UPDATE: We have a new YouTube channel. Please CLICK HERE to visit and subscribe to it for video lessons.
Our last lesson explored the Twi names of some animals. The bite of some animals causes a number of diseases to humans and other animals. So, let’s equip ourselves with the Twi names of some diseases and health-related terms.
Twi Names of Some Diseases/Health Terms
(Nyarewa ne Apɔmuden Nsɛm)
| Twi | English |
|---|---|
| apɔmuden | health |
| yareɛ/yadeɛ | illness/sickness |
| nyarewa | diseases |
| ayaresabea | hospital |
| ɔyaresafoɔ/dɔkota | doctor |
| paneɛ | syringe |
| aduro | medicine/drug |
| odunsini | herbalist |
| ekuro | wound |
| asa/asaduro | enema |
| bɛntoa | enema syringe |
| ahokeka | itch |
| pɔmpɔ | boil |
| ɛtwerɛ | epilepsy |
| atiridii | fever |
| tipaeɛ | headache |
| yafunu yareɛ | stomach ache |
| ayamtim | constipation |
| ayamtuo | diarrhoea |
| ayamtubrafoɔ | cholera |
| huraeɛ/atiridii | malaria |
| huraeɛnini | jaundice |
| kɔmpɔ | goitre |
| babaso | gonorrhoea |
| babaso werɛmfoɔ | HIV/AIDS |
| kokoram | cancer |
| nufoɔm’ kokoram | breast cancer |
| mpete/borɔmpete | chicken pox |
| ɛwa | cough |
| nsamanwa | whooping cough |
| kwata | leprosy |
| asensene | convulsion |
| ntehyeewa | asthma |
| obubuafoɔ/bafan | the crippled |
| asosie | deafness |
| mumu | dumb |
| anifra | blindness |
| apampampaeɛ | baldness |
| ahotutuo | rheumatism |
| asikyireyareɛ | diabetes |
| aporɔporɔ | foot rot |
| sisiyareɛ | waist pain |
| akyakya | hunchback |
| kaka | toothache |
| ntoburo/ntɛnkyɛm | measles |
| anisobirie | dizziness |
| nkwoe | hernia |
| adammɔ | lunacy |
| mmubuo | paralysis |
| gyepim | elephantiasis |
| konkurowaa/ɔdɔɔ | dysentery |
| mogyaborosoɔ | hypertension |
| kisikuro/ayamkuro | ulcer |
| ɛfeɛ | vomit |
| nnwodwoeɛ | stroke |
| papu | cold |
| kooko | haemorrhoid/pile |
| bonini/ɔkrawa | barren |
| kɔtewuiɛ | impotence |
| awosoawosoɔ | parkinson’s disease |
| dwonsɔmogya | haematuria |
| ɛkorɔ | eczema |
| odeepua | candidiasis (yeast infection) |
| nsaa/nkorosankorosa | rash |
| kakawirewire | ringworm |
| awerɛfireyareɛ | amnesia |
Do you know the Twi names of other diseases that weren’t included in the list above? Please share with us in the comments section below. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the blog and YouTube Channel, and like our Facebook Page. Thank you for reading.
Responses
Twi name for indigestion and high BP
Hi, how are you? Lovely article! As a doctor improving my Twi-speaking ability, this article is very important to me. The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital released a free free medical vocabulary for clinical students and healthy workers about a year or two ago. I’ve been using it and it’s been very helpful. It’s available online and amenable to change. You can include some more medical terms in it as well.
Do you know any of the 1st aid terms in Twi, such as first aid, resuscitation, chest compressions and rescue breaths? How does one say pulse in Twi?
Thanks!
What will be the akan name for herpes?
Please what is the twi name for prostate cancer
Hi Yaw, thank you for the lesson. What a coincidence you just post this topic, cos my daughter is just ill right now.. So, can I say: Me ab)fra yare3, )y3 atiridii.
note: ) is standing for inverted C, and 3 is for inverted 3
Hello Jasna, Sorry to hear that.
If you recall, in our lesson on Twi pronouns, specifically under possessive adjectives, we said “if the possessed object starts with the letter ‘a’ and follows a singular possessive adjective, we write them (the possessive adjective and the possessed object) together. An apostrophe is introduced to replace the second letter of the possessive adjective”.
Also, “yareɛ” is the noun “sickness/disease”. The verb form (which should replace what you used in your sentence) is “yare (to get/be sick)”
So, your sentence will be “M’abɔfra no yare atiridii yareɛ”. Or better, “Me ba no yare atiridii”
Do wish her a speedy recovery for me.