Lesson 2
The Igbo Alphabet and Pronunciation, and Parts of
Speech.
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 Learning Outcomes
 By the end of this lesson, you should
 1. Be familiar with the Igbo Alphabet
 2. Have an understanding of Igbo nouns, pronouns
and verbs.
 3. Have a knowledge of how to construct Igbo
sentences with nouns, pronouns and verbs.
The Igbo Alphabet and Pronunciation
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 A(Ah) B(Bee) CH(Chee) D(Dee)
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E(Ay) F(Fee) G(Gee) GB(Gbee)
GH(Ghee) GW(Gwee) H(Hee) I(Ee)
Ị(like i in ‘it’) J(Jee) K(Key)
KP(Kpee) KW(Kwee) L(Lee) M(Mee)
N(Nee) Ñ (Ngee) NW(Nwee)
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 NY(Nyee) O(Oo) Ọ( like o in ‘rob’)
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P(Pee) R(Ree) S(See) SH(Shee)
T(Tee) U(Uuu) Ụ(UH) V(Vee)
W(Wee) Y(Yeh) Z(Zeh)
PARTS OF SPEECH ( NKEJIASỤSỤ )
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 PARTS OF SPEECH ( NKEJIASỤSỤ ): Like
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English, Igbo has parts of speech. There are no less than
twenty nine parts of speech in the Igbo language. In this
lesson, three of these parts of speech will be explained.
1. THE NOUN ( AHA ). A noun is a word used to
name a person, place, thing, or idea.
Examples of nouns in English and their corresponding
Igbo translations are:
House--Ụlọ
Dog--Nkịta
Mother—Nne
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 Father—Nna
 Food—Nri
 Kindness--Obiọma
 Sentences with a Noun
 My house is nice--Ụlọ m dị mma
 The dog is cute--Nkịta ahụ mara mma
 My mother is the best mom—Nne m bụ nne
kachasị na nne.
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 My father is rich—Nna m nwere ego
 The food is tasty—Nri ahụ dị ụtọ
 Mary shows kindness to everyone—
 Mary na-egosị onye ọbụla obiọma
2. THE PRONOUN ( Nnọchiaha ). The pronoun is used
in place of a noun.
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 Igbo pronouns and their English equivalents:
 Him or Her—Ya (pronounced like Yak)
 He or She or it—Ọ (pronounced like ulcer) or O
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pronounced like O’ Brien.
You—ị (pronounced like ignition)
You—Gị (prononced like give)
We or Ours—Anyị
Me--Mụ or M
I—a (pronounced like apple)
They or Them—Ha (pronounced like hasp)
Sentences with the Pronouns
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 I don’t know him—A maghịm ya
 She has arrived--Ọ biala.
 She has money—O ji ego
 Give him/her food--Nye ya nri
 It is our house--Ọ bụ ụlọ anyị
 Our food is tasty--Nri anyị dị ụtọ
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 Sentences with the pronouns continued.
 You are my friend--ị bụ ọyị m.
 I like you—A hụrụ m gị n’anya
 They own a house—Ha nwere ụlọ
 Give me food—Nye m nri
 It belongs to them—Ọ bụ nke ha
. THE VERB ( Ngwa ). A verb is a word that expresses
action.
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 A few Igbo Verbs and their English translations.
 Kill—Gbue
 Fly—fee (pronounced like fey)
 Dance—gbaa egwu
 Eat—Rie
 Run—Gbaa ọsọ
 Cook—Sie
 Wash--Saa
Sentences with the Verbs
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 The hunter will kill the deer—Dinta ahu ga-egbu ele
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ahu.
Release the bird to fly—Hapụ nnụnụ ahu ka o fee.
Come and dance—Bịa gbaa egwu.
Come and eat—Bịa rie nri.
He wants her to run—Ọ chọrọ ka ọ gbaa ọsọ.
Cook so we can eat—Sie nri ka anyị rie.
Wash my clothes—Saa Akwa m.