Everything You Need To Learn Twi
Akan, or Twi, as it is commonly known, is a major language of Ghana and eastern Ivory Coast. It’s a member of the Kwa branch of the Niger-Congo family, and native speakers number around 17 million.
There are three dialects of Twi: Asante, Akuapem, and Fante, all of which are mutually intelligible.
Twi is the main language of public in Ghana, along with English. It’s also the main language of instruction at school and government. The language is written using the Latin alphabet.
As one of the more popular West African languages to learn, due to Ghana’s increasing popularity among westerners, several learning materials have been created for foreigners wanting to learn the language. We’ve listed a few of them below.
Twi Language Learning Books
As an introduction to the language, you can’t go wrong with a Twi language course/study book. This is great for beginners who need to learn Twi basics such as Twi grammar, sentence structure and building, and common Twi words to use in everyday situations.
You should also get yourself a good, solid English-Twi dictionary for those moments when you come across a word or phrase that you don’t understand.
Another book that might be useful to you, particularly if you’re intending to travel to Ghana soon, is a Twi phrasebook. It will help you get through everyday travel situations in Ghana, and enable you to speak to the natives.
Twi Children’s Books
By reading children’s books in Twi, you’ll gain real insight into how the language works and looks in its natural context, as well as add plenty of new Twi words to your lexicon.
Better yet, with bilingual English-Twi kids’ books, you can make use of the accompanying English text to help you understand the Twi story.
Twi Digital Courses
If you don’t fancy learning the language through books, then consider getting a Twi e-course. These are great for people who learn best with audiovisual material, as they use audio or video lessons to build and nurture your Twi speaking and listening skills.
Udemy offers a comprehensive Twi digital course that comes complete with 6 hours of video lessons, downloadable worksheets, and 2 practice tests. What’s more, you get full access to the course across any smart device, and you’ll join the learners’ forum, where you can socialize with others taking the Twi course.
TWI UDEMY COURSES
TWI AUDIO COURSES
Pimsleur’s Twi course is an audio-only digital course that offers hours of audio lessons, all designed to get you speaking conversational Twi by the end, without you touching a single book or pen. This is perfect for those wanting to start speaking and using the language quickly.
Twi, Compact Course: Learn to Speak and Understand Twi with Pimsleur
$41.12