Twi (pronounced "chwee") is the most widely spoken language in Ghana. A member of the great Akan language family, Twi serves as the lingua franca of this West African nation of 33 million people. With approximately 20 million speakers — including a significant diaspora in the UK, US, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands — Twi is an essential gateway to Ashanti culture, one of the most influential civilizations in West African history.
- Why learn Twi?
- The alphabet and writing system
- The tonal system
- Greetings in Twi
- Basic grammar
- Essential vocabulary: 50 words
- Numbers
- Useful everyday phrases
- Ashanti culture
- Learn Twi with Targumi
Why learn Twi?
Ghana's most spoken language
Ghana has over 80 languages, but Twi dominates by far. It's the language of the Ashanti people — who founded one of the most powerful empires in precolonial Africa — and most Akan subgroups (Fanti, Akyem, Kwahu, Brong). Even non-Akan Ghanaians often speak Twi as a second language.
A massive and active diaspora
The Ghanaian diaspora is one of Africa's largest in the Western world. An estimated 350,000+ Ghanaians live in the United States, 130,000 in the UK, 150,000 in Germany, 100,000 in the Netherlands, and significant communities across Italy, Spain, France, and Belgium. Twi is the language that unites this diaspora.
Very few learning resources
Despite having 20 million speakers, Twi is virtually absent from major language learning platforms. Neither Duolingo, Babbel, nor Rosetta Stone offer Twi. Targumi is one of the rare platforms providing a structured learning path.
An exceptional cultural heritage
The Ashanti Empire (17th-19th century) left a remarkable cultural legacy: kente cloth (royal fabric with symbolic patterns), the Golden Stool (Sika Dwa Kofi, symbol of national unity), Ashanti proverbs (universally admired), and the day-name system (every Ghanaian carries a name linked to their day of birth).
The alphabet and writing system
The Twi alphabet
Twi uses the Latin alphabet with a few special characters:
| Letter | Pronunciation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a | as in "father" | ama (he gave) |
| ɛ | open "e" as in "bed" | ɛte (it is located) |
| e | closed "ay" as in "day" | me (I/me) |
| i | as in "see" | ni (and) |
| o | closed "o" as in "go" | ko (go) |
| ɔ | open "o" as in "bought" | ɔno (him/her) |
| u | as in "food" | buru (donkey) |
Consonant combinations
Twi has specific combinations:
- dw — as in dwa (market) — the "d" is nearly silent
- gy — like "j" in "judge" — gyina (stop)
- hw — aspirated "h" + "w" — hwɛ (look)
- ky — like "ch" in "church" — kyɛ (give/offer)
- tw — like "chw" — twe (pull)
- ny — like "ny" in "canyon" — nyame (God)
The tonal system
Twi is a tonal language
Twi has two main tones:
- High tone (marked with acute accent: á)
- Low tone (unmarked or grave accent: à)
Tone changes the meaning of words:
| Word | High tone | Low tone |
|---|---|---|
| papa | good, well | fan |
| da | day | lie down |
| kɔ | go | rub |
Tips for beginners
Don't get discouraged by tones. Ghanaians are extremely tolerant with foreign learners, and context helps tremendously with comprehension. Focus first on vocabulary and grammar — tones will come naturally with practice.
Greetings in Twi
Greetings are ESSENTIAL in Ghanaian culture. Never skip greetings.
Basic greetings
| Twi | English | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Maakye | Good morning | Until ~12pm |
| Maaha | Good afternoon | ~12pm-5pm |
| Maadwo | Good evening | After 5pm |
| Ɛte sɛn? | How are you? | Universal |
| Me ho yɛ | I'm fine | Standard reply |
| Yɛma wo akwaaba | Welcome | For welcoming |
| Nante yie | Safe travels / Goodbye | When leaving |
The day-name system
Every Ghanaian carries a name linked to their day of birth:
| Day | Boy | Girl |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Kwadwo | Adwoa |
| Tuesday | Kwabena | Abenaa |
| Wednesday | Kwaku | Akua |
| Thursday | Yaw | Yaa |
| Friday | Kofi | Afua |
| Saturday | Kwame | Ama |
| Sunday | Kwasi | Akosua |
Kwame Nkrumah, the father of Ghanaian independence, was born on a Saturday.
Basic grammar
Sentence structure
Twi follows Subject - Verb - Object order (like English):
- Me kɔ sukuu — I go (to) school
- Kofi di aduane — Kofi eats food
- Ama pɛ nsuo — Ama likes water
Personal pronouns
| English | Twi (subject) | Twi (object) |
|---|---|---|
| I | Me | Me |
| You | Wo | Wo |
| He/She | Ɔ / Ɔno | No |
| We | Yɛ | Yɛn |
| You (pl.) | Mo | Mo |
| They | Wɔn | Wɔn |
The verbal system
Twi uses tense markers placed before the verb:
- Present: Me kɔ (I go)
- Past: Me kɔɔ (I went) — vowel lengthening
- Future: Me bɛ kɔ (I will go) — marker bɛ
- Progressive: Me re kɔ (I am going) — marker re
- Negative: Me n kɔ (I don't go) — marker n
Possession
Possession is formed simply by placing the possessor before the possessed:
- Me dan — my house (me house)
- Kofi car — Kofi's car
- Ghana man — the nation of Ghana
Essential vocabulary: 50 words
| English | Twi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Aane | ah-ah-nay |
| No | Daabi | dah-bee |
| Thank you | Medaase | may-dah-say |
| Please | Mepa wo kyɛw | may-pa-wo-chew |
| Sorry | Kosɛ | ko-seh |
| Water | Nsuo | n-swo |
| Food | Aduane | a-dwa-nay |
| House | Dan / Fie | dan / fee-ay |
| Person | Onipa | o-nee-pa |
| Child | Abɔfra | a-baw-fra |
| Mother | Maame / Ɛna | mah-may / eh-na |
| Father | Papa / Agya | pa-pa / a-ja |
| Friend | Adamfo | a-dam-fo |
| Money | Sika | see-ka |
| Work | Adwuma | a-dwoo-ma |
| Market | Dwam | dwam |
| Road | Ɛkwan | eh-kwan |
| Day | Da | da |
| Night | Anadwo | a-na-dwo |
| Sun | Ewia / Awia | ay-wee-a |
| Rain | Nsuo tɔ | n-swo taw |
| Big | Kɛse | keh-say |
| Small | Ketewa | kay-tay-wa |
| Good | Papa | pa-pa |
| Bad | Bɔne | baw-nay |
| Beautiful | Fɛ | feh |
| Hot | Hyew | hyew |
| Cold | Nwini | nwee-nee |
| Eat | Di | dee |
| Drink | Nom | nom |
| Sleep | Da | da |
| Go | Kɔ | kaw |
| Come | Bra | bra |
| Speak | Kasa | ka-sa |
| See | Hu | hoo |
| Hear | Te | tay |
| Know | Nim | neem |
| Want | Pɛ | peh |
| Can | Tumi | too-mee |
| Love | Dɔ | daw |
| God | Nyame | nya-may |
| King | Ɔhene | oh-hay-nay |
| Queen Mother | Ɔhemaa | oh-hay-mah |
| Earth | Asase | a-sa-say |
| River | Asubɔnten | a-soo-bawn-ten |
| Tree | Dua | doo-a |
| Animal | Aboa | a-bo-a |
| Fish | Apataa | a-pa-tah |
| Bird | Anomaa | a-no-mah |
| Book | Nhoma | n-ho-ma |
Numbers
| Number | Twi |
|---|---|
| 1 | Baako |
| 2 | Mmienu |
| 3 | Mmiɛnsa |
| 4 | Nan |
| 5 | Num |
| 6 | Nsia |
| 7 | Nson |
| 8 | Nwɔtwe |
| 9 | Nkron |
| 10 | Du |
| 20 | Aduonu |
| 50 | Aduonum |
| 100 | Ɔha |
| 1000 | Apem |
The system is decimal and additive:
- 11 = du-baako (10+1)
- 25 = aduonu-num (20+5)
- 200 = ahannu (2×100)
Useful everyday phrases
| English | Twi |
|---|---|
| What is your name? | Wo din de sɛn? |
| My name is... | Me din de... |
| Where are you from? | Wo fi he? |
| I'm from England | Me fi England |
| I don't understand | Me nte aseɛ |
| Speak slowly | Kasa brɛoo |
| How much does it cost? | Ɛyɛ sɛn? |
| It's too expensive | Ɛyɛ den dodo |
| I'm learning Twi | Me sua twi |
| You speak Twi well! | Wo kasa twi papa! |
| Where is the bathroom? | Aguare hɔ wɔ he? |
| I'm hungry | Ɛkɔm de me |
| I'm thirsty | Nsukɔm de me |
| I love you | Me dɔ wo |
| Help me please | Boa me, mepa wo kyɛw |
Ashanti culture
Kente cloth
Kente is Africa's most famous textile. Hand-woven by the Ashanti since the 12th century, each pattern carries a specific meaning. Kente was once reserved for royalty — wearing it without permission was punishable by death. Today, it symbolizes Pan-African pride worldwide.
The Golden Stool (Sika Dwa Kofi)
According to tradition, the priest Okomfo Anokye called down from the sky a stool of pure gold that landed on the lap of King Osei Tutu I around 1701. This stool embodies the soul of the Ashanti nation. It never touches the ground and no one sits on it — not even the king.
Ashanti proverbs
The Ashanti are famous for their proverbs (ɛbɛ):
- "Obi nkyerɛ abɔfra Nyame" — Nobody needs to teach God to a child (truth is innate)
- "Sɛ wo were fi na wosan hu a, wunhu" — If you forget and remember, you have not forgotten (deep memory never dies)
- "Tikoro nko agyina" — One head does not hold counsel (unity is strength)
Highlife music
Ghana is the birthplace of highlife, a music genre that influenced afrobeat, jùjú, and all modern West African music. Listening to highlife is the best way to train your ear for Twi.
Learn Twi with Targumi
Targumi offers a structured path to learn Twi:
- Progressive courses from beginner to advanced
- Thematic vocabulary with native audio
- Interactive exercises adapted to your level
- Cultural context integrated into every lesson
- Community of learners and native speakers
Twi is a language that opens the doors to Ghana and Ashanti culture — one of the richest in Africa. Every word you learn brings you closer to this extraordinary civilization.
Akwaaba! (Welcome!)
Article written by Kwame Asante, certified Twi tutor and Targumi collaborator. At Targumi, we make learning Twi accessible to everyone.
Sources and References
- Twi — Ethnologue: Twi is spoken by over 9 million native speakers. Language family: Niger-Congo, Kwa branch (Akan).
- Wikipedia — Twi: encyclopedic information on the language, its geographic area and official status.
- Targumi — Learn Twi: courses with certified native teachers.
Further Reading
- Learn Twi on Targumi — courses with native teachers
- All languages on Targumi — 106 languages taught