Ɛ̃
Yes
Usage
Plain yes. The letter is ɛ with a nasal tilde; it is not written Ẽ
Grammar Note
The nasal vowel ɛ̃ is a letter of its own and differs from plain ɛ. No tone marks are written.
Ao
No
Usage
Plain no. Said short and clear
Grammar Note
The counterpart of ɛ̃ (yes). Not to be confused with the sentence-final negation particle o.
Taflatse
Please / Excuse me
Usage
Used to ask for something or to get someone’s attention. Put it before an imperative to make it polite
Grammar Note
Spelled taflatse or taflatsɛ; this app uses taflatse. Politeness is carried by the word itself, as Ewe has no honorific pronoun.
Akpe
Thank you
Usage
The basic word of thanks. Fine with anyone
Grammar Note
akpe means both “thanks” and “thousand”; context decides (the number is akpe ɖeka).
Akpe na wò
Thank you (to you)
Usage
A fuller thanks that names the person. For several people replace wò with mi
Grammar Note
na marks the recipient and wò is the 2sg pronoun; its grave accent keeps it apart from wo “they”.
Meɖe kuku
Please, I beg you
Usage
A stronger way to ask. In scripture dialogue it means “please / I implore you”
Grammar Note
ɖe kuku means “to make a plea”. It is unrelated to ku “to die”, so kuku is used only inside this set phrase.
Mele nyuie
I am fine
Usage
An answer when asked how you are
Grammar Note
le is “be (at)” and nyuie is the adverb “well”; the prefix me- marks the first person.
Nyemese egɔme o
I don’t understand
Usage
Say it when you cannot follow what was said
Grammar Note
Negation wraps the verb with a prefix and a final o. gɔme is “meaning”, so se egɔme is “to grasp the meaning”.
Mese egɔme
I understand
Usage
Say it when you have understood what was said
Grammar Note
se egɔme is “to take in the meaning”. An affirmative sentence takes no final o.
Nyemenya o
I don’t know
Usage
Use it when you do not know or cannot answer
Grammar Note
nya is “to know”. The negative prefix nye-/me- pairs with the final o.
Taflatse, lala
Please wait
Usage
Use it to ask someone to wait
Grammar Note
Composed from dictionary-verified words; lala “wait” is the bare-verb imperative. Not yet checked by a native speaker.
Lala vie
Just a moment
Usage
A short request to wait a little
Grammar Note
Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; not yet checked by a native speaker.
Taflatse, kpe ɖe ŋunye
Please help me
Usage
The basic way to ask for help. kpe ɖe ŋunye is also used in scripture for “help me”
Grammar Note
ŋunye is ŋu “body/surface” plus the suffix -nye “my”. Here kpe is “to help”, a different word from kpe “stone”.
Taflatse, gblɔe zi bubu
Please say it once more
Usage
Use it when you did not catch what was said
Grammar Note
Composed from dictionary-verified words: gblɔ “say”, zi “time (occasion)”, bubu “other”. Not yet checked by a native speaker.
Taflatse, ƒo nu blewu
Please speak slowly
Usage
Use it when someone speaks too fast. “ƒo nu blewu” appears word for word in advice texts
Grammar Note
ƒo nu is literally “strike mouth”, i.e. to speak. ƒ (f with hook) is a different letter from f.
Ɖe nèse Eŋlisigbe?
Do you understand English?
Usage
Asks whether English will work. It is phrased as “do you understand English”
Grammar Note
Composed; se Eŋlisigbe “understand English” is attested in published Ewe texts. A yes/no question starts with Ɖe (capital Ɖ, U+0189). Not yet checked by a native speaker.
Esia
This
Usage
Used pointing at something near. After a noun it means “this …” (nuɖuɖu sia)
Grammar Note
Demonstratives follow the noun. esia is the stand-alone pronoun, sia the form after a noun.
Ema
That
Usage
Points to something farther away or already mentioned
Grammar Note
After a noun it is ma (nuɖuɖu ma).
Afisia
Here
Usage
Marks the place where you are
Grammar Note
afi is “place” and sia “this”.
Afima
There
Usage
Marks a place farther away
Grammar Note
afi is “place” and ma “that”.
Nye
I / me
Usage
Refers to yourself. nye also works as “my”
Grammar Note
The first person subject is also marked by the verb prefix me- (Mele).
Wò
You
Usage
Refers to the person you speak to. Ewe has no separate polite form of “you”
Grammar Note
The grave accent separates wò “you” from wo “they”. For several people use mi.
Ɖekae
Together
Usage
Said when doing something together
Grammar Note
ɖeka is “one”; the word follows the verb, as in ɖum ɖekae “eating together”.
Ame ɖeka
One person
Usage
Use it to give the number of people
Grammar Note
Numerals follow the noun.
Ame eve
Two people
Usage
Use it to give the number of people
Grammar Note
Numerals follow the noun.
Ame etɔ̃
Three people
Usage
Use it to give the number of people
Grammar Note
The ɔ̃ in etɔ̃ is a nasal vowel (ɔ plus a combining tilde).
Fifia
Right now
Usage
Means “now”; also used to stress urgency
Grammar Note
fifia is a time adverb and can stand at the start or end of a sentence.
More Ewe phrases
- Basic Nouns
- Basic Verbs
- Adjectives
- Question Words
- Greetings
- Food & Drinks
- Transportation
- Shopping
- Numbers
- Hotel
- Emergency
- Sightseeing
- Flirting
- Nightlife
- Compliments
- Contacts & SNS
- Beach & Activities
- Places & Areas
- Useful Phrases
- Airport & Customs
- Weather & Climate
- Pharmacy & Health
- Directions
- Money & Exchange
- Health & Hospital
- Internet & WiFi
- Nature & Outdoors
- Religion & Temples
- Café & Drinks
- Culture & Etiquette
- Festivals & Events
- Language Learning
- Fruits
- Colors
- Dietary & Allergies
- Time & Dates
- Body Parts
- Animals
- Vehicles
- Electronics
- Feelings
- Local Dishes
- Local Drinks
- Indulgences