anaa (Question)
Yes-No Questions
To ask a yes-no question, take a normal statement and add anaa at the end: Wobɛba anaa? (Will you come?).
How It Works
Compare a statement with its question:
- Wobɛba. You will come.
- Wobɛba anaa? Will you come?
Nothing moves and nothing is added inside the sentence. English puts will, do or are at the front, but Twi keeps the verb with its own subject prefix and tense marker: Woreba anaa? (Are you coming?), Woawie anaa? (Have you finished?).
Anaa is the same word as anaa (or). At the end of a question it offers the listener a choice: yes or no.
How it sounds. A Twi question does not rise at the end the way an English one does. The last vowel is held a little longer and said more strongly, while the pitch still falls. Without anaa, that longer ending is what tells the listener it is a question. Tone and melody are not written, so listen for them.
Questions with a question word, such as dɛn or he, are already questions and do not need anaa.
Answer a yes-no question with aane or daabi.
Examples (5)
- Wobɛba anaa?
Will you come?
Word by Word: You-will-come or?
- Wopɛ nsuo anaa?
Do you want water?
Word by Word: You-want water or?
- Kofi wɔ fie anaa?
Is Kofi at home?
Word by Word: Kofi is-at home or?
The statement Kofi wɔ fie becomes a question just by adding anaa.
- Woawie anaa?
Have you finished?
Word by Word: You-have-finished or?
The perfect a- stays inside the verb, just as in the statement.
- Wote Twi?
Do you understand Twi?
Word by Word: You-hear Twi?
There is no anaa here: the voice alone makes it a question.
Common Mistakes
Putting anaa first, like English do.
Anaa wobɛba?Wobɛba anaa?The question anaa goes at the end. At the start, anaa means or, so Anaa wobɛba? sounds like Or will you come?
Adding yɛ for English are.
Woyɛ reba anaa?Woreba anaa?Yɛ is not a helper verb. Are you coming? is simply the progressive verb woreba with anaa at the end.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Yes-no questions are built on ordinary statements.
Related Patterns
- anaa (Or)Or: Anaa
The same word joins choices: tea or coffee?
Level 2 - aane / daabiYes and No: Aane and Daabi
The words that answer a yes-no question.
Level 1 - Tone: Pitch Changes Meaning
Question melody is heard, not written.
Level 1 - Question Word + naQuestion Words with Na
Questions with a question word work differently and do not need anaa.
Level 2 - ɛnte saa?Isn't It So? Ɛnte Saa?
A tag at the end that asks the listener to agree.
Level 3 - sɛ ... anaa (Whether)Whether: Sɛ ... Anaa
Anaa also closes a reported yes-no question.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice anaa (Question) in Bubblegum
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