no (The)

The Article No

Level 1

No after a noun means the: abofra no (the child).

How It Works

Position. No is the last word of the noun phrase. Adjectives and numbers come between the noun and no. See order in the noun phrase.

  • abofra no: the child
  • mmofra no: the children (only the noun changes for the plural; no stays the same)
  • fie kɛseɛ no: the big house
  • mmofra mmienu no: the two children

When to use it. No points to something the listener can already pick out, because it was mentioned before or is part of the situation you share. A new thing appears without no, or with bi, and takes no after that: Metɔɔ nwoma bi. Nwoma no yɛ dɛ. (I bought a book. The book is good.)

So no is used less often than English the. Things that are one of a kind, like the sun, usually appear without it: Awia rebɔ (The sun is shining). An unspecified amount also takes the bare noun: Mepɛ nsuo (I want water), but Mepɛ nsuo no (I want the water, the water we both know about).

Two words spelled no. The article comes after a noun. The object pronoun no (him, her, it) comes right after a verb: Mehunuu abofra no (I saw the child), but Mehunuu no (I saw him or her).

No also closes longer phrases, such as saa ... no (that) and relative clauses: abofra a ɔbaeɛ no (the child who came).

Examples (6)

  1. Abofra no rekɔ sukuu.

    The child is going to school.

    Word by Word: Child the is-going school.

  2. Mmofra no rebɔ bɔɔl.

    The children are playing football.

    Word by Word: Children the are-hitting ball.

    The plural noun changes, but no stays the same.

  3. Fie kɛseɛ no wɔ Kumase.

    The big house is in Kumasi.

    Word by Word: House big the is-at Kumasi.

    No comes after the adjective.

  4. Mmofra mmienu no wɔ fie.

    The two children are at home.

    Word by Word: Children two the are-at home.

    No comes after the number too.

  5. Metɔɔ nwoma bi. Nwoma no yɛ dɛ.

    I bought a book. The book is good.

    Word by Word: I-bought book some. Book the is sweet.

    The book is new in the first sentence, so it has bi. Once it is known, it takes no.

  6. Mehunuu abofra no nnɛra.

    I saw the child yesterday.

    Word by Word: I-saw child the yesterday.

    Here no follows a noun, so it means the, not him.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting no before the noun, like English the.

    No abofra rekɔ sukuu.
    Abofra no rekɔ sukuu.

    No always follows the noun.

  • Putting no between a noun and its adjective.

    Fie no kɛseɛ wɔ Kumase.
    Fie kɛseɛ no wɔ Kumase.

    No closes the whole noun phrase, so it comes after the adjective. The sentence means The big house is in Kumasi.

  • Putting the number before the noun.

    Mmienu mmofra no wɔ fie.
    Mmofra mmienu no wɔ fie.

    Numbers follow the noun, and no comes after the number.

How It Connects

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no (The)Level 1The Article No

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Words in This Pattern

no