Learning Twi, One Step at a Time
Mary Ann’s Teach Me Twi Story
“I wanted to feel more connected and have greater access to my heritage.”
Meet Mary Ann
Hello, Teach Me Twi reader!
My name is Mary Ann nanso wo bɛ tumi a frɛ me May (“but you can call me May”) 😁
I am of Ghanaian heritage through both my parents, and I am a teacher by profession. It feels quite fitting that I am now putting myself in the shoes of my pupils by learning and improving my Twi.
Why I Wanted to Learn Twi
What made me want to learn Twi was a desire to understand, feel more connected, and have greater access to my heritage.
I truly believe that both understanding and speaking a language deepens that connection.
I started off simply by listening actively to the Twi being spoken around me. One of the first phrases that stuck with me was something my dad says on his way out of the house:
“Ma fa me safoa”
(I’ve got my keys)
My Twi Journey
My journey began passively through listening.
Growing up in a household where Twi is spoken daily helped me become familiar with how the language sounds; the rhythm, the emphasis, and even how tone can turn a sentence into a question.
On one of my childhood trips to Ghana, my uncle gifted me a Twi dialogue book, along with another one designed for children (animals, the alphabet, etc.).
From that point, learning Twi was no longer just passive; it became something I could actively engage with through reading and writing.
To this day, I still have that book:
A Comprehensive Course in Twi (Asante) by Florence Abena Dolphyne.
I loved being able to see that I could actually read and write Twi for myself.
“It was through Teach Me Twi that I felt able to release any worries and just flow.”
The Funny Moments
There have definitely been moments along my journey that I can now laugh about.
For example, I once thought the Ghanaian dance Adowa was related to the Monday-born name Adwoa 😅
My Experience with Teach Me Twi
My experience with Teach Me Twi has been amazing.
It was through Teach Me Twi that I felt able to release any worries about making mistakes and just flow when speaking Twi.
It also helped me realise that I can continue to grow in confidence.
As one of the tutors, Amanda, always told us:
“Practice makes man perfect.”
Being surrounded by others on the same journey made it easier to stay committed and feel comfortable.
And honestly, the vision behind Teach Me Twi is something I didn’t just want to experience, but also support.
Start Your Twi Journey
Inspired by Mary Ann’s story?
The next New Year New Twi experience is open for registration.
✔ Small group classes
✔ Native Ghanaian tutors
✔ Real speaking confidence
