Ashanti Twi

Twi (pronounced 'chwee' [ʨʷi]) specifically Ashanti Twi is a language spoken in Ghana by about 7 million people. It is one of the three dialects of the Akan language, the others beingAkuapem Twi and Fante Twi, which in turn belongs to the Kwa language family. Within Ghana, Twi is spoken in the Ashanti Region and in parts of the Eastern, Western, Central, Volta and Brong Ahafo Region. There are many divisions of the Twi languages, but they are all mutually intelligible. They are all tonal language.

Ashanti Twi is the most widely spoken of the dialects of the Akan language. Akan is spoken by about 44 percent of Ghana’s population as a first language, and is also used as a second language by a large number of the remainder. These definitions and phrases are meant to introduce a non-Twi beginner to the spoken language.

Click on link below to view an extensive chart and view course info from Abibitumikasa Afrikan Language Institute. 

www.abibitumikasa.com/twi.pdf   

 

 ENGLISH PHRASE 

TWI PHRASE

PRONOUNCIATION IN TWI

1.

Good morning

maakye

MAH CHEE

2.

Good day/ afternoon

maaha

MAH HA

3.

Good evening/ night

maadwo

MAH JWO

4.

Sleep well/ Good night

da yie

DA YEAH

5.

We will meet again/

yεbεhyia

YAA-BAY-SHEE-YAH

6.

Later

akyire

AY-CHEE-REE

7.

Safe Journey

nantew yiye

NAN TI YEAH

8.

Call to attention /Knock Knock

agoo

AH GOO

9.

Response to a call to attention/ Knock

amee

AH MAY

10. 

How are you?

wo ho te sεn

WHOA  HOE TEH SANG

11. 

I am doing well.

me ho yε

MAY HO YEH

12. 

What’s up?

εte sεn?

EH-TEH SANG

13. 

I’m fine/ Easy or Cool

eyε/ Bokoo

EH-YEH/ BOU KOW

14. 

And you?

na wo nso ε?

NAH WHO-NSOH EH

15. 

Hello

ayikoo

AY-YEE-KOOH

16. 

Greetings/ I greet you

mekyea wo

ME-CHEE-YA WO

17. 

Welcome

akwaaba

AH-QUAAH-BA

18. 

Responses Father/ Mother/Sibling/ Child

yaa          agya/εna/ nua/ ɔba

YAAHAY-JAH/ EH-NAHNWEE-YAH/ OH-BAH 

19. 

What’s your name?

wo din de sεn?

WHOA DEEN DAY SANG

20. 

My name is

me din de

MAY DEEN DAY

21. 

What are you called

yεfrε wo sεn

YEH FRE WHOA SANG

22. 

I’m called

yεfre me

YEH FRE MAY

23. 

Where do you come from?

wofiri he

WHO FRI HE

24. 

I come from

mefiri

MI FRI

25. 

Where were you born?

ye woo wo he?

YEH WOOH WO HE

26. 

I was born or live in

yε woo me wo

YEH WOOH MI WO

27. 

Africa/ Black Nation

abibiman

ABI BI MINE

28. 

Please/ excuse me

mepa wo Kyεw

ME POW CHOW

29. 

Thank you very much

meda ase pii

MAY-DAAH SAY PEE

30. 

Repeat what you said

ka bio

KAH BEE-YO

31. 

Speak slowly

kasa brεoo

KA SA  BRE OH

32. 

Sitdown

tena ase

TEH NAH SIE

33. 

Stand

gyina

JI NAH

34. 

Help me

boa me

BWA MAY

35. 

No/ Yes

anne/ Daabi

AN NIE/ DE BIE

36. 

Congratulation

mo

MOE

37. 

Good Job

woaye adee pa ara

WO YE ADIA PAH

38. 

Really/ Ok

saa/ Yoo

SAAW/ YOH

39. 

Go/ Come

kɔ / Bra

KO/ BRA

40. 

How much is this?

wei yε sεn

WEIGH YEH SANG

41. 

Reduce the price

te so

TAY SO

42. 

Teach/ Show me

kyerε me

CHER EH MAY

43. 

What does that mean?

εkyerε  sεn?

EH CHER-EH SANG

44. 

Translate

kyerε___aseε 

CHER-EH AH SEE-EH

45. 

I don’t understand

mente aseε

MEN TEY AH SEE EH

46. 

I understand

mete aseε

ME THE AH SEE EH

Click on link below to view an extensive chart and view course info from Abibitumikasa Afrikan Language Institute. 

www.abibitumikasa.com/twi.pdf

  

For more Information on twi course, materials and more you can contact:

Obadele Kwame Kambon for Abibitumi Kasa Afrikan Language Institute.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.abibitumikasa.com

 

Kwadwo Gyasi Nkita-Mayala for Adiama Services and Tours.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.adiama.com

You can learn to speak Twi fluently by signing up for classes with one of these organizations.