Igbo Vocabulary: An Igbo Language Guide

260 Pages·2015·78.062 MB·

by  Abazu Obia

IGBO
LANGUAGE 101
Igbo Vocabulary:
An Igbo Language Guide

Igbo Vocabulary:
An Igbo Language Guide
Abazu Obia

Contents
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE 1
1) Measurement 5
Time 9
Months of the Year 14
Days of the Week 15
Seasons 16
Numbers 16
Ordinal numbers 18
Geometric shapes 20
Color 23
Related verbs 25
2) Weather 27
Related verb 41
3) People 43
Characteristics 48
Stages of life S3
Religion SS
Work S6
Related verb 61
4) Parts of the body 63
Related verb 69
S) Animals 71
Birds 79
Water/ Ocean/Beach 81
Insects 83
Related verb 84
6) Plant and Trees 87
Related verbs 9S
7) Meeting each other 97
Greetings/Introductions 97
Greeting answers 99
Saying goodbye 100
Courtesy 101
Special greetings 102
Related verbs 103
8) House 105
Related verb 120
9) Arts and Entertainment 123
Related verbs 134
10) Games and sports 137
Related verbs 150
11) Food 153
Restaurants and Cafes 160
Related verbs 167
12) Shopping 171
Related verbs 177
13) At the Bank 179
Related verbs 184
14) Holidays 187
American Holidays 189
Related verbs 192
15) Travelling 195
Modes of Transportation 201
Hotels 203
Related verbs 211
16) School 215
Related Verbs 225
17) Hospital 229
Related verbs 238
18) Emergency 241
Related verbs 247

IGBO VOCABULARY: AN IGBO LANGUAGE GUIDE
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
There are thirty-six (36) alphabets in Igbo language:
In capital letters:
A B CH D E F G GB
GH GW H I ! J K KP
KW L M N N NW NY 0
Q p R s SH T u lJ
v w y z
In small letters:
a B ch d e f g gb
gh gw h i i k kp
kw L m n ii nw ny 0
Q p r s sh t u \I
v w y z
These alphabets form the sound system of the lgbo language
and, they are pronounced as they appear. For instance; /kw/
as in Queen. The sound system is divided into two: Vowels
(l)daume) and Consonants (Mgbochiume ). The vowels give
sounds to the consonants hence, they bear the tone marks.
Vowels (l}daume)
The vowels are pronounced without holding a breath. The
sounds are produced without "clapping" any of the organs of
speech together. This means that the vowel sounds are made
with ease. Marking the vowels help in differentiating the tones.
There are three (3) major tone markers;
• High tone (akara enu) represented by (')
• Low tone ( akara ala) represented by ( ' )
• Flat tone (akara nsuda) represented by c-)
1
IGBO VOCABULARY: AN IGBO LANGUAGE GUIDE
There are eight (8) vowels in lgbo language:
Vowels Transliteration
as in "ark"
as in "e "
as in "seat"
as in "inn"
as in "old"
as in "urn"
as in" ood"
as in "owl"
Consonants (Mgbochiume)
The consonants are pronounced with emphasis on the nasal
and oral cavity. They are not easily pronounced as the vowels.
These consonants do not have a sound of their own so they rely
on the tones made from the vowels. Therefore, they do not
have tone marks. There are twenty-eight (28) consonants in
lgbo language:
Consonants Transliterations
as in "ba "
as in "church"
/gb/ gb is an explosive sound
made with the upper and
lower lip that is not found
in english. pronounce it
by making the 'b' sound
while shaping the mouth
for' '
2