Eʋegbe
Ewe
Niger-Congo (Kwa, Gbe)
Ewe (Eʋegbe; ISO 639-3: ewe) is a Gbe language of the Niger-Congo family spoken chiefly in southeastern Ghana and southern Togo, with related varieties extending into neighboring areas. It is tonal and has seven oral vowels, five phonemic nasal vowels, and a contrast between bilabial fricatives written ƒ and ʋ and labiodental f and v. A written literary variety based largely on the Anlo dialect began developing when the North German, or Bremen, Mission established its Keta station in 1853; Bernhard Schlegel published an Ewe primer in 1856 and a grammar in 1857. The modern Latin-based orthography uses letters including ɖ, ɛ, ƒ, ɣ, ŋ, ɔ, and ʋ, while tone marking is limited in ordinary writing. Ewe has subject–verb–object order and uses serial verb constructions extensively.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Ewe
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Niger-Congo (Kwa, Gbe)
| Meaning | Ewe | Gen | Aja | Fon | Adangme | Ga | San Blas Kuna |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | tsi /tsi/ | esi /esi/ | esi /esi/ | sin /sĩ/ | nyu /ɲu/ | nu /nu/ | di /di/ |
| Fire | dzo /dzo/ | ezo /ezo/ | ezo /ezo/ | zo /zo/ | la /la/ | la /la/ | so /so/ |
| Sun | ɣe /ɣe/ | ewe /ewe/ | ewe /ewe/ | hwe /ɦʷe/ | hyɛ /çɛ/ | hulu /hulu/ | dad /tad/ |
| Moon | ɣleti /ɣleti/ | wetri /wetri/ | esun /esun/ | sun /sũ/ | nyɔnyɔɛ /ɲɔɲɔɛ/ | ŋɔɔŋmɔ /ŋɔɔŋmɔ/ | nii /niː/ |
| Star | ɣletivi /ɣletivi/ | wetrivi /wetrivi/ | wlecivi /wletʃivi/ | sunví /sṹví/ | ŋulami /ŋulami/ | ŋulami /ŋùlámi/ | niisgwa /niːskwa/ |
| Night | zã /zã/ | zã /zã/ | zan /zã/ | zàn /zã̀/ | nyɔmi /ɲɔmi/ | nyɔŋ /ɲɔŋ/ | mutik /mutik/ |
| Rain | tsidzadza /tsidzadza/ | èji /èdʒi/ | eshi /eʃi/ | jì /dʒì/ | hiɔmi /hiɔmi/ | nugbɔ /nuˈɡbɔ/ | — |
| Snow | sno /sno/ | — | — | — | snoo /snoː/ | snoo /snoː/ | — |
| Wind | aya /aja/ | aya /aja/ | jihɔn /dʒihɔ̃/ | jɔhɔn /dʒɔhɔ̃/ | kɔɔhiɔ /kɔːhiɔ/ | kɔɔyɔɔ /kɔːjɔː/ | burwa /burwa/ |
| Earth | anyigba /aɲiɡba/ | anyigbã /aɲiɡbã/ | nyigban /ɲiɡbã/ | ayǐkúngban /ajǐkṹɡbã/ | zugba /zuɡba/ | shikpɔŋ /ʃikpɔŋ/ | napa /napa/ |
| Stone | kpe /kpe/ | kpe /kpe/ | kpe /kpe/ | awǐnnya /awĩ̌ɲa/ | tɛ /tɛ/ | tɛ /tɛ/ | akwa /akwa/ |
| Mountain | to /to/ | eto /eto/ | — | só /só/ | yoku /joku/ | gɔŋ /ɡɔŋ/ | yar /jaɾ/ |
| Sea | atsiaƒu /atsiaɸu/ | apu /apu/ | axu /axu/ | xù /xù/ | wo /wo/ | ŋshɔ /ŋʃɔ/ | demar /temaɾ/ |
| Mother | dada /dada/ | nɔ /nɔ/ | nɔ /nɔ/ | nɔ /nɔ/ | nyɛ /ɲɛ/ | nyɛ /ɲɛ/ | nan /nan/ |
| Father | fofo /fofo/ | tɔ /tɔ/ | eda /eda/ | tɔ /tɔ/ | tsɛ /tsɛ/ | tsɛ /tsɛ/ | baba /baba/ |
| Daughter | vinyɔnu /viɲɔnu/ | nyɔ̃nùvi /ɲɔ̃nùvi/ | vi nyɔnuvi /vi ɲɔnuvi/ | vǐ nyɔ̌nu /vǐ ɲɔ̌nu/ | biyo /bijo/ | biyoo /bijoː/ | sisgwa /sisɡwa/ |
| I | nye /ɲɛ/ | nyɛ /ɲɛ/ | nyɛ /ɲɛ/ | nyɛ̀ /ɲɛ̀/ | i /i/ | mi /mì/ | an /an/ |
| You | wò /wò/ | wò /wò/ | wo /wo/ | hwɛ̀ /hwɛ̀/ | mo /mo/ | bo /bo/ | be /pe/ |
| We | mí /mí/ | mí /mí/ | mí /mí/ | mǐ /mǐ/ | wɔ /wɔ/ | wɔ /wɔ̀/ | anmar /anmar/ |
| Name | ŋkɔ /ŋkɔ/ | nyikɔ /ɲikɔ/ | ŋkɔ /ŋkɔ/ | nyǐkɔ /ɲĩ̌kɔ/ | biɛ /biɛ/ | gbɛi /ɡbɛ́i/ | nug /nuk/ |
| Person | ame /ame/ | agbetɔ /aɡbetɔ/ | amɛ /amɛ/ | mɛ̀ /mɛ̀/ | nɔmlɔ /nɔmlɔ/ | gbɔmɔ /ɡbɔmɔ/ | dule /tule/ |
| Head | ta /ta/ | eta /eta/ | ta /ta/ | ta /ta/ | yi /ji/ | yitso /jitso/ | nono /nono/ |
| Eye | ŋku /ŋku/ | ŋkuvi /ŋkuvi/ | ŋkuvi /ŋkuvi/ | nukún /nukṹ/ | hiŋmɛ /hiŋmɛ/ | hiŋmɛi /hiŋmɛi/ | ibya /ibja/ |
| Ear | to /to/ | to /to/ | eto /eto/ | tó /tó/ | toi /toi/ | toi /toi/ | uaduk /uaduk/ |
| Nose | ŋɔti /ŋɔti/ | ŋɔti /ŋɔti/ | — | awɔntín /awɔ̃tĩ́/ | gugwɔ /ɡuɡwɔ/ | gugɔŋ /ɡuɡɔŋ/ | asu /asu/ |
| Mouth | nu /nu/ | nu /nu/ | enu /enu/ | nu /nu/ | nya /ɲa/ | naa /naː/ | kaya /kaja/ |
| Tooth | aɖu /aɖu/ | aɖu /aɖu/ | aɖu /aɖu/ | aɖu /aɖu/ | luŋu /luŋu/ | nyɛnyoŋ /ɲɛɲoŋ/ | nugar /nuɡar/ |
| Tongue | aɖe /aɖe/ | aɖe /aɖe/ | aɖe /aɖe/ | ɖɛ̀ /ɖɛ̀/ | lilɛ /lilɛ/ | lilɛi /lilɛi/ | kuabin /kuabin/ |
| Hand | asi /asi/ | alɔ /alɔ/ | alɔ /alɔ/ | alɔ /alɔ/ | nine /nine/ | nine /nine/ | arigan /aɾiɡan/ |
| Foot | afɔ /àfɔ̀/ | afɔ /afɔ/ | afɔ /afɔ/ | afɔ /afɔ/ | nane /nane/ | nane /nane/ | nag /nak/ |
| Heart | dzi /dzi/ | eji /edʒi/ | eji /edʒi/ | ayi /aji/ | tsui /tsui/ | tsui /tsui/ | kurgin /kuɾɡin/ |
| Bone | ƒu /ɸu/ | epu /epu/ | xu /xu/ | xú /xú/ | wu /wu/ | wu /wu/ | kar /kaɾ/ |
| Blood | ʋu /ʋu/ | ehũ /ehũ/ | hun /hũ/ | hun /hũ/ | muɔ /muɔ/ | lá /lá/ | abe /abe/ |
| Poop | afɔdzi /afɔdzi/ | — | — | — | fĩ /fĩ/ | wamɔ /wamɔ/ | saa /saː/ |
| Love | lɔ̃lɔ̃ /lɔ̃lɔ̃/ | lɔ̃lɔ̃ /lɔ̃lɔ̃/ | lɔ̃ /lɔ̃/ | yiwanu /jiwanu/ | suɔmi /suɔmi/ | suɔmɔ /suɔmɔ/ | sabbi /sabːi/ |
| Tree | ati /ati/ | ati /ati/ | aci /atʃi/ | atin /atĩ/ | tso /tso/ | tso /tso/ | sappi /sapːi/ |
| Dog | avu /avu/ | avũ /avũ/ | avu /avu/ | avun /avũ/ | gbe /ɡbe/ | gbei /ɡbei/ | achu /atʃu/ |
| Cat | dadi /dadi/ | agbo /aɡbo/ | ami /ami/ | asé /asé/ | adi /adi/ | adi /adi/ | miji /midʒi/ |
| Fish | tɔmelã /tɔmelã/ | elãvi /elãvi/ | kpavi /kpavi/ | hweví /ʍeví/ | lo /lo/ | loo /loː/ | ua /ua/ |
| Bird | xevi /xeʋi/ | xevi /xevi/ | xevi /xevi/ | xɛ /xɛ/ | lohwe pɛlitsɛ /lohwe pɛlitsɛ/ | loofɔlɔ /loːfɔlɔ/ | sikwi /sikwi/ |
| Butterfly | kpakpaluʋui /kpakpaluʋui/ | abèbe /abèbe/ | — | awɛwɛ /awɛwɛ/ | kutu /kutu/ | abei /abei/ | — |
| Egg | koklozi /koklozi/ | azi /azi/ | — | azin /azĩ/ | hlui /hlui/ | wuɔ /wuɔ/ | — |
| Horse | sɔ /sɔ/ | esɔ /esɔ/ | esɔ /esɔ/ | sɔ́ /sɔ́/ | okpɔŋɔ /okpɔŋɔ/ | okpɔŋɔ /okpɔŋɔ/ | moli /moli/ |
| House | aƒe /aɸe/ | exɔ /exɔ/ | avia /avia/ | xwé /xʷé/ | we /we/ | shia /ʃia/ | nega /neɡa/ |
| Milk | notsi /notsi/ | nyinɔsi /ɲinɔsi/ | anɔshu /anɔʃu/ | anɔ̌sin /anɔ̌sĩ/ | nyɔ nyu /ɲɔ ɲu/ | fufɔ /fufɔ/ | nunis /nunis/ |
| Honey | anyitsi /aɲitsi/ | anyisi /aɲisi/ | enyishi /eɲiʃi/ | wǐin /wǐĩ/ | hwo /hwo/ | wo /wo/ | achanis /atʃanis/ |
| Salt | dze /dze/ | eje /edʒe/ | eje /edʒe/ | jɛ̀ /dʒɛ̀/ | ŋo /ŋo/ | ŋo /ŋo/ | balu /palu/ |
| Wine | wain /wain/ | vɛ̃ /vɛ̃/ | vɛn /vɛ̃/ | vɛ̌ɛn /vɛ̌ɛ̃/ | wai /wai/ | wain /wain/ | vino /ˈbino/ |
| Rice | mɔlu /mɔlu/ | — | mɔlu /mɔlu/ | mɔ̌likún /mɔ̌likṹ/ | omɔ /omɔ/ | omɔ /omɔ/ | oros /oɾos/ |
| Chocolate | tsokolate /tsokolate/ | — | — | — | — | tsɔkoleti | — |
| Iron | ga /ɡa/ | gayibɔ /ɡajibɔ/ | ega /eɡa/ | gan /ɡã/ | dade /dade/ | dade /dade/ | esgoro /esɡoɾo/ |
| Wheel | afɔti /afɔti/ | afɔku /afɔku/ | — | kɛkɛ́fɔ /kɛkɛ́fɔ/ | tlɔɔke nane /tlɔːke nane/ | shwiili /ʃwiːli/ | yanda /janda/ |
| Silk | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ | — | sɛ́da /sɛ́da/ | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ |
| Book | agbalẽ /aɡbalẽ/ | wémà /wémà/ | wema /wema/ | wémà /wémà/ | womi /womi/ | wolo /wolo/ | garda /ɡaɾda/ |
| Eat | ɖu /ɖu/ | ɖu /ɖu/ | ɖu /ɖu/ | ɖu /ɖu/ | ye /je/ | yɛ /jɛ/ | gunne /ɡune/ |
| Drink | no /no/ | nù /nù/ | nu /nu/ | nu /nu/ | nu /nu/ | nu /nu/ | gobe /ɡobe/ |
| Sleep | dɔ alɔ̃ /dɔ alɔ̃/ | dɔ̃ alɔ̃ /dɔ̃ alɔ̃/ | dɔ alɔn /dɔ alɔ̃/ | dɔ́ amlɔ /dɔ́ amlɔ/ | hwɔ mahe /hwɔ mahe/ | wɔ /wɔ/ | gabe /ɡabe/ |
| One | ɖeka /ɖeka/ | ɖeka /ɖeka/ | eɖe /eɖe/ | ɖokpó /ɖokpó/ | kake /kake/ | ekome /ekome/ | kuenki /kweŋki/ |
| Two | eve /ève/ | eve /eve/ | eve /eve/ | wè /wè/ | enyɔ /eɲɔ/ | enyɔ /eɲɔ/ | bo /po/ |
| Three | etɔ̃ /etɔ̃/ | etɔ̃ /etɔ̃/ | etɔ̃ /etɔ̃/ | atɔn /atɔ̃/ | etɛ /etɛ/ | etɛ /etɛ/ | baa /baː/ |
| Four | ene /ene/ | enɛ /enɛ/ | ɛnɛ /ɛnɛ/ | ɛnɛ /ɛnɛ/ | eywɛ /ejwɛ/ | ejwɛ /edʒwɛ/ | bake /pake/ |
| Five | atɔ̃ /atɔ̃/ | atɔ̃ /atɔ̃/ | atɔ̃ /atɔ̃/ | atɔ́ɔn /atɔ́ɔ̃/ | enuɔ /enuɔ/ | enumɔ /enumɔ/ | atar /ataɾ/ |
| Hundred | alafa /alafa/ | eka eve takpo /eka eve takpo/ | — | kanwe ko /kãwe ko/ | lafa /lafa/ | oha /oha/ | dulatar /dulataɾ/ |
| Hello | ŋdi /ŋdi/ | ado /ado/ | nɛnɛ /nɛnɛ/ | a fɔn ganji /a fɔ̃ ɡãdʒi/ | daa /daː/ | ɔ jɔ /ɔ jɔ/ | nuedi /nweðiː/ |
| Thank you | akpe /akpe/ | akpe /akpe/ | amɛ akpe /amɛ akpe/ | àwǎnú /àwǎnú/ | ojakuɛ /odʒakwɛ/ | oyiwala /ojiwala/ | nuedi malo /nweðiː malo/ |
| Good | nyo /ɲo/ | nyɔ /ɲɔ/ | nwi /nwi/ | ɖagbe /ɖaɡbe/ | hɛŋmi /hɛŋmi/ | ekpakpa /ekpakpa/ | nuegan /nweɡan/ |
| New | yeye /jeje/ | yeye /jeje/ | yoyu /joju/ | yɔ̌yɔ́ /jɔ̌jɔ́/ | he /he/ | hee /heː/ | binid /binid/ |
| Red | dzĩ /dziː̃/ | jɛ̃ /dʒɛ̃/ | ejun /edʒũ/ | vɔvɔ /vɔvɔ/ | tsu /tsu/ | tsuru /tsuru/ | kinnid /kinːid/ |
| White | ɣi /ɣi/ | ɣe /ɣe/ | eyi /eji/ | wéwé /wéwé/ | hiɔ /hiɔ/ | yɛŋ /jɛŋ/ | sipu /sipu/ |
| Black | yibɔ /jibɔ/ | yibɔ /jibɔ/ | eyu /eju/ | wiwi /wiwi/ | yumu /jumu/ | diŋ /diŋ/ | sichid /sitʃid/ |
| Green | gbemumu /ɡbemumu/ | amamu /amamu/ | — | amamǔ /amamǔ/ | — | ŋoli /ŋoli/ | arrad /arːad/ |
| Blue | amã /amã/ | — | — | fefe /fefe/ | bluu /bluː/ | bla /bla/ | arrad /arːad/ |
| Computer | kɔmputa /kɔmputa/ | — | ɔdinatɛɛ /ɔdinatɛː/ | ɔdinatɛ́ɛ /ɔdinatɛ́ɛ/ | kɔmpiuta /kɔmpiuta/ | kɔmpiuta /kɔmpiuta/ | — |
| Tea | tii /tii/ | — | ti /ti/ | tíi /tíi/ | — | tii /tiː/ | — |
| Coffee | kafe /kafe/ | — | kafe /kafe/ | kafée /kafée/ | kɔfi /kɔfi/ | kɔfi /kɔfi/ | — |
| Sugar | sukli /sukli/ | — | sukle /sukle/ | suklè /suklè/ | sikli /sikli/ | sikli /sikli/ | — |
| Orange | akutu /akutu/ | — | — | gbŏ /ɡbǒ/ | akutu /akutu/ | akutu /akutu/ | — |
| Ninety-nine | blaasiekɛ vɔ asiekɛ /blaasiekɛ vɔ asiekɛ/ | — | — | kanwe afɔtɔn-nukún-ɛnɛ /kãwe afɔtɔ̃-nukṹ-ɛnɛ/ | nyingmi nɛɛ kɛ nɛɛ /ɲiŋ͡mi nɛː kɛ nɛː/ | nyɔŋmai nɛɛhu kɛ nɛɛhu /ɲɔŋmai nɛːhu kɛ nɛːhu/ | — |
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