akwaaba

Welcome: Akwaaba

Level 1

Say Akwaaba! (Welcome!) to a guest or to anyone who arrives.

How It Works

Akwaaba is the word of welcome in Twi, and it is used all over Ghana. Say it to a guest at your door, a visitor to your town, or anyone who has just arrived: Akwaaba! (Welcome!). Hosts often follow it with Tena ase (Sit down).

Giving welcome. Akwaaba is also a noun, and you "give" it with the verb ma: Mema wo akwaaba (I welcome you), Yɛma wo akwaaba (We welcome you). To several people, use mo: Mema mo akwaaba (I welcome you all). To welcome someone to a place, add ba (come) and the place: Yɛma wo akwaaba ba Kumase (We welcome you to Kumasi).

Answering. A common reply is Yaa with a kin word for the person who welcomed you, as with the daily greetings: Yaa agya to an older man, Yaa ɛna to an older woman, Yaa nua to someone your age. You can also simply thank your host: Medaase. See the daily greetings and thank you.

Not "you're welcome". In English, "welcome" also answers "thank you", but akwaaba does not. When someone thanks you, a common reply is Ɛnyɛ hwee (It is nothing).

Examples (5)

  1. Akwaaba!

    Welcome!

  2. Ama, akwaaba! Tena ase.

    Welcome, Ama! Sit down.

  3. Yɛma wo akwaaba.

    We welcome you.

    Word by Word: We give you welcome.

  4. Mema mo akwaaba.

    I welcome you all.

    Mo is used when you welcome several people.

  5. Yɛma wo akwaaba ba Kumase.

    We welcome you to Kumasi.

    Word by Word: We give you welcome come Kumasi.

Common Mistakes

  • Answering thanks with akwaaba.

    Medaase! — Akwaaba.
    Medaase! — Ɛnyɛ hwee.

    Akwaaba greets someone who arrives. It does not answer thank you; Ɛnyɛ hwee (It is nothing) does.

  • Answering akwaaba with akwaaba.

    Akwaaba! — Akwaaba!
    Akwaaba! — Yaa agya.

    The guest does not welcome the host back. Reply with Yaa and a kin word, here to an older man, or say Medaase.

Words in This Pattern

ma akwaaba