Ndewo!  Daalu for joining my email list! As a reward, here is a sneak peak of some of my Igbo vocabulary lessons that I have not released to the public yet. The first version of the full beginner lessons will be out now!

This lesson goes over different Igbo vocabulary words that you can use to describe people in your family, friends, and other people you may run into.

Family | Friends | Other People

Family (ezinaụlọ / ndị be)

parents – nne na nna

mother – nne / mama

father – nna /papa

 

grandfather – Father’s side: nna nna / nna ochie (nna); Mother’s side: nna nne / nna ochie (nne)

grandmother – Father’s side: nne nna / nne ochie (nna); Mother’s side: nne nne / nne ochie (nne)

grandchild – nwa nwa

 

sibling – nwanne

brother – nwanne nwoke

sister – nwanne nwanyị

younger brother – nwanne nwoke nta

younger sister – nwanne nwanyị nta

 

husband – di

wife – nwunye

in-law – ọgọ

mother in law – nne di or nne nwunye

father in law – nna di or nna nwunye

 

daughter – nwa nwanyị

son – nwa nwoke

1st daughter – ada / ada nwanyị

1st son – ọkpara / di ọkpara

child – nwa

young child – nwata

baby – nwata kịrị / nwa ntakịrị / tata / nwa-bebi

children – ụmụ or ụmụaka or ụmụntakịrị

twins – ụmụ ejima

aunt – dada

uncle – dede / de

cousin – nwa nwanne gi nwoke / nwa nwanne gi nwanyi

niece – nwa nwanne mama nke nwanyi / nwa nwanne papa nke nwoke

nephew – nwa nwanne mama nke nwoke  / nwa nwanne papa nke nwoke

relatives (mother’s side) – ụmụnne

relatives (father’s side) – ụmụnna

close relatives – nwanna

Friends (ndi enyi / ndi ọyị )

friend – enyi / ọyị

boyfriend or male friend – enyi nwoke / ọyị nwoke

girlfriend or female friend -enyi nwanyị / ọyị nwanyị

People (ndi / ndi mmadụ)

humans/ human beings – ndi mmadụ

person – mmadụ / onye

Igbo people – Ndi Igbo

Africans – Ndi afrika

Americans – Ndi emerika

Black person – Ndi ojii

White person or light skinned person – Ndi ocha

man – nwoke

woman – nwanyị

older man (to be respectful) – dede

older woman (to be respectful) – dada

distinguished elders – Ndiichie

Mrs. – Lọlọ

Mr./mister – Mazi

girl – nwa nwanyị

young lady – nwagbọghọbia / agbọghọbia

boy – nwa nwoke

young man – nwokorọbia / okorọbia

boss – onye isi

colleagues/coworkers/workers – ndi ọrụ

teacher – onye nkuzi

student – nwa akwụkwọ / nwata akwụkwọ