nea ɛhia ne sɛ

What Matters Is That

Level 5

Nea ɛhia ne sɛ + clause = what matters is that ...: Nea ɛhia ne sɛ wo ho yɛ. (What matters is that you are well.)

How It Works

1. The parts
Nea ɛhia (what is needed, what matters) + ne (is) + sɛ (that) + the main point:

  • Nea ɛhia ne sɛ yɛbɛboa yɛn ho yɛn ho. (What matters is that we help each other.)

Ne links two things that are the same, as in Eyi ne me maame (This is my mother). Here what matters and the sɛ clause are the same thing.

2. Nea or deɛ
Asante speech often uses deɛ in place of nea: Deɛ ɛhia ne sɛ wobɛba (What matters is that you come). Both are correct.

3. The sɛ clause
The sɛ clause is a full sentence in any tense: the future for plans (yɛbɛboa), the present for a state (wo ho yɛ), the past for something done.

4. A noun instead of a clause
Without sɛ, a noun can follow ne. Add a person after ɛhia to say who needs it: Nea ɛhia me ne sika (What I need is money). With ho, ɛho hia means it is important, so nea ɛho hia means what is important.

5. The same frame with other verbs
Swap ɛhia for another verb to frame a point: Nea mepɛ ne sɛ ... (What I want is that ...), Nea mereka ne sɛ ... (What I am saying is that ...). The everyday Asɛm no ne sɛ ... means The thing is that ...

Examples (6)

  1. Nea ɛhia ne sɛ yɛbɛboa yɛn ho yɛn ho.

    What matters is that we help each other.

    Word by Word: what it-is-needed is that we-will-help our selves our selves

    Yɛn ho yɛn ho means each other.

  2. Deɛ ɛhia ne sɛ wobɛba.

    What matters is that you come.

    Asante speakers often use deɛ for nea.

  3. Nea ɛhia ne sɛ wo ho yɛ.

    What matters is that you are well.

    Wo ho yɛ (your body is good) means you are well.

  4. Nea ɛhia me ne sika.

    What I need is money.

    A noun follows ne directly, without sɛ.

  5. Nea mepɛ ne sɛ wosua ade yie.

    What I want is for you to study well.

    The same frame with pɛ (want).

  6. Asɛm no ne sɛ, menni berɛ.

    The thing is, I don't have time.

    Asɛm no (the matter) + ne sɛ is an everyday way to explain.

Common Mistakes

  • Using yɛ instead of ne to link the two halves.

    Nea ɛhia yɛ sɛ yɛbɛboa yɛn ho yɛn ho.
    Nea ɛhia ne sɛ yɛbɛboa yɛn ho yɛn ho.

    Yɛ sɛ means seem or be like, so this does not say what matters is that. The two halves name the same thing, so they are linked with ne.

How It Connects

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

nea ɛhia ne sɛLevel 5What Matters Is That

Learn This First

The frame combines nea, hia, the identity verb ne and sɛ.

Words in This Pattern

neadeahiane