ɛ / ɔ

The Letters Ɛ and Ɔ

Level 1

Ɛ ɛ is an open e, as in bed. Ɔ ɔ is an open o, as in law. They are letters of their own, not other ways of writing e and o.

How It Works

Twi gives each of these vowel pairs two letters:

  • e is a closer sound, near the a of English hate. ɛ is more open, like the e in bed or set.
  • o is a closer sound, near the o of old. ɔ is more open, like the aw in law or the o in all.

Pairs of words that differ only in this vowel:

  • kɔ (go) and ko (fight): Merekɔ fie means I am going home.
  • dɛ (sweet, nice) and de (is called): Ɛyɛ dɛ (It is nice), Me din de Ama (My name is Ama).
  • hɔ (there) and ho (body, self): Ɔwɔ hɔ (She is there), Wo ho te sɛn? (How are you?).
  • sɛn (how) and sen (than): Wo ho te sɛn? but Kofi ware sen Kwame (Kofi is taller than Kwame). See sɛn (how) and sen (than).

The capitals are Ɛ and Ɔ. Many common verb forms and nouns begin with these vowels, so you will see the capitals at the start of sentences all the time: Ɛyɛ (it is), Ɔkɔ (he or she goes), Ɔbaa no (the woman).

In a prefix, the choice between ɛ and e, or ɔ and o, can depend on the vowel that follows. See vowel harmony. Online, people often type e and o for ɛ and ɔ; read by context, but write the real letters yourself. See informal spelling e and o.

Examples (5)

  1. Merekɔ fie.

    I am going home.

    Word by Word: I-am-going home.

    Kɔ with ɔ means go. Written with o, ko would mean fight.

  2. Wo ho te sɛn?

    How are you?

    Word by Word: Your body is how?

    Ho (body, self) has o, and sɛn (how) has ɛ.

  3. Aduane no yɛ dɛ.

    The food is tasty.

    Word by Word: Food the is sweet.

    Dɛ with ɛ means sweet or nice.

  4. Ɔbaa no wɔ hɔ.

    The woman is there.

    Word by Word: Woman the is-at there.

    The capital Ɔ starts the sentence, and hɔ (there) ends it. With o, ho would mean body or self.

  5. Kofi ware sen Kwame.

    Kofi is taller than Kwame.

    Word by Word: Kofi is-tall surpass Kwame.

    Sen with e means than. With ɛ, sɛn would mean how.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing o for ɔ in kɔ (go).

    Mereko fie.
    Merekɔ fie.

    Ko means fight, so Mereko fie does not say I am going home. The verb go is always kɔ.

  • Writing e for ɛ in dɛ (sweet, nice).

    Aduane no yɛ de.
    Aduane no yɛ dɛ.

    De is a different word. To say that something tastes good or is nice, write dɛ.

How It Connects

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

ɛ / ɔLevel 1The Letters Ɛ and Ɔ

Learn This First

The open vowels ɛ and ɔ build on the alphabet.