ete sen?
ete sen? is the Twi way to say hello, how are you?
ete sen? is a common greeting used to ask someone about their current well-being.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ete sen? literally translates to 'how is it?'
Which one should you use?
While ete sen? is a general way to ask 'how is it?', you can use Wo ho te sɛn? to ask a single person more directly or use Mo ho te sɛn? when addressing more than one person.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ete sen? is an informal expression used with friends, family or peers.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is often written with diacritics as ɛte sɛn? to reflect correct Twi orthography.
When do people say it?
When someone asks you ete sen?, a common response is Ɛyɛ, meaning 'It is good' or Me ho yɛ, which literally means 'My body is good' to indicate you are well.
Did you know?
- In Ghana, it is often considered impolite to use the left hand when greeting someone or handing over an item while saying ɛte sɛn?
- The tonal nature of Twi means that the way you pronounce the vowels in ɛte sɛn? can change the meaning, so careful inflection is key to being understood.
- While ɛte sɛn? is informal, greeting elders often requires a more formal approach or the addition of a title to show respect, as age is highly revered in Akan culture.
Examples in context
- Wo ete sen?How are you?
- Maame, ete sen?Mother, how are you?
- Agya, ete sen?Father, how are you?
Example conversation
Ama and Kofi meet on the street.
- AmaKofi, ete sen?Kofi, how are you?
- KofiMe ye, na wo nso?I am fine, and you?
- AmaMe nso me ye.I am also fine.
- KofiEye, medaase.Good, thank you.
