MMEREKYERɛ (TIME TELLING)

Objective

After working your way through this chapter you must be able to: a. Ask for and tell the time. b. Narrate in the present and past time frames

Introduction

In time past, the Akans announced time by ringing bells at every hour. The ringing of the bell has been used as a reference point to telling time. When it was one o’clock the bell was rang once. Akans have three main divisions with the day. These are morning (anɔpa), afternoon (awia/awiabere), and evening (anwummere). Other times within the day are dawn (anɔpahema/ahomakye/anɔpa tutuutu), mid-day/noon (owigyinae/prɛmtobere), night (anadwo), midnight (ɔdasuom/anadwo krɔnkrɔn). The time in Akan is said in two forms; past (apa ho) and till/to (aka). In telling the time in Akan, the seconds (kɛkɛ - the noise the ticking makes) is not said. Note: Time is written as mmere or mmerɛ.

Lesson Vocabulary

(e)nti		So
(ɛ)se		Teeth
Aane		Yes
Abɔ sɛn?		What is the time
Ahomakye		Dawn
Anadwo		Night
Anwummere		Evening
Anɔpa		Morning
Anɔpa *tutuutu		Dawn/ early in the morning
Anɔpa aduane		Breakfast
Apa ho		Have/ has past
Apɔwmutentenbea		Gym
Awia/awiabere		Afternoon
Benada		Tuesday
Bɔ dɔn		Ring bell
Bɔ mpae(ɛ)		Pray
Da mu mmere		Periods in the day
Dware		Bathe
Dɔn		Bell
Dɔnhwere		Hour
Fa		Half
Fi(ri)... kɔsi		From...to
Gye ahome		rest/relax
Hwɛ		Look/watch
Hyɛ ase		Begin
Hyɛ atadeɛ		Wear dress
Kyerɛ mmere		Tell or show time
Kyerɛkyerɛni		Teacher
Mennim		I don't know
Mmere aso		Time is up/ it's time
Nkontaabuo		Mathematics
Nom		Drink
Nwomakorabea		Library
Nyina		All
Simma		minute
Susu		Suggest
Sɔre		Wake up
Tu mmirika		Run/jog
Twitwi		Brush
Tɛlɛbihyɛn		Television
Wigyinae/*prɛmtobere		Noon/Mid-day
Yawoada		thursday
Yoo		Alright
ɔdasuom(u)		Midnight

Lesson Conversation:

Kwame	Akosua, ɛte sɛn?	?
Akosua	ɛyɛ paa. Na wo nso ɛ?	?
Kwame	ɛyɛ bɔkɔɔ	?
Akosua	ɛdeɛn na wosua?	?
Akosua	Mesua abakɔsɛn ne Twi Wo nso wosua ɛdeɛn?	?
Kwame	Mesua nkontaabuo ne Twi.	?
Kwame	Abere bɛn na yɛbɛsua Twi?	?
Akosua	Mennim. Yɛnhwɛ mmere a yɛbɛhyia	?
Kwame	Yɛnhyia Benada ne Yawoada.	?
Akosua	Nna mienu nyina yɛ. Mesusu sɛ yɛnhyia Benada fi(ri) anɔpa nnɔn du kɔsi nnɔn du baako ne fa	?
Kwame	ɛyɛ ma me na Yawoada nso ɛ?	?
Akosua	Yɛnhyia awia dɔn baako ne fa kɔsi nnɔn miɛnsa	?
Kwame	Mmere no nyɛ mma ma. Mesusu anwummere nnɔn num kɔsi nnɔn nsia ne fa.	?
Akosua	ɛyɛ paa enti yɛbɛhyia Benada anɔpa nnɔn du kɔsi nnɔn du baako ne fa. Yawoada nso yɛbɛhyia anwummere nnɔn num kɔsi nnɔn nsia ne fa.	?
Kwame	Aane. Yɛbɛhyia ɔkyena	?
Akosua	Yoo, yɛbɛhyia	?

Lesson Monologue

Kwame describes what he does in a typical day with times. Read the passage and answer the questions below.

Meyɛ kyerɛkyerɛni. Daa mesɔre anɔpa nnɔn nsia ne fa.                                Sɛ mesɔre a, mebɔ mpae(ɛ) na metwitwi me se. Mehyɛ atadeɛ                      na mekɔ apɔwmutentenbea bɛyɛ abɔ nnɔn nson. Meba fie na medware bɛyɛ nnɔn nson ne fa. Medi anɔpa aduane abɔ nnɔn nwɔtwe na mekɔ sukuu. Mehyɛ adekyerɛ ase fi(ri) nnɔn nkron kɔsi nnɔn du. ɛbɔ nnɔn du a, mekɔnom kɔfe. Mekyerɛ ade bio fi(ri) du baako kɔsi nnɔn du mienu. Megye m’ahome dɔnhwere baako na medi awia aduane. Mekɔ nwomakorabea abɔ nnɔn mienu. Medi dɔnhwere baako wɔ hɔ na mekɔ fie. Meda firi nnɔn nan kɔsi nnɔn num ne fa. ɛbɔ nnɔn nsia a, mekɔtu mmirika. Meba fie nnɔn nson na medi anwummere aduane abɔ nnɔn nwɔtwe. Medidi wie a, mehwɛ tɛlɛbihyɛn bɛyɛ dɔnhwere baako ne fa. Meyɛ me sukuu adwuma na ɛbɔ du baako a, meda.

Nnsɛmmisa (Questions)

1. Kwame yɛ ...........................................................................

2. Kwame kɔ apɔmutentenbea abɔ ......................................................

3. Abere bɛn na Kwame di anɔpa aduane? ......................................................................................

4. Dɔnhwere sɛn na Kwame di wɔ nwomakorabea? .......................................................................

5. Abere bɛn na Kwame da? .............................................................................................................

Lesson Note

Student Notes

MMEREKYERɛ (TIME TELLING)

*prɛmtobere is made up of the words prɛm (canon), to (to throw) and bere (time). The word literally means canon throwing time. The historical background of the word is that during the colonial times, the British threw canons into the see every mid-day to indicate that it is “half day”.

*tutuutu is an adverb of intensity. The more it is reduplicated shows how early the morning is.

Activity: Use the above word or expressions in sentences of your own and share with your colleagues.

Mmere ntwerɛe (Writing the time)

In telling the time, there are two key things to note. The minutes past the hour (past) and the minutes to the hour (till).

Minutes past the hour is expressed as

abɔ dɔn/nnɔn ......apa ho simma...
dɔn/nnɔn .........apa ho simma........

abɔ nnɔn du apa ho simma du or

nnɔn du apa ho simma du

Minutes to the hour (till) is expressed as

aka simma .......na abɔ dɔn/nnɔn .............

Aka simma aduonu miɛnsa na abɔ nnɔn du baako

Expressing half past an hour use mpaam(u) or fa (half)

Say: abɔ dɔn/nnɔn ................ mpaam(u) or

abɔ dɔn/nnɔn ................... ne fa

Abɔ nnɔn nkron mpaam(u) or

abɔ nnɔn nkron ne fa

Let us look at the following examples:

1:16 - abɔ dɔn baako/ko(ro) apa ho simma du nsia
12:30 - abɔ nnɔn du ne fa/abɔ nnɔn du mpaam(u)
1:28 - abɔ dɔn baako/ko(ro) apa ho simma aduonu nwɔtwe
8:49 – aka simma du baako na abɔ nnɔn nkron
11:55 – aka simma num na abɔ nnɔn du mienu

For d and e you can also say

abɔ nnɔn nwɔtwe apa ho simma aduanan nkron
abɔ nnɔn du baako apa ho simma aduonum num.

Note: use dɔn when it’s 1 o’clock or some minutes past one as in (c) above.

Sometimes we indicate whether the time is in the morning (am) or evening (pm).

AM = Anɔpa

PM = Anwummere

10:30 am - abɔ anɔpa nnɔn du ne fa
9:00 pm - abɔ anwummere nnɔn nkron
6:50 pm – aka simma du na abɔ anwummere nnɔn nson
11:05 am - abɔ anɔpa nnɔn du baako apa ho simma num
2:38 pm – aka simma aduonu mienu na abɔ anwummere nnɔn miɛnsa

Note:

The period of the day (anɔpa/anwummere) comes immediately before the hour (the word dɔn/nnɔn)

6:10 am - abɔ anɔpa nnɔn nsia apa ho simma du
11: 25 pm – Anwummere nnɔn du baako aba ho simma aduonum num.

For expressing 11 o’clock and 12 o’clock, you can omit the nnɔn part and simply say abɔ du baako or abɔ du mienu so for example,

12:20 am can be said as abɔ anɔpa du mienu apa ho sima aduonum
11:15 pm can be said as abɔ anwummwere du baako apa ho simma du num.

Sometime you can express the time by simply saying

3:14 am - abɔ anɔpa nnɔn miensa ne simma duanan.
8:20 pm - abɔ anwummere nnɔn nwɔtwe ne simma aduonu.

It sounds easy but it is not commonly used.

Grammar Notes

Some time interrogative makers

1. Bɛn? (What?/which?/when?)

This question marker is used with other time oriented words to ask the question what ... ? So we have

Abere/bere bɛn? (What time?) This is a more generic question in terms of time frame

The response can be in any of these (day, years, months or hours).

Nhwεsoɔ (Example)

Q: Yεbεk New York abere bεn? (We will go to New York what time?)

R: Yεbεk New York kyena anwummere nnsia. (We will go to New work tomorrow 6 pm).

The following questions (a-f) are specific and demand specific responses to time frame used in the used in the question.

Dn bεn? (What hour?)

Nhwεsoɔ (Example)

Q: Dn (dnhwere) bεn na wobεk sukuu? (What time will you go to school?)

R: Mεk sukuu anpa nnn nkron. (I will go to school at 9:00) am)

Da bεn? (What day?)

Nhwεsoɔ (Example)

Q: Wobεk California da bεn? (You will go to California what day?)

R: Mεk California Benada. (I will go to California on Tuesday)

d. Dapεn bεn? (What week?)

Nhwεsoɔ (Example)

Q: Dapεn bεn na mobεfi ha? (What week will you leave here?)

R: Yεbεfi ha dapεn a εreba yi. (We will leave here this coming week)

e. Bosome bεn? (What month?)

Nhwεsoɔ (Examples)

Q: Bosome bεn no yεwoo wo? (What month were you born?)

R: Yεwoo me pεpn (I was born (on) January)

Afe bεn? (What year?)

Nhwεsoɔ (Examples)

Q: Yεwoo wo afe bεn? (In what year were you born?)

R: Yεwoo me afe apem ahankron aduosia. (I was born in 1960)

2. Bere/Abere a …no. This introduces an adverbial clause of time. It answers the question what time or when.

Examples:

Abere a yεpnn Twi adesua no, yεkɔɔ fie. (When we finished learning Twi, we went home).
Bere a mekɔɔ New York no, mehuu Abena (when I went to New York, I saw Abena)
Sangu baeε no, na madidi awie. (When Sangu come I hade eaten)
Metɔɔ atadeε bere a mekɔɔ Columbus no. (I bought a dress when I went to Columbus)
Abere a εkɔm dee me no, medii pizza (When I was hungry yesterday I ate pizza).

Note: The abere a part of the subordinate clause can be omitted/left out but the no part is compulsory. Since the abere a … no part of the sentence is adverbial, it can be at second part of the sentence as in sentence (d).

Lesson Exercise

Nsɛmmisa (Questions)

1. Nna bɛn na Kwame ne Akosua bɔsua Twi? ................................................................................

2. Abere bɛn na Kwame ne Akosua bɛhyia Benada? ......................................................................

3. Abere bɛn Kwame ne Akosua bɛhyia Yawoada? ........................................................................

4. Nnɔnhwere sɛn na Kwame ne Akosua bɛsua Twi dapɛn baako? ...............................................

5. Akosua dii kan susuu sɛ abere bɛn na wɔbɛhyia Yawoada? ......................................................

1. Abɔ sɛn? (What is the time?) (begin each statement with “abɔ”)
2. Abɔ sɛn? (What is the time?) (Begin each statement with “aka”)
3. Complete the spaces below by writing the time in each case.
4. Write each of the following sentences in English and then draw the hands to the appropriate position on the clocks above.

Abɔ nnɔn nwɔtwe mpaam(u) .......................................................................................................
Aka simma dunum na abɔ nnɔn nsia.............................................................................................
Abɔ nnɔn du apa ho simma aduonu nsia......................................................................................
Abɔ nnɔn nsia apa ho simma dumienu..........................................................................................
Abɔ nnɔn nkron ne fa.....................................................................................................................
Aka simma baako na abɔ dɔn baako..............................................................................................
Abɔ nnɔn du mienu apa ho simma du miɛnsa...............................................................................
Aka simma du baako na abɔ nnɔn miɛnsa....................................................................................
Abɔ nnɔn nson ne fa/mpaam(u).....................................................................................................
Abɔ nnɔn miɛnsa apaho simma du nkron.....................................................................................

5. Answer the following questions in complete sentences

1. Yɛhyɛ Twi adesua ase (a)bere bɛn?..............................................................................................

2. Abere bɛn na yɛpɔn Twi adesua?.................................................................................................

3. Yɛsua Twi dɔnhere sɛn? .............................................................................................................

4. Abere bɛn na wosɔre anɔpa? .......................................................................................................

5. Abere bɛn na wodware anɔpa?...................................................................................................

6. Abere bɛn na wodidi anɔpa? ........................................................................................................

7. Abere bɛn na wodidi awia? ..........................................................................................................

8. Wodi anwummere aduane abere bɛn? ..........................................................................................

9. Woda abere bɛn? ..........................................................................................................................

10. Abere bɛn na wogye w’ahome awia? .........................................................................................

6. Fa mmere ahodo(ɔ) kyereɛ deɛ woyɛ no anɔpa kɔsi anwummere a wobɛda

class="table table-stripped"

MMERE	DWUMADIE	MMERE	DWUMADIE
7:00 AM	Sɔre	5:00PM	Pɔn adwuma
7:30 AM	Dware	6:00PM	Du(ru) fie
8:00AM	Di anɔpa aduane	6:15PM	Kɔ apɔmutentenbea
8:30AM	Kɔ adwuma	7:00PM	Ba fie
9:00AM	Hyɛ adwuma ase	8:00PM	Di anwummere aduane
11:00AM	Kɔ nhyiam(u)	9:00PM	Dware
2:00 PM	Pɔn kɔ nhyiam(u)	9:20PM	Hwɛ tɛlɛbihyɛn
12:15PM	Di awia aduane	11:00PM	Da