Ewe (Eʋegbe)

Ewe is a Niger-Congo language with about 3 million speakers in Ghana, Togo and Benin. The language is also known as Ebwe, Efe, Ehwe, Eibe, Eue, Eve, Gbe, Krepe, Krepi, Popo and Vhe.

Ewe alphabet and pronunciation

Notes

A tilde (~) indicates a nasal.
Ewe is a tonal language with four tones: a rising tone marked by an acute accent (é), a falling tone marked by a grave accent (è), a falling-rising tone marked by a caron accent (ě), and a rising-falling accent marked by circumflex accent (ê). However the tones are not always marked.

Sample text in Ewe

Wodzi amegbetɔwo katã ablɔɖeviwoe eye wodzena bubu kple gomekpɔkpɔ sɔsɔe. Susu kple dzitsinya le wo dometɔ ɖesiaɖe si eyata wodze be woanɔ anyi le ɖekawɔwɔ blibo me.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Tower of Babel in Ewe | Useful phrases in Ewe