What are some life-changing Ghanaian (Akan or Twi) proverbs about love, relationships, and marriage? Here’s a list of 50 of them and their meanings in English.
When you arrive at the Kotota International Airport from your home country, you will see a big display at the arrival terminal that says “Akwaaba,” which translates to “Hello, welcome.” The greeting is in Twi, the primary dialect that Ghanaians use to address each other.
This is the spoken language of the Akans, an ethnolinguistic group in Ghana. The Asante, also called Ashanti, are indigenous to the Ashanti Region of contemporary Ghana and are members of the Akan ethnic group. They became famous for gold and brass craftsmanship, wood carving, furniture, and brightly colored woven cloth, called kente. They are also known for their inspiring proverbs.
These people have rich traditions that include Akan Proverbs, which are wise sayings that are meant to uphold the community’s ideals, discourage vices, and encourage good behavior.
50 Akan Proverbs about Relationships
What are proverbs? Proverbs are sayings that are intended to inspire, rejoice, and offer guidance while also expressing feelings and ideas.
What are some of the Ghanaian proverbs? Numerous communities in Ghana have hundreds of proverbs. Why are Akan proverbs important? The reason Akan proverbs are significant is that they serve as a medium for the exchange and teaching of moral principles, information, and wisdom.
Here is a quick look at the best-known Akan proverbs and their meanings. You will learn a lot from them.
16 Akan proverbs on marriage, love, and relationship and their meanings in English
1. Woko aware a bisa
Translation: Make inquiries before you marry.
Meaning: You should, as a man or woman, find out as much as you can about the person you want to marry before committing to a relationship and getting married. You should also try to find out as much as you can about your potential spouse’s family, including their good and bad points and dislikes.
Be well-informed about the person you intend to marry. Know your partner better before contracting marriage. Warns against hasty marriages.
2. Aware kwan ware
Translation: The road to marriage is a long one.
Meaning: Getting married or entering a marriage is a serious endeavor with many ups and downs. In its literal meaning, it shows that marriage is a long journey that needs bold and prepared minds.
3. Aware nye nsafufu na woaka ahwe.
Translation: Marriage is not like palm wine to be tasted.
Meaning: Marriage is a commitment to be made; it is a life-long affair.
4. Obi nte sika nware na tamfo
Translation: No one takes money to marry their haters.
Meaning: A man will never marry someone he despises; instead, he is perpetually marrying someone he likes and finds attractive.
5. Obaa ko aware a, ode ne na ko
Translation: The moment a woman gets into marriage, she does so with her mother.
Meaning: A woman cannot be better than the way she was trained by her mother before she got married. So, the way a mother raises her girl child reflects how her conduct will be by the time she becomes a wife. This is why a mother is expected to teach her daughter all she needs to know about touching and taking care of her husband.
6. Obaa a onni barimah 3nna y3bu no eyi akyea
Translation: A woman without a man is easy prey.
Meaning: It is the vulnerable who are easily cheated on. You can cheat someone today, and maybe a day in addition, but days later, they will become vigilant and come stronger at you. In the case of marriage, a woman who has a man by her side can have a shield to protect her.
7. Obea (obaa) ye turom mu nhwiren, ne kunu nso ye ne ho ban
Translation: While a woman stands as a flower in a garden, her husband is the fence that protects her.
Meaning: The proverb’s two most important objects are a flower and a fence. The metaphor of the woman as a flower describes how frail women are, while the fence represents men and their means of defense, implying that every man should act as a wall of defense around his wives at all times.
8. Oyere te se kuntu: wode kata wo so a ahuhuro de wo; wuyi gu ho nso a, awo de wo.
Translation: A woman can be compared to a woolen blanket, which, if you use it to cover yourself, you begin to feel hot, and yet, if you remove it, you become cold.
Meaning: Since every marriage has its ups and downs and unique obstacles, this is utilized to teach endurance in marriage. Despite this, couples are supposed to make every effort to maintain their connection.
9. Mmaa nnye somye an wode w’ani ato so
Translation: Women are not pillows to rest your heads on.
Meaning: This implies that regardless of a woman’s (or a human’s) character, change is inevitable; thus, in case something like this occurs, you should have a backup plan.
10. Obaa to tuo a etwere barima dan mu (Etuo to a esi barima bo)
Translation: It’s from a man’s chest that a gun is fired. Or, when a woman buys a gun, it lies in a man’s room.
Meaning: Because women in Akan culture often hold lower social status than their husbands, any property acquired by a married woman from the community is considered to have been acquired on her husband’s behalf.
11. Onipa dɔ wo a, ɔdɔ wo ne wo nkwaseasεm
Translation: If a person loves you, he loves you with all your nonsense.
Meaning: If someone truly loves you, they will not only accept you as their spouse; they will encourage you when you make mistakes, correct you, or make an effort to improve. They will also never give up on you, even if you and your partner have differences.
12. Oyere pa ye ahode.
Translation: A good wife is wealth.
Meaning: Virtuous woman brings
13. Oyere pa hwan an b3nya
Translation: A good wife, who will find?
Meaning: A good wife is hard to find so if you happen to be with one, cherish them
14. Aware fofro te se ode.
Translation: A new marriage is like yam, it is sweet.
Meaning: The early stages of marriage life are a delight.
15. Awareso ne awaregyae ne fa bi gyina nsewnom so.
Translation: A successful or unsuccessful marriage depends partly on the in-laws.
Meaning: Show how crucial the extended family of the couple influences the marriage.
16. Odo ye owu.
Translation: Love is death.
Meaning: Only death can separate those who love each other.
Image Source: The Asante Nation
Akan proverbs that advise married couple
17. Abodwes3 b3too anim ton nim
Translation: The long beard came to meet the eyebrow
Meaning: The kid came on earth to meet the parent; hence, it is the right of children to respect their mother and father. And by parents, in Akan, it means an elderly person, not specifically the ones who gave birth to you.
18. Ebi deda ebi akyi
Translation: Someone is beyond the other.
Meaning: There are levels to things, and while some are at the top, some are below them, and vice versa. Or simply, some proceeds the other. To come to the level of marriage, couples should learn to be content and not compare their marriage to that of their friends, their favorite celebrity pairs, etc.
19. Ayonkogoro nti na okoto annya tiri
Translation: The crab lacks a head due to playing with friends.
Meaning: This wise saying is also commonly phrased as Ayonko dodoo nti na okoto annya tiri, meaning the crab did not get a head because of its many friends. It highlights the downsides of having too many friends. There will always be characters among them who will lead you astray.
20. Osotie ye kyene af)rebo
Translation: To be obedient is better than to sacrifice.
Meaning: This proverb is in the Bible. Obeying rules and regulations is better than paying the debt or challenges that result from disobeying.
21. )bomofuo din beta osono nam ho
Translation: The hunter’s name is always connected to the meat of an elephant.
Meaning: Everybody’s actions affect his or her relatives. In Akan society, if you do something that pleases the general public, there is always a whisper among people asking about who your parents are and which family you come from. This is the same as if you bring a disgrace to your family, people will point fingers at them, which will dent their reputation.
22. Hwer3ma na 3twetwe nnwom
Translation: It is the whistling that compels you to sing.
Meaning: There are certain things you do not have to get closer to because, by getting closer to them, you might be prone to danger. Bringing it down to marriage, it also means otherwise. The wife should always look attractive to their husbands, which will always get them closer than
23. Ahuof3 nntua ka
Translation: Your beauty does not pay your debt.
Meaning: This means if you’re beautiful, it doesn’t earn you a place in society but your character.
24. Wohu se wo yonko abodwese rehye a na wasa nsuo asi wo dee ho
Translation: If you see your neighbor’s beard burning, fetch water for yours.
Meaning: This saying means that every human being should learn from other people’s experiences and circumstances. The misfortunes that befall others could get to you one day. If that ever happens, you should be well prepared because you have already seen it happen to others.
25. Dua a enya wo a ebewo w’ani no, yetu asee; yensensene ano
Translation: One cannot sharpen the stick that will pierce his eye. Instead, he uproots it.
Meaning: This saying highlights the essence of getting rid of potential perils early, as opposed to letting them grow to the point of causing harm. It is the equivalent of saying that prevention is better than cure.
26. Obi nkyere abofra Nyame
Translation: God does not have to be pointed out to a child.
Meaning: God is omnipresent, and His acts are felt everywhere. He is also omnipotent, meaning that he has all power, and he is never limited to a place. If you look at everything around you, you will see that God exists. It is then assumed that if a child could believe that God exists merely by the things it sees, it would be foolishness for an adult to doubt or question the existence of God.
27. Yewo wo to esie so a, wonnkye tenten ye
Translation: If you are born into a mound, it will not take you long to grow tall.
Meaning: This proverb supports the idea that certain people have advantages and privileges from birth that help them throughout their lives. For example, a person who is born into a wealthy family has a higher chance of staying wealthy than a person who is born into a poor family.
28. Obi kwan nsi obi kwan mu
Translation: No man’s path crosses another path.
Meaning: This wise saying speaks about the essence of a person’s destiny. When a man’s path in life is set, it will lead him wherever he was meant. He cannot cross another path that may lead him to another destiny.
29. Biribi annkɔka papa a, anka papa annye kyerɛdɛ
Translation: If something had not touched the dried palm frond, it would not have made a noise.
Meaning: The saying emphasizes the importance of both sides of an argument anytime there is a dispute: “Anytime a dried palm frond makes noise, something has touched it.” One may be upset that the frond is making noise, but it can also be upset that someone has disturbed it.
30. Aboa a onni dua no, Nyame na opra ne ho
Translation: God is the keeper of the body of an animal without a tail.
Meaning: This is a proverb of hope for anyone who appears to be hopeless or rejected: God is always accessible to help, no matter how vulnerable a person may be, even if they are abandoned by everyone.
31. Obi akɔnnɔdeɛ ne odompo nsono (Obi akonnodee ne odompo nsono)
Translation: What someone calls his delicacy is poison to another.
Meaning: The proverb typically indicates that we all perceive things from different perspectives, so what one person likes could be what another detests. This is the Akan version of one man’s meat is another man’s poison: what one finds entertaining could be what another person thinks uninviting.
32. Woforo dua pa a na yepia wo
Translation: Only when you climb a good tree do people push you.
Meaning: This proverb says that elders or society can only support you if you make good decisions. You cannot do any good and expect others to offer you their support.
33. Obanyansofoo yebu no be, yennka no asem
Translation: A wise person is spoken to in proverbs, not plain language.
Meaning: Proverbs are utilized in speech instead of direct communication in the Akan culture, where it is assumed that knowledgeable individuals will be able to decipher concealed meanings from foolish ones.
34. Hu m’ani so ma me nti na atwe mmienu name
Translation: Two antelopes walk together because they can blow the dust off each other’s eyes.
Meaning: Two is better than one. When you have someone walking by your side, you will have a better quality of life than a person who walks alone. Excessive independence and isolation are not encouraged among the Akan.
35. Aboa bi beka wo a, ne ofiri wo ntoma mu
Translation: The animal that bites you will be from your clothes.
Meaning: The people you think of as close will probably be the ones to hurt you the most in life. They will hurt you the most because they know how to do it best.
36. Obi nnim obrempon ahyease
Translation: No one knows the beginning of a great person.
Meaning: Greatness can come from anyone, and anyone can start somewhere. For this reason, you should never belittle people or their modest origins.
Akan proverbs about life
37. Ayonkogoro nti na okoto annya tiri: It is because of friend-play that the crab does not have a head.
38. Afεkubɔ te sε asanom, w’anhwε wo ho so yie a, εma wosopa: Companionship is like drinking too much palm wine, if you are not careful, it leads to disgrace.
39. Wonnim nipa a, wo ne no nsi koso: If you don’t know someone, you do not make a partnership with them
40. Obi mmfa ne nsa nnto obi anomu na ɔmmpae n’atifi: Don’t bite the hand that feeds you
41. Wamma wo yonko anntwa anko a, wonntwa nnuru: If you don’t let your friend cross and reach his destination, you will also not cross and reach yours
42. Nsuo a edo wo na eko w’ahina mu: It is the water river that loves you that enters your pot
43. Hwɛ me so mma minni bi nti na atwe mmienu nam: It is because of ‘watch over me while I eat’ that two antelopes walk together
44. Wohunu ananse a, ku no, anyε saa a, ɔbεdane ɔkyεmfo a bεka wo: When you see a spider, kill it, if not it will change into a bird-spider and bite you
45. Opanyin a otena ase ma nkwadaa ewe nanka no, sɛ yɛreka nanka wefooa, yɛ bu no ka ho: An elder that looks unconcerned for children to eat a python, he is regarded as taking part in the meal
46. Funtumfunafu ne Dεnkyεmfunafu baanu yafunu yε yafunukoro; nanso sε wɔredidi na wɔreko a na efiri atwimnenemudε ntiara: Two-headed crocodiles’ stomachs mixed up, they both have one stomach but when they eat, they fight because of the sweetness of swallowing
Conclusion
In summary, Akan proverbs are used to teach or impart knowledge, ethics, wisdom, and even morals through the use of stories, symbols, and other literary devices. The Akan people generously share the distilled essence of their experiences through their proverbs, offering profound insights that transcend time and culture. Ghanaian proverbs are an essential component of the lifestyle of the average Ghanaian. This is partly because they serve to season their language, making them appear or sound more beautiful.
When it comes to marriage, these proverbs are like lights on a map, giving spouses a sense of direction as they work through the complexities of life together. May these words ring true in the hearts of people just starting on their romantic journey, offering not only cultural enrichment but also timeless advice for a peaceful and lasting union. In the same way that the Akan proverbs have stood the test of time, may the wisdom they impart continue to resonate through the ages, shaping the narratives of love, relationships, and life itself.
