Ewe phrasebook

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Mark Dingemanse

Ewe (Èʋe or Èʋegbe) is a language spoken in parts of Ghana and Togo in the region of West Africa.

Pronunciation guide

Phrase list

Basics

; Welcome. : Woezɔ (wayzo) ; Ok (response to welcome) : Yo ; Hello. : Alekay
; Response to hello: Miledzi (melujee) ; How are you? : Efɔa? (Ayfwa)
; Yes am fine: E mɛfɔ (ay mayfo)
; What is your name? : Ŋkɔ wo de? (n-kɔ wo-day)
; My name is ______ . : ŋkɔ nyɛ enyɛ/ Nyɛ ŋkɔ enyɛ ______.
; Nice to meet you. : . ( )
; Please. : Mɛɖɛkuku.
; Thanks. : Akpɛ.
; You're welcome/It's a pleasure: Mɛ suakpɛ o : . ( )
; Yes. : E. (ay)
; No. : Ao
; Excuse me. (getting attention) : Agoo. ( )
; Excuse me. (begging pardon) : . ( )
; I'm sorry. : Babalo.
; Goodbye ( I am going) : Me dzo (mayjo)
; We will meet again : Mia ga do go
; I can't speak name of language . : . ( )
; I'm learning Ɛʋɛgbɛ : Mɛ lɛ ɛʋɛgbɛ srɔm
; Do you speak English? : Ɛdo na yevugbɛa?/Ɛdoa yevugbɛa (ah-doh-ny yeh-voo-bay?) Ɛsɛ yevugbɛa?
; Is there someone here who speaks English? : Amɛ adɛ do na yevugbɛ le afisia? ( ?)
; Help me! :Xɔnam/Kpɛɖɛ nu nyɛ ! ( !)
; Look out! :Kpɔ ɖá ! ( !)
; Good morning. : Ŋdi. (n-dee )
; Good afternoon. : Ŋdɔ. (n-doh)
; Good evening. : Fie. (fee-ay)
; Good night (to sleep) : za nɛnyo
; I am going to bed/sleep : Mɛ yina anyi mlɔfe
; I don't understand. : Nyɛ mɛ sɛ ɛgɔmɛo.: nyɛ mɛ sɛ egɔme o
; Where is the toilet? : Fika afɔdzi lɛ? ( Fee-kah a-foh-le day?): fikae afɔdzi dɛƒɛ lɛ?

fikae ŋgodo xɔ lɛ?

; White person : Yevu (Yevu comes from Ayevu, meaning a cunning dog)
;Visitor : amedzroe

Problems

; I am sick : mɛdɔlɛm/mɛdzɛdɔ
; Sickness : dɔlɛlɛ
; Hurt/Injured : nuvɛviewɔm/mɛxɔabi (noo vah vee-ay wohm)

Numbers

; Zero : dɛkɛ
; One : dɛka,ɖɛka,Ɖɛka
; Two : eve (ev-ee)
; Three : ɛtor, ɛtɔ̃
; Four : ene
; Five : ator, atɔ̃
; Six : adɛ
; Seven : andrɛ, adrɛ
; Eight : enyi
; Nine : ashieke (a-shee-kee), asieke
; Ten : ewo
; Eleven : wideke, wiɖeke
; Twelve : wieve
; Thirteen : wietor, wietɔ̃
;
; Twenty : blaeve
; Twenty-One : blave vor deke, Blaeve-vɔ-ɖeke
; Twenty-Two : blave vor eve,Blaeve-vɔ-eve
;
; Thirty : bla etor, Blaetɔ̃
; Thirty-One : blator vor deka, Blaetɔ̃-vɔ-ɖeke
;
; Forty : bla ene, Blaene
; Fifty : bla ator, Blaatɔ̃
; Sixty : bla ade, Blaade
; Seventy : bla andre, Blaadre
; Eighty : bla enyi, Blaenyi
; Ninety : bla ashieke, Blaasieke
; One Hundred : alafa, Alafã

Time

; Today : egbe
; Tomorrow: etso (etch-o)

Clock time

Game

Duration

Days

;MONDAY : DZOĐA
;TUESDAY : BLAĐA
;WEDNESDAY : KUĐA
;THURSDAY : YAWOĐA
;FRIDAY : FIĐA
;SATURDAY : MEMLIĐA
;SUNDAY : KWASIĐA

Months

;There are 13 months by Ewe peoples:
; 1- Dzove → from 1st Jannuary to 28st Jannuary. ( 28 days )
; 2- Dzodze → from 29st January to 26st February.( 29 days )
; 3- Tedoxe → from 27st February to 26st March. ( 28 days or 29 days if February is 29 days )
; 4- Afɔfie → from 27st March to 23st April.( 28 days )
; 5- Dame → from 24st April to 21st May.( 28 days )
; 6- Masa → from 22st May to 18st June. ( 28 days )
; 7- Siamlɔm → from 19st June to 16st July. ( 28 days )
; 8- Deasiamime → from 17st July to 13st Auguste.( 28 days )
; 9- Anyonyo → from 14st Auguste to 10st September.( 28 days )
; 10- Kele → from 11st September to 8st October.( 28 days )
; 11- Adeamekpɔxe → from 9st October to 5st November.( 28 days )
; 12- Dzome → from 6st November to 3st December.( 28 days )
; 13- Ƒoave → from 4st December to 31st December.( 28 days )

Writing time and date

ColoursAmadedewo

;red, reddish :dzĩ̍é
;green :dáma̍, gbemu
Yellow or Orange → Aŋtitsiɖiɖi
Black → Yibɔ
White → Ɣee or Ɣie
Blue → Blɔ

Transportation

Bus and train

Directions

Taxi

Lodging

Money

; Money : Ga
; How much? : Ho neni? (Hoh neh-nee)

Eating

; Food : nududu, Nuɖuɖu
; Cooking: nudada, Nuɖaɖa
; Breakfast : ndi nududu, ŋdi nuɖuɖu
; Lunch : ndor nududu, ŋdɔ nuɖuɖu
; Dinner : fie nududu, fiɛnyi nuɖuɖu
; Water : etsi (etch-ee), etsi
;Milk: Nyinotsi
; Tea : tí (tea) Ti
; Plantain (Banana): akodu
; Bread: abolo
; Pineapple : atortor (a-toh-toh)
; Mango : mango
; Coconut : ené
; Papaya (paw paw) : adiba
; Tomato : tomato, Timati
; Maize : ebli, Bli
; Meat: La
; Rice : morlu, Mɔlu
; Fish : ndonui, Akpa, tomela
; Chicken : kloklo, Koklo
; Egg : kloklodzi (klo-klo-jee), Koklozi
; Beans : ayi
; Stew : tadi, Atadi
; Soup : detsi (dech-ee)
; Bread : aboloo/ yevubolo

Onion : Sabala

Bars

ahazdraƒe

Shopping

; Market : asime (ah-see-may)
; I want (a) _______ : Medje ______ (meh-jee _______)
; I have (a) _______ : ________ le asinye (________ luh ah seen yah)
; Sell : nudzra (noo-jra)→ Ŋudzadzra
; Buy : nupeple (noo-pay-play)→ Ŋuƒeƒle
To buy → Ƒle ŋu
; To sell → Dzra ŋu
; BOOK →Agbale

Driving

; Road : eʋumɔ
; Car : eʋuvi

Authority

; Government : dzidudu (jee-doo-doo), Dziɖuɖu

Animals and Insects

; Bird : Xe (heh)
; Lizard : adoglo
; Mouse : afi
; Goat : Gbɔ
; Cow : nyi
; Cat : dadi
; Dog : avu
; Monkey : kese
; Elephant : atsiglini, Atsiglinyi
; Crocodile : alo, Lo
; Bee : anyi
; Mosquito : amu, Mu
; Housefly : tagbatsutsu ( tag-bah choo choo)
; Butterfly : kpakpaluhɔe (k-pak-paw-hoo-ay)
; Tse Tse Fly : togbato
; Ant : Anyidi
;Termite: Baba
;sheep : a̍lẽ́