Twi, a dialect of the Akan language, is widely spoken in Ghana. It is one of the major languages in Ghana, used in various aspects of daily life and cultural expression. Learning Twi can significantly enhance your experience in Ghana, allowing for deeper cultural connections and understanding. This lesson covers essential conversational phrases and questions in Twi, designed to facilitate various social interactions.

Greetings

• Hello/Hi – “Maakye” (Good morning) / “Maaha” (Good afternoon) / “Maadwo” (Good evening)
• How are you? – “Ɛte sɛn?” (Formal) / “Wo ho te sɛn?” (Informal)
• I’m fine, thank you. – “Me ho yɛ, medaase.”
• Goodbye – “Nante yie” (Go well – when someone is leaving) / “Ɛnka omu” (Stay well – when you are leaving)

Introducing Yourself or Others

• My name is [name]. – “Me din de [name].”
• This is [name]. – “Yi ye [name].”
• I am from [country]. – “Mefi [country].”
• I live in [city/place]. – “Metɔ [city/place] mu.”

Asking for Directions or People

• Where is the [place]? – “[Place] wɔ he?”
• How do I get to [place]? – “Mɛfa bɛn nkɔ [place]?”
• Is this the way to [place]? – “Ɛyɛ [place] no so?”
• Can you show me on the map? – “Ɛbɛyɛ a wo bisa me wɔ map no so?”

Solving a Misunderstanding

• Sorry, I don’t understand. – “Kafra, minnte ase.”
• Can you please repeat that? – “Mepa wo kyɛw, fa no to bio?”
• I mean… – “Mɛka sɛ…”
• What does [word] mean? – “[Word] kyerɛ sɛn?”

Farewell Expressions

• See you later – “Mɛhu wo bio”
• Take care – “Ɛka ho yie”
• Have a good day – “Mefa wo ho adwuma pa”

Travel and Dining

• I would like to book a room. – “Mepɛ sɛ mibuk room.”
• Can I see the menu, please? – “Mɛtumi hu menu no, mepa wo kyɛw?”
• I am vegetarian. – “Minnidi nkontomire.”
• The bill, please. – “Bill no mepa wo kyɛw.”

Shopping

• How much does this cost? – “Ɛdeɛn na ɛtɔ so?”
• Do you have this in another size? – “Wo wɔ saiz foforo a ɛwɔ hɔ?”
• I’m just looking, thanks. – “Merekɔ hwɛ no kakra, medaase.”
• Can I pay by card? – “Metumi ataa la kaadi?”

Dating and Love

• You look beautiful. (to a woman) / You look handsome. (to a man) – “Wo ho yɛ fɛ” / “Wo ho yɛ ɔdɔ”
• I miss you. – “Mehu wo bebree.”
• I love you. – “Me dɔ wo.”
• Would you like to go out with me? – “Wo pɛ sɛ yɛkɔ bɛi bio?”

Emergencies

• Help! – “Mmoa me!”
• Call the police! – “Fɔn polis!”
• I need a doctor. – “Mehia dɔkita.”
• Where is the nearest hospital? – “Hɔspital bebree no wɔ he?”

These phrases offer a solid foundation for basic communication in Twi. Practice speaking and listening regularly, engage with Ghanaian media, and don’t hesitate to converse with native speakers. Remember, language learning is a journey—embrace mistakes as learning opportunities and continue to explore the rich linguistic and cultural nuances of the Twi language.