yɛ, ne or wɔ?
English uses one verb, be. Twi picks one of three: yɛ (is, is like), ne (is, identifying) and wɔ (is at, has).
How It Works
Ask yourself what the sentence is doing.
- Saying what someone is or is like? Use yɛ. Ɔyɛ ɔkyerɛkyerɛfoɔ. (She is a teacher.) Ɛyɛ dɛ. (It is nice.)
- Identifying or introducing? Use ne. Eyi ne me nua. (This is my sibling.) Ɔno ne ɔhene no. (He is the chief.)
- Saying where? Use wɔ. Ɔwɔ fie. (She is at home.)
- Saying what someone has? Also wɔ. Mewɔ sika. (I have money.)
Yɛ or ne? Yɛ puts someone in a group or gives a quality: she is a teacher. Ne points to one particular person or thing and says who or what it is: this is my sibling, he is the chief. Ne often follows eyi (this one) or a pronoun.
The negatives.
Examples (6)
- Ɔyɛ ɔkyerɛkyerɛfoɔ.
She is a teacher.
Word by Word: She-is teacher.
Yɛ gives her job.
- Ɛyɛ dɛ.
It is nice.
Word by Word: It-is sweet.
Yɛ also gives a quality.
- Eyi ne me nua.
This is my sibling.
Word by Word: This-one is my sibling.
Ne introduces a particular person.
- Ɔno ne ɔhene no.
He is the chief.
Word by Word: He is chief the.
Ne identifies him as one particular person.
- Ɔwɔ fie.
She is at home.
Word by Word: She-is.at home.
Wɔ gives a place.
- Mewɔ sika.
I have money.
Word by Word: I-have money.
Wɔ also means have.
Common Mistakes
Using yɛ for a place.
Meyɛ Kumase.Mewɔ Kumase.Yɛ says what someone is. For where someone is, use wɔ.
Using wɔ for a job.
Ɔwɔ ɔkyerɛkyerɛfoɔ.Ɔyɛ ɔkyerɛkyerɛfoɔ.Ɔwɔ ɔkyerɛkyerɛfoɔ means she has a teacher. To say she is a teacher, use yɛ.
Making the negative of wɔ with nyɛ.
Kofi nyɛ fie.Kofi nni fie.The negative of wɔ is always nni, both for place and for having.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The comparison needs all three be-verbs.
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice yɛ, ne or wɔ? in Bubblegum
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