Verbs are a necessary component of all sentences. Verbs have two important functions: Some verbs put stalled subjects into motion while other verbs help to clarify the subjects in meaningful ways. Look at the examples below:
My grumpy teacher smiled at the plate of rice.
My grumpy teacher = stalled subject; smiled = verb.
Verbs: Verbs are action words, “to eat, to sleep, to go, to walk, etc”. One of the toughest aspects of learning any language is learning how to conjugate verbs. Conjugating verbs (or verb conjugation) refers to how you change a verb depending on who is talking – for example, “I go versus he goes.”
Luckily, Igbo language does not have strict conjugation rules like Spanish and French, to name a few. It is much simpler than verb conjugation in English. In this lesson you will learn the proper word order for making sentences in Igbo. The basic sentence structure is not always very similar to English: subject, verb, object.
For example, to say I eat food in Igbo, I would say “E riri m nri”. In this simple sentence E is the subject (I) , riri is the verb (eat) and “nri” is the object.
Ọ hụrụ nkịta ya na-anya. (He loves his dog.)
Anyị na-amụ Igbo. (W are learning Igbo.)
Nwamba na-ta azụ. (The cat eats fish.)
Ị ṅụrụ Coca-Cola. (You Drank a Coca-Cola.)
Ị na-aṅu mmiril/mmili ( You are drinking water)
Ị na-aṅu mmili ( You are drinking water)
English verbs are divided into three main groups:
Normal Verbs, Non-Continuous Verbs, and
Mixed Verbs. The fourth group is called an
Auxiliary Verb(a helping verb).
Group I Normal Verbs
Most verbs are "Normal Verbs." These verbs are usually
physical actions which you can see somebody doing.
These verbs can be used in all tenses.
Normal Verbs
to run, to walk, to eat, to fly, to go, to say, to touch, etc.
Examples:
- I eat dinner every day. ( A na m eri nri abalị kwa ụbọchị)
-
- I am eating dinner now. (A na m eri nri abali, ugbu a)
-
Group II Non-Continuous Verbs
The second group, called "Non-Continuous Verbs," is smaller.
These verbs are usually things you cannot see somebody doing.
These verbs are rarely used in continuous tenses. They include:
Abstract Verbs
to be (ịbụ); to want ( ịchọ); to cost(ida ọnụ); to seem (idịka);
to need(ịchọ); to care (ileta), to contain(ịchịkọta);
to owe(iji ụgwọ), to exist (ịnọ ndụ)...
Possession Verbs
to possess (inwe); to own (inwe), to belong(inwe)...
Emotion Verbs
to like (ịmasi); to love (ihụna anya/ịfụna anya); to hate(ịjọ njọ),
to dislike (ịkpọ asị); to fear (itụ egwu), to envy (inwe anya ụfụ),
to mind ( inọrụ onwe)...
Group III Mixed Verbs
The third group, called "Mixed Verbs," is the smallest group.
These verbs have more than one meaning. In a way, each
meaning is a unique verb. Some meanings behave
like "Non-Continuous Verbs," while other meanings
behave like "Normal Verbs."
Mixed Verbs
to appear (ịdịka), to feel (imetụ n’ahụ), to have (inwe),
to hear (ịnụ), to look (ịle anya), to see (ịhụ), to weigh (ịtụle)...
Group IV Auxiliary verbs ( The most commonly used verbs in Igbo language)
An auxiliary verb is a verb used to add functional or
grammatical meaning to the clause in which it appears
– for example, to express tense, aspect, modality, voice,
emphasis, etc. Auxiliary verbs usually accompany a
main verb, the main verb providing the main semantic
content of the clause in which it appears. An example
is the verb have in the sentence I have finished my
dinner – here the main verb is finish, and the auxiliary
have helps to express the perfect aspect.
Igbo language uses “na” as an auxiliary to many Igbo verbs.
In Igbo “na” also means a conjunction ‘and”.
Do not confuse “na” as an auxiliary verb with “na” as a
conjunction.
There is a grammar rule to insert a “hyphen” between
an auxiliary verb and the main verb.
Example of “na” as an auxiliary verb is as follows (na- verb):
|
Auxiliary Verb |
IGBO/ENGLISH |
Conjugation (pronouns) |
|
na-eri
eating |
M na-eri nri
I am eating Ị na-eri nri
You are eating Ọ na-eri nri
He/she/it is eating ------------------------ Anyị na-eri nri
We are eating Unu na-eri nri
You are eating Ha na-eri nri
Fa na-eli nni
They are eating
|
1st person singular
2nd person singular
3rd person singular
------------------------ 1st person plural
2nd person plural
3rd person plural |
|
na-agụ
reading |
M na-agụ akwukwọ
I am reading Ị na-agụ akwukwọ
You are reading Ọ na-agụ akwukwọ
He/she/it is reading ------------------------ Anyị na-agụ akwukwọ
We are reading Unu na-agụ akwukwọ
You are reading Ha na-agụ akwukwọ
Fa na-agụ akwukwọ
They are reading
|
1st person singular
2nd person singular
3rd person singular
----------------------- 1st person plural
2nd person plural
3rd person plural |
|
na-amụ
Studying |
M na-amụ Igbo
I am learning Igbo Ị na-amụ Igbo
You are learning Igbo Ọ na-amụ Igbo
He/she/it is learning Igbo ---------------------
Anyị na-amụ Igbo
We are learning Igbo Unu na-amụ Igbo
You are learning Igbo Ha na-amụ Igbo
Fa na-amụ Igbo
They are learning Igbo
|
1st person singular
2nd person singular
3rd person singular
-----------------------
1st person plural
2nd person plural
3rd person plural |
|
na-asa
washing/ brushing |
M na-asa eze
I am brushing teeth Ị na-asa eze
You are brushing teeth Ọ na-asa eze
He/she/it is brushing teeth --------------------------
Anyị na-asa eze
We are brushing teeth Unu na-asa eze
You are brushing teeth Ha na-asa eze
Fa na-asa eze
They are brushing teeth
|
1st person singular
2nd person singular
3rd person singular
-----------------------
1st person plural
2nd person plural
3rd person plural |
|
na-aga
na-eje
going
(substitute “eje” with :aga” for same meaning) |
M na-aga akwụkwọ
I am going to school Ị na-aga akwụkwọ
You are going to school Ọ na-aga akwụkwọ
He/she/it is going to school --------------------------
Anyị na-aga akwụkwọ
We are going to school Unu na-aga akwụkwọ
You are going to school Ha na-aga akwụkwọ
Fa na-aga akwụkwọ
They are going to school
|
1st person singular
2nd person singular
3rd person singular
-----------------------
1st person plural
2nd person plural
3rd person plural |
|
na-ekpe
|
M na-ekpe ekpere
I am praying Ị na-ekpe ekpere
You are praying Ọ na-ekpe ekpere
He/she/it is praying --------------------------
Anyị na-ekpe ekpere
We are praying Unu na-ekpe ekpere
You are praying Ha na-ekpe ekpere
Fa na-ekpe ekpere
They are praying
|
1st person singular
2nd person singular
3rd person singular
-----------------------
1st person plural
2nd person plural
3rd person plural |
An alternative way of making the above sentences without using the auxiliary verbs
are common with 1st singular and 3rd person plural pronouns
(notice the emphasis in blue bold):
|
VERB |
IGBO/ENGLISH |
Conjugation (pronouns) |
|
Iri/eri
eat
|
A na m eri nri
I am eating Ị na-eri nri
You are eating Ọ na-eri nri
He/she/it is eating ----------------------------- Anyị na-eri nri
We are eating Unu na-eri nri
You are eating A na ha eri nri
A na fa eli nni
They are eating
|
1st person singular
2nd person singular
3rd person singular
------------------------ 1st person plural
2nd person plural
3rd person plural |
|
chọro
want |
A choro m iri nri
I want to eat food Ị choro iri nri
You want to eat (food) Ọ choro iri nri
He/she/it wants to eat |
|
|
igụ/imụ
Read imụ
Learn |
A na m agu akwukwọ
I am reading a book Ị na-agụ akwukwọ
You are reading Ọ na-agụ akwukwọ
He/she/it is reading -------------------------------- Anyị na-agụ akwukwọ
We are reading Unu na-agu akwukwọ
You are reading A na ha agụ akwukwọ
A na fa agụ akwukwọ
They are reading
|
1st person singular
2nd person singular
3rd person singular
----------------------- 1st person plural
2nd person plural
3rd person plural |
|
amụ
Studying imụ
|
A na m amụ Igbo
I am learning Igbo Ị na-aimụ Igbo
You learning Igbo Ọ na-amụ Igbo
He/she/it is learning Igbo -------------------------- Anyị na-amụ Igbo
We are learning Igbo Unu na-amu Igbo
You want to learn Igbo A na ha amụ Igbo
A na fa amụ Igbo
They want to learn Igbo
|
1st person singular
2nd person singular
3rd person singular
-----------------------
1st person plural
2nd person plural
3rd person plural |
|
asa
Isa
washing/ brushing |
A na m asa eze
I am brushing teeth Ị na-asa eze
You are brushing teeth Ọ na-asa eze
He/she/it is brushing teeth -------------------------- Anyị na-asa eze
We are brushing teeth Unu na-asa eze
You are brushing teeth A na ha asa eze
A na fa asa eze
They are brushing teeth
|
1st person singular
2nd person singular
3rd person singular
-----------------------
1st person plural
2nd person plural
3rd person plural |
|
Aga
Eje
going
(substitute “eje” with :aga” for same meaning) |
A na m aga akwụkwọ
I am going to school Ịna-aga akwụkwọ
You are going to school Ọ na-aga akwụkwọ
He/she/it is going to school -------------------------- Anyị na-aga akwụkwọ
We are going to school Unu na-aga akwụkwọ
You are going to school A na ha aga akwụkwọ
A na ha eje akwụkwọ
They are going to school
|
1st person singular
2nd person singular
3rd person singular
----------------------- 1st person plural
2nd person plural
3rd person plural |
|
Ekpe/ikpe
Pray/judge |
A na m ekpe ekpere
I am praying Ị na-ekpe ekpere
You are praying Ọ na-ekpe ekpere
He/she/it is praying -------------------------- Anyị na-ekpe ekpere
We are praying Unu na-ekpe ekpere
You are praying A na ha ekpe ekpere
A na fa ekpe ekpele
They are praying
|
1st person singular
2nd person singular
3rd person singular
----------------------- 1st person plural
2nd person plural
3rd person plural |
It should be emphasized that each student should try to adapt to the version
that is convenient.
Example (1st person singular):
A na m agba oso (I am running) or
M na-agba ọsọ ( I am running)
Example (3rd person plural):
A na ha agba ọsọ (They are running) or
Ha na-agba ọsọ (They are running)
A na fa agba ọsọ (They are running) or
Fa na-agba ọsọ (They are running)
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