sen biara (Most)

The Most: Sen Biara

Level 3

Kofi na ɔware sen obiara means Kofi is the tallest, literally Kofi is taller than everyone.

How It Works

1. Start from than
Comparisons With sen compares two: Kofi ware sen Kwame (Kofi is taller than Kwame). Put obiara (everyone) on the other side and you get the tallest: Kofi ware sen obiara.

2. Choose the other side

  • sen obiara: than everyone, for people
  • sen biara: than any, for things
  • sen wɔn nyinaa: than all of them, for a group already mentioned. See All: nyinaa.

Add wɔ ... mu (in) to name the group: Ama na ɔware sen obiara wɔ yɛn abusua mu (Ama is the tallest in our family).

3. Na picks out the winner
The superlative often uses Focus on the Subject: X na: Kofi na ɔware sen obiara. The prefix after na matches the subject: ɔ- for a person, ɛ- for a thing: Eyi na ɛyɛ dɛ sen biara. The sentence without na is also correct: Kofi ware sen obiara.

4. It works with actions too
Medɔ me maame sen obiara (I love my mother more than anyone). Describing words with yɛ work the same way: Ɛdan yi na ɛyɛ kɛseɛ sen biara (This house is the biggest). See Describing With yɛ.

5. Spelling
sen (than) has a plain e. sɛn, with ɛ, means how: see How: sɛn. You will also meet kyɛn (surpass) in the same slot in some writing.

Examples (6)

  1. Kofi na ɔware sen obiara.

    Kofi is the tallest.

    Word by Word: Kofi FOCUS he-is-tall surpass everyone

  2. Eyi na ɛyɛ dɛ sen biara.

    This one is the nicest.

    Word by Word: this FOCUS it-is sweet surpass any

    A thing takes ɛ- and sen biara.

  3. Ama na ɔware sen obiara wɔ yɛn abusua mu.

    Ama is the tallest in our family.

    Wɔ ... mu (in) names the group being compared.

  4. Ɔno na ɔyɛ adwuma sen wɔn nyinaa.

    She works the hardest of them all.

    Word by Word: she FOCUS she-does work surpass them all

  5. Medɔ me maame sen obiara.

    I love my mother more than anyone.

  6. Ɛdan yi na ɛyɛ kɛseɛ sen biara.

    This house is the biggest.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing sɛn (how) instead of sen (than).

    Kofi na ɔware sɛn obiara.
    Kofi na ɔware sen obiara.

    Sɛn with ɛ means how. The comparison word is sen, with a plain e.

  • Putting sen obiara before the describing verb.

    Kofi sen obiara ware.
    Kofi ware sen obiara.

    Sen follows the describing verb, as in any comparison: first say what Kofi is (ware, tall), then whom he surpasses.

How It Connects

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

sen biara (Most)Level 3The Most: Sen Biara

Learn This First

The most combines sen, biara and focus.

Words in This Pattern

senbiaraobiara