Lesson 3
(Common Phraises - Nkejiokwu Ndị Mmadụ Maara)
In this section, we shall learn how to pronounce different phrases and sentences in Igbo. For each phrase or sentence the standard variety will be provided as well as the Anambra and Imo varieties.
Na mpaghara nke a, anyị ga-amụ etu e si akpọpụta nkeji okwu na ahịrịokwu Igbo dị iche iche. Maka nkejiokwu na ahịrịokwu ọbụla, a ga-ewepụta etu e si akpọpụta ya n’Igbo Izugbe nakwa olundị Anambara na olundị Imo.
Examples Ọmụmaatụ - Two-Word Phrases
English | Standard Igbo | Anambra | Imo |
A man | nwoke | nwoke | nwoke |
My man | nwoke m | nwoke m | nwoke m |
Our man | nwoke anyị | nwoke ayị | nwoke anyị |
Their man | nwoke ha | nwoke fa | nwoke ha |
My woman | nwaanyị m | nwaanyị m | nwaanyị m |
Our woman | nwaanyị anyị | nwaanyị ayị | nwaanyị anyị |
Their woman | nwanyị ha | nwaanyị fa | nwaanyị ha |
This man | nwoke a | nwoke a | nwoke a |
This woman | nwaanyị a | nwaanyị a | nwaanyị a |
That woman | nwaanyị ahụ | nwaanyị ahụ | nwaanyị ahụ |
Those men | Ụmụnwoke ahụ | Ụmụnwoke ahụ | Ụmụnwoke ahụ |
Those women | Ụmụnwaanyị ahụ | Ụmụnwaanyị ahụ | Ụmụnwaanyị ahụ |
White man | nwoke ọcha | nwoke ọcha | nwoke ọcha |
White woman | nwaanyị ọcha | nwaanyị ọcha | nwaanyị ọcha |
Tall man | nwoke ogologo | nwoke ogonogo | nwoke ogologo |
Tall woman | nwaanyị ogologo | nwaanyị ogonogo | nwaanyị ogologo |
Black man | nwoke ojii | nwoke ojii | nwoke ojii |
Black woman | nwaanyị ojii | nwaanyị ojii | nwaanyị ojii |
Short man | nwoke mkpụmkpụ | nwoke mkpụmkpụ | nwoke mkpụmkpụ |
Short woman | nwaanyị mkpụmkpụ | nwaanyị mkpụmkpụ | nwaanyị mkpụmkpụ |
Fat man | nwoke buru ibu | nwoke buru ibu | nwoke buru ibu |
Fat woman | nwaanyị buru ibu | nwaanyị buru ibu | nwaanyị buru ibu |
Handsome man | nwoke ọma/ọmarịcha nwoke | nwoke ọma/ọmarịcha nwoke | nwoke ọma/ọmarịcha nwoke |
Beautiful woman | nwaanyị ọma/ọmarịcha nwaanyị | nwaanyị ọma/ọmarịcha nwaanyị | nwaanyị ọma/ọmarịcha nwaanyị |
Bad man | nwoke ọjọọ/ajọ nwoke | nwoke ọjọọ/ajọ nwoke | nwoke ọjọọ/ajọ nwoke |
Bad woman | nwaanyị ọjọọ/ajọ nwaanyị | nwaanyị ọjọọ/ajọ nwaanyị | nwaanyị ọjọọ/ajọ nwaanyị |
Cunny man | nwoke aghụghọ | nwoke arụmana | nwoke arụrụala |
Cunny woman | nwaanyị aghụghọ | nwaanyị arụmana | nwaanyị arụrụala |
His/her child | ụmụ ya | ụmụ ya | ụmụ ya |
Their child | ụmụ ha | ụmụ ha | ụmụ ha |
Our child | ụmụ anyị | ụmụ ayị | ụmụ anyị |
My bag | akpa m | akpa m | akpa m |
His/her bag | akpa ya | akpa ya | akpa ya |
Our bag | akpa anyị | akpa ayị | akpa anyị |
Their bag | akpa ha | akpa ha | akpa ha |
My house | ụlọ m | ụnọ m | ụlọ m |
His/her house | ụlọ ya | ụnọ ya | ụlọ ya |
Their house | ụlọ ha | ụnọ ha | ụlọ ha |
Our house | ụlọ anyị | ụnọ ayị | ụlọ anyị |
My money | ego m | ego m | ego m |
His/her money | ego ya | ego ya | ego ya |
Their money | ego ha | ego ha | ego ha |
Our money | ego anyị | ego ayị | ego anyị |
My school | ụlọakwụkwọ m | ụnọakwụkwọ m | ụlọakwụkwọ m |
His/her school | ụlọakwụkwọ ya | ụnọakwụkwọ ya | ụlọakwụkwọ ya |
Their school | ụlọakwụkwọ ha | ụnọakwụkwọ ha | ụlọakwụkwọ ha |
My child | nwa m | nwa m | nwa m |
My son | nwa m nwoke | nwa m nwoke | nwa m nwoke |
My daughter | nwa m nwaanyị | nwa m nwaanyị | nwa m nwaanyị |
My children | ụmụ m | ụmụ m | ụmụ m |
His child | nwa ya | nwa ya | nwa ya |
Their child | nwa ha | nwa ha | nwa ha |
Our child | nwa anyị | nwa ayị | nwa anyị |
His son | nwa ya nwoke | nwa ya nwoke | nwa ya nwoke |
Their son | nwa ha nwoke | nwa ha nwoke | nwa ha nwoke |
Our son | nwa anyị nwoke | nwa ayị nwoke | nwa anyị nwoke |
His/her father | Nna ya | Nna ya | Nna ya |
Their father | Nna ha | Nna ha | Nna ha |
Our father | Nna anyị | Nna ayị | Nna anyị |
His/her mother | Nne ya | Nne ya | Nne ya |
Their mother | Nne ha | Nne ha | Nne ha |
Our mother | Nne anyị | Nne ayị | Nne anyị |
His/her brother | Nwanne ya nwoke | Nwanne ya nwoke | Nwanne ya nwoke |
Their brother | Nwanne ha nwoke | Nwanne ha nwoke | Nwanne ha nwoke |
Our brother | Nwanne anyị nwoke | Nwanne ayị nwoke | Nwanne anyị nwoke |
His/her sister | Nwanne ya nwaanyị | Nwanne ya nwaanyị | Nwanne ya nwaanyị |
Their sister | Nwanne ha nwaanyị | Nwanne ha nwaanyị | Nwanne ha nwaanyị |
Our sister | Nwanne anyị nwaanyị | Nwanne ayị nwaanyị | Nwanne anyị nwaanyị |
His/her children | Ụmụ ya | Ụmụ ya | Ụmụ ya |
Their children | Ụmụ ha | Ụmụ ha | Ụmụ ha |
Our children | Ụmụ anyị | Ụmụ ayị | Ụmụ anyị |
School boy | Nwata akwụkwo nwoke | Nwata akwụkwo nwoke | Nwata akwụkwo nwoke |
School girl | Nwata akwụkwọ nwaanyị | Nwata akwụkwọ nwaanyị | Nwata akwụkwọ nwaanyị |
School child | Nwata akwụkwọ | Nwaakwụkwọ | Nwata akwụkwọ |
School children | Ụmụakwụkwọ | Ụmụakwụkwọ | Ụmụakwụkwọ |
My father | Nna m | Nna m | Nna m |
My mother | Nne m | Nne m | Nne m |
My grandmother | Nne nne m | Nne nne m/Mama nnukwu | Nne nne m/Mama nnukwu |
My grandfather | Nnukwu nna m | Nnukwu nna m/Papa nnukwu | Nnukwu nna m/Papa nnukwu |
My brother | Nwanne m nwoke | Nwanne m nwoke | Nwanne m nwoke |
My sister | Nwanne m nwaanyị | Nwanne m nwaanyị | Nwanne m nwaanyị |
My enemy | Onyeiro m | Onyeilo m | Onyeiro m |
His/her enemy | Onyeiro ya | Onyeilo ya | Onyeiro ya |
Their enemy | Onyeiro ha | Onyeilo ha | Onyeiro ha |
Our enemy | Onyeiro anyị | Onyeilo ayị | Onyeiro anyị |
My teacher | Onyenkụzi m | Onyenkụzi m | Onyenkụzi m |
His/her teacher | Onyenkụzi ya | Onyenkụzi ya | Onyenkụzi ya |
Their teacher | Onyenkụzi ha | Onyenkụzi ha | Onyenkụzi ha |
Our teacher | Onyenkụzi anyị | Onyenkụzi ayị | Onyenkụzi anyị |
My wife | Nwunye m | Nwunye m | Nwanyị m |
His wife | Nwunye ya | Nwunye ya | Nwunye ya |
Their wife | Nwunye ha | Nwunye ha | Nwunye ha |
Our wife | Nwunye anyị | Nwunye ayị | Nwunye anyị |
My husband | Di m | Di m | Di m |
Her husband | Di ya | Di ya | Di ya |
Their husband | Di ha | Di ha | Di ha |
Our husband | Di anyị | Di ayị | Di anyị |
Our husband | Nna anyị ukwu | Nna ayị ukwu/Oga ayị | Nna anyị ukwu |
Our school | Ụlọakwụkwọ anyị | Ụnọakwụkwọ ayị | Ụlọakwụkwọ anyị |
My car | Ụgbọala m | Ụgbọala m | Ụgbọala m |
His/her car | Ụgbọala ya | Ụgbọala ya | Ụgbọala ya |
Their car | Ụgbọala ha | Ụgbọala ha | Ụgbọala ha |
Our car | Ụgbọala anyị | Ụgbọala ayị | Ụgbọala anyị |
My thing | Ihe m | Ihe/ife m | Ihe m |
His/her thing | Ihe ya | Ihe/ife ya | Ihe ya |
Their thing | Ihe ha | Ihe/ife ha | Ihe ha |
Our thing | Ihe anyị | Ihe/ife ayị | Ihe anyị |
My goods | Ngwaahịa m | Ngwaahịa m | Ngwaahịa m |
His/her goods | Ngwaahịa ya | Ngwaahịa ya | Ngwaahịa ya |
Their goods | Ngwaahịa ha | Ngwaahịa ha | Ngwaahịa ha |
Our goods | Ngwaahịa anyị | Ngwaahịa ayị | Ngwaahịa anyị |
My book | Akwụkwọ m | Akwụkwọ m | Akwụkwọ m |
His/her book | Akwụkwọ ya | Akwụkwọ ya | Akwụkwọ ya |
Their book | Akwụkwọ ha | Akwụkwọ ha | Akwụkwọ ha |
Our book | Akwụkwọ anyị | Akwụkwọ ayị | Akwụkwọ anyị |
My friend | Enyi m | Enyi m | Enyi m |
His/her friend | Enyi ya | Enyi ya | Enyi ya |
Their friend | Enyi ha | Enyi ha | Enyi ha |
Our friend | Enyi anyị | Enyi ayị | Enyi anyị |
My boyfriend | Enyi m nwoke | Enyi m nwoke | Enyi m nwoke |
His/her boyfriend | Enyi ya nwoke | Enyi ya nwoke | Enyi ya nwoke |
Their boyfriend | Enyi ha nwoke | Enyi ha nwoke | Enyi ha nwoke |
Our boyfriend | Enyi anyị woke | Enyi ayị woke | Enyi anyị woke |
My grandfather | Papa nnukwu m | Papa nnukwu m | Papa nnukwu m |
His/her grandfather | Papa nnukwu ya | Papa nnukwu ya | Papa nnukwu ya |
Their grandfather | Papa nnukwu ha | Papa nnukwu ha | Papa nnukwu ha |
Our grandfather | Papa nnukwu anyị | Papa nnukwu ayị | Papa nnukwu anyị |
My grandmother | Mama nnukwu m | Mama nnukwu m | Mama nnukwu m |
His/her grandmother | Mama nnukwu ya | Mama nnukwu ya | Mama nnukwu ya |
Their grandmother | Mama nnukwu ha | Mama nnukwu ha | Mama nnukwu ha |
Our grandmother | Mama nnukwu anyị | Mama nnukwu ayị | Mama nnukwu ayị |
My grandchild | Nwa nwa m | Nwa nwa m | Nwa nwa m |
His/her grandchild | Nwa nwa ya | Nwa nwa ya | Nwa nwa ya |
Their grandchild | Nwa nwa ha | Nwa nwa ha | Nwa nwa ha |
Our grandchild | Nwa nwa anyị | Nwa nwa ayị | Nwa nwa anyị |
My grandson | Nwa nwa m nwoke | Nwa nwa m nwoke | Nwa nwa m nwoke |
His/her grandson | Nwa nwa ya nwoke | Nwa nwa ya nwoke | Nwa nwa ya nwoke |
Their grandson | Nwa nwa ha nwoke | Nwa nwa ha nwoke | Nwa nwa ha nwoke |
Our grandson | Nwa nwa anyị nwoke | Nwa nwa ayị nwoke | Nwa nwa anyị nwoke |
My granddaughter | Nwa nwa m nwaanyị | Nwa nwa m nwaanyị | Nwa nwa m nwaanyị |
His/her granddaughter | Nwa nwa ya nwaanyị | Nwa nwa ya nwaanyị | Nwa nwa ya nwaanyị |
Their granddaughter | Nwa nwa ha nwaanyị | Nwa nwa ha nwaanyị | Nwa nwa ha nwaanyị |
Our granddaughter | Nwa nwa anyị nwaanyị | Nwa nwa ayị nwaanyị | Nwa nwa anyị nwaanyị |
English | Standard Igbo |
A man | nwoke |
My man | nwoke m |
Our man | nwoke anyị |
Their man | nwoke ha |
My woman | nwaanyị m |
Our woman | nwaanyị anyị |
Their woman | nwanyị ha |
This man | nwoke a |
This woman | nwaanyị a |
That woman | nwaanyị ahụ |
Those men | Ụmụnwoke ahụ |
Those women | Ụmụnwaanyị ahụ |
White man | nwoke ọcha |
White woman | nwaanyị ọcha |
Tall man | nwoke ogologo |
Tall woman | nwaanyị ogologo |
Black man | nwoke ojii |
Black woman | nwaanyị ojii |
Short man | nwoke mkpụmkpụ |
Short woman | nwaanyị mkpụmkpụ |
Fat man | nwoke buru ibu |
Fat woman | nwaanyị buru ibu |
Handsome man | nwoke ọma/ọmarịcha nwoke |
Beautiful woman | nwaanyị ọma/ọmarịcha nwaanyị |
Bad man | nwoke ọjọọ/ajọ nwoke |
Bad woman | nwaanyị ọjọọ/ajọ nwaanyị |
Cunny man | nwoke aghụghọ |
Cunny woman | nwaanyị aghụghọ |
His/her child | ụmụ ya |
Their child | ụmụ ha |
Our child | ụmụ anyị |
My bag | akpa m |
His/her bag | akpa ya |
Our bag | akpa anyị |
Their bag | akpa ha |
My house | ụlọ m |
His/her house | ụlọ ya |
Their house | ụlọ ha |
Our house | ụlọ anyị |
My money | ego m |
His/her money | ego ya |
Their money | ego ha |
Our money | ego anyị |
My school | ụlọakwụkwọ m |
His/her school | ụlọakwụkwọ ya |
Their school | ụlọakwụkwọ ha |
My child | nwa m |
My son | nwa m nwoke |
My daughter | nwa m nwaanyị |
My children | ụmụ m |
His child | nwa ya |
Their child | nwa ha |
Our child | nwa anyị |
His son | nwa ya nwoke |
Their son | nwa ha nwoke |
Our son | nwa anyị nwoke |
His/her father | Nna ya |
Their father | Nna ha |
Our father | Nna anyị |
His/her mother | Nne ya |
Their mother | Nne ha |
Our mother | Nne anyị |
His/her brother | Nwanne ya nwoke |
Their brother | Nwanne ha nwoke |
Our brother | Nwanne anyị nwoke |
His/her sister | Nwanne ya nwaanyị |
Their sister | Nwanne ha nwaanyị |
Our sister | Nwanne anyị nwaanyị |
His/her children | Ụmụ ya |
Their children | Ụmụ ha |
Our children | Ụmụ anyị |
School boy | Nwata akwụkwo nwoke |
School girl | Nwata akwụkwọ nwaanyị |
School child | Nwata akwụkwọ |
School children | Ụmụakwụkwọ |
My father | Nna m |
My mother | Nne m |
My grandmother | Nne nne m |
My grandfather | Nnukwu nna m |
My brother | Nwanne m nwoke |
My sister | Nwanne m nwaanyị |
My enemy | Onyeiro m |
His/her enemy | Onyeiro ya |
Their enemy | Onyeiro ha |
Our enemy | Onyeiro anyị |
My teacher | Onyenkụzi m |
His/her teacher | Onyenkụzi ya |
Their teacher | Onyenkụzi ha |
Our teacher | Onyenkụzi anyị |
My wife | Nwunye m |
His wife | Nwunye ya |
Their wife | Nwunye ha |
Our wife | Nwunye anyị |
My husband | Di m |
Her husband | Di ya |
Their husband | Di ha |
Our husband | Di anyị |
Our husband | Nna anyị ukwu |
Our school | Ụlọakwụkwọ anyị |
My car | Ụgbọala m |
His/her car | Ụgbọala ya |
Their car | Ụgbọala ha |
Our car | Ụgbọala anyị |
My thing | Ihe m |
His/her thing | Ihe ya |
Their thing | Ihe ha |
Our thing | Ihe anyị |
My goods | Ngwaahịa m |
His/her goods | Ngwaahịa ya |
Their goods | Ngwaahịa ha |
Our goods | Ngwaahịa anyị |
My book | Akwụkwọ m |
His/her book | Akwụkwọ ya |
Their book | Akwụkwọ ha |
Our book | Akwụkwọ anyị |
My friend | Enyi m |
His/her friend | Enyi ya |
Their friend | Enyi ha |
Our friend | Enyi anyị |
My boyfriend | Enyi m nwoke |
His/her boyfriend | Enyi ya nwoke |
Their boyfriend | Enyi ha nwoke |
Our boyfriend | Enyi anyị woke |
My grandfather | Papa nnukwu m |
His/her grandfather | Papa nnukwu ya |
Their grandfather | Papa nnukwu ha |
Our grandfather | Papa nnukwu anyị |
My grandmother | Mama nnukwu m |
His/her grandmother | Mama nnukwu ya |
Their grandmother | Mama nnukwu ha |
Our grandmother | Mama nnukwu anyị |
My grandchild | Nwa nwa m |
His/her grandchild | Nwa nwa ya |
Their grandchild | Nwa nwa ha |
Our grandchild | Nwa nwa anyị |
My grandson | Nwa nwa m nwoke |
His/her grandson | Nwa nwa ya nwoke |
Their grandson | Nwa nwa ha nwoke |
Our grandson | Nwa nwa anyị nwoke |
My granddaughter | Nwa nwa m nwaanyị |
His/her granddaughter | Nwa nwa ya nwaanyị |
Their granddaughter | Nwa nwa ha nwaanyị |
Our granddaughter | Nwa nwa anyị nwaanyị |