AKWANSRε NE AKWANGYA (ASKING PERMISSION TO LEAVE AND SAYING GOODBYE)

Objective

Introduction

After you have met a friend or visited a friend and finished your conversation, you ask permission to leave. The one asking permission to leave must sound polite in order not to offend the other. You need to have a good reason or excuse to explain why you are leaving to avoid being seen as arrogant or disrespectful. It is customary for the host to reject a first time request by the guest to leave. This indicates that he/she is not in a hurry to send the guest away no matter how unwanted the visit is. The host normally says: twεn kakra (twεn = wait, kakra = little) (stay/wait a little). As a host, you need to see your guest off sometimes to the bus stop or his/her car if she/brought one or outside the house. It is rude to just say goodbye to your guest and close the door after him/her. Unlike in the US where you need to call to friend to arrange a visit if even you live in the same neighborhood, among the Akans, one visits a friend living in the same neighborhood or community or neighboring village without necessarily making arrangements first. People just visit to see how friends are doing or if they have not seen them for a while. But note that when you want to have an interview with somebody make sure you make some arrangement before you visit. When you visit there is exchange of greetings, you are offered water and a seat. This is followed by the host asking “amandeε/amanneε? (What is your mission?). The guest replies “bk” (its cool) but if there is a serious issue at stake he/she replies “εnyε” (its not good) or “εmu yε den” (it is difficult/its bad news) After working your way through this chapter you must be able to 1. visit a friend and ask permission to leave 2. receive a host and see him/her off 3. Use personal interrogative pronouns appropriately.

Lesson Vocabulary

Adwa		Chair
Agoo		Knocking
akwangya/akwankɔgya		Seeing somebody off
Akwansrε		Asking permission
Amanneε		Mission
Bisa		To ask
Bra mu		Come in
Bua		To respond
Da		Day
Da yie		Sleep well/ goodbye
Di nkɔmmɔ		Converse
Du (ru)		To reach
Fa		To take
Fa bra		Bring it
Gya kwan		See (Somebody) off
Gye so		To respond
He?		Where?
Hwan?		Who?
Hɔ		There
Ka		To say/speak
koro		One
Kra		To ask permission to leave
Kra		Say goodbye
Kwan		Road
Kɔkɔɔkɔ		Knocking
Nante yie		Walk well/farewell/good
Nsrɛ		A visit
Nsuo		Water
Nwomakorabea		Library
Papa		Food
Pɛ		Like/want
Pɛ ntɛm		To be in a hurry
Srε kwan		Asking permission
twεn kakra		Wait a little/ Wait for a while
Yi ano		To respond
Yoo		Okay/alright

Lesson Conversation:

Akwasi	Kɔkɔɔkɔ	?
Kwame	Memeeme, ɛyɛ hwan?	?
Akwasi	ɛyɛ me, Akwasi	?
Kwame	Akwasi, bra mu	?
Akwasi	: Mema wo aha	?
Kwame	Yaa onua. ɛte sɛn?	?
Akwasi	ɛyɛ, na wo ɛ?	?
Kwame	Me nso me ho yɛ Adwa wɔ hɔ	?
Akwasi	Meda ase	?
Kwame	Nna ase.	?
Akwasi	Meda ase, fa bra	?
Kwame	Amanneɛ	?
Akwasi	Bɔkɔɔ, mɛsrɛɛ wo	?
Kwame	Meda ase paa (Wodi nkɔmmɔ kakra)	?
Akwasi	Kwame, mepɛ sɛ mekɔ	?
Kwame	Twɛn kakra.	?
Akwasi	Mepa wo kyɛw, merekɔ nwomakorabea	?
Kwame	Yoo, kwan da hɔ	?
Akwasi	Yoo! Meda ase, yɛbɛhyia	?
Kwame	Nante yie	?
Akwasi	Yoo.	?

Lesson Monologue

AKWANSRε NE AKWANGYA

Da koro bi, Abena kɔsrɛɛ n’adamfo Ama. Abena duu fie hɔ no, ɔkaa sɛ “agoo”. Ama gyee so “amee” na ɔbisaa sɛ “ɛyɛ hwan?” Abena bua sɛ “ɛyɛ, w’adamfo Abena.” Oo! Abena bra mu. Wo ho te sɛn? Ama, me ho yɛ paa na wo ɛ? Ama yii ano sɛ, “me nso ɛyɛ paa.” Ama bisaa bio sɛ “Abena, worekɔ he? Abena kaa sɛ “mɛsrɛɛ wo.” Meda ase ne nsrɛ. Woyɛ adamfo papa. Tena ase. Wopɛ nsuo? Abena kaa sɛ “ɛyɛ, meda ase.” Wodii nkɔmmɔ kakra na Abena kaa s “Ama, mepɛ sɛ mekɔ sukuu.” Oo! Abena, twɛn kakra. Abena kaa sa “mepɛ ntɛm. Ama nso kaa sɛ “kwan da hɔ” Abena daa ase na ɔkaa sɛ “makra wo.” Ama kaa sɛ “yoo, nante yie.”

Lesson Note

Grammar Notes

KASA MMARA Interrogative Pronouns (Asɛmmisa Dinnsiananmu)

An interrogative pronoun introduces a question. There are personal and non-personal interrogative pronouns. Personal interrogative pronouns ask questions about persons, while non-personal pronouns ask questions about things. This section deals with only personal and non-personal interrogative pronouns. Interrogatives will be looked at fully in a later chapter.

A. Nnipa ho asɛmmisa dinnsiananm (u) (Personal interrogative pronouns
The personal interrogative pronouns in Akan are hwan? (who/whom/whose), ɛhefo/hwannom? (Plural of hwan), and baahe? (How many?)

i. Hwan is used to ask about people.

Examples are:

• Hwan? Used to mean who? as subject of sentence

a. Hwan nie? (Who is it/this?)
b. Hwan kɔɔ New York (Who went to New York)
c. Hwan bɛdi fufu? (Who will eat fufu?)
d. Hwan na ɔwɔ sika? (Who (focus) has money?)
e. Hwan resua Twi? (Who is learning Twi?)

The above sentences in the plural form becomes

a. Hwannom nie? (Who are these?)
b. Hwannom kɔɔ New York? (Who went to New York?)
c. Hwannom bɛdi fufu? (Who will eat fufu?)
d. Hwannom na wɔwɔ sika (Who have money?)
e. Hwannom resua Twi (Who are learning Twi?)

• Hwan? Used as possessive to mean whose? When used this way it is most often followed by the noun (not all the time). They are sometimes referred to as interrogative adjectives because they occur with nouns.

a. Hwan atadeɛ nie? (Whose dress is this?)
b. Hwan fufu nie? (Whose fufu is this?)
c. Nwoma yak yɛ hwan dea? (This book is whose?)
d. Hwan Twi nwoma nie? (Whose Twi book is this?
e. Hwan sukuu atadeɛ nie? (Whose school dress is this)

The above sentences in the plural forms are

a. Hwannnom ntadeɛ nie? (Whose dress is this?)
b. Hwannom fufu nie? (Whose fufu is this?)
c. Nwoma yeinom yɛ hwannom dea? (This book is whose?)
d. Hwannom Twi nnwoma nie? (Whose Twi book is this?)
e. Hwannom sukuu ntadeɛ nie? (Whose school dress is this?)

• Hwan? Used in the objective to mean whom?

a. Wode sika no maa hwan? (You gave the money to who(m)?)
b. Worefrɛ hwan? (You are calling who(m)?)
c. Wode maa hwan? (You gave (it) to who(m)?)
d. Wokɔɔ hwan hɔ? (You went to who(m)?)
e. Wɔbɔɔ hwan? (They struck who(m)?)

The plural forms of the above sentences are:

a. Wode sika no maa hwannom? (You gave the money to whom?)
b. Worefrɛ hwannom? (You are calling whom?)
c. Wode maa hwannom? (You gave (it) to whom?)
d. Wokɔɔ hwannom hɔ? (You went to whom?)
e. Wɔbɔɔ hwannom? (They struck whom?)

Note: You can use ɛhefoɔ? in place of hwannom? like in the sentences below

a. ɛhefoɔ nie? (Who are these?)
b. ɛhefoɔ Twi nnwoma nie? (Whose Twi books are these?)
c. Wode maa ɛhefoɔ? (You gave (it) to whom?)
d. Wokɔɔ ɛhefoɔhɔ? (They went to whom?)
e. ɛhefoɔ papa ne Bush? (Whose father is Bush?)

• Baahe? (How many?) is used in the following sentences

a. Baahe dii fufu no? (How many (people) ate the fufu?)
b. Asuafo baahe sua Twi? (How many students learn Twi?)
c. Akyerɛkyerɛ baahe wɔ ha? (How many teachers are here?)
d. Nnipa baahe (na) wɔwɔ Ghana? (How many people are in Ghana?)
e. Wowɔ mmofra baahe? (You have how many children?)

B. Asɛmmisa dinnsiananm(u) a ɛmfa nnipa ho (non-human interrogative pronoun)
The non-human interrogative pronoun (ɛ)deɛn/deɛbɛn? (what?) are used for things. It is the contracted form of adeɛ bɛn (What thing?). Note: (ɛ)deɛn/deɛbɛn? are used interchangeably.
Examples (Nhwɛsoɔ)
a. (ɛ)deɛn na woreyɛ yɛ? (What (emphasizer) you doing?)
b. Deɛbɛn nie? (What is this?)
c. Woredi deɛn? (You are eating what?)
d. Deɛbɛn na wobnom? (What (emphasize) will you drink?)
e. ɛdeɛn/deɛbɛn nie? (What is this?)
Note: Sometimes you may hear deɛn/deɛbɛn said as dɛn? For example
Woredi dɛn? (What are you eating?)
Dɛn nie? (What is this?)

Lesson Exercise

Practice activities (Practice the following activities on your own or with a friend)

i. A: Mepa wo kyw mepaakyεw,
mep s mekɔ

B: Yoo! Nante yie.

A: Yoo! Makra wo.

B: Yoo!

ii. A: Owura, merekɔ

B: Yoo! Da yie

A: Yoo! Wo nso da yie

B: Yoo! Meda ase.

iii. A: Maame, mep s mekɔ

B: Yoo! Nante yie.

A: Yoo! Wo nso nante yie.

B: Yoo!

iv. A: Awuraa, meresrmeesr kwan akɔ.

B: Kwan da hɔ.

B: Meda wo ase.
Makra wo

A: Nna ase.
Nante yie.

B: Yoo!

DWUMADIE (EXERCISES)
1. Use the following words/expressions to form sentences of your own
a. akwansrɛ ............................................................................................................
b. akwangya ............................................................................................................
c. srɛ kwan ............................................................................................................
d. gya kwan ............................................................................................................
e. amanneɛ ............................................................................................................
f. nante ............................................................................................................
g. di nkɔmmɔ ............................................................................................................
h. pɛ ntɛm ............................................................................................................
i. bisa asɛm ............................................................................................................
j. da yie ............................................................................................................

2. Translate the following to English
a. Merekɔ sukuu enti mepɛ ntɛm ....................................................................................................................................
b. ɔkyena merekɔgya m’adamfo kwan wɔ sukuu ....................................................................................................................................
c. M’awofo di nkɔmmɔ anɔpa biara ....................................................................................................................................
d. Hwan rebɔ kɔkɔkɔ? ..............................................................................................
e. Akwasi kra w’adamfo Kwame na bra ....................................................................................................................................
f. Akosua pɛ sɛ ɔkɔ Harvard Asuapɔn mu ....................................................................................................................................
g. Me nua ketewa nante yie, ɔkyena yɛbɛhyia ....................................................................................................................................
h. Onua, akwaaba; wo ho te sɛn? ....................................................................................................................................
i. ɔpanyin, mepɛ sɛ mesrɛ kwan kɔ nwomakorabea ....................................................................................................................................
j. Twɛn kakra, nsuo ne fufuo wɔ hɔ ....................................................................................................................................

3. Ama (Am) visits Akwasi (Ak). Arrange the following sentences in sequential order as a dialogue between Ama and Akwasi.
a. Ak: Nante yie, ɔkyena yɛbɛhyia.
b. Ak: Amanneɛ?
c. Am: Mepa wo kyɛw, merekɔ sukuu.
d. Am: Meda ase. Fa bra.
e. Am: Kɔkɔɔkɔ, Akwasi wɔ hɔ.
f. Am: Bɔkɔɔ, mɛsrɛɛ wo kɛkɛ.
g. Ak: Memeeme, Ama mewɔ ha enti bra mu.
h. Am: Mepɛ sɛ mekɔ
i. Ak: Nsuo wɔ ha
j. Ak: Me ho yɛ paa.
k. Ak: Kwan da hɔ.
l. Ak: Yaa onua, wo ho te sɛn?
m. Am: Akwasi, mama wo akye.
n. Am: Yoo, yɛbɛhyia ɔkyena.
o. Am: Me ho yɛ na wo nso ɛ?
p. Ak: Meda ase, tena ase.
q. Ak: Twɛn kakra.

4. The following sentences are jumbled. Rearrange them to make correct sentences.
a. Twi yɛbɛhyia ɔkyena Kyerɛkyerɛ ........................................................................
b. sɛ mepɛ nwomakorabea mekɔ ........................................................................
c. kwan enti da hɔ fie kɔ ........................................................................
d. fufu reba mede kakra twɛn ........................................................................
e. tena adwa ase wɔ hɔ ........................................................................
f. sukuu enti merekɔ yɛbɛhyia ........................................................................
g. hwan ɔgyina na hɔ fie ........................................................................
h. merekɔsrɛ wɔ Ghana m’adamfo ........................................................................
i. mekɔ ɛsɛ sɛ nkyɛn m’awofo ........................................................................
j. nua ketewa kwan kɔgya wo ........................................................................

5. What will you say in response when your friend said the following to you?
a. Kɔkɔɔkɔ ....................................................................................
b. Hwan a? ....................................................................................
c. Amanneɛ? ....................................................................................
d. Wowɔ aduane ne nsuo wɔ hɔ? ........................................................................
e. Adwa wɔ hɔ, tena ase. ....................................................................................
f. W’awofoɔ ho te sɛn? ....................................................................................
g. Mepɛ sɛ mekɔ ....................................................................................
h. Worekɔ he? ....................................................................................
i. Nante yie ....................................................................................
j. Mekyia w’awofo ....................................................................................

6. Imagine you have visited a friend. Write a dialogue between him/her and you from the time you enter the house to the time you left.
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