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Our last lesson under the Twi vocabulary module taught us the Twi names of some diseases and health terms.
If you’ve ever lived with Ashantis, you’d notice how important the concept of family is to them. Given the chance, the average Ashanti can tell you so much about his/her lineage, from his/her great-great-grandparents all the way down to the last grandchild. It is therefore important that we acquaint ourselves with some family/relationship terms to be able to understand them when they tell us about a relation, and also be able to tell them about ours. This informs our choice of topic today.
Join me, as we tease out a number of Twi terms used to identify the relationships we have with people within and outside the family. If you have more relationship terms that weren’t included in the list, please leave them in the comments section below the post.
Okey-doke, let’s start.
Video Lesson
Family-Related Twi Vocabulary
| Twi | English |
|---|---|
| abusua | family |
| abusuani | family member |
| abusuapanyin | family head |
| ɔwofoɔ | parent |
| ɔbaa | woman |
| ɔbarima | man |
| agya/papa/ɔse | father |
| ɛna/maame/oni | mother |
| abɔfra/akwadaa | baby |
| onua | sibling |
| onuabaa | sister |
| onuabarima | brother |
| agya/papa/papa nuabarima | paternal uncle |
| sewaa | paternal aunt |
| wɔfa | maternal uncle |
| maame/maame nuabaa | maternal aunt |
| nana (differentiated by intonation) | grandparent/grandchild |
| nanabarima | grandfather |
| nanabaa | grandmother |
| nanabarima prenu | great grandfather |
| nanabaa prenu | great grandmother |
| awareɛ | marriage |
| ayeforɔ | wedding |
| ayefoyere | bride |
| ayefokunu | bridegroom |
| okunu | husband |
| ɔyere | wife |
| asew/ase | in-law |
| asebarima | father-in-law |
| asebaa | mother-in-law |
| akonta | brother-in-law |
| akumaa | sister-in-law |
| akorafoɔ | rivals |
| okunafoɔ | widow |
| abarimaa | boy |
| abaayewa | girl |
| ɔbabarima | son |
| ɔbabaa | daughter |
| abanoma | adopted child |
| agyanka | orphan |
| onua/wɔfa ba/sewaa ba | cousin |
| wɔfaase | niece/nephew |
| ntafoɔ | twins |
| ahenasa | triplets |
| ahenanan | quadruplets |
| osigyani barima | bachelor |
| osigyani baa | spinster |
| adamfoɔ | friend |
| mpenatweɛ | dating |
| mpena | boyfriend/girlfriend |
| ɔdehyeɛ | royal |
| ɔdɔfoɔ | a loved one |
| akoma mu tɔfe | sweetheart |
| akɔkora | old man |
| aberewa | old woman |
| piesie/abakan | first-born child |
| kaakyire | last-born child |
| aberanteɛ | young man |
| ababaawa | young woman |
Thank you for reading. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the website and our YouTube channel, and like our Facebook page. You may leave behind any question or contribution you may have regarding this lesson in the comments section below. Bye for now.
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Thanks very much for this website. It has been very interesting
Thank you for the informative video. I really appreciate how slowly and clearly you speak each word. It’s easier to pronounce the words that way.
I have a question relating to how you go about referring to parents. I know in English it’s common for children to call their parents “Mum” and “Dad”. Is that the same in Twi? Would someone refer to their mother as “Maame”? For example.
Thank you.
Medaase pii, Lucy.
Yes, it’s totally normal and common to hear people refer to their mums as “maame”, and “paapa” for their dads. You’ll not hear this much in Accra and other cities though.