Igbo-English and English-Igbo Dictionary

–

– m I
-a this, these

A

abalï night
abalï öma good night, good-evening
abüö two
afa name (onitsha dialect)
afere plate
afüfa garden eggs
agha war
agu lion
agwa beans
agwö snake
aha name
ahïa market
ahö year
ahü that, those; body
ajali red earth
akpa bag
akpatï nrï cupboard (box for food)
aku oyibo coconut
akükü edge
akwa cloth, eggs, bed, weeping
akwü door
akwükwö book, paper, leaf
akwükwö ögwü herbs
ala ground, floor, earth
alïbasa onion
anö four
anü meat, animal
anü öhïa bush meat, bush animal
anülï happy, merry
añuli arö öfüü happy new year
añuli easter happy easter
añuli ekeresimesi merry christmas
anwu sun
anyanwü sun
anyï we, us, our
arö year
asaa seven
asatö eight
atö three
atülü blue
azïza broom
azü fish

B

-ba continue doing, starting an action (start doing)
-bago already completing the action (already doing, already done)
bata enter (verb)
bee cry (verb)
bekee english
bi live (verb)
bïa come (verb)
biko please
bü be (verb)
-bü/-bu a past continuous action (he used to do)
buru carry (verb)

C

chere wait (verb)
chö want (verb)
chörö want, intend to (verb)
chukwu god
clasï grade

D

da alü well done
di husband
dï be, have the quality of, be in (verb)
dibïa traditional doctor, medicine man
dibïa oyibo doctor

E

e mesïa then
ebe place, location
ebe ahü there
ebea here (place)
ebee where, which place
echi tomorrow
ede cocoyam
edo yellow
e-e yes
egbe hawk
egbe igwe thunder
ego money
ego ole how much
ehi cow
ehihie afternoon, daytime
ehihie öma good afternoon
ekele dili gï thank you very much
ekpe left
ekpere prayer
elekere time, hour, clock
elementrï primary school
elu height
enu top
enwe monkey
enyi friend, elephant
esogbuna don’t worry
etiti center
etu manner
ewu goat
eze king
ezi pig, genuine (adjective)
ezi n’ülö family (lit. compound and house)
ezi okwu truth
ezi omume good behaviour
ezigbo nwoke good man

F

fa they (onitsha dialect)

G

ga used as auxilary to indicate future action
gaa go (verb)
garri garri
gbaa bölü play football (verb)
gbasaa dismiss (verb)
gbörödi water leaves
gï you , your
gïnï what
-go already completed the action (have done)
gota buy, purchase (verb)
gözie bless (verb)
gwa tell (verb)
gwuo mmiri swim (verb)

H

ha they, them, their
hü see (verb)

I

i you
ï you
ï bölachï good-morning
che think (verb)
gbu kill (verb)
igodokey
ihe something
ihe ahü that (thing)
ihea this (thing)
ijeri 1,000,000,000
ike strength
ike kwe maybe
ikpere mmiri riverbank
ikuke wind
ili bury
ime interior
ime obodo village (inside town)
imela thank you
ire sell
iri ten
ise five
sie cook (verb)
isi mgbu head-ache
isii six
ite pot
itolu nine
izute meet
jee travel (verb)
jesu kristi jesus christ
ji owe (verb), yam
jiakpu cassava
jide possess, hold (verb)

K

ka so that, that, as, like
ka chi foo goodnight
ka e mesïa good-bye
ka mgbe since
kama instead of
kedu how, when, where, which
kodi bye
kpee make a plea (verb)
kpörö bring, take (verb)
kunie stand up (verb)
kuta fetch (verb)
kuzie teach (verb)
kwaa also, too
-kwazi also, as well
kwö carry on one’s back (verb)
kwüa pay (verb)
kwuo say (verb)
kwüö ügwö pay (verb)

L

-le completed action (he has done)
-la completed action (he has done)
lee anya expect (verb)
-lu to indicate an intensification of the action of the verb

M

ma üzö go early (verb)
mahadüm university
maka about, as, so
maka gini why
mana but, if, that, whether
mba no
mbala ji water yam
mbara living-room
mbü first
mee do, make (verb)
mgbakö addition, adding up
mgbe room
mgbe ahü then
mgbörögwü osisi roots
mgbu pain
mkpisi fork
mkpisi aka finger
mmanü oil
mmanya drink, beer, wine
mme red
mmiri water, rain
mmiri-ozuzo rain
mü I, me, my
m I, me, my
müö learn (verb)

N

n’akükü beside
n’enu on top of, up
n’ime inside
n’okpuru under, below
na and, that; at, in, on, within; used as auxilary to specify continuing action in the present
n’ in, at, on
narï 100
ncha all
nche anwu umbrella
nde 1,000,000
ndï people, group
ndi ahü those (group)
ndï be family
ndï mmepe obodo development agency
ndï ölü workers
ndïa these (group)
ndiagu far from home
ndïda down the road
ndiuno close to home
ndörö mmiri swimming-pool
ndü life
ngazi spoon
ngwa ahia merchandise
niile/dum all, each, every
njem travel
nke of, of which, whose
nke ahü that
nkea this
nkita dog
nmanü-ökü kerosine
nna father
nne madam, mother
nnöö you are welcome
nnuku lot, many
nö be present in location (verb)
nödü anï sit down (verb)
nonye join (verb)
nrï food, right (as well as food as it is eaten with that hand)
nrï ütütü breakfast
nso close, nearby
nsogbu trouble, disturbance
nü hear (verb)
nwa child
nwa nne nwanyï sister
nwa nne nwoke brother
nwa nwoke son
nwannam brother/sister (paternal)
nwannem brother/sister (maternal)
nwanta kïrï child
nwanyï woman
nwata akwükwö student/pupil
nwata kïrï nwanyi little girl
nwata nwanyi girl
nwoke man
nwuye wife
nyaa drive (verb)
nye give, present (verb)
nye aka help (verb)

O

o he, she, it
ö he, she, it
chineke lord
obele small
obodo town
obodo bekee europe
öbögwü duck
obu bedroom
öcha white, clean
ücha white, clean (noun)
oche chair
ödü ügbö ala motorpark
ofe soup, stew
öfüma well
oga boss, master
ogbatumtum motor-cycle
oge time, period, occasion
oge ugürü harmattan period
ogede banana
ogologo long
ögügü reading, count
ögwü medicines, tablets
ohia bush
oji black
öjï igbo kolanut
ojii black
öjöö ugly, bad
njö bad (noun)
öka corn
ökara half
oke ölü expensive
ököchï dry season
okporo cray fish
okporoko stockfish
okpukpe denomination
okpuru underside
vökü fire, hot
ökükü chicken
vökülatrïk electricity
ole how many, how much, number
olee which, where, when, how
olee oge when
ölü work
öma good, beautiful
mma good (noun)
one how many (Onitsha dialect)
önü price
önwa moon
onwa-abö August
onwa-anö October
onwa-asaa December, January
onwa-asatö February
onwa-atö September
onwa-iri April
onwa-iri na atö June
onwa-iri na otu May
onwa-ise November
onwa-isii December
onwa-itolu March
onwa-mbu July
onwerozi nothing more
onye somebody, who
onye ahïa customer
onye anglican anglican (person)
onye catholic catholic (person)
onye igbo igbo man
onye isi boss
onye na ere ögwü medicine dealer
onye nkuzi teacher
onye öcha white man
onye ojii black man
onye ölü worker
onye üka christian
onye-ode akwükwö secretary
ore akwükwö book seller
ore ihe seller
örïa sickness
ose pepper
osikapa rice
osisi tree, stick
oto straight
otu one; as, that
oyi cold
özö next
özü ahïa buyer

P

puku 1,000

R

-ra/-re action in the past (he did)
-re present continuous action (is doing)
ree sell (verb)
-ri past completed action (he did)
rïa örïa fall ill (verb)

S

si come from (verb)
süö speak

T

ta chew (verb)
-ta brings an action to completion
taa today
-tara/-tere action in the past (he did)
tata today
tinye put, add (verb)
tolotolo turkey
törö ütö be tasty (verb)
tupu until

U

ube pear
üböchï day, daylight, weather
üböchi öma good day
üböchï üka Sunday
üdï kind, sort
udu mmiri rainy season
ügbö ala car, motor
ügbö elu airplane
ügbö mmiri boat
ugbua now
ügü pumpkin
üka church
ukwu big
ülö house
ülö akwükwö school, library
ülö mposi toilet
ülö ögwü hospital
ülö ölü office
ülö oriri chop house
ülö oriri hotel
umu aka children
unu you, your (pl.)
urukpu cloud
usekwu kitchen
ütütü morning, dawn
ütütü öma good morning
üzö early dawn

W

weta bring in (verb)

Y

ya he, his, him, she, her, it, its

Z

zaa sweep (verb)
zoo rain (verb)
zöpüta save, rescue (verb)
züö buy (verb)

A

about maka
addition mgbakö
afternoon ehihie
airplane ügbö elu
all niile, dum, ncha
also kwaa, -kwazi
and na
anglican (person) onye anglican
animal anü
April onwa-iri
as ka
at na, n’
August onwa-abö

B

bad öjöö, njö
bag akpa
banana ogede
be (verb) bü
be tasty (verb) törö ütö
be, be present in location (verb) nö
be, have the quality of, be in (verb) dï
beans agwa
beautiful öma, mma
bed akwa
bedroom obu
beer mmanya
below n’okpuru
beside n’akükü
big ukwu
billion ijeri
black ojii
black man onye ojii
bless (verb) gözie
blue atülü
boat ügbö mmiri
body ahü
book akwükwö
book seller ore akwükwö
boss oga, onye isi
breakfast nrï ütütü
bring (verb) kpörö
bring in (verb) weta
broom azïza
brother nwa nne nwoke
brother (maternal) nwannem
brother (paternal) nwannam
bury ili
bush ohia
bush animal anü öhïa
bush meat anü öhïa
but mana
buy (verb) züö, gota
buyer özü ahïa
bye kodi

C

car ügbö ala
carry (verb) buru
carry on one’s back (verb) kwö
cassava jiakpu
catholic (person) onye catholic
center etiti
chair oche
chew (verb) ta
chicken ökükü
child nwa, nwantakïrï
children umu aka
chop house ülö oriri
christian onye üka
church üka
clean öcha , ücha
clock elekere
close nso
close to home ndiuno
cloth akwa
cloud urukpu
coconut aku oyibo
cocoyam ede
cold oyi
come (verb) bïa
come from (verb) si
cook (verb) sie
corn öka
count ögügü
cow ehi
cray fish okporo
cry (verb) bee
cupboard (box for food) akpatï nrï
customer onye ahïa

D

dawn ütütü
day üböchï
daytime ehihie
December onwa-isii, onwa-asaa
denomination okpukpe
development agency ndï mmepe obodo
dismiss (verb) gbasaa
do (verb) mee
doctor dibïa oyibo
dog nkita
don’t worry esogbuna
door akwü
down the road ndïda
drink mmanya
drive (verb) nyaa
dry season ököchï
duck öbögwü

E

each niile, dum
early dawn üzö
earth ala
edge akükü
eggs akwa
eight asatö
electricity ökülatrïk
elephant enyi
English bekee
enter (verb) bata
Europe obodo bekee
every niile, dum
expect (verb) lee anya
expensive oke ölü

F

fall ill (verb) rïa örïa
family ndï be
family (lit. compound and house) ezi n’ülö
far from home ndiagu
father nna
February onwa-asatö
fetch (verb) kuta
finger mkpisi aka
fire ökü
first mbü
fish azü
five ise
floor ala
food nrï
fork mkpisi
four anö
friend enyi

G

garden eggs afüfa
garri garri
genuine (adjective) ezi
girl nwata nwanyi
give (verb) nye
go (verb) gaa
go early (verb) ma üzö
goat ewu
god chukwu
good öma, mma
good afternoon ehihie öma
good behaviour ezi omume
good day üböchi öma
good man ezigbo nwoke
good morning ütütü öma
good night abalï öma
good-bye ka e mesïa
good-evening abalï öma
good-morning ï bölachï
goodnight ka chi foo
grade clasï
ground ala
group ndï

H

half ökara
happy anülï
happy easter añuli easter
happy new year añuli arö öfüü
harmattan period oge ugürü
hawk egbe
he o, ö, ya
head-ache isi mgbu
hear (verb) nü
height elu
help (verb) nye aka
her ya
herbs akwükwö ögwü
here ebea
his ya
hold (verb) jide
hospital ülö ögwü
hot ökü
hotel ülö oriri
hour elekere
house ülö
how olee, kedu
how many ole
how much ole, ego ole
hundred narï
husband di

I

I mü, m , (verb) + m
if mana
igbo man onye igbo
in na, n’
insiden’ime
instead of kama
intend to (verb) chörö
interior ime
it o, ö, ya

J

January onwa-asaa
jesus christ jesu kristi
join (verb) nonye
July onwa-mbu
June onwa-iri na atö

K

kerosine nmanü-ökü
key igodo
kill (verb) gbu
kind üdï
king eze
kitchen usekwu
kolanut öjï igbo

L

leaf akwükwö
learn (verb) müö
left ekpe
library ülö akwükwö
life ndü
like ka
lion agu
little girl nwata kïrï nwanyi
live (verb) bi
living-room mbara
location ebe
long ogologo
lord chineke
lot, many nnuku

M

madam nne
make (verb) mee
make a plea (verb) kpee
man nwoke
manner etu
March onwa-itolu
market ahïa
masteroga
May onwa-iri na otu
maybe ike kwe
me mü, m
meat anü
medicine dealer onye na ere ögwü
medicine man dibïa
medicines ögwü
meet izute
merchandise ngwa ahia
merry Christmas añuli ekeresimesi
million nde
money ego
monkey enwe
moon önwa
morning ütütü
mother nne
motor ügbö ala
motor-cycle ogbatumtum
motorpark ödü ügbö ala

N

name aha , afa (Onitsha dialect)
next özö
night abalï
nine itolu
no mba
nothing more onwerozi
November onwa-ise
now ugbua
number ole

O

occasion oge
October onwa-anö
of which nke
office ülö ölü
oil mmanü
on na, n’
on top of n’enu
one otu
onion alïbasa
our anyï

P

pain mgbu
paper akwükwö
pay (verb) kwüö ügwö
pear ube
people ndï
pepper ose
period oge
pig ezi
place ebe
plate afere
play football (verb) gbaa bölü
please biko
possess (verb) jide
pot ite
prayer ekpere
present (verb) nye
price önü
primary school elementrï
pumpkin ügü
pupil nwata akwükwö
purchase (verb) gota
put, add (verb) tinye

R

rain mmiri-ozuzo
rain (verb) zoo
rainy season udu mmiri
reading ögügü
red mme
red earth ajali
rice osikapa
right nrï
riverbank ikpere mmiri
room mgbe
roots mgbörögwü osisi

S

save (verb) zöpüta
say (verb) kwuo
school ülö akwükwö
secretary onye-ode akwükwö
see (verb) hü
sell ire
seller ore ihe
September onwa-atö
seven asaa
she o, ö, ya
sickness örïa
since ka mgbe
sister nwa nne nwanyï
sister (maternal) nwannem
sister (paternal) nwannam
sit down (verb) nödü anï
six isii
small obele
snake agwö
somebody onye
something ihe
son nwa nwoke
sort üdï
speak süö
spoon ngazi
stand up (verb) kunie
stew ofe
stick osisi
stockfish okporoko
straight oto
strength ike
student nwata akwükwö
sun anwu, anyanwü
Sunday üböchï üka
sweep (verb) zaa
swim (verb) gwuo mmiri
swimming-pool ndörö mmiri

T

tablets ögwü
take (verb) kpörö
teach (verb) kuzie
teacher onye nkuzi
tell (verb) gwa
ten iri
thank you imela
thank you very much ekele dili gï
that ahü, nke ahü, ihe ahü
that (conj.) na, ka
their ha
them ha
then e mesïa, mgbe ahü
there ebe ahü
these -a
these (group) ndïa
they ha
think (verb) che
this -a, nkea, ihea
those ahü
those (group) ndi ahü
thousand puku
three atö
thunder egbe igwe
time elekere, oge
today taa, tata
toilet ülö mposi
tomorrow echi
too kwaa, -kwazi
top enu
town obodo
travel njem
travel (verb) jee
tree osisi
trouble nsogbu
truthezi okwu
turkey tolotolo
two abüö

U

ugly öjöö, njö
umbrella nche anwu
under n’okpuru
underside okpuru
university mahadüm
until tupu
up n’enu
us anyï

V

village (inside town) ime obodo

W

wait (verb) chere
want (verb) chö
war agha
water mmiri
water leaves gbörödi
water yam mbala ji
we anyï
weather üböchï
weeping akwa
welcome nnöö
well öfüma
well done da alü
what gïnï
when olee, kedu; olee oge
where ebee
whether mana
which olee, kedu
white öcha , ücha
white man onye öcha
who onye
why maka gini
wife nwuye
wind ikuke
wine mmanya
woman nwanyï
work ölü
worker onye ölü
workers ndï ölü

Y

yam ji
year arö, ahö
yellow edo
yes e-e
you, your gï; i, ï
you, your (pl.) unu