In Ghana, you greet by time of day, and the answer changes with who greets you: an older man, an older woman, someone your age. In speech, phrases contract: “Mema wo akye” is said “maakye”.

1

Greeting by time of day

“Mema wo…”: I give you the morning, the afternoon, the evening.

Mema wo akyegood morning
Mema wo ahagood afternoon
Mema wo adwogood evening
Da yiegood night
2

Answering according to the person

“Yaa” answers everything; you then say who you are answering.

Yaageneral response to all greetings
Yaa agyaresponse to an elderly man
Yaa ɛnaresponse to an elderly woman
Yaa anuaresponse to an equal
Good to know. The Peace Corps booklet also gives the spoken form of several phrases: “maakye” (good morning), “maaha”, “maadwo”, “medaase” (thank you), “mepaakyɛw” (please). You will hear them far more often than the full written form.
3

Welcoming

The best-known word in Ghana.

Akwaabawelcome
4

Saying goodbye

You part by promising to meet again.

Yɛbɛhyia biowe shall meet again
Akyire yi yɛbɛhyiawe shall meet later
5

Small words you will use all the time

Thank you, please, yes, no.

Meda wo asethank you
Mepa wo kyɛwplease
Aaneyes
Daabino

In practice: Kofi greets Ama in the morning

KofiMema wo akyegood morning
AmaYaa anuaresponse to an equal
AmaAkwaabawelcome
KofiMeda wo asethank you
KofiYɛbɛhyia biowe shall meet again
AmaYɛbɛhyia biowe shall meet again

Key points

  • Mema wo akye → Yaa: good morning / general response to all greetings
  • Akwaaba: welcome
  • Meda wo ase: thank you
  • Yɛbɛhyia bio: we shall meet again

Test yourself

1. How do you say “good morning”?

2. To answer an older woman, you say…

3. What does “Akwaaba” mean?

4. How do you say “thank you”?

Where do these words come from?
The phrases in this lesson come from the booklet Introduction to the Akan Twi Language (Peace Corps Ghana), cross-checked with Wiktionary. The source says “Twi” without separating Asante from Akuapem; “anua” (sibling) is also written “onua”. Do you speak this language and spot a mistake? Write to us.