
ALPHABET MATCHING GAME VOCABULARY FLASHCARDS
Why learn Igbo?
Knowing Igbo opens the door to art, music, dance, fashion, cuisine, film, philosophy, and science Adding Igbo language skills to your business skills make you a more valuable an employee in the marketplace. Communication skills developed while learning Igbo can improve your interpersonal skills in your native langauge as well. Learning about another culture enables you to gain a more profound understanding of your own culture.
How Long Does it Take to Learn Igbo?
*** NOTES *** There are over 500 languages spoken in Nigeria. Igbo is spoken in the south east of the country and is the native language of the Igbo people, one of the largest ethnic groups. It is also a regional minority language in Equatorial Guinea. Igbo can be written Ibo or, in the language, Asụsụ Igbo. Igbo is related to the Yoruba language: they are both members of the Volta-Niger language family. More distantly, it is related to the Bantu languages which spread across most of southern Africa, including Shona, Swhaili and Zulu. aka Eboe, language in Nigeria
Igbo Alphabet & Pronunciation
The Igbo alphabet, called Ọnwụ, consists of 28 consonants and 8 vowels. Sometimes tones are sometimes indicated in writing: low tones are shown with a grave accent over the vowel (à), and high tones with an acute accent over the vowel (á).
[a]
[b]
[tʃ]
[d]
[e]
[f]
[ɡ]
[ɓ~ɡ͡ɓ]
[ɣ]
[ɡʷ]
[ɦ]
[i]
[ɪ̙]
[dʒ]
[k]
[ɓ̥~k͡p]
[kʷ]
[l]
[m]
[n]
[ŋ]
[ŋʷ]
[ɲ]
[o]
[ɔ̙]
[p]
[ɹ]
[s]
[ʃ]
[t]
[u]
[ʊ̙]
[v]
[w]
[j]
[z]
Basic Phrases in Igbo
Hello | Nnọọ |
---|---|
Goodbye | Ka ọ dị |
Yes | Ee |
No | Mba |
Excuse me | Cheregodi |
Please | Biko |
Thank you | Daalụ |
You are welcome | Ana m asị gị nnọọ |
Do you speak english | Ị na-asụ Bekee? |
Do you understand | Ị ghọtara? |
I understand | Aghọtara m |
I do not understand | |
How are you | Kedu ka ị mere? |
Fine thanks | Ọ dị mma daalụ! |
What is your name | Kedu aha gị? |
My name is | Aha m bụ |
Pleased to meet you | Ọ dị m ụtọ izute gị |
Igbo Grammar
Igbo Nouns
Man | Nwoke |
---|---|
Woman | Nwanyi |
Boy | Nwata nwoke ( ) |
Girl | Nwanyị |
Cat | Pusi |
Dog | Nkịta |
Fish | Azu |
Water | Mmiri |
Milk | Mmiri ara |
Egg | Akwa |
House | ụlọ |
Flower | Ifuru |
Tree | Osisi |
Shirt | Uwe |
Pants | Uwe ogologo ọkpa ( ) |
Igbo Adjectives
Colors in Igbo
Black | Ojii |
---|---|
White | ọcha |
Red | Merah |
Orange | Oroma |
Yellow | Edo edo |
Green | Griin |
Blue | Bluu |
Purple | Odo odo |
Pink | Pink |
Gray | Isi awọ |
Brown | Aja aja |
Numbers in Igbo
Zero | Efu |
---|---|
One | Otu |
Two | Abụọ |
Three | Atọ |
Four | Anọ |
Five | Ise |
Six | Isii |
Seven | Asaa |
Eight | Asatọ |
Nine | Itoolu |
Ten | Iri |
Eleven | Iri na otu |
Twelve | Iri na abụọ |
Twenty | Iri abụọ |
Thirty | Iri ato |
Forty | Iri anọ |
Fifty | Iri ise |
Sixty | Iri isii |
Seventy | Iri asaa |
Eighty | Iri asatọ |
Ninety | Iri itoolu |
Hundred | Narị |
Thousand | Puku |
Igbo Verbs
To be | ịdị |
---|---|
To have | Inwe |
To want | Chọrọ |
To need | Mkpa |
To help | Nyere aka |
To go | Gaa |
To come | Bia |
To eat | Iri nri |
To drink | Inu |
To speak | Ikwu okwu |
Building Simple Sentences
More Complex Igbo Sentences
And | Na |
---|---|
Or | Ma obu |
But | Mana |
Because | N'ihi na |
With | Ya na |
Also | Kwa |
However | Agbanyeghị |
Neither | Abughikwa |
Nor | ọ bụghịkwa |
If | ọ bụrụ |
Then | Mgbe ahụ |
Useful Igbo Vocabulary
Igbo Questions
Who | Onye |
---|---|
What | Kedu |
When | Mgbe ole |
Where | Ebe |
Why | N’ihi gịnị |
How | Kedu |
How many | Ole |
How much | Ego ole |
Days of the Week in Igbo
Monday | Mọnde |
---|---|
Tuesday | ụbọchị taa |
Wednesday | Wenezde |
Thursday | Tọzdee |
Friday | Fraide |
Saturday | Satọde |
Sunday | Sọnde |
Yesterday | ụnyaahụ |
Today | Taa |
Tomorrow | Echi |
Months in Igbo
January | Jenụwarị |
---|---|
February | February |
March | Machị |
April | Eprel |
May | Mee |
June | Juunu |
July | Julaị |
August | Ọgọstụ |
September | Septemba |
October | Ọktoba |
November | Nọvemba |
December | Disemba |
Seasons in Igbo
Winter | Winta |
---|---|
Spring | Mmiri |
Summer | Oge ọkọchị |
Autumn | Mgbụsị akwụkwọ |
Telling Time in Igbo
What time is it | Kedu ihe na-akụ? |
---|---|
Hours | Ikp |
Minutes | Nkeji |
Seconds | Nkeji |
O clock | Elekere |
Half | ọkara |
Quarter past | Nkeji iri na ise gara aga |
Before | Tupu |
After | Mgbe |