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/

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/

Xx /x/

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 diphthongs

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 (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 [well]. 

[ ]. ( [ ])

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

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 Jannuary 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

Colours---Amadedewo

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

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