This lesson goes over the differences among G, Gb, Gh, and Gw in the Igbo alphabet.

 

G, g

Igbo word example: oge (“time”)

Sounds like:

Saying the letter: gee (hard g)

Saying the letter in a word: English sound example – go

 

Gb, gb

Igbo word example: ịgba egwu (“dancing”)

Sounds like:

Saying the letter:

*Note*: I have heard at least 2 different ways to say this letter by itself.

  1. g + bee (Act like you are going to pronounce the hard English sound the letter g makes and then pronounce the English sound the letter b makes)
  2. g + bay (Act like you are going to pronounce the hard English sound the letter g makes and then say bay)

Saying it in a word: Similar to combining g+b sound (say a very soft g sound and then the sound B makes at the beginning of a word)

 

Gh, gh

Igbo word example: agha (“war”)

Sounds like:

Saying the letter:

*Note*: I have heard at least 4 different ways to say this letter by itself.

  1.  g-yee (Similar to the Igbo letter g, but softer with a slight y sound added to it or say it with the back of your throat)
  2.   pronounce the letter with a ray sound (from the back of your throat like you are almost gargling)
  3.  lee
  4.  g + huh: Try to combine the sound the letter g makes + the sound a letter H makes in the beginning of English words

Saying it in a word: Similar to combining g+h sound (say a very soft g sound and then an English H sound)

Saying the letter in a word: English sound example – spaghetti

Gw, gw

Igbo word example: egwu (“song”)

Sounds like: g + w (Try combining the sound the letter g makes with the sound the letter w makes) or gwee

Saying the letter in a word: English sound example – Gwen

 

Need help staying consistent with your Igbo studies? Sign up for my Igbo Accountability Email Series today!