adɛn nti (Why)
Why: Adɛn Nti
Adɛn nti na ... ? means Why ...?: Adɛn nti na woresu? (Why are you crying?)
How It Works
1. The pattern
Adɛn nti + na + the rest of the question:
- Adɛn nti na woyɛɛ saa? (Why did you do that?)
- Adɛn nti na woresu? (Why are you crying?)
This is the same fronting pattern as Question Words With na.
2. Where the words come from
Adɛn is related to dɛn (what), and nti after a word means because of: wo nti (because of you). So adɛn nti means because of what. See So, Therefore: enti.
3. Short forms
Speakers often drop nti: Adɛn na woamma? (Why did you not come?). On its own, Adɛn? is a complete question: Why?
4. Answering
Answer with ɛfiri sɛ (because): Ɛfiri sɛ na meyare (Because I was sick). Do not start the answer with enti; enti means so and introduces a result.
5. Tense stays normal
The verb after na keeps whatever tense the question needs: woresu (you are crying), woyɛɛ (you did), worenyɛ (you will not do).
Examples (5)
- Adɛn nti na woyɛɛ saa?
Why did you do that?
Word by Word: what because-of FOC you-did so
- Adɛn nti na woresu?
Why are you crying?
Word by Word: what because-of FOC you-are-crying
- Adɛn nti na worenyɛ adeɛ foforɔ?
Why won’t you do something different?
Word by Word: what because-of FOC you-will-not-do thing new
The verb after na can be in any tense, here the negative future.
- Adɛn na woamma?
Why did you not come?
Word by Word: why FOC you-did-not-come
The short form adɛn works the same way.
- Adɛn nti na woamma? Ɛfiri sɛ na meyare.
Why did you not come? Because I was sick.
Answer a why question with ɛfiri sɛ. Na places the state meyare in the past.
Common Mistakes
Answering why with enti.
Enti meyare.Ɛfiri sɛ meyare.Intended: Because I am sick. Enti means so and introduces a result. A reason starts with ɛfiri sɛ.
Leaving out na after adɛn nti.
Adɛn nti woresu?Adɛn nti na woresu?Adɛn nti is a fronted question word, so it needs na after it.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Why-questions use the fronting pattern with na.
Related Patterns
- ɛfiri sɛ (Because)Because: Ɛfiri Sɛ
Ɛfiri sɛ gives the reason in the answer.
Level 3 - enti (So)So, Therefore: Enti
Nti in adɛn nti is the same nti that means because of.
Level 3 - dɛn (What)What: Dɛn
Adɛn is related to dɛn, what.
Level 1 - saa (So, Like That)So, Like That: Saa
Saa often appears in why questions: Why did you do that?
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice adɛn nti (Why) in Bubblegum
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