Igbo verbs

Verbs

To go and in the sentence “I am going to the market”

Ije

na-eje

M na-eje ahịa

To come (Come here quickly)

Bia

Bia ebea osiso

to cook

isi (nri)

to drink

ịñụ (mmiri)

What are the igbo light and heavy

Light group

‘a’ group: a, ị, ọ, ụ

Heavy group

‘e’ group: e, i, o, u

Congigate the verb ije

To conjugate in the present or future tenses, note the vowel already in the root, and note which group it belongs to (light or heavy). Then identify the leader of that group (‘a’ or ‘e’). Replace the ‘i/ị’ that was removed with the leader of the group identified. Attach a prefix na- (present tense) or ga- (future tense) to complete the conjugation.

How to do past tense

Using ‘ije’ as an example. Ije - to go. It is in the infinitive form, so, yet to be conjugated.

1.     Remove ‘I’ or ‘ị’ from the infinitive, leaving the root, ‘je’.

2.     Add ‘r’ as a suffix, as per the formula above; to get ‘jer’

3. Then add the last vowel in the verb root, in this case ‘e’; giving you ‘jere’.

Verbs that do not follow add bu

How to do future tense, use ije as an example

 Using ‘ije’ as an example. Ije - to go. It is in the infinitive form, so, yet to be conjugated.

1.     Remove the ‘i’ or ‘ị’ from the infinitive, leaving the root, ‘je’.

2. Note the vowel already in the root, in this case ‘e’. This belongs to heavy group.

3. Find out the leader of the heavy group. It is ‘e’.

2.     Replace the ‘i’ that you removed with ‘e’, and you have ‘eje’.

3.     Then add ga- as prefix, to give you ‘ga-eje’.

To do and use it in the sentences : I am (not) doing it

ime

Ma na eme ya

A na m eme ya

M naghi eme ya

How to use imperetive tense

1.     Remove ‘i’ or ‘ị’ from the infinitive

2.     Then add ‘e’ or ‘a’ as suffix depending on which group of vowels the vowel in the verb root belongs to. For some verbs, ‘ọ/o’ is used as suffix instead of ‘a’, eg: where the verb root ends in the vowel ‘ụ/u’ or in ‘ọ/o’.

Ije -> je -> jee     eg: Biko jee ahịa

Ịlụ -> lụ -> lụọ eg: Lụọ ya - marry him/her

How to use perfect present tense

1.     Remove ‘i’ or ‘ị’ from the infinitive.

2.     Write the verb in its imperative form (command/request). This is done by adding ‘e’ or ‘a’ as suffix depending on which group of vowels the vowel in the verb root belongs to. For some verbs, ‘ọ’ is used as suffix instead of ‘a’. However if you use ‘a’, you will still be understood.

3.     Then add ‘la’ as a further suffix (in Anambra version, this would be ‘go’).

Using ‘ije’

Ije -> je -> jee -> jeel

M jeela ahịa  - I have gone to the market

Ị jeela ahịa - You have gone to the market

How to play negative verbs

Present tense: here, we negate the helper ‘na-‘ by adding ‘ghị’ as suffix, and removing the hyphen. Eg:

M na-aga ahịa – I’m going to the market/shop

M naghị aga ahịa – I am not going to the market

 

How to use imperative verbs

Imperative tense: the suffix added is different. We also add a prefix, a/e depending on vowel harmony. The we add ‘la’ or ‘na’ as suffix to the imperative form.  

E/A + positive command + la

Eg:

Jee ahịa – go to the market

E +jee+la ahịa

To lend (please lend me money)

Binye

Biko binye m ego

To live (he asked us to live here )

Biri

O si anyi biri ebea

Carry (Carry your bag away)

Buru

Buru akpa gi puo)

Bring (Bring your bag here

Bute -Light object, bring

Weta -Heavy object, cary

Bute akpa gi ebea

To borrow, (borrow money from the bank)

Bite

Bite ego n’oba -ego

Think (think about it)

Chee

Chee maka ya

Wait (wait for me)

Chere

Chere m

listen (listen to this story)

Gee nti

Gee nti n’akukko a

to be

I am 20years old

Idi

Idi m afo iri ato

To have

I have a book

Inwe

Enwerem boolu

To go

He is going to the market

I ga

On na aga ahia

To know

I know how to read

I ma

Amaara m ka esi agu ihe

To want

I want a laptop

I choo

Achoro m laptoopu

To do

I do my things

I me

Aga m eme ihe nke aka m

I study

Ana m agu akwukwo

I am

• Abụ m: Use this for who you are or your name (example: Abu m onye Igbo )

• Adi m: Use this for feelings or states (example: Adi m mma )

• Ano m: Use this for where you are located (example: Ano m n'ulo )

• A nam: Use this for what you are doing right now (example: A na m aga meaning "I am going").

Look at me

Lee m anya

Listen to me

Naa/gee m nti

Help me

Nyere m aka

Call me

Kpoo m

tell me

Gwa m

Follow me

Soro m

Ask me

Juo m

Give me

Nye m

Teach me

Kuziere m

Wait for me

Chere m

to have

Inwe