not complete.

  • Putting ɛno before a noun, the way English uses that.

    Mepɛ ɛno ntoma.
    Mepɛ saa ntoma no.

    Ɛno means that one and stands alone: Mepɛ ɛno. Before a noun, use the frame saa ... no.

How It Connects

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

saa ... noLevel 2That: Saa ... No

Learn This First

Saa ... no pairs with yi and the article no.

Words in This Pattern

no