Ewe phrasebook

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

Areas where the Ewe language is spoken are shown in yellow.

Pronunciation guide

Alphabets

Aa /a/

Bb /b/

Dd /d/

Ɖɖ /ɖ/

Ee /e/,/ə/

Ɛɛ /ɛ/

Ff /f/

Ƒƒ /ɸ/

Gg /ɡ/

Ɣɣ /ɣ/

Hh /h/

Xx /x/

Ii /i/

Kk /k/

Ll /l/

Mm /m/

Nn /n/

Ŋŋ /ŋ/

Oo /o/

Ɔɔ /ɔ/

Pp /p/

Rr /r/

Ss /s/

Tt /t/

Uu /u/

Vv /v/

Ʋʋ /β/

Ww /w/

Yy /j/

Zz /z/

Vowels

a e ɛ i o ɔ u

Consonants

Bb Dd Ɖɖ Ff Ƒƒ Gg Ɣɣ Hh Kk Ll Mm Nn Ŋŋ Pp Rr Ss Tt Vv Ʋʋ Ww Xx Yy Z z

Common consonantal blends

dz, gb, kp, ny, ts,

Phrase list

Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.

Basics

Welcome.

Woezɔ (wayzor)

Ok (response to welcome)

Yoo

Hello.

Alekee (Alehkay?)

Response to hello

Mile 'dzi (mileh jee)

How are you?

Efɔa? (Ehfoa)

Yes am fine

E mɛfɔ (ay mehfor)

What is your name?

Ŋkɔ wo de? (n-kɔ wo-day)

My name is ______ .

ŋkɔ nye enye/ Nye ŋkɔ enye ______.

Please.

Meɖekuku.

Thanks.

Akpe. (Akpeh)

You're welcome/It's a pleasure

Me sɔ akpe o : . (Meh sor akpeh o )

Yes.

E. (ay)

No.

Ao

Excuse me. (getting attention)

Agoo. ( )

Excuse me. (begging pardon)

. ( )

I'm sorry.

Baba.

Goodbye ( I am going)

Me dzo (meh jo)

We will meet again

Mia ga do go

I can't speak Ewe [well].

Nye me se 'ʋegbe o (Nyeh meh seh veh gbeh o )

I'm learning Ewe

Mɛ lɛ ɛʋɛgbɛ srɔm

Do you speak English?

Ɛdo na yevugbɛa?/Ɛdoa yevugbɛa (Eh doah Yevugbeh a?) Ɛsɛ yevugbɛa?

Does anyone here speak 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/ dɔdɔ nɛnyo (Doh doh neh nyo)

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

nadɛkɛ o,d3k3 o

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

alɔfa, Alɔfã

Time

Today

egba

Tomorrow

etsɔ (etch-or)

Clock time

Gah-may

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 January to 28th January. ( 28 days )

2- Dzodze → from 29th January to 26th February.( 29 days )

3- Tedoxe → from 27th February to 26th March. ( 28 days or 29 days if February is 29 days )

4- Afɔfie → from 27th March to 23rd April.( 28 days )

5- Dame → from 24th April to 21st May.( 28 days )

6- Masa → from 22th May to 18th June. ( 28 days )

7- Siamlɔm → from 19th June to 16th July. ( 28 days )

8- Deasiamime → from 17th July to 13th August.( 28 days )

9- Anyonyo → from 14th August to 10th September.( 28 days )

10- Kele → from 11th September to 8th October.( 28 days )

11- Adeamekpɔxe → from 9th October to 5th November.( 28 days )

12- Dzome → from 6th November to 3rd December.( 28 days )

13- Ƒoave → from 4th December to 31st December.( 28 days )

Colours---Amadedewo

red, reddish

dzĩ̍é

green

dáma̍, gbemu

Yellow or Orange → Aŋtitsiɖiɖi Black → Yibɔ White → Ɣee or Ɣie Blue → Blɔ

Transportation

Bus- 3vul3gbe3

Train- Keteke

Car- Lor3

Money

Money

ɛga (Eh-Gah), 3ho

How much?

Ho neni? ,(Hoh neh-nee?),Ne nei?

Eating

Food

nududu, Nuɖuɖu

Cooking

nudada, Nuɖaɖa

Breakfast

ndi nududu, ŋdi nuɖuɖu

Lunch

ndor nududu, ŋdɔ nuɖuɖu

Dinner

fie nududu, fiɛnyi nuɖuɖu

Water

esi (eh-see), esi

Milk

Nyinotsi

Tea

tí (tea) Ti

Plantain

ablajo

Banana

akɔdu

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 (ko-klo-zee), Koklozi

Beans

ayi

Stew

tadi, Atadi

Soup

detsi (Deh-chee)

Bread

Akponoh (ah-(k)poh nuh)

Onion

Sabouleh(sabala)

Bars

ahadzraƒe

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

Learning more

mobile phone

kaƒomɔ

Phone number

kaƒo dzesi

medicine

atike

soap

dzale

Hospital

dɔyɔƒe/ kɔdzi

Rice

mɔlu

Christmas blonya

Merry Christmas to you

ƒenawo

Happy new year to you

ƒe yeye nawo