®
Twi 1
Reading Booklet
Twi 1
Travelers should always check with
their nation’s State Department for
current advisories on local conditions
before traveling abroad.
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.
ii
Twi 1
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Voices
English-Speaking Instructor . . . . . . . Dr. Paul Pimsleur
Female Twi Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Victoria Agyei
Male Twi Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew C. Denteh
Course Writer
Dr. Paul Pimsleur
iii
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
iv
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.
Twi 1
Lesson Two
1. Ghana
2. Amɛrika
3. Amɛrikani, Ghanani
4. meyɛ e/ɛ
5. Meyɛ Amɛrikani.
6. O / ↄ o/ↄ
7. woyɛ
8. Woyɛ Amɛrikani.
9. Woyɛ Amɛrikani anaa? a / aa
10. Aane.
11. Aane, meyɛ Amɛrikani.
12. Wo nso?
13. Dabi.
14. Menyɛ Amɛrikani.
15. Menyɛ Amɛrikani, meyɛ Ghanani.
16. Wote Twi anaa?
17. Aane, mete Twi.
18. Wo nso?
19. Wo nso wote Twi anaa?
20. Dabi, dabi. Mente Twi.
2
Twi 1
Lesson Five
1. Meyɛ Ghanani.
2. Yɛfrɛ wo sɛn?
3. Yɛfrɛ me Kofi.
4. Meyɛ tikyani. ky
5. Maakye oo!
6. Owura, maakye.
7. Mepa wo kyɛw.
8. ka ka / ka
9. Ka bio.
10. Mepa wo kyɛw, bↄ kↄↄ.
11. awuraa
12. Awuraa, Bank wↄ he?
13. Owura, ɛwↄ hↄ.
14. Hotel wↄ ha?
15. Dabi Hotel nni ha.
16. Ɛwↄ Kumasi.
17. Yoo, meda a se.
18. Meda ase pii.
19. Mepa wo kyɛw, me’ekↄ.
20. Baabae oo!
3
Twi 1
Lesson Six
1. Mepa wo kyɛw.
2. Ankaa.
3. Ankaa yei.
4. Ankaa yei sɛn?
5. Sidi, pɛsewa
6. Pɛsewa biako.
7. Mpɛsewa mmienu.
8. Ankaa yei mpɛsewa mmiɛnsa.
9. Awuraa, meda ase pii.
10. Owura nna ase.
11. Awuraa, mepa wo kyɛw.
12. Tiafi wↄ he?
13. Owura, ɛwↄ hↄ.
14. Posuↄfese wↄ ha?
15. Dabi, posuↄ fese nni ha.
16. Yoo, meda ase.
4
Twi 1
Lesson Seven
1. Customer: Maakye.
2. Barman: Yaa Ɛsↄn.
3. Customer: Mepa wo kyɛw, ma me bia.
4. Barman: Gye bia. gy
5. Customer: Ɛyɛ. Gye wo sika.
6. Barman: Owura, meda ase. Bra bio.
5
Twi 1
Lesson Ten
1. Person A: Wowↄ sika sɛn? Sidi?
2. Person B: Dabi, mewↄ mpɛsewa nwↄ twe.
Wote aseɛ?
3. Person A: Dabi, mente aseɛ. Wose sɛn?
4. Person B: Mese menni sika pii wↄ ha?
5. Person A: Wo’okↄ he?
6. Person B: Me’kↄ Nkran. Wo nso ɛ?
7. Person A: Aane, Nkran yɛ fɛ. Me nso me’ekↄ hↄ.
8. Person B: Yoo. Me ne wo’okↄ.
6
Twi 1
Glossary: Twi to English
Twi English Lesson
aane yes 2
Accra Accra 8
adamfo friend 8
aduane food 8
akwaaba welcome 1
Amɛrikani American person 2
a name (girl born
Amma 1
on Sat.)
anaa question word 1
anaa or 8
ankaa orange 6
Asanteni Asante person 3
awuraa miss; madam 4
baabae oo bye-bye; good-bye 3
baae bye 3
bank bank 4
Beach Beach (Labadi Beach) 10
benkum left (opposite of right) 9
bia beer 8
biako one 6
Bob Bob 6
Borↄfo English language 1
7
Twi 1
Twi English Lesson
bↄ kↄↄ slowly 3
bↄs bus 2
bↄs stↄ p bus stop 4
bra bio come again 7
Brown Brown 6
chewing gum chewing gum 9
chocolate chocolate 9
coffee coffee 8
chopbar
chopbar 4
(restaurant of local food)
coka cola Coca Cola 7
coke Coke 7
Continental Hotel Continental Hotel 6
dabi no 1
deɛn what 10
dɛ sweet 9
di eat 8
du ten 10
Ɛ; Ɛwↄ he? it; Where is it? 4
It’s nothing!
Ɛnyɛ hwee! 2
(It’s no matter!)
ɛsↄ n response to greetings 1
8
Twi 1
Twi English Lesson
It is all right.
Ɛyɛ. 7
(It’s enough)
Ɛyɛ nnan. It is four. 9
Fanteni Fante person 3
fɛ beautiful 10
fufu; fufuo fufu; fufuo 8
Germanni German person 2
gye here! (i.e. take it) 7
ha here (i.e. this place) 4
he? where? 4
hello hello 6
ho yɛ fɛ beautiful / handsome 10
hotel hotel 4
hↄ there 4
ice cream ice cream 9
ka bio say it again 3
kaa car 10
kakra a little 3
Kofi a name boy (born on Fri.) 5
Koforidua Koforidua 4
kↄ go 9
Kↄ so Go ahead. 7
9
Twi 1
Twi English Lesson
kↄↄp cup 9
kube coconut 10
Kumase Kumasi 4
Labadi Beach Labadi Beach 10
maaha good afternoon 10
maadwo good evening 10
maakye good morning 3
good morning (with oo
maakye oo 1
to help voice carry)
maame mother 8
m’adamfo my friend 8
Mary Mary 5
me I 1
Me ho yɛ. I am fine. 2
Me nso. I too. 2
Meda ase. I thank you. 3
Meda ase pii. I thank you very much. 3
me’ekↄ merekↄ I am going 5
mekↄ I go 9
mempɛ I don’t like 10
menkↄ I don’t go 9
Menni sika. I don’t have money. 10
10
Twi 1
Twi English Lesson
mennom ... I don’t drink ... 8
menom I drink 8
Mensa Mensa 6
I don’t speak
mente 1
(“I don’t hear”)
Mente aseɛ. I don’t understand. 10
menyɛ I am not 2
mepa wo kyɛw please; excuse me 1
mepɛ I like 10
mese I say 10
Mete aseɛ. I understand. 10
mewↄ I have (i.e. I possess) 10
meyɛ I am 2
mmienu two 6
mmiɛnsa three 6
mpɛsewa pesewas 6
Nana chief’s title 5
Nancy Nancy 5
and (to join single
ne 9
words)
newspaper newspaper 6
nifa right (opposite of left) 9
11
Twi 1
Twi English Lesson
Nkran Accra Accra 8
nkron nine 9
Nna ase. Don’t mention it. 6
nnan four 7
nni ha, etc. is / are not here 4
nnum five 7
nom drink 8
nsia six 8
nso also 8
nson seven 8
nwↄtwe eight 9
paa very much 10
Peter Brown Peter Brown 6
pɛ like (i.e. to be fond of) 10
pɛsewa pesewa 6
pii much 3
pii many 10
posuↄfeso post office 4
restaurant restaurant 9
Saa! Is that so! Is that right! 7
se mese say I say 10
12
Twi 1
Twi English Lesson
Sɛn? How? 5
Sɛn? How much? 6
sidi cedi 6
sika money 7
sini movie; cinema 4
sukuu school 8
tena ase sit down 3
Thomas Thomas 6
tiafi bathroom 4
tii tea 8
Trade Fair Trade Fair 10
Twi Twi language 1
Twini Twi person 3
w’adamfo your friend 8
wo you 1
wo your 7
Wo ho te sɛn? How are you? 2
wo nso you too 2
Wo nso ɛ? And you? 3
wokↄ you go 9
wonkↄ you don’t go 9
wonom you drink 8
13
Twi 1
Twi English Lesson
you don’t speak
wonte 1
(lit. “you don’t hear”)
wonyɛ you are not 2
Wo’okↄ he? Where are you going? 8
Wose sɛn? What do you say? 10
you speak
wote 1
(lit. “you hear”)
wote aseɛ you understand 10
woyɛ you are 2
wↄ have (i.e. to possess) 10
wↄ he ...? Where is ...? 4
wↄ hↄ is there 4
Yaa, Ɛsↄ n. a response to greetings 1
yei this 6
yei yɛ ... this is ... 10
Yei yɛ deɛn? What is this? 10
yɛ is / am (the verb to be) 2
yɛ dɛ is sweet 9
yɛ fɛ is beautiful 10
is how much / is how
yɛ sɛn? 9
many?
Yɛfrɛ wo sɛn? What is your name? 5
Yoo. O.K. 4
14
Twi 1
Glossary: English to Twi
English Twi Lesson
Accra Nkran 8
also nso 2
American person Amɛrikani 2
Amma (girl born Amma 5
on Sat.)
and (joining ne 9
single words)
Asante person Asanteni 3
bank bank 4
bathroom tiafi 4
Beach (Labadi) Beach (Labadi) 10
beautiful fɛ 10
beer bia 8
Bob Bob 6
Brown Brown 6
bus bↄs 2
bus stop bↄs stↄp 4
bye baae 3
bye-bye; baabae oo 3
good-bye
car kaa 10
Cedi Sidi 6
15
Twi 1
English Twi Lesson
chewing gum chewing gum 9
chief’s title Nana 5
chocolate chocolate 9
chopbar chopbar 4
cinema movie sini 4
Coca Cola Coka Cola 7
coconut kube 10
coffee coffee 8
Coke Coke 7
come again bra bio 7
Continental Hotel Continental Hotel 6
cup kↄↄ p 9
Don’t mention it. Nna ase. 6
drink to drink nom 8
eat di 8
eight nwↄ twe 9
Excuse me. Mepa wo kyɛw. 1
English language Borↄ fo 1
Fante person Fanteni 3
five nnum 7
food aduane 8
16
Twi 1
English Twi Lesson
four nnan 7
friend adamfo 8
fufu kind of food fufu / fufuo 8
German person Germanni 2
go kↄ 9
go on go ahead kↄ so 7
good afternoon maaha 7
goodbye baabae oo 3
good evening maadwo 3
good morning maakye oo 3
(distant)
good morning maakye (Owura, etc.) 3
(close)
have (to possess) wↄ 10
Hello. Hello. 6
here this place ha 4
here gye 7
(get it; take it)
hotel hotel 4
How? Sɛn? 5
How are you? Wo ho te sɛn? 2
How are you See, “What is your 5
called? name?”
17
Twi 1
English Twi Lesson
How do you say? See, “What do you 10
say?”
How much? Sɛn? 6
How much is ... ... yɛ sɛn? 9
I me 1
I am meyɛ 2
I am fine. Me ho yɛ. 2
I am going me’ekↄ 5
I am not menyɛ 2
I don’t drink ... mennom ... 8
I don’t go menkↄ 9
I don’t have Menni sika. 10
money.
I don’t hear / mente 1
speak
I don’t like mempɛ 10
I don’t Mente aseɛ. 10
understand.
I drink menom 8
I go mekↄ 9
I have (I possess) mewↄ 10
I like mepɛ 10
I say mese 10
18
Twi 1
English Twi Lesson
I thank you. Meda ase. 3
I thank you very Meda ase pii. 3
much.
I too me nso 2
I understand. Mete aseɛ. 10
ice cream ice cream 9
is (the verb to be) yɛ 2
is beautiful yɛ fɛ 10
is beautiful / ho yɛ fɛ 10
handsome
(of persons)
is how much? yɛ sɛn? 9
is not here nni ha 4
is sweet yɛ dɛ 9
Is that so! Saa! 7
is there wↄ hↄ 4
is where? wↄ he? 4
It (It is there.) Ɛ Ɛwↄ hↄ 4
It’s all right / Ɛyɛ. 7
enough.
It’s four, etc. Ɛyɛ nnan, etc. 9
It’s no matter. Ɛnyɛ hwee. 2
19
Twi 1
English Twi Lesson
Kofi (boy born Kofi 5
on Friday)
Koforidua Koforidua 4
Kumasi Kumase 4
Labadi Beach Labadi Beach 10
left (opposite benkum 9
of right)
like pɛ 10
(to be fond of)
little kakra 3
lot (a lot, a lot of) pii 3
madam awuraa 4
many pii 10
Mary Mary 5
Mensa Mensa 6
miss (young lady) awuraa 4
money sika 7
mother maame 8
movie (cinema) sini 4
much pii 3
my friend m’adamfo 8
Nancy Nancy 5
20
Twi 1
English Twi Lesson
newspaper newspaper 6
nine nkron 9
no dabi 1
O.K. Yoo. 4
one biako 6
or anaa 8 8
orange ankaa 8
(other places: akutu)
pesewa pɛsewa 6
pesawas mpɛsewa 6
Peter Brown Peter Brown 6
please mepa wo kyɛw 1
question word anaa 1
response to Yaa, Ɛsↄ n. 1
greetings
restaurant restaurant 9
right nifa 9
(opposite of left)
say (I say) se (mese ...) 10
say it again ka bio 3
school sukuu 8
seven nson 8
sit down tena ase 3
21
Twi 1
English Twi Lesson
six nsia 8
slowly bↄkↄↄ 9
sweet dɛ 9
tea tii 8
ten du 10
Thank you. Meda ase. 3
Thank you very Meda ase pii. 3
much.
there hↄ 4
this yei 6
this is ... yei yɛ ... 10
this is what See, “What is this?” 10
Thomas Thomas 6
three mmiɛnsa 6
Trade Fair Trade Fair 10
Twi language Twi 1
Twi person Twini 3
two mmienu 6
understand te aseɛ 10
(perceive)
very much pii/ii ...; paa 10
welcome akwaaba 1
22
Twi 1
English Twi Lesson
what deɛn 10
What do you Wose sɛn? / Wose 10
say? deɛn?
What is this? Yei yɛ deɛn? 10
What is your Yɛfrɛ wo sɛn? 5
name?
Where He? wↄ he? 4
(is where?)
Where are you Wo’okↄ he? 8
going?
yes aane 2
you and you? wo (wo nso ɛ?) 1/3
you are ... woyɛ (are: yɛ –) 2
(verb to be)
You are going Wo’ okↄ he? 8
where? (literal)
you are not wonyɛ 2
you don’t go wonkↄ 9
you don’t speak wonte 1
(lit. you don’t
hear)
you drink wonom 8
you go wokↄ 9
23
Twi 1
English Twi Lesson
you say what? See, “What do you 10
say?”
you speak wote 1 1
(lit. you hear)
you too wo nso 2
you understand wote aseɛ 10
your (e.g., your wo (wo maame) 7
mother)
your friend w’adamfo 8
24
For more information,
call 1-800-831-5497
or visit us at Pimsleur.com
