Everything below is what a beginner actually needs first: greetings, polite words, numbers, family, food, time and getting around. Each entry shows the Twi spelling, the English meaning, and a respelling with the stressed syllable in capitals so you can say it out loud without guessing.
First words Greet someone and be polite
Maakye Good morning Medaase Thank you Akwaaba Welcome Nante yie Goodbye Aane Yes Daabi No Mepa wo kyɛw Please Kosɛ Sorry Meeting people Say who you are and ask after someone
Ɛte sɛn? How are you? Me ho yɛ I am fine Wo din de sɛn? What is your name? Me din de... My name is... Nsuo Water Aduane Food Adamfo Friend Sika Money Counting Numbers and asking a price
Baako One Mmienu Two Mmiɛnsa Three Ɛnan Four Enum Five Edu Ten Ɛyɛ sɛn? How much is it? Gua Market Mereba I am coming Family The people closest to you
Maame Mother Papa Father Nua barima Brother Nua baa Sister Abofra Child Abusua Family Ɔyere Wife Okunu Husband Days and times Say when something happens
Ɛnnɛ Today Ɔkyena Tomorrow Nnora Yesterday Seisei Now Anɔpa Morning Awia Afternoon Anwummerɛ Evening Anadwo Night Food and drink Order and share a meal
Nsuo Water Aduane Food Paanoo Bread Nam Meat Ɛmo Rice Kosua Egg Ɔkɔm de me I am hungry Ɛyɛ dɛ It is delicious Getting around town Directions and travel words
Kaa Car Fie House Kwan Road Sotɔɔ Shop Benkum Left Nifa Right Tẽẽ Straight ahead Gyina Stop Questions people ask about Twi Is Twi hard to learn? Tonal, with meaning carried by pitch as well as sound. ɛ and ɔ are separate vowels from e and o. Day-names (Kwame, Akosua) come from the Twi week and are still in daily use. Where is Twi spoken? Ghana — around 20 million including second-language speakers. Writing system: Latin alphabet with ɛ and ɔ.
Can I learn Twi for free? Yes. This phrasebook is free to read, and SemaSoma gives you the first three units of the course plus 15 translations a day before anything is paid.