EB3 or TWI PROVERBS, ASANTE TWI PROVERBS YOU SHOULD KNOW

10 Asante Twi Proverbs You Should Know

As you learn how to speak the Twi language it is also very imperative that you learn a few Twi proverbs. A good Twi language speaker should be able to intersperse his or her sentences with on the spot witty proverbs to add colour and better understanding to what they are saying. Ultimately, learning Twi proverbs is an excellent way to increase your understanding of the Asante and Akan culture and the way Asantes think. Today, I have put together 10 interesting Twi proverbs for you to practice. Each proverb is in Twi, followed by its literal translation and then the English meaning. Try to memorize them and impress your Twi speaking friends!
Click the speaker button below to hear how they are properly said in Asante Twi.
NOTE: If you don’t see the speaker button, then download and install the Flash player from Adobe .

	*Nea ɔforo dua pa na wɔpia no*
TRANSLATION	The one who climbs a good tree is the one who is helped
MEANING	If you set your eyes on a good course you will get helpers

	*Adeε nyinaa dan osuahunu*
TRANSLATION	Experience is the best teacher
MEANING	If you learn patiently you’ll success

	*Berε annuru annuru a, εtra*
TRANSLATION	Procrastination is the thief of time
MEANING	Procrastination destroys things

	*Dua baako gye mframa a εbu*
TRANSLATION	If one tree stands in the path of the wind, it falls
MEANING	One person should not take on everybody’s responsibility

	*Nea wɔnom hɔ no wɔnnware hɔ*
TRANSLATION	One should not bathe in the water others drink
MEANING	Do what is right

	*Ɛpare wo a, wosua nyansa*
TRANSLATION	One should learn from a near miss
MEANING	If you come out of a trouble you learn from it

	*Dwaman so wɔ mmara*
TRANSLATION	There are rules governing every market
MEANING	Everywhere has it own rules and regulations

	*Honam panin ne etire*
TRANSLATION	The head is the crown of the human body
MEANING	A person’s glory is his or her head

	*Kokora firi bamfo yam*
TRANSLATION	All things have their origin
MEANING	Everything has its kind here on Earth

	*Nea aba pεn na εsane ba*
TRANSLATION	History repeats itself
MEANING	Everything has happened before

If your pronunciations don’t quite sound like the native speaker’s, go over the proverbs again until you get them right. I hope you enjoyed this short article. Please look for books on Twi proverbs and try to learn more from them. See you later for some more.

The Akan Laguage - The TWI Alphabet

Akan

The Akan languages are part of the Kwa branch of the Niger-Congo languages. There are about 7 million Akan speakers in eastern Ivory Coast, south-central Ghana, and central Togo. There are numerous dialects of Akan, including Twi, Fante, Bono, Wasa, Nzema, Baule and Anyi, with a high level of mutual intelligibility between them.

Akan languages started to be written down, mainly in religious publications, by Danish, German and British missionaries during the 17th and 18th centuries.

There are currently three standardized orthographies for Asante, Akuapem and Fante, there is also a unified Akan orthography which was created during the 1980s.

Akan alphabet
A a	B b	C c	D d	E e	F f	G g	H h	I i	J j	K k	L l	M m
N n	O o	P p	Ɛ ɛ	R r	S s	T t	U u	V v	W w	Ɔ ɔ	Y y	Z z

Letters in italics are only used on loanwords.

Akan pronunciation

Notes

There are quite complex rules of vowel harmony governing which vowels can appear in the same word.
Akan languages are tonal with three tones: high, mid and low.

Sample texts in Akan languages

Akuapem Twi

Wɔɑwo ɑdesɑmmɑ nyinɑɑ sɛ nnipɑ ɑ wɔwɔ ɑhofɑdi. Wɔn nyinɑɑ wɔ nidi ne kyɛfɑ koro. Wɔwɔ ɑdwene ne ɑhonim, nɑ ɛsɛ sɛ wobu wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛ ɑnuɑnom.

Asante

Nnipa nyinaa yɛ pɛ. Na wɔde adwene ne nyansa na abɔ obiara. Ɛno nti, ɛsɛ sɛ obiara dɔ ne yɔnko, bu ne yɔnko, di ne yɔnko ni.

Fante

Wɔwo ɑdɑsɑ nyinɑ to fɑhodzi mu, nɑ hɔn nyinɑ yɛ pɛr wɔ enyimnyɑm nɑ ndzinoɑ mu. Wɔmɑɑ hɔn nyinɑ ɑdwen nɑ tsibowɑ, nɑ ɔwɔ dɛ hɔn nkitɑhodzi mu ndzeyɛɛ dɑ no edzi dɛ wɔyɛ enuɑnom.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

How to Prepare Waakye

How to Make Jollof Rice (Ghana Style)

BELOW ARE STEPS ON HOW THE MAKE THE MOST FAMOUS AND TASTY GHANIAN DISH! JOLOFF RICE!!!!

Directions

Pour oil into large saucepan. Cook onion in oil over medium-low heat until translucent.
Stir in stewed tomatoes and tomato paste, and season with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce and rosemary. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, stir in water, and add chicken pieces. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir in rice, carrots, and green beans, and season with nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer until the chicken is fork-tender and the rice is cooked, 25 to 30 minutes.