Reading Booklet

®

Twi 1

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Twi 1

Booklet Design: Maia Kennedy

© and ‰ Recorded Program 1971 Simon & Schuster, Inc. © Reading Booklet 1971 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Pimsleur® is an imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Mfg. in USA.

All rights reserved.

Travelers should always check with their nation’s State Department for

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Twi 1

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Voices

English-Speaking Instructor . . . . . . . Dr. Paul PimsleurFemale Twi Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Victoria AgyeiMale Twi Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew C. Denteh

course Writer

Dr. Paul Pimsleur

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Twi 1

Table of Contents

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Lesson Two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Lesson Five . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Lesson Six . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Lesson Seven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Lesson Ten . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Glossary: Twi to English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Glossary: English to Twi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Twi 1

Introduction

Twi, also called “Ashanti Twi,” is spoken in Ghana by about 15 million people. It is one of three mutually intelligible dialects of the Akan language.

This course was originally published in a limited edition by Dr. Paul Pimsleur for use by the Peace Corps and the U.S. Department of Education.

After completing the ten lessons, you will have a highly practical 125-word vocabulary that was selected to help you meet many situations you will encounter in Ghana. You will have a rudimentary command of Twi grammar, and you will know how to read i.e., sound out written Twi. With this knowledge, you will be able to obtain food and lodging, make purchases, and engage in simple social contacts. Of course, 125 words will not make you a fluent speaker of Twi, but it will establish you as a person who has made an effort to meet his foreign hosts halfway.

The recorded portion of the reading materials for this course will be found at the end of each lesson. You can do the readings as it is most convenient for you. They can be done individually with each respective or at a more appropriate time afterwards. Instructions on how to proceed with the readings are contained in the audio portion of the course.

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Twi 1

Lesson Two

Ghana

Amɛrika

Amɛrikani, Ghanani

meyɛ e / ɛMeyɛ Amɛrikani.

O / ↄ o / ↄ

woyɛWoyɛ Amɛrikani.

Woyɛ Amɛrikani anaa? a / aa

Aane.

Aane, meyɛ Amɛrikani.

Wo nso?

Dabi.

Menyɛ Amɛrikani.

Menyɛ Amɛrikani, meyɛ Ghanani.

Wote Twi anaa?

Aane, mete Twi.

Wo nso?

Wo nso wote Twi anaa?

Dabi, dabi. Mente Twi.

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Twi 1

Lesson Five

Meyɛ Ghanani.

Yɛfrɛ wo sɛn?

Yɛfrɛ me Kofi.

Meyɛ tikyani. ky

Maakye oo!

Owura, maakye.

Mepa wo kyɛw.

ka ka / ka

Ka bio.

Mepa wo kyɛw, bↄ kↄↄ.

awuraa

Awuraa, Bank wↄ he?

Owura, ɛwↄ hↄ.

Hotel wↄ ha?

Dabi Hotel nni ha.

Ɛwↄ Kumasi.

Yoo, meda a se.

Meda ase pii.

Mepa wo kyɛw, me’ekↄ.

Baabae oo!

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Lesson Six

Mepa wo kyɛw.

Ankaa.

Ankaa yei.

Ankaa yei sɛn?

Sidi, pɛsewa

Pɛsewa biako.

Mpɛsewa mmienu.

Ankaa yei mpɛsewa mmiɛnsa.

Awuraa, meda ase pii.

Owura nna ase.

Awuraa, mepa wo kyɛw.

Tiafi wↄ he?

Owura, ɛwↄ hↄ.

Posuↄfese wↄ ha?

Dabi, posuↄfese nni ha.

Yoo, meda ase.

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Lesson Seven

Customer: Maakye.

Barman: Yaa Ɛsↄn.

Customer: Mepa wo kyɛw, ma me bia.

Barman: Gye bia. gy

Customer: Ɛyɛ. Gye wo sika.

Barman: Owura, meda ase. Bra bio.

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Lesson Ten

Person A: Wowↄ sika sɛn? Sidi?

Person B: Dabi, mewↄ mpɛsewa nwↄtwe. Wote aseɛ?

Person A: Dabi, mente aseɛ. Wose sɛn?

Person B: Mese menni sika pii wↄ ha?

Person A: Wo’okↄ he?

Person B: Me’kↄ Nkran. Wo nso ɛ?

Person A: Aane, Nkran yɛ fɛ. Me nso me’ekↄ hↄ.

Person B: Yoo. Me ne wo’okↄ.

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Glossary: Twi to English

Twi English Lesson

aane yes 2Accra Accra 8adamfo friend 8 aduane food 8akwaaba welcome 1Amɛrikani American person 2

Amma a name (girl born on Sat.) 1

anaa question word 1anaa or 8ankaa orange 6Asanteni Asante person 3awuraa miss; madam 4baabae oo bye-bye; good-bye 3baae bye 3bank bank 4Beach Beach (Labadi Beach) 10benkum left (opposite of right) 9bia beer 8biako one 6Bob Bob 6Borↄfo English language 1

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Twi English Lesson

bↄkↄↄ slowly 3bↄs bus 2bↄs stↄp bus stop 4bra bio come again 7Brown Brown 6chewing gum chewing gum 9chocolate chocolate 9coffee coffee 8

chopbar chopbar (restaurant of local food) 4

coka cola Coca Cola 7coke Coke 7Continental Hotel Continental Hotel 6dabi no 1deɛn what 10dɛ sweet 9di eat 8du ten 10Ɛ; Ɛwↄ he? it; Where is it? 4

Ɛnyɛ hwee! It’s nothing! (It’s no matter!) 2

ɛsↄn response to greetings 1

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Twi English Lesson

Ɛyɛ. It is all right. (It’s enough) 7

Ɛyɛ nnan. It is four. 9Fanteni Fante person 3fɛ beautiful 10fufu; fufuo fufu; fufuo 8Germanni German person 2gye here! (i.e. take it) 7ha here (i.e. this place) 4he? where? 4hello hello 6ho yɛ fɛ beautiful / handsome 10hotel hotel 4hↄ there 4ice cream ice cream 9ka bio say it again 3kaa car 10kakra a little 3Kofi a name boy (born on Fri.) 5Koforidua Koforidua 4kↄ go 9Kↄ so Go ahead. 7

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Twi English Lesson

kↄↄp cup 9kube coconut 10Kumase Kumasi 4Labadi Beach Labadi Beach 10maaha good afternoon 10maadwo good evening 10maakye good morning 3

maakye oo good morning (with oo to help voice carry) 1

maame mother 8m’adamfo my friend 8Mary Mary 5me I 1Me ho yɛ. I am fine. 2Me nso. I too. 2Meda ase. I thank you. 3Meda ase pii. I thank you very much. 3me’ekↄ merekↄ I am going 5mekↄ I go 9mempɛ I don’t like 10menkↄ I don’t go 9Menni sika. I don’t have money. 10

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Twi English Lesson

mennom ... I don’t drink ... 8menom I drink 8Mensa Mensa 6

mente I don’t speak (“I don’t hear”) 1

Mente aseɛ. I don’t understand. 10menyɛ I am not 2mepa wo kyɛw please; excuse me 1mepɛ I like 10mese I say 10Mete aseɛ. I understand. 10mewↄ I have (i.e. I possess) 10meyɛ I am 2mmienu two 6mmiɛnsa three 6mpɛsewa pesewas 6Nana chief’s title 5Nancy Nancy 5

ne and (to join single words) 9

newspaper newspaper 6nifa right (opposite of left) 9

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Twi English Lesson

Nkran Accra Accra 8nkron nine 9Nna ase. Don’t mention it. 6nnan four 7nni ha, etc. is / are not here 4nnum five 7nom drink 8nsia six 8nso also 8nson seven 8nwↄtwe eight 9paa very much 10Peter Brown Peter Brown 6pɛ like (i.e. to be fond of) 10pɛsewa pesewa 6pii much 3pii many 10posuↄfeso post office 4restaurant restaurant 9Saa! Is that so! Is that right! 7se mese say I say 10

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Twi English Lesson

Sɛn? How? 5Sɛn? How much? 6sidi cedi 6sika money 7sini movie; cinema 4sukuu school 8tena ase sit down 3Thomas Thomas 6tiafi bathroom 4tii tea 8Trade Fair Trade Fair 10Twi Twi language 1Twini Twi person 3w’adamfo your friend 8wo you 1wo your 7Wo ho te sɛn? How are you? 2wo nso you too 2Wo nso ɛ? And you? 3wokↄ you go 9wonkↄ you don’t go 9wonom you drink 8

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Twi English Lesson

wonte you don’t speak (lit. “you don’t hear”) 1

wonyɛ you are not 2Wo’okↄ he? Where are you going? 8Wose sɛn? What do you say? 10

wote you speak (lit. “you hear”) 1

wote aseɛ you understand 10woyɛ you are 2wↄ have (i.e. to possess) 10wↄ he ...? Where is ...? 4wↄ hↄ is there 4Yaa, Ɛsↄn. a response to greetings 1yei this 6yei yɛ ... this is ... 10Yei yɛ deɛn? What is this? 10yɛ is / am (the verb to be) 2yɛ dɛ is sweet 9yɛ fɛ is beautiful 10

yɛ sɛn? is how much / is how many? 9

Yɛfrɛ wo sɛn? What is your name? 5Yoo. O.K. 4

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English Twi LessonAccra Nkran 8also nso 2American person Amɛrikani 2Amma (girl born on Sat.)

Amma 5

and (joining single words)

ne 9

Asante person Asanteni 3bank bank 4bathroom tiafi 4Beach (Labadi) Beach (Labadi) 10beautiful fɛ 10beer bia 8Bob Bob 6Brown Brown 6bus bↄs 2bus stop bↄs stↄp 4bye baae 3bye-bye; good-bye

baabae oo 3

car kaa 10Cedi Sidi 6

Glossary: English to Twi

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English Twi Lessonchewing gum chewing gum 9chief’s title Nana 5chocolate chocolate 9chopbar chopbar 4cinema movie sini 4Coca Cola Coka Cola 7coconut kube 10coffee coffee 8Coke Coke 7come again bra bio 7Continental Hotel Continental Hotel 6cup kↄↄp 9Don’t mention it. Nna ase. 6drink to drink nom 8eat di 8eight nwↄtwe 9Excuse me. Mepa wo kyɛw. 1English language Borↄfo 1Fante person Fanteni 3five nnum 7food aduane 8

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English Twi Lessonfour nnan 7friend adamfo 8fufu kind of food fufu / fufuo 8German person Germanni 2go kↄ 9go on go ahead kↄ so 7good afternoon maaha 7goodbye baabae oo 3good evening maadwo 3good morning (distant)

maakye oo 3

good morning (close)

maakye (Owura, etc.) 3

have (to possess) wↄ 10Hello. Hello. 6here this place ha 4here (get it; take it)

gye 7

hotel hotel 4How? Sɛn? 5How are you? Wo ho te sɛn? 2How are you called?

See, “What is your name?”

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English Twi LessonHow do you say? See, “What do you

say?” 10

How much? Sɛn? 6How much is ... ... yɛ sɛn? 9I me 1I am meyɛ 2I am fine. Me ho yɛ. 2I am going me’ekↄ 5I am not menyɛ 2I don’t drink ... mennom ... 8I don’t go menkↄ 9I don’t have money.

Menni sika. 10

I don’t hear / speak

mente 1

I don’t like mempɛ 10I don’t understand.

Mente aseɛ. 10

I drink menom 8I go mekↄ 9I have (I possess) mewↄ 10I like mepɛ 10I say mese 10

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English Twi LessonI thank you. Meda ase. 3I thank you very much.

Meda ase pii. 3

I too me nso 2I understand. Mete aseɛ. 10ice cream ice cream 9is (the verb to be) yɛ 2is beautiful yɛ fɛ 10is beautiful / handsome (of persons)

ho yɛ fɛ 10

is how much? yɛ sɛn? 9is not here nni ha 4is sweet yɛ dɛ 9Is that so! Saa! 7is there wↄ hↄ 4is where? wↄ he? 4It (It is there.) Ɛ Ɛwↄ hↄ 4It’s all right / enough.

Ɛyɛ. 7

It’s four, etc. Ɛyɛ nnan, etc. 9It’s no matter. Ɛnyɛ hwee. 2

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English Twi LessonKofi (boy born on Friday)

Kofi 5

Koforidua Koforidua 4Kumasi Kumase 4Labadi Beach Labadi Beach 10left (opposite of right)

benkum 9

like (to be fond of)

pɛ 10

little kakra 3lot (a lot, a lot of) pii 3madam awuraa 4many pii 10Mary Mary 5Mensa Mensa 6miss (young lady) awuraa 4money sika 7mother maame 8movie (cinema) sini 4much pii 3my friend m’adamfo 8Nancy Nancy 5

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English Twi Lessonnewspaper newspaper 6nine nkron 9no dabi 1O.K. Yoo. 4one biako 6or anaa 8 8orange ankaa

(other places: akutu)8

pesewa pɛsewa 6pesawas mpɛsewa 6Peter Brown Peter Brown 6please mepa wo kyɛw 1question word anaa 1response to greetings

Yaa, Ɛsↄn. 1

restaurant restaurant 9right (opposite of left)

nifa 9

say (I say) se (mese ...) 10say it again ka bio 3school sukuu 8seven nson 8sit down tena ase 3

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English Twi Lessonsix nsia 8slowly bↄkↄↄ 9sweet dɛ 9tea tii 8ten du 10Thank you. Meda ase. 3Thank you very much.

Meda ase pii. 3

there hↄ 4this yei 6this is ... yei yɛ ... 10this is what See, “What is this?” 10Thomas Thomas 6three mmiɛnsa 6Trade Fair Trade Fair 10Twi language Twi 1Twi person Twini 3two mmienu 6understand (perceive)

te aseɛ 10

very much pii/ii ...; paa 10welcome akwaaba 1

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English Twi Lessonwhat deɛn 10What do you say?

Wose sɛn? / Wose deɛn?

10

What is this? Yei yɛ deɛn? 10What is your name?

Yɛfrɛ wo sɛn? 5

Where (is where?)

He? wↄ he? 4

Where are you going?

Wo’okↄ he? 8

yes aane 2you and you? wo (wo nso ɛ?) 1 / 3you are ... (verb to be)

woyɛ (are: yɛ –) 2

You are going where? (literal)

Wo’ okↄ he? 8

you are not wonyɛ 2you don’t go wonkↄ 9you don’t speak (lit. you don’t hear)

wonte 1

you drink wonom 8you go wokↄ 9

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English Twi Lessonyou say what? See, “What do you

say?” 10

you speak (lit. you hear)

wote 1 1

you too wo nso 2you understand wote aseɛ 10your (e.g., your mother)

wo (wo maame) 7

your friend w’adamfo 8

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