hwan (Who)
Who: Hwan
Hwan means who: Woyɛ hwan? (Who are you?). One word covers who, whom and whose.
How It Works
Hwan in place. Hwan can simply fill the answer slot:
- Woyɛ hwan? Who are you?
- Ɔbarima no ne hwan? Who is the man? This uses ne, which identifies someone.
Hwan first, with na. When hwan moves to the front, na follows it, and the person leaves a pronoun behind:
- Subject: the verb keeps the prefix ɔ- (he or she). Hwan na ɔbaeɛ? (Who came?). See focus on the subject.
- Object: no (him, her) stays after the verb. Hwan na Yaw pɛ no? (Who does Yaw like?). A thing leaves nothing behind: Dɛn na Yaw pɛ? (What does Yaw like?).
Relative clauses follow the same rule. See pronouns inside relative clauses.
Whose? Put hwan before the noun, the way an owner comes before what they own (possession by placement): Wodii hwan aduane? (Whose food did you eat?).
Variety. Akuapem Twi, including the Akuapem Bible, uses hena for who. The grammar is the same.
Examples (6)
- Woyɛ hwan?
Who are you?
Word by Word: You-are who?
- Hwan na ɔbaeɛ?
Who came?
Word by Word: Who na he/she-came?
A person subject keeps ɔ- on the verb after na.
- Hwan na Yaw pɛ no?
Who does Yaw like?
Word by Word: Who na Yaw likes him/her?
A person object leaves no after the verb.
- Wode safoa no maa hwan?
Who did you give the key to?
Word by Word: You-took key the gave who?
Hwan stays where the answer goes, after maa (gave).
- Wodii hwan aduane?
Whose food did you eat?
Word by Word: You-ate who food?
Before a noun, hwan means whose.
- Ɔbarima no ne hwan?
Who is the man?
Word by Word: Man the is who?
Ne identifies someone: this is, that is.
Common Mistakes
Dropping ɔ- after hwan na.
Hwan na baeɛ?Hwan na ɔbaeɛ?When the person asked about is the subject, the verb keeps the pronoun ɔ- after na.
Leaving out no when asking whom.
Hwan na Yaw pɛ?Hwan na Yaw pɛ no?When the person asked about is the object, no stays after the verb. Only things leave nothing behind: Dɛn na Yaw pɛ?
How It Connects
Learn This First
Who-questions often use yɛ.
Related Patterns
- Question Word + naQuestion Words with Na
Explains the na that follows a fronted hwan.
Level 2 - na (Subject Focus)Focus on the Subject: X Na
Why ɔ- stays on the verb in Hwan na ɔbaeɛ?
Level 3 - Pronouns Inside Relative Clauses
The same leftover pronoun appears in relative clauses about people.
Level 3 - Possession by Placement
Hwan before a noun means whose, like an owner before a noun.
Level 1 - ne (This Is)This Is: Ne
Ɔbarima no ne hwan? identifies a person with ne.
Level 1 - Asante, Akuapem and Fante
Akuapem says hena for who.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice hwan (Who) in Bubblegum
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