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

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

Pronunciation guide

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Alphabets

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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

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a e ɛ i o ɔ u

Consonants

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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

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dz, gb, kp, ny, ts,

Phrase list

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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

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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

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

Numbers

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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

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Today
egba
Tomorrow
etsɔ (etch-or)

Clock time

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Gah-may

Duration

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Days

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

Months

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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 )

Writing time and date

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Colours---Amadedewo

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red, reddish
dzĩ̍é
green
dáma̍, gbemu

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

Transportation

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Bus- 3vul3gbe3

Train- Keteke

Car- Lor3

Directions

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Taxi

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Lodging

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Money

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Money
ɛga (Eh-Gah), 3ho
How much?
Ho neni? ,(Hoh neh-nee?),Ne nei?

Eating

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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

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ahadzraƒe

Shopping

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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

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Road
eʋumɔ
Car
eʋuvi

Authority

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Government
dzidudu (jee-doo-doo), Dziɖuɖu

Animals and Insects

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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

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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

This Ewe phrasebook is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!