The present tense is used for an action that is done everyday. It is used for a habitual event. The verb is in its infinitive state without a prefix or suffix marking tense (it has no overt affix). The verb stem is usually said on a high tone and the pronoun said on a low tone except the second person singular and plural subject prefixes which are said on high tone. The adverbs of time marker in such sentences include daa,(always) da biara (everyday), afe biara (every year), taa (often), dapεn biara(every week), bosome biara (every month) etc. When the subject of the sentence is a pronoun it is written together with the verb as one word but id the subject is a noun, they are written separately. In the following sentences the present tense is underlined.
Nhwεsoɔ (Examples)
- Kofi kɔ ayaresabea bosome biara.
- Fiada biara, Portia frε ne maame.
- Kennedy fa aduro da biara.
- Tweety da ntεm daa.
- Angbah sɔre anpa.
- Afe biara, Ghana di fahodie da
- Fiada biara, meto nnwom.
- Yεnom nsuo daa.
- Dapεn biara, mesua Twi.
- Wɔ taa bɔ bɔɔl Kwasiada biara.
B. Atwamu/apaho Kabea (Past tense)
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The past tense is used for an action which began in the past and at the time of speaking the action is not in progress. It is refers to a state in the past and things that we used to do often in the past. The past tense formation in Akan has different forms depending on the verb with a vowel or consonant or followed by an object or not. These are as follows:
1. When a verb ends with a vowel and is followed by an adverb or an object, the past tense is formed by doubling the last vowel.
Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)
a. Ebenezer baa ha nnora.
b. Portia kɔɔ sukuu Dwoada yi.
c. Metoo nnwom anɔpa yi.
d. Yεdii fufu.
e. Twi asuafo no yεε aduane.
2. When the verb ends with a vowel and is not followed by an object the past is formed by adding -e or -i (-eε or -iε in Asante).
Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)
- Abofra no dae/daeε.
- Yεkɔe/kɔeε.
- Asuafoɔ no didii/didiiε.
- Maame no tɔe/tɔeε* *tɔ – to buy
- ɔbaa no tui/tuiε*.` *tu – to uproot
Note: This rule does not apply to the verb wɔ (to have) and so (to carry). It is wrong to say Mewɔɔ sika or Mewɔeε (I had money or I had), rather say “Minyaa sika” (I had money). It is also wrong to say “Mesoo nwoma” (I carried books) rather say Mesoaa nwoma (I carried books).
3. When a verb has a consonant ending and is followed by an object we form the past tense by doubling the last consonant.
Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)
- Medumm* gya no. * dum - to extinguish
- Asuafo no nomm* nsu(o). * nom - to drink
- Papa no tɔnn adwa. * tɔn – to sell
- Mepamm atadeε nnora * pam – to sew
- Yesuaa Twi nnora
4. When a verb ends with a consonant and is not followed by an object or Adverb. The past is formed by adding the suffixes iε or eε to the verb.
Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)
- Medumiε
- Asuafo no nomeε
- Papa no tɔneε
- Mepameε.
- Yεsuaeε
Note: When you start a sentence with Na the present tense sentence becomes a past tense. The verb still stays in its present stay. In this case, it means used to.
Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)
- Na mepam atadeε
- Na asuafo no nom nsa
- Na mewɔ sika
- Na yεwɔ Ghana
- Na Kofi di fufu
5. Serial verbs (adeyɛ ntoaso): Sometimes two verbs in sequence combine to give a single meaning. Examples are ka hwɛ, ka kyerɛ, fa bra, yɛ hwɛ, fa nom. The past of these types of verbs are formed by following the rules discussed above but note that the first verb remains in the present. It is only the second verb which is changed to the past.
Examples (Nhwɛsoɔ)
- ɔbaa no yɛ hwɛɛ sɛ ɛbɛyɛ yie.
- Osuani no ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ ɔbɛsua Twi.
- Abofra no di hwɛeɛ.
- Mmofra no san kɔɔ wɔn fie.
- Asuafo no hyia dwenee asɛm no ho.
- Mprenmpren /Daa Kabea (Continuous/Progressive tense)
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The continuous/progressive tense is used for an action which began in the past and will terminate in the future but at the time of speaking the action is still in progress. The progressive/continuous tense is marked by the prefix re-. The prefix marker re- is put right in front of the verb. Examples are reda, resu, renom etc. If the subject is a pronoun, the progressive marker is put between the pronoun and the verb and written as one word. Examples are mereda, meresu, merenom etc.
Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)
- Papa no redi fufu.
- Meresua Twi.
- Mmofra no renom nsuo.
- Papa no reyɛ adwuma.
- Kyerɛkyerɛni no rekyerɛ Twi
Sometimes, the progressive continuous tense is used for an action which began in the past and will terminate in the future but at the time of speaking the action may not be in progress.
Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)
- Me kyerɛkyerɛ retwerɛ nwoma.
- Papa no resi dan.
- Me maame reyɛ afuo
The progressive construction is also used to express a future planned action or activity. This construction has the adverb of time indicated.
Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)
- Merekɔ dɔkota hɔ ɔkyena.
- Asuafo no retu kwan Kwasiada.
- Yɛreyɛ nhyiamu anwummere yi.
- Akwasi reto nnwom ɔkyena.
- Daakye Kabea (future tense)
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This construction is used for an action which began in the past and will terminate some time in the future. The future tense in Akan is marked by the prefix bɛ- (will) attached to the verb. If the subject is a pronoun, the future marker is inserted between the verb and the pronoun and written as one word. This is future type I.
Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)
- Papa no bɛsi dan.
- Asuafo no bɛsua Twi.
- Yɛbɛkɔ New York.
- Kyerɛkyerɛni bɛkyerɛ adeɛ ɔkyena.
- Wɔbɛdi pizza anwummere yi.
Note: When the first person pronoun me (I) is the subject of the sentence do not write or say mebE- rather say and write mɛ-
Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)
- Mɛda ntɛm ɔkyena
- Mɛtu Kwan.
- Mɛkɔ New York.
- Mɛsua Twi.
- Mɛtwerɛ nwoma.
The second type of future construction is a combination of the progressive (re-) plus the future (bɛ-). This indicates that the action is in the immediate future.
Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)
- Merebɛtu kwan.
- Yɛrebɛdi pizza
- Me papa rebɛsi dan.
- Asuafo no rebɛsua Twi.
- Wɔrebɛkɔ Columbus wɔ Ohio.
- Ayɛasie Kabea (Perfect Tense)
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The perfect tense marker is the prefix a- which is attached to the verb stem. It is used for an action or activity completed but at the time of speaking the effect is still felt. The marker is “a”. The marker a is attached to the verb.
Examples (Nhwɛsoɔ)
- Wɔadi pizza no nyina.
- Asuafo no asua Twi.
- Mahu asuafo no dada.
- Yɛada ntɛm dodo.
- Abena ayɛ fie dwumadie no.