Akan
Niger-Congo (Kwa)
Also known as: Akan, Twi
Akan (Twi/Fante) is Ghana's most widely spoken indigenous language, with ~11M including Asante Twi, Akuapem Twi, and Fante as principal varieties. The Akuapem Twi dialect was used by Reverend Johann Christaller for the 1881 Twi dictionary and grammar — a landmark of Ghanaian literature. Tonal Niger-Congo (Tano-Bia branch) with Adinkra symbol heritage and akan day-naming (Kwame, Kofi, Kwesi). Latin orthography with subdot vowels (ɛ ɔ); used in education, media, and Christian liturgy.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Akan
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Niger-Congo (Kwa)
| Meaning | Akan | Nzima | Baoulé | Ga | Adangme | Ewe | Lardil |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nsuo /nsuo/ | nzule /nzule/ | nzue /nzue/ | nu /nu/ | nyu /ɲu/ | tsi /tsi/ | nguka /ŋuka/ |
| Fire | ogya /odʑa/ | sinya /sinja/ | sin /sĩ/ | la /la/ | la /la/ | dzo /dzo/ | nyuda /ɲuda/ |
| Sun | owia /owia/ | ewia /ewia/ | wia /wia/ | hulu /hulu/ | hyɛ /çɛ/ | ɣe /ɣe/ | warrka /waɾka/ |
| Moon | ɔsrane /ɔsrane/ | siane /sjane/ | anglo /aŋlo/ | ŋɔɔŋmɔ /ŋɔɔŋmɔ/ | nyɔnyɔɛ /ɲɔɲɔɛ/ | ɣleti /ɣleti/ | kirdikir /kiɖikir/ |
| Star | nsoromma /n̩sòròmmá/ | nzonlenle /nzɔnlɛnlɛ/ | nzraama /nzraːma/ | ŋulami /ŋùlámi/ | ŋulami /ŋulami/ | ɣletivi /ɣletivi/ | kuwa thungal /kuwa θuŋal/ |
| Night | anadwo /anadwo/ | nɔzo /nɔzo/ | kɔnguɛ /kɔŋɡʷɛ/ | nyɔŋ /ɲɔŋ/ | nyɔmi /ɲɔmi/ | zã /zã/ | nata /nata/ |
| Rain | osu /oˈsu/ | ezule /ezule/ | — | nugbɔ /nuˈɡbɔ/ | hiɔmi /hiɔmi/ | tsidzadza /tsidzadza/ | — |
| Snow | sukyerɛmma /sutɕɪrɛmma/ | ezukɔtweaba /ezukɔtweaba/ | — | snoo /snoː/ | snoo /snoː/ | sno /sno/ | — |
| Wind | mframa /mframa/ | anwoma /anwoma/ | aunngban /aũŋɡbã/ | kɔɔyɔɔ /kɔːjɔː/ | kɔɔhiɔ /kɔːhiɔ/ | aya /aja/ | — |
| Earth | asase /asase/ | azɛlɛ /azɛlɛ/ | asiɛ /asiɛ/ | shikpɔŋ /ʃikpɔŋ/ | zugba /zuɡba/ | anyigba /aɲiɡba/ | — |
| Stone | ɔboɔ /ɔˈboɔ/ | bolɛ /bolɛ/ | yɛbuɛ /jɛbuɛ/ | tɛ /tɛ/ | tɛ /tɛ/ | kpe /kpe/ | — |
| Mountain | bepɔ /bepɔ/ | boka /boka/ | oka /oka/ | gɔŋ /ɡɔŋ/ | yoku /joku/ | to /to/ | — |
| Sea | ɛpo /ɛpo/ | nyevile /ɲevile/ | jenvie /dʒẽvie/ | ŋshɔ /ŋʃɔ/ | wo /wo/ | atsiaƒu /atsiaɸu/ | — |
| Mother | ɛna /ɛna/ | enwo /enwo/ | nin /nĩ/ | nyɛ /ɲɛ/ | nyɛ /ɲɛ/ | dada /dada/ | ngama /ŋama/ |
| Father | agya /adʑa/ | papa /papa/ | si /si/ | tsɛ /tsɛ/ | tsɛ /tsɛ/ | fofo /fofo/ | kantha /kan̪t̪a/ |
| Daughter | ɔbabaa /ɔbabaː/ | ra raalɛ /ra raːlɛ/ | ba bla /ba bla/ | biyoo /bijoː/ | biyo /bijo/ | vinyɔnu /viɲɔnu/ | — |
| I | me /mɪ̀/ | me /mè/ | min /mĩ́/ | mi /mì/ | i /i/ | nye /ɲɛ/ | ngada /ŋada/ |
| You | wo /wʊ̀/ | wɔ /wɔ/ | wɔ /wɔ/ | bo /bo/ | mo /mo/ | wò /wò/ | nyingki /ɲiŋki/ |
| We | yɛn /jɛ̀n/ | yɛ /jɛ̀/ | ye /je/ | wɔ /wɔ̀/ | wɔ /wɔ/ | mí /mí/ | ngakuli / nyali /ŋakuli / ɲali/ |
| Name | din /dín/ | duma /duma/ | dunman /dũmã/ | gbɛi /ɡbɛ́i/ | biɛ /biɛ/ | ŋkɔ /ŋkɔ/ | nyunda /ɲunda/ |
| Person | onipa /onipa/ | sonla /sonla/ | sran /srã/ | gbɔmɔ /ɡbɔmɔ/ | nɔmlɔ /nɔmlɔ/ | ame /ame/ | — |
| Head | etire /etire/ | ti /ti/ | ti /ti/ | yitso /jitso/ | yi /ji/ | ta /ta/ | — |
| Eye | aniwa /aniwa/ | anye /anje/ | nyinma /ɲĩmã/ | hiŋmɛi /hiŋmɛi/ | hiŋmɛ /hiŋmɛ/ | ŋku /ŋku/ | kuwa /kuwa/ |
| Ear | aso /aso/ | anzo /anzo/ | su /su/ | toi /toi/ | toi /toi/ | to /to/ | — |
| Nose | hwene /ʍene/ | bonyi /boɲi/ | bue /bue/ | gugɔŋ /ɡuɡɔŋ/ | gugwɔ /ɡuɡwɔ/ | ŋɔti /ŋɔti/ | — |
| Mouth | ano /ano/ | nloa /nloa/ | nuan /nuã/ | naa /naː/ | nya /ɲa/ | nu /nu/ | — |
| Tooth | ɛse /ɛse/ | ɛjele /ɛdʒele/ | je /dʒe/ | nyɛnyoŋ /ɲɛɲoŋ/ | luŋu /luŋu/ | aɖu /aɖu/ | kadma leman /kadma leman/ |
| Tongue | tɛkrɛma /tɛkrɛma/ | ɛtɛfima /ɛtɛfima/ | taaman /taːmã/ | lilɛi /lilɛi/ | lilɛ /lilɛ/ | aɖe /aɖe/ | jalda leman /dʒalda leman/ |
| Hand | nsa /nsa/ | ɛsa /ɛsa/ | sa /sa/ | nine /nine/ | nine /nine/ | asi /asi/ | marlda /maɭda/ |
| Foot | nan /nan/ | gyakɛ /ɡʲakɛ/ | ja /dʒa/ | nane /nane/ | nane /nane/ | afɔ /àfɔ̀/ | jaa /dʒaː/ |
| Heart | akoma /akoma/ | ahonle /ahonle/ | anwlɛn /ãwlɛ̃/ | tsui /tsui/ | tsui /tsui/ | dzi /dzi/ | bulja /buldʒa/ |
| Bone | dompe /dompe/ | bowule /bowule/ | owie /owie/ | wu /wu/ | wu /wu/ | ƒu /ɸu/ | kadma /kadma/ |
| Blood | mogya /moɡʲa/ | mogya /moɡʲa/ | mmoja /mːodʒa/ | lá /lá/ | muɔ /muɔ/ | ʋu /ʋu/ | kanda /kanda/ |
| Poop | ebin /ebin/ | ebinli /ebinli/ | wakasu /wakasu/ | wamɔ /wamɔ/ | fĩ /fĩ/ | afɔdzi /afɔdzi/ | — |
| Love | ɔdɔ /ɔdɔ/ | ɛlɔlɛ /ɛlɔlɛ/ | klo /klo/ | suɔmɔ /suɔmɔ/ | suɔmi /suɔmi/ | lɔ̃lɔ̃ /lɔ̃lɔ̃/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | dua /dua/ | baka /baka/ | waka /waka/ | tso /tso/ | tso /tso/ | ati /ati/ | thungal /θuŋal/ |
| Dog | kraman /kraman/ | kraman /kraman/ | alua /alua/ | gbei /ɡbei/ | gbe /ɡbe/ | avu /avu/ | ngawa /ŋawa/ |
| Cat | agyinamoa /adʑinamoa/ | agyinamoa /adʑinamoa/ | bisua /bisua/ | adi /adi/ | adi /adi/ | dadi /dadi/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | apataa /apataː/ | fɛlɛ /fɛlɛ/ | jue /dʒue/ | loo /loː/ | lo /lo/ | tɔmelã /tɔmelã/ | yaka /jaka/ |
| Bird | anoma /aˈnoma/ | anloma /anloma/ | anunman /anũmã/ | loofɔlɔ /loːfɔlɔ/ | lohwe pɛlitsɛ /lohwe pɛlitsɛ/ | xevi /xeʋi/ | — |
| Butterfly | afofantɔ /afofantɔ/ | ɛbolakɔlɛ /ɛbolakɔlɛ/ | abɛbɛ /abɛbɛ/ | abei /abei/ | kutu /kutu/ | kpakpaluʋui /kpakpaluʋui/ | — |
| Egg | kosua /kosua/ | kolonvia /kolonvia/ | klenzua /klẽzua/ | wuɔ /wuɔ/ | hlui /hlui/ | koklozi /koklozi/ | — |
| Horse | ɔpɔnkɔ /ɔpɔŋkɔ/ | ɛkpɔnwɔ /ɛkpɔnwɔ/ | nnɛn kpanngɔ /nːɛ̃ kpãŋɡɔ/ | okpɔŋɔ /okpɔŋɔ/ | okpɔŋɔ /okpɔŋɔ/ | sɔ /sɔ/ | — |
| House | efie /efie/ | suakɛ /suakɛ/ | sua /sua/ | shia /ʃia/ | we /we/ | aƒe /aɸe/ | ngambirr /ŋambir/ |
| Milk | nufusu /nufusu/ | nyɛfonzule /ɲɛfonzule/ | nɔnnɔn /nɔ̃nɔ̃/ | fufɔ /fufɔ/ | nyɔ nyu /ɲɔ ɲu/ | notsi /notsi/ | — |
| Honey | ɛwoɔ /ɛwoɔ/ | wolɛ /wolɛ/ | awɛma nzue /awɛma nzue/ | wo /wo/ | hwo /hwo/ | anyitsi /aɲitsi/ | — |
| Salt | nkyene /ntɕene/ | ngyenle /ndʑenle/ | njin /ndʒĩ/ | ŋo /ŋo/ | ŋo /ŋo/ | dze /dze/ | — |
| Wine | bobesa /bobesa/ | nwanye /nwaɲe/ | duvɛn /duvɛ̃/ | wain /wain/ | wai /wai/ | wain /wain/ | — |
| Rice | ɛmo /ɛmo/ | awule /awule/ | awie /awie/ | omɔ /omɔ/ | omɔ /omɔ/ | mɔlu /mɔlu/ | — |
| Iron | dadeɛ /dadeɛ/ | bulalɛ /bulalɛ/ | blalɛ /blalɛ/ | dade /dade/ | dade /dade/ | ga /ɡa/ | — |
| Wheel | ntwahonan /ntwahonan/ | ehwili /ehwili/ | kondokaa /kondokaː/ | shwiili /ʃwiːli/ | tlɔɔke nane /tlɔːke nane/ | afɔti /afɔti/ | — |
| Silk | serekye /seretɕe/ | selekye /seletɕe/ | — | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ | — |
| Book | nwoma /ɲʷoma/ | buluku /buluku/ | fluwa /fluwa/ | wolo /wolo/ | womi /womi/ | agbalẽ /aɡbalẽ/ | — |
| Eat | didi /didi/ | di /di/ | di /di/ | yɛ /jɛ/ | ye /je/ | ɖu /ɖu/ | jitha /dʒiθa/ |
| Drink | nom /nom/ | nu /nu/ | nɔn /nɔ̃/ | nu /nu/ | nu /nu/ | no /no/ | kurdama /kuɖama/ |
| Sleep | da /da/ | dafi /dafi/ | lafi /lafi/ | wɔ /wɔ/ | hwɔ mahe /hwɔ mahe/ | dɔ alɔ̃ /dɔ alɔ̃/ | — |
| One | baako /baːko/ | kʊ /kʊ/ | kun /kũ/ | ekome /ekome/ | kake /kake/ | ɖeka /ɖeka/ | warnge /waɾŋe/ |
| Two | mmienu /m̩mìɛ̀nu/ | nwiɔ /nwiɔ/ | nnyɔn /nɲɔ̃/ | enyɔ /eɲɔ/ | enyɔ /eɲɔ/ | eve /ève/ | kiyarrng /kijaɾŋ/ |
| Three | ɛbiɛsa /ɛbiɛsa/ | nsa /nsa/ | nsan /nsã/ | etɛ /etɛ/ | etɛ /etɛ/ | etɔ̃ /etɔ̃/ | mungkalan /muŋkalan/ |
| Four | ɛnan /ɛnã/ | nna /nnã/ | nnan /nːã/ | ejwɛ /edʒwɛ/ | eywɛ /ejwɛ/ | ene /ene/ | — |
| Five | enum /ɛnũ/ | nnu /nnu/ | nnun /nːũ/ | enumɔ /enumɔ/ | enuɔ /enuɔ/ | atɔ̃ /atɔ̃/ | — |
| Hundred | ɔha /ɔha/ | ɛya /ɛja/ | ya /ja/ | oha /oha/ | lafa /lafa/ | alafa /alafa/ | — |
| Hello | akwaaba /akʷaːba/ | akwaaba /akʷaːba/ | akwaba /akwaba/ | ɔ jɔ /ɔ jɔ/ | daa /daː/ | ŋdi /ŋdi/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | medaase /medaase/ | medaase /medaase/ | mo /mo/ | oyiwala /ojiwala/ | ojakuɛ /odʒakwɛ/ | akpe /akpe/ | — /—/ |
| Good | pa /pa/ | kpa /kpa/ | kpa /kpa/ | ekpakpa /ekpakpa/ | hɛŋmi /hɛŋmi/ | nyo /ɲo/ | kuba /kuba/ |
| New | foforɔ /foforɔ/ | fofolɛ /fofolɛ/ | uflɛ /uflɛ/ | hee /heː/ | he /he/ | yeye /jeje/ | — |
| Red | kɔkɔɔ /kɔkɔː/ | kɔkɔlɛ /kɔkɔlɛ/ | ɔkwlɛ /ɔkʷlɛ/ | tsuru /tsuru/ | tsu /tsu/ | dzĩ /dziː̃/ | kandukan /kandukan/ |
| White | fitaa /fitaː/ | fufule /fufule/ | ufue /ufue/ | yɛŋ /jɛŋ/ | hiɔ /hiɔ/ | ɣi /ɣi/ | — |
| Black | tuntum /tuntum/ | bile /bile/ | ble /ble/ | diŋ /diŋ/ | yumu /jumu/ | yibɔ /jibɔ/ | — |
| Green | ahahammono /ahahammono/ | asuomenle /asuomenle/ | — | ŋoli /ŋoli/ | — | gbemumu /ɡbemumu/ | — |
| Blue | tuntum /tuntum/ | buluwu /buluwu/ | — | bla /bla/ | bluu /bluː/ | amã /amã/ | — |
| Computer | kɔmputa /kɔmputa/ | kɔmpita /kɔmpita/ | ɔrdinatɛli /ɔrdinatɛli/ | kɔmpiuta /kɔmpiuta/ | kɔmpiuta /kɔmpiuta/ | kɔmputa /kɔmputa/ | — |
| Tea | tii /tiː/ | tii /tiː/ | te /te/ | tii /tiː/ | — | tii /tii/ | — |
| Coffee | kɔfe /kɔfe/ | — | kafe /kafe/ | kɔfi /kɔfi/ | kɔfi /kɔfi/ | kafe /kafe/ | — |
| Sugar | asikre /asikre/ | asikyɛlɛ /asikjɛlɛ/ | sukwla /sukʷla/ | sikli /sikli/ | sikli /sikli/ | sukli /sukli/ | — |
| Orange | akutu /akutu/ | akutue /akutue/ | — | akutu /akutu/ | akutu /akutu/ | akutu /akutu/ | — |
| Ninety-nine | aduɔkron akron /aduɔkrõ akrõ/ | abulahɔnla nee ngɔnla /abulahɔ̃lã neː ŋɡɔ̃lã/ | ablangwlan-nin-ngwlan /ablaŋɡʷlã nĩ ŋɡʷlã/ | nyɔŋmai nɛɛhu kɛ nɛɛhu /ɲɔŋmai nɛːhu kɛ nɛːhu/ | nyingmi nɛɛ kɛ nɛɛ /ɲiŋ͡mi nɛː kɛ nɛː/ | blaasiekɛ vɔ asiekɛ /blaasiekɛ vɔ asiekɛ/ | — |
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