bɛn (Which)

Which: Bɛn

Level 2

Noun + bɛn = which + noun: Nwoma bɛn na wopɛ? (Which book do you want?)

How It Works

1. After the noun
Like other words that describe a noun, bɛn follows it:

2. Front or in place
The phrase with bɛn can come first with na, or stay where the answer would go. See Question Words With na.

In the past, a fronted phrase leaves the verb at the end of its clause: Aduane bɛn na wodiiɛ? (Which food did you eat?).

3. Which one?
When there is no noun, use deɛhe: Deɛhe na wopɛ? (Which one do you want?).

4. Bɛn builds other question words
Berɛ bɛn (which time) means when, and da bɛn means which day.

5. Which or what?
Dɛn asks what in general. Bɛn picks among things of one kind, named by the noun before it.

Nwoma bɛn na wopɛ?
Which book do you want?
Word by Word: book which FOC you-want
Wopɛ ntoma bɛn?
Which cloth do you want?
Word by Word: you-want cloth which
The phrase can stay in place, at the end.
Aduane bɛn na wodiiɛ?
Which food did you eat?
Word by Word: food which FOC you-ate
The fronted phrase leaves diiɛ at the end of its clause.
Da bɛn na ɔbaeɛ?
Which day did she come?
Word by Word: day which FOC she-came
Deɛhe na wopɛ?
Which one do you want?
Word by Word: which-one FOC you-want
With no noun, use deɛhe instead of bɛn.

Putting bɛn before the noun, as in English.
Bɛn nwoma na wopɛ?
Nwoma bɛn na wopɛ?
Bɛn always follows its noun: nwoma bɛn, which book.
Using bɛn alone for which one.
Bɛn na wopɛ?
Deɛhe na wopɛ?
Bɛn needs a noun before it. With no noun, ask with deɛhe.

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

bɛn (Which)Level 2Which: Bɛn

Which-questions use the fronting pattern with na.

bɛn

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