Basic Twi phrases for your trip
English will get you through Ghana, but a few words of Twi open doors and raise smiles everywhere. Here's a simple phrasebook to get you started.
The short answer
- English is Ghana's official language, so you can travel easily without local languages — but a little Twi goes a long way and delights people.
- Twi (part of the Akan language group) is the most widely spoken local language, understood across much of the country.
- Learn a handful of essentials: greetings, 'thank you' (medaase), yes and no, and 'how much?'.
- Greetings matter enormously in Ghana, so even a simple hello in Twi shows respect and warmth.
- Ghana has other major languages too — Ga in Accra, Ewe in the Volta, Dagbani in the north — but Twi is the handiest to start with.
- Don't worry about perfect pronunciation; the effort itself is what earns the smiles.
At a glance
| Official language | English |
|---|---|
| Most useful local | Twi (Akan) |
| Thank you | Medaase |
| Welcome | Akwaaba |
| Greetings | Matter enormously |
| Also spoken | Ga, Ewe, Dagbani & more |
Why learn a little Twi
Here's the good news first: English is Ghana's official language, so you can travel the whole country, ask directions, order food and get by perfectly well without a word of any local language. But learning even a few words of Twi transforms your interactions — Ghanaians light up when a visitor greets them in their own language, and it's one of the easiest ways to turn a transaction into a connection.
Twi, part of the Akan language family, is the most widely spoken local language and understood across much of Ghana, which makes it the handiest to start with. This is a simple traveller's phrasebook; for the cultural side of greetings and courtesy, pair it with our etiquette and language guide.
Greetings and courtesies
Greetings are hugely important in Ghana — you greet before you ask for anything. Start with these:
- Akwaaba — welcome
- Maakye — good morning
- Maaha — good afternoon · Maadwo — good evening
- Ɛte sɛn? — how are you? · Me ho yɛ — I'm fine
- Medaase — thank you (say it often!)
- Aane — yes · Daabi — no
Even just Maakye and Medaase, used warmly, will carry you a long way and bring a smile almost every time.
Useful words and questions
A few more that come in handy day to day:
- Wo din de sɛn? — what's your name? · Me din de… — my name is…
- Ɛyɛ — it's good / okay / fine
- Sɛn? — how much? (essential at the market)
- Ɛyɛ den? — how much is it? / what's the price?
- Yɛnkɔ — let's go
- Kafra — sorry / excuse me
Pair 'Sɛn?' with a smile and your bargaining is off to a friendly start — see our bargaining guide and market guide for the rest.
A few numbers
Numbers help at markets and taxis, though prices are usually given in English too:
- baako — 1 · mmienu — 2 · mmiɛnsa — 3
- ɛnan — 4 · enum — 5
- nsia — 6 · nson — 7 · nwɔtwe — 8
- nkron — 9 · du — 10
Don't stress about getting the tones or spelling exactly right — Twi is a tonal language and pronunciation takes practice, but locals are delighted by the attempt and quick to help you. The effort is what counts.
Ghana's other languages
Twi is the most useful single language to learn, but Ghana is wonderfully multilingual, and the local language changes as you travel. In and around Accra you'll hear Ga; in the Volta Region, Ewe; in the north, Dagbani and others; and there are dozens more across the country. A greeting in the right local language delights people even more.
Questions people ask
Do I need to learn Twi to visit Ghana?
No — English is Ghana's official language, so you can travel the whole country and get by easily without any local language. But learning a few words of Twi, especially greetings and 'thank you' (medaase), delights people and turns transactions into warm connections. The effort is always appreciated.
How do you say thank you in Twi?
'Thank you' in Twi is medaase. It's one of the most useful words to know, and saying it warmly and often will bring a smile almost every time. 'Welcome' is akwaaba, which you'll hear a lot as a visitor.
What are basic Twi greetings?
Useful greetings include Akwaaba (welcome), Maakye (good morning), Maaha (good afternoon), Maadwo (good evening), Ɛte sɛn? (how are you?) and Me ho yɛ (I'm fine). Greetings matter enormously in Ghana — you greet before asking for anything — so even a simple hello in Twi shows respect.
Is Twi spoken all over Ghana?
Twi, part of the Akan language family, is the most widely spoken local language and is understood across much of Ghana, which makes it the handiest to learn. But other major languages dominate in places — Ga around Accra, Ewe in the Volta Region, Dagbani in the north — and there are dozens more.
How do you say how much in Twi?
'How much?' is Sɛn? and 'how much is it / what's the price?' is Ɛyɛ den?. These are handy at markets and with taxis, though prices are usually also given in English. Pairing Sɛn? with a smile gets your bargaining off to a friendly start.
What language do they speak in Ghana?
English is the official language and is widely spoken, so travellers manage easily. Alongside it, Ghana has many local languages: Twi (Akan) is the most widely spoken, with Ga around Accra, Ewe in the Volta Region, Dagbani in the north, and dozens of others across the country.
What I know about Ghanaian travel comes from doing it: filing passport and visa applications, booking flights and hotels, collecting people from arrivals at two in the morning, and driving the Accra, Tema, Cape Coast and Kumasi runs week after week. Where this guide describes how something works, it is because we have done it.
Rules, fees and timetables in Ghana change. I have deliberately not quoted figures that go stale — where a number matters I name the office to confirm it with. If you spot something out of date, tell me and we will fix it.
Related guides.
Food & cultureEtiquette, greetings and a little Twi
Ghanaian social life runs on greeting properly, using the right hand and showing deference to age, and getting those three things right changes every interaction you have.
Food & cultureHow to shop in a Ghanaian market
Ghanaian markets are organised by commodity rather than by shop, and once you understand that the whole apparently chaotic thing becomes navigable.
Food & cultureTipping and bargaining in Ghana
Money in Ghana moves through a set of conventions nobody writes down, and the difference between generosity and clumsiness is usually a matter of manner rather than amount.
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