Timeless Truths in Proverbs

Level 6

General subject + N- + verb = a truth that always holds: Ɔkɔtɔ nwo anomaa (A crab does not give birth to a bird).

How It Works

1. The pattern
General subject + N- + verb (+ object), usually with no article: Tikoro nkɔ agyina (One head does not go into council), Ahwenepa nkasa (Good beads do not rattle).

2. Why this form
This is the negative of the Simple Present, which states habits and facts, so it says the thing never happens. Compare:

  • Tikoro nkɔ agyina. One head does not go into council (a rule).
  • Tikoro ankɔ agyina. One head did not go into council (one occasion), with Did Not: a- + N-.
  • Tikoro renkɔ agyina. One head will not go into council (a prediction), with Will Not: re- + N-.

3. Nobody
Obi (someone) with this negative means nobody, as in Nobody and Nothing With Negatives: Obi nkyerɛ abofra Nyame (Nobody shows a child God), because even a child can see God in the world.

4. Sound changes still apply
The negative nasal changes b to m and d to n, as in Sound Changes After the Negative: Abofra bɔ nwa na ɔmmɔ akyekyedeɛ (A child cracks a snail's shell but not a tortoise's). Nsateaa nyinaa nnyɛ pɛ (All fingers are not equal) uses nnyɛ, the negative of yɛ (be), which is usually spelled nyɛ outside proverbs, as in Not To Be: nyɛ.

5. Reading the meaning
The picture is only half of the proverb. A crab not giving birth to a bird means children take after their parents; good beads not rattling means people of real worth do not boast. See Proverbs: ɛbɛ for how speakers use them.

Examples (6)

  1. Tikoro nkɔ agyina.

    One head does not go into council.

    Word by Word: head-one not-go council

  2. Obi nkyerɛ abofra Nyame.

    Nobody shows a child God.

    Obi with a negative means nobody. Some things are plain even to a child.

  3. Ɔkɔtɔ nwo anomaa.

    A crab does not give birth to a bird.

    Children take after their parents. Nwo is the negative of wo (give birth).

  4. Ahwenepa nkasa.

    Good beads do not rattle.

    People of real worth do not need to make noise about it.

  5. Nsateaa nyinaa nnyɛ pɛ.

    All fingers are not equal.

    People differ in strength and ability.

  6. Abofra bɔ nwa na ɔmmɔ akyekyedeɛ.

    A child cracks a snail's shell but not a tortoise's.

    Ɔmmɔ is the negative of bɔ: b becomes m after the nasal. Take on tasks that fit your strength.

Common Mistakes

  • Turning the timeless negative into a past (intended: the proverb One head does not go into council).

    Tikoro ankɔ agyina.
    Tikoro nkɔ agyina.

    Ankɔ says one head did not go on one occasion. A proverb states what never happens, so it keeps the plain negative with no tense prefix.

  • Skipping the sound change after the negative nasal.

    Abofra bɔ nwa na ɔnbɔ akyekyedeɛ.
    Abofra bɔ nwa na ɔmmɔ akyekyedeɛ.

    After the negative nasal, b becomes m, so bɔ becomes mmɔ.

How It Connects

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

Timeless Truths in ProverbsLevel 6

Learn This First

Timeless truths use the negative in proverbs.