togo

togo — noun

1. a nation on the West African coast that shares borders with Ghana to the west, B

1.nounA2
Definition

a nation on the West African coast that shares borders with Ghana to the west, Benin to the east, and Burkina Faso to the north

Example

Élise spent two weeks volunteering at a school in Togo last summer.

prepositional phrase: 'in Togo' for location

Togo is a small country in West Africa with a rich cultural history.

Usage Note

Togo is a proper noun and is always capitalised. It does not take an article unless part of the full official name 'the Republic of Togo'.

Common Mistakes

I went to the Togo last year.
I went to Togo last year.
Most country names do not take a definite article; only those that include a common noun (e.g. 'the Republic of Togo', 'the United States') do.

Word family

  • Togolese
    adjectiveB1

Etymology

EweEnglish

The name 'Togo' comes from the Ewe language. It is thought to mean 'behind the sea' or 'by the water', combining 'to' (water) and 'go' (shore or behind). The name originally belonged to a coastal settlement called Togo, now known as Togoville.