Language lesson
🇳🇬 Igbo
Igbo is spoken in south-eastern Nigeria and by a large diaspora. It is tonal, with many regional dialects; the standard written form draws mostly from the central dialects.
- Spoken in
- South-eastern Nigeria
- Speakers
- About 31 million speakers
- Language family
- Niger-Congo · Volta-Niger branch
Lesson one
How it sounds.
Two main tones, high and low. The dotted vowels ị, ọ and ụ sit deeper in the mouth than their plain forms.
Say it out loud
Seven phrases to start with.
- NdewoHellosay it: n-DEH-wo
- Kedu?How are you?say it: KEH-doo
- Ọ dị mmaIt is good / I am finesay it: aw dee MMA
- DaalụThank yousay it: DAA-loo
- BikoPleasesay it: BEE-ko
- Aha m bụ…My name is…say it: a-HA m boo
- Ka ọ dịSee you latersay it: ka aw DEE
Behind the words
Culture notes.
- Kola nut (ọjị) is broken to welcome guests — 'he who brings kola brings life'.
- Igbo names often carry full sentences, like Chukwuemeka, 'God has done well'.
- Market days (Eke, Orie, Afọ, Nkwọ) still shape the traditional four-day week.
Practise today: Say 'Ndewo, kedu?' and listen for 'Ọ dị mma' in reply.