Learn Izọn in a jiffy by Oyịndẹịnmọnẹ James-Bọlọuprẹmọr Israel ©2021

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THIS

E-BOOK

IS

NOT
FOR

SALE
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TO:
You,
My Esteemed Reader.

Dear Sir/Madam,

LETTER OF APPEAL FOR SUPPORT

Please, if you find this book interesting, which you will, don’t hesitate to support me
financially to make more e-books like this one. Your contribution will also enable me
to make audio files that will teach pronunciation of the words, phrases and sentences
you will come across in this E-book. This will ease the learning process a lot.
My Account Details are:
Bank Name: UBA Plc
Account Name: Boloupremor Oyindeinmone .I.
Account Number: 2074981733

You can send me a message on the following social media handles, if you want to
support my work:

Twitter: @onimateart
E-mail: [email protected]
WhatsApp Only: +2348058931604

This request I make humbly.

Your support is highly appreciated.

Thank you.

OYINDEINMONE JAMES-BOLOUPREMOR ISRAEL

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ABOUT THIS E-BOOK

This E-Book is intended for Beginner and Intermediate Ijaw Learners and Speakers. It was
written majorly with Tarakiri dialect of Ijaw with a mix of other few dialects I have heard.
Many Vocabularies or words from other dialects were added as well. Special thanks to the
members of Ijaw Language Clinic on Facebook. Their individual submissions helped a lot in
adding many vocabularies.

This E-book will help the Reader who want to be able to Read, Write and Speak the Izon
Language. Parents and Guardians who already know the language but find it difficult to teach
their children will find this E-book useful too as it clearly gives a step by step process to
Learning Ijaw. Adults who knows how to speak but wants to be able to Read, write and
increase their vocabulary will find this book interesting too.

This E-book has Seven (7) sections and intending learners should study each section for at
least 30 days. This way you will better grasp what is being taught.

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HOW TO USE THIS E-BOOK

For a better understanding of this book, I strongly recommend that you follow the strategies
listed below:

1. Study with someone who has a little knowledge of Ijaw

2. Study the Numbers (Especially 1-20).
3. Learn as many nouns as possible
4. Know all the adjectives listed in this book off-hand.
5. Learn as many verbs as possible
6. Spend a lot of time studying the verb tenses
7. The Phrases Section teaches practical usage of Ijaw language in different situations
you find yourself. Take time in studying it.
8. The Extras section has more than 40 listings, study and understanding one every day
9. Practice speaking with yourself and loved ones
10. Explore: Use different nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs etc. in the examples you
come across in this book.

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TABLE OF CONTENT

1. ABOUT THIS BOOK

2. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

3. BEGINNING IJAW (BỌLỌU BỌLỌU IZỌN MẸ)

3.1 Learning the ABCs
3.2 Numbers: Counting Off
3.3 A Little Mathematics: Addition, Substraction, Multiplication and Division

4. BUILD YOUR VOCABULARY (ỊNỊ VOKABULARI KẸRẸ)

4.1 Telling Time
4.2 Family Relations
4.3 Ijaw Articles: Keni (a, an) & Me (the)
4.4 More than one: Pluralizing

5. GRAMMAR (GRAMA)
5.1 Outline of a Sentence
5.2 Parts of Speech

6. GRAMMAR – PART II (GRAMA – MAKARAMỌ YỌ)

6.1 Building sentences
6.2 Proper names + nouns
6.3 Possessive pronouns + nouns
6.4 Possessive pronouns + noun + noun
6.5 Possessive + noun + possessive + noun
6.6 Adding adjectives
6.7 More nouns with adjectives
6.8 Other examples
6.9 Comparative and superlative adjectives (comparison)
6.10 Putting in some action words: verbs
6.11 Tenses
6.12 Other important info (check extras for more)
6.13 Noun + verbs
6.14 Possessive pronouns + verbs
6.15 Possessive pronouns + nouns + verbs
6.16 Multiple nouns + verbs / multiple pronouns + verbs
6.17 Adding adverbs
6.18 How does prepositions come in?
6.19 Linking: using conjunctions & interjections
6.20 Asking Questions and answering them

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7. PHRASES (FRESIS)
8.1 Ways to say Hello and Goodbye
8.2 Ways to say Yes and No
8.3 Ways to ask How Someone Is
8.4 Ways to say How you are
8.5 Ways to say Thank You
8.6 Ways to respond to “Thank you”
8.7 Phrases for Apologizing
8.8 Phrases to respond to an Apology
8.9 Phrases for say Good morning, Good Evening, Good Night and Greetings
8.10 Phrase for Introductions
8.11 Ways to end a conversation politely
8.12 Phrases for Asking for Information
8.13 Ways to say “I don’t Know”
8.14 Phrase for asking for someone’s opinion or giving you opinion
8.15 Phrases for Agreeing
8.16 Phrases for disagreeing
8.17 Phrases for Responding to Bad News
8.18 Phrases for Invitations
8.19 Ways to Make & respond to an Offer
8.20 Ways to Talk about Likes and Dislikes
8.21 Phrases for Asking/Talking about Jobs
8.22 Ways to ask for clarification
8.23 Ways to check if the other person understands you
8.24 Asking for help
8.25 Phrases for Complaining
8.26 Phrases for Remembering, Reminding & Forgetting
8.27 Phrases for saying something is easy & difficult
8.28 Phrases for Shopping
8.29 Phrases for talking about Food
8.30 Phrases Talking about TV
8.31 Ways to talk about price
8.32 Phrases for Hot, Cold and Raining weather
8.33 Ways to say you are tired
8.34 Ways to say Someone is Correct or Wrong
8.35 Ways to Avoid Answering a Question
8.36 Phrases for telling someone to wait
8.37 Phrases for Cheering Someone up

9. BUILD YOUR VOCABULARY PART II (ỊNỊ VOKABULARI KẸRE, MAKARAMỌ YỌ)

9.1 Nouns
9.1.1 Body Parts
9.1.2 More Nouns
9.2 Adjectives
9.3 Verbs Accoring to the part of the body performing them
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9.3.1 Action Verbs performed by the Hands

9.3.2 Verbs performed by the Legs
9.3.3 Verbs performed by the Whole Body
9.3.4 Verbs performed by the Eyes
9.3.5 Verbs performed by the Mouth
9.3.6 Verbs performed by the Nose
9.3.7 Verbs performed by the Head
9.3.8 Verbs performed by the Teeth
9.3.9 Verbs performed by the Tongue
9.3.10 Verbs Performed by the Ears
9.4 Verbs performed in the kitchen
9.5 Verbs performed in the house
9.6 Verbs performed in the church
9.7 Verbs performed in the bedroom
9.8 Verbs performed at school
9.9 Verbs performed in the bathroom/toilet
9.10 Verbs performed in sports
9.11 Other verbs

10. EXTRAS
10.1 Dẹ/Tẹ/Nẹ/Dọ
10.2 Mo
10.3 Bo/Mọ/Ạmạ
10.4 Emi
10.5 Emi Gha
10.6 Fa
10.7 Wẹri Emi
10.8 Agbẹ Emi / Agbẹ Gha
10.9 Kẹ / Kẹrẹ
10.10 Gha/Ghẹ
10.11 Ghafa/ Ghẹfa
10.12 Dọugha / Bọugha
10.13 Dọumẹnẹ
10.14 Dọutịmị
10.15 Dọumịnị
10.16 Dọudẹ
10.17 Kụmọ/Kụma/Somạ
10.18 Wai/Ba
10.19 Mẹ
10.20 Kẹdẹ
10.21 Ịndẹ
10.22 Mẹnẹ/Mụnụ
10.23 Mịnị / Ari
10.24 Sịn

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10.25 Bra / Pa
10.26 Wẹrẹ
10.27 Kọn/Kọnbo
10.28 La/Kẹn
10.29 Gha Pa Emi / A Pa Emi
10.30 Gha Pagha / A Pagha
10.31 Sẹ
10.32 Mẹgbai Mẹ
10.33 Kpọ
10.34 Sạ / Nạ
10.35 Bọtẹbẹ / Bubọu
10.36 Timi
10.37 Kamo/Bọmo/ Ka Emi/Bọ Emi
10.38 Nẹba, Nạba, Dẹba, Dẹsẹ
10.39 Aba/Ghaba
10.40 Ebimọ/Ibimọ & Ebigha
10.41 Pri
10.42 Tọru
10.43 Tẹpatọru / Tẹtọru / Tẹpa
10.44 Mẹịmịkpọ
10.45 Mẹtiẹkiri
10.46 Mọ
10.47 Papa
10.48 Mọmọ
10.49 Mẹbra / Ạnịbra & Mẹsẹbra
10.50 Using The Words “Anyhow” & “Anywhere”

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Beginning Ijaw (bọlọu bọlọu Izọn)

When you learn Ijaw, the first question that comes to mind is ‘Where do I start’. The answer
to this question is pretty simple, The Alphabets, of course! If you want to form words, you
must first understand the building blocks. When children are taught English in Kindergarten
and Nursery classes, the first thing they learn is the English Alphabet and Izọn is not different.

Note: The two words Ijaw and Izọn will be used interchangeably in this book. They both
mean the same.

Learning Izon ABCs

Izọn alphabets are the same with the English ones just that some English alphabets are not
in the Izọn alphabets. Because of how identical Izọn and English alphabets are all you have
to do is memorize the pronunciation of the Izọn ones.

Pronunciation
Izọn pronunciation aren’t strenuous to master. Learning to read is so easy too, because Izọn
is written as it’s spoken. For Example, in Izọn, the vowel letters ‘I’ are always pronounced as
English letters ‘E’. In constrast, The English vowel letter I can represent several sounds. ‘ai’,
‘e’, etc.

Izon Alphabets
Vowels
There are 12 vowels sounds in Ijaw, of which 8 are the normal sounding vowels of the popular
English vowel rhyme: a, e, ẹ, i, o, ọ, u. The other 5 are nasal vowels.

There are various ways of spelling these nasal vowels. Nasal a is always spelt as ạ; an “n”
always comes after nasal ẹ (ẹn); Nasal i is spelt as “ị”; an “n” too comes after it (ịn), but not
always; n always comes after nasal ọ (ọn); Nasal u is spelt as “ụ” and an “n” too comes after
it (ụn) sometimes. Another spelling variant is: “ạghạn” for nasal a, “ẹghẹn for nasal ẹ, “ịghịn”
for nasal i, “ọghọn” for nasal ọ sound and “ụghụn” for nasal u sound. In the pronounciation
of the above spelling variants, “gh” is silent (not pronounced).

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Normal Vowels
Letter pronunciation Example

A “a” in “another” Ama (Town), gba (say)

E “e” in “Eight” Ebi (Good)

Ẹ “e” in “Earth” Ẹni (my)

I “e” in “eat” Egberi (Word)

O “o” in “open” omụn (sweat)

Ọ “or” in “or” ọgọnọ (Sky)

U “u” in “you” ovuru (middle)

Nasal Vowels
Letter pronunciation Example

Ạ “an” in “ant” gbạ (close)

ẸN “he” in “hen” bẹni (gather), kẹghẹn (correct)

Ị “in” in “hindrance” kpịrịn (silent)

ỌN “on” in “honey” ọn-ọn (No)

Ụ “un” in “university” kpọụn (drag)

Consonants
The following are ijaw consonant letters:
Letter pronunciation Example

B “b” in “brother” Bẹbẹ (Mouth)

D “d” in “drink” Dẹri (laugh)

F “f” in “finish” fịnị (open)

G “g” in “good” guwa (mix)

H “h” in “how” Họrọ (smell) (Akassa clan)

J “j” in “june” oju (body)

K “k” in “kettle” kẹlẹkẹlẹ (smart)

L “L” in “light” lei (resemble)

M “m” in “month” mụ (go)

N “n” in “now” nẹnẹ (grandmother)

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P “p” in “peace” Pẹrẹ (Lord)

R “r” in “ring” iriri (pity)

S “s” in “select” sẹi (dance)

T “t” in “tin” Tẹi (escape)

V “v” in “vet” vurudu (suddenly)

W “w” in “wet” wẹni (walk)

Y “y” in “yam” yei (husband)

Z “z” in “zoo” zu (fetch)

Additional Information
Ijaw is a wide language with over 50+ clans. This has resulted to so many variations in
pronunciation. The following instances gives some pronunciation differences.

 Some clans use a particularly set of vowels and consonants, while others use other
ones. E.g. mẹnẹ and mụnụ; dẹ, dọ and tẹ; the long ị sound and ngi; kumọ and kuma.
Consonants Y and Z (e.g. yei and zei meaning husband), J and Z (e.g. oju and ozu
meaning body), D and N (e.g. dẹịn and nẹngi meaning conquer or win) and others.
Ijaw speakers in Akassa clan pronounce s, f as h in some words.
 Letter J is controversial. Most Central clans pronounce it as Z and therefore they omit
it from their alphabets, other clans, especially Eastern ones have it in their alphabets.
 Letter C is not accepted by most central and Western clans, eastern clans do have it.

Consonant Diagraphs
These are sounds that are form from two consonants letters. So are silent in pronounciation.
The following are some consonant digraphs in Ijaw.

 KP: E.g. Akpọ (World), Akpa (Bag), Ekpe (Lie).

 GH: This is silent. The accompanying vowel is pronounced.
 GB: E.g. Gbẹnẹ (Village), Egbe (arrive), gboro (stir)
 BR: E.g. Brasịn (forgo,)
 NG E.g. ngẹrẹ (economize), ngọrẹ (snore)

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Numbers: Counting Off

Another important skill one has to have as an Ijaw speaker is being able to count. Just like
English, Ijaw numbers are well organized. The numbering system used in this book is the
generally accepted one based on 20. To start counting in Ijaw, here is the first set, starting
with zero:
0 ofori / ofo 6 sịndiye
1 Kẹnị 7 sọnọmạ
2 Mạmụ 8 nịịna
3 taru 9 ise
4 nịịn 10 oyi
5 sọnrọn
After number 10, Ijaw counts in phrases: it starts with oyi and the number which then ends
with fini.
11 oyi kẹnị fịnị 16 oyi sịndiye fịnị
12 oyi mạmụ fịnị 17 oyi sọnọmạ fịnị
13 oyi taru fịnị 18 oyi nịịna fịnị
14 oyi nịịn fịnị 19 oyi ise fịnị
15 oyi sọnrọn fịnị
And then 20 which is called “si”.
After “si” the counting starts in phrases again until 29 just like the ones above, but this time
instead of “oyi” (ten), “si” (twenty) is used. This phrasal counting system continues for 31-
39, 41-49, 51-59, 61-69, 71-79, 81-89, 91-99; each starting with the words for
30,40,50,60,70,80,90.
The following are the words of 30 – 90 (in tens)
30 sioyi (which is 20 and 10) 70 tarasioyi (which is three 20s & 10)
40 mạsi (which is two 20s) 80 nịasi (which is four 20s)
50 mạsioyi (which is two 20s & 10) 90 nịasioyi (which is four 20s & 10)
60 tarasi (which is three 20s) 100 sọnrạsi (which is five 20s)
The counting continues after 100 (sọnrạsi) with the addition of “mọ” which means “and” after
sọnrạsi. Example:
101 sọnrạsi mo kẹnị fịnị 102 sọnrạsi mo mamu fịnị
111 sọnrạsi mọ oyi kẹnị fịnị 150 sọnrạsi mọ masioyi fịnị
120 sọnrạsi mọ si fịnị 170 sọnrạsi mọ tarasioyi fịnị
125 sọnrạsi mọ si sọnrọn fịnị 180 sọnrạsi mọ nịasi fịnị
199 sọnrạsi mọ nịasioyi ise fịnị

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The numbers for 200 – 999 works exactly as above. First you start with the hundreds, just
like English does “two hundred, three hundred etc”.
200 Mạ sọnrạsi (two hundred) 600 sịndiya sọnrạsi
300 Tara sọnrạsi 700 sọnọmạ sọnrạsi
400 nịa sọnrạsi 800 nịịna sọnrạsi
500 sọnrạ sọnrạsi 900 isenạ sọnrạsi
You then get to 1000 which is called “ọndẹ”.
The key to counting higher in Ijaw is first knowing the 1-10, then 11-20, then 20-100. Once
you have known these off-hand, all you have to do to count higher is to first know the higher
number, then add up. E.g.
543 will be Sọnrạ sọnrạsi mọ mạsi taru fịnị
Five hundred and forty three
798 will be Sọnọmạ sọnrạsi mọ nịasioyi nịịna fịnị
Seven hundred and ninety eight
373 will be Tara sọnrạsi mọ tarasioyi taru fịnị
Three hundred and seventy three
NOTE: In Ijaw when numbers are used to count nouns and other numbers, the ending as
feminized with the addition either “na and nạ” or vowel letters “a and ạ”. E.g. isenạ awọu
(nine children). Mạmụ (two) is shortened to mạ. E.g. mạ kẹmẹ (two men); Taru called tara,
E.g. tara obinẹ (three beds), nịịn (four), sọnrọn (five) and sịndiye (six) are called nịa, sọnrạ,
sịndiya respectively. Oyi (ten) becomes “oyinạ” while si (twenty) become “sia”. E.g. sia kurai
(twenty years), oyinạ akpa (ten bags).

Counting Further
1,000 ọndẹ
2,000 mạ ọndẹ
3,000 tara ọndẹ
10,000 oyinạ ọndẹ
20,000 sia ọndẹ
1,000,000 odozi / miliọnụ
2,000,000 mạ odozi
1,000,000,000 ogizi / biliọnụ
2,000,000,000 mạ ogizi
1,000,000,000,000 ipamụ / tiriliọnụ

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27,523 Twenty seven thousand, five hundred and twenty three

Si sọnọmạ fịnị ọndẹ, sọnrạ sọnrạsi mọ si taru fịnị
38, 542 Thirty eight thousand, five hundred and forty two
Sioyi nịịna fịnị ọndẹ, sọnrạ sọnrạsi mọ mạsi mạmụ fịnị
76,907 Seventy six thousand, nine hundred and seven
Tarasioyi sịndiye fịnị ọndẹ, isenạ sọnrạsi mọ sọnọmạ fịnị
1,342,897 One million three hundred and forty two thousand, eight hundred and ninety
seven
Kẹnị odozi mọ tara sọnrạsi mọ mạsi mạmụ fịnị ọndẹ mọ nịịna sọnrạsi mọ niasioyi
sọnọmạ fịnị

For the Nth Term

The numbers we have elaborated above are called cardinal number numbers (i.e. they are
used for counting – one, two, and three – or as adjectives, one house, four children). There
is another group of numbers called ordinal numbers which does not deal with quantity but
rather position and are used to indicate the order of something: first, second, third, and so
on.

Ordinal numbers are so easy in ijaw that once you have known your cardinal numbers, all
you have to do is add the ijaw phrase “karamo” which means “complete” with exception of
number 1 which has a words.
The following are examples:
First bọlọu or tari
Last tu
Second mạmụ karamọ
Third taru karamọ
Forth nịịn karamọ
Fifth sọnrọn karamọ etc.
For hundredths
Hundreth sọnrạsi karamọ
One hundred and eleventh sọnrạsi mọ oyi kẹnị fịnị karamọ
Two hundredth mạ sọnrạsi karamọ
Five hundredth sọnrạ sọnrạsi karamọ
Nine hundred and ninety nineth isenạ sọnrạsi mọ nịasioyi ise fịnị karamọ

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Number of Times
Ijaw language as our own way of saying the number of times an action was performed. The
word “fie” and “seri” which means talk or time and raise or time respectively is added to the
the end of numbers just like in the Nth terms. E.g.
Once Kẹnịfie / kẹnịseri
Twice Mạfie / mạseri
Thrice Tarafie / taraseri
Quad nịafie / nịaseri etc.

A Little Mathematics:
Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division
Ijaw language has a well defined way of making additions, subtraction, multiplications and
division.
ADDITION
Addition is called gbolomo in ijaw which means join or add. It could also be translated as
“tuwa” which means “put”.
E.g. 1+1=2 One plus one equals to two
Kẹnị kọn kẹnị gbolomọ, mạmụ nạnạdẹ
(“Equals to” in Ijaw is nanade which simply means gotten, so the right translation from ijaw
to English is “one added to one, two is gotten”)
More examples
5+5=10 five plus five equals to ten
Sọnrọn kọn sọnrọn gbolomọ, oyi nạnạdẹ
20+20=40 twenty plus twenty, equals to forty
Si kọn si gbolomọ, mạsi nạnạdẹ
100+100=200 hundred plus hundred equals to two hundred
Sọnrạsi kọn sọnrạsi gbolomọ, mạ sọnrạsi nạnạdẹ
150+128=278 one hundred and fifty plus one hundred and twenty eight equals two
hundred and seventy eight
Sọnrạsi mọ mạsioyi kọn sọnrạsi mọ mạsi nịịna fịnị gbolomọ, mạ
sọnrạsi mọ tarasioyi nịịna fịnị nanade
SUBTRACTION
This is called kọnsịn which means remove
E.g. 5-2=3 five minus two equals to three
Mạmụ kọn sọnrọn buluma kọnsịn, taru nạnạdẹ
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(This simply means – remove two inside five, three is gotten)

More examples
10-3=7 ten minus three equals to seven
Taru kọn oyi buluma kọnsịn, sọnọmạ nạnạdẹ
500-110=390 five hundred minus one hundred and ten equals to three hundred
and ninety
Sọnrạsi mọ oyi fịnị kọn sọnrạ sọnrạsi buluma kọnsịn, tara sọnrạsi
mọ nịasi nạnạdẹ.
MULTIPLICATION
Multiplication is called miẹn. Miẹn means make.
E.g. 2x2=4 two times two equals to four
Mạmụ kọn ma yọ miẹn, nịịn nạnạdẹ
(This means “make two into two place, four is gotten”. Yọ means place)
More examples
5x5=25 five times five equal to twenty five
Sọnrọn kọn sọnrạ yọ miẹn, si sọnrọn fịnị nạnạdẹ
100x100=10,000 Hundred times hundred equals to ten thousand
Sọnrạsi kọn sọnrạsi yọ miẹn, oyinạ ọndẹ nạnạdẹ
DIVISION
Divide in Ijaw is called “diyẹ”, which also means “share” or “half”.
E.g. 9 o/o 3=3 Nine divided by three equals to three
Ise kọn tara yọ diyẹ, taru nạnạdẹ
This means divide nine into three places, three is gotten.
More examples
125 o/o 5=25 One hundred and twenty five divided by five equals to twenty five
Sọnrạsi mọ si sọnrọn fịnị kọn sọnrạ yọ diyẹ, si sọnrọn fịnị nạnạdẹ
200 o/o 20 =10 Two hundred divided by twenty equals to ten
Mạ sọnrạsi kọn sia yọ diyẹ, oyi nạnạdẹ.

Note: In practical application of the above, pronouns are added. E.g. From the last example:
200 o/o 20 =10 will be mạ sọnrạsi kọn sia yọ diyẹ, i oyi nạnạdẹ. The “i” added is the pronoun
for “you”.

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Build Your Vocabulary (Ịnị vokabulari kẹri)

Telling Time
By now you must have learnt the Ijaw number system. What’s the next step then? One vital
thing you must know how to do as an aspiring Ijaw speaker is asking & telling time and
understanding the answer you get when you ask an Ijaw speaker “what time is it”.
Asking “ifiye mẹ tẹyọ kẹ emi” or “ifiye mẹ tẹyọ kẹ ladẹ” (What time is it?) literally means, “the
time is where?”, “where is the time?” or Where has the the time reached?, and the following
are answers:
It is one o’clock kẹnị ladẹ
(which means “it has reached one”)
It’s two o’clock Mạmụ ladẹ
It is 15 minutes past 2 oyi sọnrọn fịnị mịnịtạmạ kọn mạmụ bọdẹ
(It has past two with 15 minutes)
It is 30 minutes past 4 sioyi mịnịtạmạ kọn nịịn bọdẹ
It is 15 minutes to 5 oyi sọnrọn fịnị mịnịtạmạ kọn sọnrọn la dọumẹnẹ
(It wants to get to 5 with 15 minutes)
It is 7 minutes to 12 sọnọmạ mịnịtạmạ kọn oyi mạmụ fịnị la dọumẹnẹ

Time of the Day

Here are phrase for telling the time of the day:
It’s 1:00pm One ladẹ / kẹnị ladẹ
In the morning pekei / bubai
Early in the morning pekei pekei
In the afternoon erịnbiri fiye
In the evening buburu
Today mẹ erịn (this day)
Yesterday bọdẹ erịn (past day)
Tomorrow bomịnị erịn (coming day)
At what time? Tẹ fiye?
When? Tẹ fiye?
A second kẹnị sẹkọnụ

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A minute kẹnị mịnịti

An hour kẹnị awa
4 seconds nịịn sẹkọnạmạ
10 minutes oyinạ mịnịtạmạ
30 hours sioyi awạmạ

Days of the Week and Months of the Year

The days of the week are the same with those of English, just that the phrase “bai erịn”
meaning breaking day is added.
Days of the Week
Day erịn
Sunday Sọnde bai erịn (this literally means “the day breaking sunday)
Monday Mọnde bai erịn
Tuesday Tuyusde bai erịn
Wednesday Wẹnẹsde bai erịn
Thursday Tọsde bai erịn
Friday Fraide bai erịn
Saturday Satude bai erịn
Week Wiki

Months of the Year

Month Agọnọwei
Year Kurai
January Zanụari
February Febuari
March Mạsi
April Epreli
May Me
June Zụn
July Zulai
August Ọgọstu

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September Sẹputemba
October Ọkutoba
November Nọvemba
December Dicemba

What’s the Weather Like? – Erịntọru mẹ tẹbra kẹ emi? (Meaning how is the weather like?)
It is about to rain osuwo koro dọumẹnẹ (literally means “rain wants to fall”)
The sun is out owura padẹ
The weather is cold erịntọru mẹ kẹrẹkẹrẹ emi (the day is cold)
The weather is hot erịntọru mẹ afọrọ emi (the day is hot)
The weather is windy erịntọru mẹ afọriafọri emi

Season (ifiye)
Raining Osuwo-ifiye
Dry Bara-ifiye
Harmattan Otita-ifiye
Flood bowei-ifiye

Family Relations (Wari binạotu)

Mother yịn
Father dau / dabọ
Parent ziotu (both male and female), ziowei (male), ziarau (female)
Husband yei / zei / yeibei
Wife ta / tạmạ
Son oweitubọ / tubọbei
Daughter eretubọ / tubọmạ
Child tubọ
Children awọu
Brother bịnaowei, kẹnịbọwei (same father)
Sister bịnarau, kẹnịbọarau (same father)
Twin mạmụzi, mạziawọu
Grandfather opudau / Dadẹ

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Grandmother opuyịn / nẹnẹ

Grandson tatubọ / tatubọbei
Granddaughter tatubọ / tatubọmạ
Uncle yabẹowei / yabẹbei
Aunt yabẹarau / yabẹma
Nephew kẹnịbọweitubọ / kẹnịbọweitubọ(bei) (Brother’s Son)
kẹnịbọarautubọ / kẹnịbọarautubọ(bei) (Sister’s Son)
Niece kẹnịbọweitubọ / kẹnịbọweitubọ(ma) (Brother’s Daughter)
kẹnịbọarautubọ / kẹnịbọarautubọ(ma) (Brother’s Daughter)
Cousin yabẹtubọ (general), yabẹtubọbei (male), yabẹtubọma (female)
Son-in-law fuo-owei
Daughter-in-law niyạnta
Foster Dad sibedau
Foster Mom sibeyịn
Foster Parents sibeotu
Family friend (general) wari iyẹbọ (singular), wari iyẹotu (plural)
Family friend (male) wari iyẹowei
Family friend (female) wari iyẹarau
Relatives Zitu
Relatives from Wife’s family (Fuo-otu)
Father-in-law Ta daubei
Mother-in-law Ta yịnmạ
Brother-in-law fuo-owei
Sister-in-law fuo-arau
Relatives from Husband’s family (Do-otu)
Father-in-law yei daubei
Mother-in-law yei yịnmạ
Brother-in-law do-owei
Sister-in-law do-arau

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IJAW ARTICLES: KẸNỊ (A, AN) & MẸ (THE)

In Ijaw “kẹnị” which is “one” is used as “a” and “an”. “Mẹ” after a noun signifies “the” with
exception to words that have bei and ma. For example, the word yei and yeibei all means
husband, if you use yeibei in a sentence you won’t use mẹ in front, if your use yei you will
use mẹ. Same applies to words like Daubei and Dau (Father), yịn and yịnma (mother) etc.
E.g.

A boy is there - - Kẹnị tubọ ạnịyọ (mạ) emi

The child is good - - Tubọ mẹ ebi emi
The house of Luck - Tẹbẹbi wari mẹ
The Man is good - Kẹmẹ mẹ ebi emi

MORE THAN ONE: Pluralizing

Ijaw language uses a few words to pluralize. Now the ones discussed here are the ones
usually used in Tarakiri and neighbouring clans. They are; “ạmạ”, “bo” (which on its own
means come) and “mọ” (which on its own means and). The difference is in the stressing. E.g.

My Houses - - ẹnị waribo / ẹnị wariạmạ

His umbrellas - ụnị asisabo / ụnị asisạmạ
My shoes are old - ẹnị agbukabo oru emi / ẹnị agbukạmạ oru emi

Otu and abu which means people are also used alongside “bo” and “ạmạ” to pluralize words
relating to humans. E.g.
Man - Kẹmẹ Men/Mankind Kẹmẹotu / Kẹmẹạmạ
Male - Owei Males/Malefolk Oweiotu / Oweiạmạ
Female - iyọrọ Females/Femalefolk Iyọrọtu / Iyọrọạmạ
Woman - Ere Women/womenfolk Ereotu / Ereạmạ

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Grammar (Grama)

Once you start studying ijaw grammar, it will be very useful to know how grammar works in
ijaw as opposed to English, although you will not be starting from scratch. If you can speak
and write in English language or most especially understanding Pidgin English, ijaw grammar
will be a piece of cake for you.

Outline of a sentence
We will first of all look at the structure of the Ijaw sentence, we will also look at the parts of
speech that make up the sentence. Each sentence has two main parts: subject and predicate.
The subject is the word or phrase that does the action or carries the description. The predicate
is the rest – the action. On a norm, but not always, the subject will come before the predicate,
and the predicate can some times be scattered through the sentence.

Example
Subject Predicate
My mom and I …………………… are going home tomorrow
Bomịnị erịn mẹ …………. ẹnị yịnmạ mọ ẹmẹnẹ mọ ……….. ama mụmịnị
(Tomorrow) (My mom and I) (are going home)
My mom and I …………….. will go home tomorrow
Bomịnị erịn mẹ …………. ẹnị yịnmạ mọ ẹmẹnẹ mọ ……….. ama mụ mẹnẹ
(Tomorrow) (My mom and I) (will go home)
He …………………………….. likes her
Umẹnẹ ……………………….. a disẹ emi

PARTS OF SPEECH
The parts of speech in Ijaw are the same with those of English:
Noun nạụnụ Preposition Pripozisọnụ
Pronoun pronạụnụ Conjunction Kọnzọnsọnụ
Adjective azẹktivi Interjection Ịntazẹsọnụ
Verb Vẹbu Adverb Avẹbu

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NOUN
A noun (nạụnụ) as you already know may be any of the following:
Thing (Iye) Place (iyọ/yọ)
Bag Akpa Court Ọgulapẹlẹwari
Wrapper Bidẹ School Sukulu
Comb Zalaye Living House Yịrịnmịnị Wari
Shoe Agbuka Church sọsi
Shirt Aru

Person (Kẹmẹ) Perspective (Ororobra)

Mother yịn Truth Izọn
Father Dau / dabo Behavior Miẹbra
Uncle Yabẹ Faith Akinạ
Tari (unisex name)
*Check noun list for more nouns

In Ijaw, if you can match up a word with the Ijaw articles “kẹnị” (which could either mean
one, a, or an) and mẹ (the, this or these)” or any other adjective, the word is definitely a
noun, but some nouns like proper names like James, Tari, Ebiotu, Tọnbra cannot be matched.
This makes Ijaw easier because some verbs automatically turn to nouns when this articles
are matched up with them. E.g. wẹni (walk, move), mẹ wẹni (this walk, this movement), sọu
(fight/war), mẹ sọu (this war).

PRONOUNS
Just like in English, pronouns (pronạụnụạmạ) in ijaw are used in place of nouns or noun
phrases. Knowing the pronouns will save you a lot of repetition. If you were to make three
sentences with a name, repeating that name in all three makes you sound boring.

E.g. Give Pere some money. Give him some Money. Give it to him
He will do it by himself
Ebi went home. He went home.
In the above examples, Him, It, He, Himself are pronouns that work to replace specific nouns.

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PRONOUN CHART
Possessive Possessive
Subject Object Possessive Reflexive
pronouns pronouns
pronouns pronouns adjective pronouns
(singular)* (plural)*
Myself
I Me My Mine – Mine
1st person Ẹnị-ạngọ/
ẹ, ẹmẹnẹ e, emene ẹnị ẹnịye ẹnịyạịn
ẹmene-ạngọ
Yourself
You You Your Yours – Yours
2nd person Ịnị-ạngọ /
i, imẹnẹ i, imẹnẹ ịnị ịnịye ịnịyain
imene-ạngọ
Himself
3rd person He Him His His
His – ụnịye Ụnị-ạngọ /
(male) u, umẹnẹ u, umẹnẹ ụnị ụnịyain
ụmene-ạngọ
Herself
3rd person She Her Her Hers Hers
Anị-ạngọ /
(female) a, amẹnẹ a, amẹnẹ anị anịye anịyain
amene-ạngọ
Itself
It It Its
3rd person - - Ạni-ạngọ /
ạ, ạmẹnẹ ạ, ạmẹnẹ ạnị
amene-ạngọ
Ourselves
1st person We Us Our Ours Ours
Onị-ạngọ /
(plural) o, omẹnẹ o, omẹnẹ onị onịye onịyain
omene-ạngọ
You You Yourselves
2nd person You Yours Yours
ọn, on, Ọnị-ạngọ /
(plural) ọnị ọnịye ọnịyain
ọnmẹnẹ ọnmẹnẹ ọnmene-ạngọ
They Them Themselves
3rd person Their Theirs Theirs
ọn, ọn, Ọnị-ạngọ /
(plural) ọnị ọnịye ọnịyain
ọnmẹnẹ ọnmẹnẹ Ọnmene-ạngọ

* The singular possessive pronouns are used when the objective (noun) is singular.
E.g. That comb is mine – ạnị zalaye mẹ ẹniye
* The plural possessive pronouns are used when the objective (noun) is plural
E.g. Those combs are mine – ạni zalayebo ẹniyạịn
Other Pronouns
That/those - - - ạnị (ạnị iye / ạnị iyebo – that thing / those things)
There - - - - ạnịyọ, bereyọ, wereyọ
E.g. Wereyọ di / ạnịyọ di – Look there
Who/whoever/whom/whose - Tubọ / bọ
E.g. Tubọ kẹ ạ miẹ wẹri emi – Who did it
Mẹyọ mạ bịnị dẹsi bọ … - - - whoever poured water here …
Which - - - - Tubọ (living), teye/teriye (non-living)

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What - - - - Teye, Teriye or Te (in some cases “iye / ye” meaning thing)
E.g. ịnị arẹ mẹ teye? – Your name is what?
Teye kẹ ịnị arẹ? – What is your name?
Where - - - - Tẹyọ or Tẹriyọ
E.g. i tẹyọ kẹ emi? – Where are you?
Everything - - - Iyebosẹ or Iyemosẹ
E.g. iyebosẹ ebi mẹnẹ – everything will be ok
Here - - - Mẹ
E.g. Here is your book – mẹ ịnị fụn
Each other - - - Izizọ
E.g. O sẹ izizọ tari agbẹ emi – we all are supposed
to love each other
This - - - - Mẹ (the noun must be singular)
E.g. mẹ zalaye – this comb
These - - - - Mẹ (the noun must be plural. E.g. mẹ zalayebo –
these combs)
All - - - - Sẹ
e.g. o sẹ / omẹnẹ sẹ – all of us
Some - - - - Zuwa
e.g. zuwa bịnị kọnbo – bring some water
Everyone/Everybody - - Kẹmẹsẹ / Kẹmẹsẹsẹ
E.g. Kẹmẹsẹ bo mẹnẹ – Everyone will come
Someone - - - Kẹnịbọ (general), Kẹnịkẹmẹ (man),
Kẹnịarau (woman), Kẹnịtubọ (child)
E.g. Kẹnịkẹmẹ mẹ erịn (mẹ) wari bo wẹri emi –
Someone came home today
Something - - - Iye
e.g. omẹnẹ iye miẹ mẹnẹ – we will do something;
iye ạnịyọ emi – something is there
iye sei emi – something is bad
Something - - - Kẹnịye (this is more like “one thing”)

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E.g. ẹ kẹnịye gba i pri dọumẹnẹ – I want to

tell u something
Much/many - - - bịn
e.g. bịn kẹmẹạmạ sẹlẹ nạnạ wẹri emi – many
people have money
Little/few - - - - zuwa
E.g. ẹ zuwa sẹlẹ nạnạ wẹri emi – I have little money
Nothing - - - iyegha/iyefa
e.g. iye emigha or iyefa – there is nothing
iyegha – nothing
one another - - - Izizọ
E.g. izizọ tari – love one another

ADJECTIVE
Pronouns replace nouns, adjectives describes or modifies nouns. Some nouns can be turned
to adjectives by adding “emi”. E.g. Kurọ (Power) – Kurọemi (Powerful). The following are
some adjectives:

Big Duba Clean Yali

Small Kala Dirty Lọlu/Ilọli

Tall Dawạịn Short Koli

Lazy Su / Sufa Beautiful Ebiemi

Black Kpẹlẹkpẹlẹ/Dirimọ White Pịnạpịnạ

Good Ebi, Sọmze Lucky Tẹbẹbi

Old Oru New Aya

Large/Huge Ụmgbọ Little Kala

Important tip: When adjectives come before nouns or after pronouns “EMI” is said
after some adjectives, if they end sentences “MO, OH” is said after them.

Check adjective list for more

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VERBS
Verbs are action words. They describe what someone or something does, whether it is past,
present or future. E.g.

Walk Wẹni / Wạngi Shout Olou

Eat Fi Cough Alọu

Dance Sẹi Read Go

Jump Dẹsi Cook Tuwọ

Climb Owou Run Bạịn

Drink Bou Look Di

Check verb list for many more

ADVERB
While adjectives describes a noun, adverbs describe or modifies a verb. In ijaw, there are
very few specific adverbs and there are driffeent ways of making a word which is usually a
verb or adjective to be an adverb. The words can be pronounced twice (sara sara - quickly),
and “mọ” or “bra” can be added. E.g.

Quick sara / kiali quickly saramọ / sara sara / kiali kiali

Beauty Ebi Beautiful ebiemi beautifully ebibra

Care Kekere Careful ạngọdi carefully dọlọ dọlọ

Quiet kpịrịn quietly lẹlẹ

Power kurọ powerful kurọemi powerfully kurọbra

PREPOSITION

Preposition in Ijaw changes a sentence lot. They are words that signal position of a noun or
pronoun (physical or otherwise). For example:

Ask for me - - - - - bi ẹ pri (here “pri (for)” is the preposition)

She is inside the house - - a wari bulumạ emi (“bulu” meaning inside is the preposition)
Note: Almost all prepositions are feminized with the addition of “mạ” or in some few cases
“mẹ”.
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Other prepositions
Outside Gạ Left / Left Hand Side Kọnọ / Kọnọbra
Above Agọnọ Right / Right Hand Side Ama / Amabra
Below Kụnụkụnụ Middle Oturubiri / Ovuru
Past Bọdẹ Behind/Back/Backward Tụn
Centre Oturubiri Ahead / Front / Forward Bọlọu
In, Inside Bulu / Bulu Here Mẹyọ
There Ạnịyọ, Bere Corner Aka / Akaara

CONJUNCTION
These are words that comes at a junction. These words join or relate words or phrases. E.g.
Now Wẹri / mẹtiẹkiri / mimimimi / mimi
And Mọ and Nạ
Even though/although Kpọ
Immediately Mẹtiẹkiri-tiẹkiri / tiẹkiri-tiẹkiri
Suddenly Vurudu
First Dẹkẹ (after a verb e.g. ạnịyọ mụdẹkẹ – go there first)
First of all Bọlọu bọlọu mẹ (comes before a noun or pronoun e.g. bọlọu bọlọu
mẹ, ẹmẹnẹ I gbamịnị iye nịmịgha – first of all, I don’t know what
you are talking about).
Currently Mẹtiẹkiri mẹ
When Dẹsẹ / Nẹsẹ (these three are for commencement), Tẹfiye (this
one is used when asking for time in questions).
E.g. when you dance, your body is reenergized - - - i sẹidẹsẹ, ịnị
ạngọ wai kurọdẹ.
When are you coming? - - - - - tẹfiye kẹ i bomịnị?
If Dẹba/Daba
E.g. If you dance, your body is reenergized - - - i sẹidẹba, ịnị ạngọ
wai kurọdẹ.
That / so that dẹsra
So ạnịạ
Because donẹ

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Since donẹ (reason), sẹ (time)

Just now mẹtiẹkiri
Even now mẹimikpọ

INTERJECTION
Interjection is a word or expression that occurs as an utterance on its own and expresses a
spontaneous feeling or reaction. It is a diverse category, encompassing many different parts
of speech such as exclamation, curses, greetings, response particles, hesitation markers and
other words.
Woh! Mbạnạ Imiẹkamo
Ado Doh Eh!
Apo! Seridẹ? Uhmm
Eweiwo Koidẹ Ah!
Nụạ Abei Ama
Gbẹsẹ Miẹbaka

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Grammar – Part II (Grama – Mạkaramọ yọ)

This part will further explain Ijaw grammar to you. This section will teach you how to make
a basic sentence with few nouns and verbs in different steps up till the more difficult sentences
with multiples nouns, verbs, adjectives, preposition etc.
But first, it will be nice if you know some common household nouns:
Plural (bo or ạmạ)
Bed Obinẹ Obinẹbo / Obinẹạmạ
Spoon Koyẹrẹ Koyẹrẹbo / Koyẹrẹạmạ
Shoe Agbuka Agbukabo / Agbukạmạ
Wrapper Bidẹ Bidẹbo / Bidẹạmạ
Shirt Aru Arubo / Aruạmạ
Bag Akpa Akpabo / Akpạmạ
Book Fụn Fụnbo / Fụnạmạ
Toothbrush Akasọrọye Akasọrọyebo / Akasọrọyeạmạ
Toothpaste Akasọrọbịnị Akasọrọbịnịbo / Akasọrọbịnịạmạ
Pot Bẹlẹ Bẹlẹbo / Bẹlẹạmạ
Comb Zalaye Zalayebo / Zalayeạmạ
Mother Yịn / Yịnma* Yịnbo / Yịnạmạ
Father Dau / Daubei* / Dabọ Daubo / Dauạmạ
Grandmother Opuyịn / Nẹnẹ Opuyịnbo / Opuyịnạmạ
Dog Obiri Obiribo / Obiriạmạ
Cat Ologbo Ologbobo / Ologboạmạ
Woman Ere / Eremạ* Erebo / Ereạmạ
Man Kẹmẹ / Kẹmẹbei Kẹmẹbo / Kemeạmạ
Room Zuru Zurubo / Zuruạmạ
Umbrella Asisa Asisabo / Asisạmạ
Rat Oke Okebo / Okeạmạ
Goat Obori Oboribo / Oboriạmạ
House Wari Waribo / Wariạmạ
Matches Agbunạ Agbunạbo / Agbunạmạ
* Mạ and Bei are usually added to names of living things (humans & animals) to indicate
“female” or “male” respectively.

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* bo works for some and not others and also ạmạ. But that topic is beyond the basics of Ijaw.

BUILDING SENTENCES
The following sub-sections will show you the step-by-step process of building an Ijaw
sentence. It is recommended for you to try using different nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives
etc. to boost your knowledge of Ijaw.

We start with two word sentences or phrases.

Proper Names + Nouns

Singular Plural
Tari’s House Tari wari Tari’s Houses Tari waribo / wariạmạ
Ebiton’s Bed Ebitọn obinẹ Ebiton’s Beds Ebiton obinẹbo / obinẹạmạ
Preye’s Dog Preye obiri Preye’s Dogs Preye obiribo / obiriạmạ
Ayiba’s Book Ayiba fụn Ayiba’s books Ayiba fụnbo / fụnạmạ
Possessive Pronouns + Nouns
Singular Plural
My Book ẹnị fụn My books ẹnị fụnbo / ẹnị fụnạmạ
His Mother ụnị yịn His Mothers ụnị yịnbo / uni yịnạmạ
Our Comb onị zalaye our combs onị zalayebo / oni zalayeạmạ
Her Cat anị ologbo Her cats anị ologbobo / ologboạmạ
Possessive Pronouns + Noun + Noun
My Father’s House ẹnị dau(bei) wari
Her Uncle’s Book anị yabẹ fụn
My Mother’s Cat ẹnị yịn(mạ) ologbo
His Grandmother’s Wrapper ụnị opuyịn(mạ) bidẹ
Possessive + Noun + Possessive + Noun
My father and his Mother ẹnị dau(bei) mọ ụnị yịn(mạ) mọ
Our father is your uncle onị dau(bei) ịnị yabẹowei
Her Mother is your aunt anị yịnmạ ịnị yabẹarau

Adding Adjectives

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When adding adjectives like small, big, tall, short, black, beautiful etc. we always put “emi”
at the end of the sentence, and it is most times pronounced as English pronoun “me”. In
Negative statements the sound “a” spelt as “gha” is used instead of “emi”.
Examples:
Positive Negative (Not)
My Bed is big ẹnị obinẹ duba emi ẹnị obinẹ duba gha – my bed is not big
My Room is dirty ẹnị zuru lọlu emi ẹnị zuru lọlu gha
The man is tall kẹmẹ mẹ dawạịn emi kẹmẹ mẹ dawạịn gha
Your Dog is lazy ịnị obiribei su emi ịnị obiribei su gha
His mother is good ụnị yịnmạ ebi emi ụnị yịnmạ ebi gha
Their shirts are clean ọnị arubo yalẹ emi ọnị arubo yalẹ gha
Now construct more sentences as practice drill, and always remember the formula is always:
Possessive pronoun + Noun + Adjective + emi (Positive statements)
Possessive pronoun + Noun + Adjective + gha (Negative statements)
More Nouns with Adjectives
My Father’s House is big ẹnị dau wari duba emi
The Man’s children are tall Kẹmẹbei awọubo dawạịn emi
Your Brother’s Dog is lazy ịnị kẹnịbọwei obiribei su/sufa emi
Their Shirts are old ọnị arubo oru emi
Now construct more sentences as practice drill, and always remember the formula is
always:
Possessive pronoun + Noun + Noun + Adjective + emi (Positive statements)
Possessive pronoun + Noun + Noun + Adjective + gha (Negative statements)
Other examples
My Father’s big House ẹnị dau duba wari mẹ
The Man’s tall children kẹmẹbei dawạịn awọubo
Your Brother’s lazy Dog ịnị kẹnịbọwei su/sufa obiribei
Their old shirts ọnị oru arubo
Your husband is good ịnị yeibei ebi mo
Your wife is very beautiful ịnị tạmạ ạngọtuwaebi mo
My Dad is tall ẹni daubei dawạịn emi

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Comparative and Superlative Adjectives (Comparison)

In Ijaw Comparative and Superlative adjectives are one of the easiest things you have to
learn. That is because Ijaw has only two ways, one for comparative and the other for
superlative. English language uses a lot to do comparison but we have only two ways. For
the comparatives, the word “bọ” which means “pass, higher” is used while for superlatives
the word “dẹịn” which has the same meaning as “bọ” and other meanings is used. Sometimes
they are even used interchangeably. E.g.

Comparatives
English Ijaw English Ijaw
Big Duba The man is Big Kẹmẹ mẹ duba emi
Bigger Duba(bọ) The man is bigger than you Kẹmẹ mẹ duba i bọ emi

Small Kala The dog is small Obiribei kala emi

Smaller Kala(bọ) Your is smaller than mine ịnị obiribei kala ẹnịye bọ emi

Dirty Lolu your room is dirty ịnị zuru lọlu emi

Dirtier Lolu(bọ) his room is dirtier than mine ụnị zuru lọlu ẹnịye bọ emi

Smart Kelekele The boy is smart Tubọbei kẹlẹkẹlẹ emi

Smarter kelekele(bọ) They are smarter than us ọnmẹnẹ kẹlẹkẹlẹ o bọ emi

Beautiful Ebi your shoes are beautiful ịnị agbukabo ebi emi
More Beautiful Ebi(bọ) my shirt is more beautiful than yours ẹnị aru ebi ịnịye bọ emi

Superlatives
Biggest Duba(dẹịn) That man is the biggest ạnị kẹmẹ kẹ duba dẹịn emi
Smallest Kala(dẹịn) Her dog is the smallest anị obiri kẹ kala dẹịn emi
Dirtiest lolu(dẹịn) her room is the dirtiest anị zuru kẹ lọlu dẹịn emi
Smartest kẹlẹkẹlẹ(dẹịn) She is the smartest in the class a kẹ klass mẹ kẹlẹkẹlẹ dẹịn emi
Most Beautiful Ebi(dẹịn) who is the most beautiful here? Tubọkẹ mẹyọ mạ ebi dẹịn emi?

Putting in Some Action Words: Verbs

Verbs are action words as discussed above. Under this section we will talk about extensively
on tenses. Once you know your tenses and how to use them, together with all you have read
up till now, your knowledge in Ijaw language will be up to 50%. In Ijaw, Verbs usually comes
last in a simple sentence. The following are examples:

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Tenses
There are several tenses in Ijaw, namely: Simple Present, Present Progressive, Simple Past,
Past Progressive, Present Perfect, Present Perfect Progressive, Past Perfect, Past Perfect
Progressive, Future – will, Future – going to, Future Progressive, Future Perfect
The following table will elaborate more using the ijaw verb “tei” (play).

Tense Example (English) Example (Ijaw)

Simple Present I play basketball every week Ẹ wiki bosẹ basketballu tei

Present Progressive I’m playing basketball now Ẹ mẹtiẹkiri mẹ basketballu teimịnị

Bọdẹ erịn mẹ ẹ basketballu tei
Simple Past I played basketball yesterday
wẹri emi
I was playing basketball the
Past Progressive Buburu sẹ ẹ basketballu tei tịmị
whole evening
I have played basketball Ẹ basketballu teidẹ
Present Perfect
I have just played basketball Ẹ mẹtiẹkiri mẹ e basketballu teidẹ

I have been playing Ẹ tara awamạ kọn basketballu tei

Present Perfect Progressive
basketball for 3 hours kẹ tei tịmị

I had played basketball before Mary sạ bogha fiye mẹ, ẹ

Past Perfect
Mary came basketballu teisịndẹ

I had been playing basketball Mary bo fiye mẹ, ẹ basketballu

Past Perfect Progressive
when Mary came teitịmị

Bomịnị wiki mẹ, ẹ basketballu tei

Future – will I will play basketball next week
mẹnẹ

I’m going to play basketball Mẹ pekei mẹ ẹ basketballu

Future – going to
this morning teimọmịnị/teimịnị

I will be playing basketball Bomịnị sọndẹ bai erịn mẹ, ẹ

Future Progressive
next Sunday basketballu tei tịmị mẹnẹ
I will have played basketball Bomịnị erịn mẹ, ẹ basketballu
Future Perfect
by tomorrow teisịn agbẹ emi

Try practicing the above with more verbs and nouns. You can find more verbs and nouns in
Building your vocabulary part II section. And the tenses are the same when the pronouns
are plural.

Other Important Info (Check Extras for more):

Has to/have to – agbẹ emi: E.g. I have to go home now – ẹ mẹtiẹkiri wari mụ agbẹ emi

Want to – dọumẹnẹ: E.g. I want to eat something – ẹ iye fi dọumẹnẹ.

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Must – (verb+kẹ+verb+mẹnẹ): Your father must come – ịnị daubei bo kẹ bo mẹnẹ.

Should /Supposed to – (verb+kẹ+verb+agbẹ+emi): Your Mother should come – ịnị

yịnmạ bo kẹ bo agbẹ emi

Should Have/Supposed to have – (Verb+agbẹ+tịmị+(mo) / verb+kẹ+verb+agbẹ

+tịmị+(mo)): your wife should have danced – Ịnị tạmạ sẹi agbẹ tịmị (mo) “or”
Ịnị tạmạ sẹi kẹ sẹi agbẹ tịmị (mo).

Noun + Verbs
Tari is walking Tari wẹnịmịnị
Ebi is Singing Ebi tụnmịnị
Akpoebi is Dancing Akpoebi seimịnị
John is Jumping John desimịnị
Tariowei is laughing Tariowei derimịnị
Ebiere is Crying Ebiere youmịnị

Possessive Pronouns + Verbs

I am going ẹ mụmịnị
I am eating ẹ iye fimịnị (here “iye” meaning “something” is added; making it
“I am eating something)
He is Reading Umẹnẹ iye gomịnị (here too iye is added meaning, He is reading
something)
She is running a bạịnmịnị
We are Playing Omẹnẹ teimịnị

Possessive Pronouns + Nouns + Verbs

My Sister is running ẹnị kẹnịbọarau bạịnmịnị
His Dog has jumped ụnị obiri(bei) desidẹ
Our Mother is coming Onị yịnmạ bomịnị
Their Uncle has seated ọnị yabẹbei petimidẹ (petimi means seat)
Her Brother will fight him anị kẹnịbọwei u sọu mẹnẹ
Her brother will fight with him anị kẹnịbọwei u mọmọ sọu mẹnẹ (mọmọ - with)
I am brushing my teeth ẹ ẹnị akabo sọrọmịnị
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She is going home a wari mụmịnị

Is she going home? a wari mụmịnị?

Multiple Nouns + Verbs / Multiple Pronouns + Verbs

My Sister slapped your brother ẹnị kẹnịbọarau ịnị kẹnịbọwei polo wẹri emi
Your son insulted me ịnị tubọbei ẹ weri wẹri emi (weri - insult)
You son have insulted me ịnị tubọbei ẹ weridẹ
She is going to her father’s place/house a anị dau yọ/wari mụmịnị
He is washing his mother’s plates u ụnị yịn pạnụạmạ sọrọmịnị
They are playing in their room ọn ọnị zuru bulumạ teimịnị
We are reading our books o onị fụnbo gomịnị
I am buying something ẹ iye fẹmịnị
I will buy something ẹ iye fẹ mẹnẹ
I am supposed to sleep by now mimi mẹ ẹ bọnọ agbẹ emi
* Note: For better understanding, study the tense table to know the different tenses.
These tenses are the same with any verb you use.

Adding Adverbs
She talked quietly amẹnẹ dọlọ dọlọ kọn fiye wẹri emi
Adverb F1: Pronoun + adverb + kon + verb + tense
Walk quickly wẹnị saramọ
Adverb F2: Verb + adverb
They shouted loudly omẹnẹ kurọbra kọn olou wẹri emi
Adverb F3: Pronoun + adverb + kon + verb + tense
We will eat our food quickly omẹnẹ sara sara kọn onị fiyai/feye fi mẹnẹ
Adverb F4: Pronoun + adverb + kon + pronoun + noun + verb + tense

Call me quickly ẹ tẹn saramọ or kiali kiali ẹ tẹn

Pronoun + verb + Adverb or Adverb + Pronoun + verb
Note: From Adverb F1 to Adverb F5, nouns, pronouns and adjectivial phrases {like, the good
man (ebiemi kẹmẹ mẹ), fair lady (pịnạemi arau)} can replace the pronouns and nouns.

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How does Prepositions come in?

In the following example, we will use the prepositions: gạ (outside), kọnọbra (left/left hand
side), amabra (right/right hand side), kụnụkụnụ (below), bọlọu (ahead/front/forward),
bulu/bulumạ (in/inside), agọnọ (above/up), oturubiri (middle/centre), nạịn (close to).
Examples:
The boy is outside the house Tubọbei wari gạ mạ emi
The boy is in front of the house Tubọbei wari bọlọu mạ emi
The chair is inside the room kasi mẹ zuru bulu mạ emi
Check the middle oturubiri di (di also means look)
Have you checked that corner? i ạnị aka didẹ?
Your book is under our bed ịnị fụn mẹ onị obinẹ kụnụkụnụ mạ emi
Look up, you will see it agọnọ di, i ạ ẹri mẹnẹ
The woman sitting at the left kọnọbra mẹ pẹrẹmịnị eremạ (sit – pẹrẹ/sitting – pẹrẹmịnị)
Go to your right ịnị amabra mụ
They are not in front of us omẹnẹ oni bọlọu mạ fa (mạ is added as explained in
the previous section)
I am close to you ẹ i nạịn emi
I am close with you ẹ i mọmọ nạịn emi

Linking: Using Conjunctions & Interjections

Conjunctions comes in front of a sentence, in the middle or at the end, interjections comes
first in a sentence. Interjections also make their own sentences. Examples will be made with
the following conjunctions.

And (mọ)

Mọ is used to connect two nouns, two pronouns or a noun and a pronoun.

My mother and I are beautiful – ẹnị yịnma mọ ẹmẹnẹ mọ ebi emi

(mọ – “and” comes after the two connected nouns or pronouns in

this case “mother” and “I”). It can be seldomly spoken as “ẹnị
yịnma mọ ẹmẹnẹ ebi emi” with just one “mọ”.

You and I will be famous one day – imẹnẹ mọ ẹmẹnẹ mọ kẹnị erịn orupa/ẹrẹpa mẹnẹ

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And (Na)
Na is used to connect two verbs. These kind of sentences are sometimes
accompanied with “oh” at the end.
Go and come - mụ nạ bo / mụ nạ bo oh
Go and come back home - mụ nạ wai wari bo oh
Run and escape - bạịn nạ tẹi
Sleep and Wake up - Bọnọ nạ sou

With (mọmọ)
Stay with me – ẹ mọmọ timi
Stay with you – i mọmọ timi
I will stay with you – ẹ i mọmọ timi mẹnẹ
They are with us – ọnmẹnẹ o mọmọ emi
He is staying with his father – umẹnẹ ụnị dau mọmọ timimịnị (timi here means stay)
He is in his father’s place – umẹnẹ ụnị dau yọ kẹ emi
I am with you – ẹ i mọmọ emi

First (Dẹkẹ – comes after a verb; Tari, Bọlọu – comes first in a sentence)
Go there first – ạnị yọ mụdẹkẹ
Do mine first – Tari ẹnịye miẹ / bọlọu ẹnịye miẹ

First of all (bọlọu bọlọu mẹ / bọlọu kiri mẹ/ bọlọu seri mẹ)
First of all, I don’t like her – bọlọu bọlọu mẹ, ẹ a disẹgha
You should first of all say what you want to say – bọlọu bọlọu mẹ, i ịnị gba dọumẹnẹ iye
gba.

Currently (mẹtiẹkiri mẹ)

I currently do not have money - - ẹ mẹtiẹkiri mẹ sẹlẹ/igbogi nạnạgha
Currently speaking, the man is stingy - - mẹtiẹkiri mẹ fiyemịnị mẹ, kẹmẹbei gbarẹn
emi.
(Sometimes; as in this case, “mẹ” is used to fill in gaps in a sentence to
make it sound complete)
The things currently happening in Nigeria - - mẹtiẹkiri mẹ Naiziria bulumạ pamịnị
iyebo
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If (dẹba / nẹba / nạba)

If you get home, tell your mother - - i wari la dẹba, gba ịnị yịnmạ pri.
(gbapri as a word means tell, in a sentence it is spread with the pronoun and noun the
message is going to. Like in the example above, ịnị – your & yịnmạ – mother separates it)
If I see you here again … - - - - ẹ mẹyọ mạ wai i ẹri dẹba …
That / so that (dẹsra and donẹ)
Be quick so that we can leave this place – miẹ saramọ dẹsra o mẹ yọ mạ seri
I am doing this so that your name can be famous – ịnị ẹri orupa kẹ donẹ ẹ mẹyẹ
miẹmịnị
Because (donẹ)
I am doing it because of your father - - - - ịnị dau donẹ ẹ ạ miẹmịnị
We are all suffering because of her - - amẹnẹ donẹ o sẹ oyafumịnị / a kẹ donẹ o sẹ
oyafumịnị
I like him because he is good - - - u ebi donẹ ẹ u disẹ emi
When (dẹsẹ/nẹsẹ)
When i get back, I will beat you - - - - ẹ wai bo dẹsẹ, ẹ I famu mẹnẹ
When I go to the market, I will buy you a shirt - - - ẹ fọu mụ nẹsẹ, ẹ kẹnị aru fẹ i pri
mẹnẹ
Even though (kpọ)
Even though you dance / even though you do not dance - - i sẹi kpọ / i sẹi gha kpọ
Even though you go to Lagos, you will not see her - - i Lagos mụ kpọ, i a ẹri ghafa
Just now (mẹtiẹkiri / mẹtiẹkiri mẹ / mẹtiẹkiri kẹ)
He walked out just now - - u mẹtiẹkiri kẹ wẹni pa emi
They were fighting just now – ọnmẹnẹ mẹtiẹkiri kẹ sọutimi / ọnmẹnẹ mẹtiẹkiri ka
sọutimi
Even now (mẹịmịkpọ)
Even now, they do not eat snail - - - mẹịmịkpọ, omẹnẹ osi fi gha
Even now? - mẹịmịkpọ?
So (ania)
Since {donẹ (reason), fiyesẹ / sẹ (time)}
Since we are no longer going there, give me my money - - - o ba ạnịyọ mụ
gha donẹ, ẹnị sẹlẹ kọn ẹ pri

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Since you went out, they have been crying - - - - - i wenipa fiyesẹ, ọn you kẹ
you timi.

Interjections
As discussed in the above section, they are exclamation words, greetings etc. the following
are some and their meanings.
Woh! – This word is used when you are surprised at what you hear, see or touch. The
English equivalent is OMG! (Oh my God!)
Mbana – This word means “well done”. It is used to show appreciation to someone after
doing a work
Imiẹkamo /Imiẹkam – this word means “you have done well”. Its use is the same with
Mbana
Miẹbaka - this word means “you have done well”. Its use is the same with Imiekamo
Ado – this word is used as a salutation for greeting multiple people at a go.
Doh – this word originally means “sorry” but it can still be used to mean “Thank You”.
Eh! – This word is used the same way Woh! is used. It is also used to draw the attention
of someone.
Apo! – This word is used in situations of great surprise, miraculous events or abominations.
Its English equivalent is “What!” and it sometimes said repeatedly to show the level of
disgust or surprise.
Sisei – This word means “Please”.
Pasisei - This word also means “Please”. But is stronger in meaning than “sisei”.
Seridẹ? – This is question usually asked in the morning. It is means “woken up already?”.
It is actually the English equivalent of “Good morning” in Ijaw.
Uhmm – This is a sound one gives when he or her is confused.
Eweiwo – This word is used when someone is extremely happy.
Eku/Ekumo – This word is the opposite of eweiwo. It is used when responding to bad
news or events or when someone is extremely sad. A more accepted translation is the
English word “Woe”, used when one wants to swear or lay a curse.
Koidẹ/koitẹ/okoidẹ – this is a greeting meaning “I have kneeled”. It is expected of every
younger ijaw person to tell his or her elder koide, any time he or she sees that person. Just
like English, you say Okoide once in the Morning, Afternoon & Evening.
Ah! – This one has the same use with that of Ah! (Surprise) in English.
Nụạ – this is a greeting said to one another anytime in the day.
Abei – This word is used to draw a Male’s attention. It means “Hey Boy!, Hello Man!”
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Ama – This word is the feminine word of Abei. It is used to draw a female’s attention. It
means “Hey Girl!, Hello Woman!”.
Gbẹsẹ – this word means “truly, Frankily, candidly”.
Alua! – This word is used mostly in the Ogbia dialect of Ijaw language. It serves the same
purpose as nua. But with further analysis of this word, it might mean “peace be unto you”
since luwai means peace, calm in Tarakiri and oporomo clans. E.g. luwai e weri – leave me
in peace.
Kọkọye - This word means “truthful thing”. It is used to affirm the truthfulness of what
someone said or did.
Kọkọ - This word can be translated to mean “surely, truly” etc.

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ASKING QUESTIONS AND ANSWERING THEM

Asking and answering questions in Ijaw in quite simple and straight-forward just like English Language. E.g.
English Ijaw Answers (English) Answers (Ijaw)
YES NO Ị ỌN- ỌN
Are you coming? i bomịnị? Yes, I will come No, I will not come ị , ẹ bo mẹnẹ ọn-ọn, ẹ bo ghafa

Will you come? i bo mẹnẹ? Yes, I will come No, I will not come ị , ẹ bo mẹnẹ ọn-ọn, ẹ bo ghafa

Are you not coming? I boghafa? Yes, I am Coming No, I am not coming ị , ẹ bomịnị ọn-ọn, ẹ bo ghafa

Will they come Ọn bo mẹnẹ? Yes, they will come No, they will not come ị , ọn bo mẹnẹ ọn-ọn, ọn bo ghafa

Won’t they come? Ọn bogha? Yes, they will come No, they wont come ị , ọn bo mẹnẹ ọn-ọn, ọn bo gha?

Is your dad at home? Ịnị daubei wari emi? Yes, He is at home No, he is not at home in, u wari emi ọn-ọn, u wari ghafa

Where is your Brother? Ịnị kẹnịbọwei tẹyọ kẹ emi? He is in his room He is not in his room u ụnị zuru bulumạ emi u ụnị zuru bulu ghafa

Have you cooked the food I fiyai (mẹ) tuwọdẹ? Yes, I have cooked it No, I have not cooked it ị , ẹ ạ tuwọdẹ ọn-ọn, ẹ sạ ạ tuwọ gha

Did you cook the food? I fiyai (mẹ) tuwọ wẹri emi? Yes, I cooked it No, I did not cook it ị , ẹ ạ tuwo mo/me ọn-ọn, ẹ ạ tuwọ gha

Will you cook the food? I fiyai (mẹ) tuwọ mẹnẹ Yes, I will cook it No, I will not cook it ị , ẹ ạ tuwo mẹnẹ ọn-ọn, ẹ ạ tuwọ ghafa

Are you cooking the food? I fiyai (mẹ) tuwọmịnị Yes, I am cooking it No, I am not cooking it ị , ẹ ạ tuwomịnị ọn-ọn, ẹ ạ tuwọ gha

QUESTIONS WITH “WHO (TUBỌ KẸ)”

Who cooked the food? Tubọ kẹ fiyai tuwo weri emi I cooked it I did not cook it ẹ kẹ ạ tuwọ wẹri emi ẹ ạ tuwọ gha

Who is cooking the food? Tubọ kẹ fiyai tuwọmịnị I am cooking it I am not cooking it ẹ ạ tuwọmịnị ẹ ạ tuwọmịnị gha /tuwọ gha

Who will cook the food? Tubọ kẹ fiyai tuwọ mẹnẹ I will / I will cook it Not Me / I will not cook it ẹmẹnẹ / ẹ ạ tuwọ mẹnẹ ẹmẹnẹ gha / ẹmẹnẹ ạ tuwọ gha

Who will be cooking the food? Tubọ kẹ fiyai tuwọ mẹnẹ I will be doing/cooking it I won’t be doing it ẹ ạ miẹmịnị/tuwọmịnị ẹ ạ miẹ gha

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QUESTIONS WITH “WHY (TẸKẸDONẸ/TẸYẸKẸDONẸ)”

Why is he outside the house u tẹkẹdonẹ wari gạ mạ emi / tẹkẹdonẹ u wari gạ mạ emi
Why are they crying ọn tẹkẹdonẹ yọumịnị / tẹkẹdonẹ ọn yọumịnị
Why are you dirty tẹkẹdonẹ i lọlu emi
Why are you not back tẹkẹdonẹ i wai bo gha
Why are you not back yet tẹkẹdonẹ i sạ wai bo gha
Why are you like this tẹkẹdonẹ i mẹbra (mẹ) emi
Why are still at home tẹkẹdonẹ i mẹịmịkpọ wari emi
Why did you do it tẹkẹdonẹ i ạ miẹ wẹri emi
Why did you beat her tẹkẹdonẹ i ạ famụ wẹri emi
QUESTIONS WITH “WHERE (TẸYỌ KẸ)”
Where is your brother ịnị kẹnịbọwei tẹyọ kẹ emi
Where is my Phone ịnị fonụ tẹyọ kẹ emi
Where can I get this thing tẹyọ kẹ i mẹ iye nạnạgha pa emi
Where did she go a tẹyọ kẹ mụ wẹri emi
Where did I wrong you ẹ tẹyọ kẹ i miẹkiri wẹri emi
Where is the love you have tẹyọ kẹ i nạnạ wẹri emi tari mẹ
QUESTIONS WITH “WHEN (TẸFIYẸ KẸ)”
When are you coming tẹfiyẹ kẹ i bomini
When will you come back tẹfiyẹ kẹ i wai bo mẹnẹ
When will I get my money tẹfiyẹ kẹ ẹ ẹnị igbogi/sẹlẹ nạnạ mẹnẹ
When will I take my money tẹfiyẹ kẹ ẹ ẹnị igbogi/sẹlẹ kọn mẹnẹ
When will you give me my money tẹfiyẹ kẹ i ẹnị igbogi/sẹlẹ kọn ẹ pri mẹnẹ
When did she come a tẹfiyẹ kẹ bo (wẹri emi)
QUESTIONS WITH “HOW (TẸBRA KẸ/TẸBRA KỌN)”
How did you do it i tẹbra kọn a mie (weri emi)
How did she dance a tẹbra kọn sei (weri emi)
How is you Mom ịnị yịnmạ tẹbra kọn emi / ịnị yịnmạ tẹbra kẹ emi
How is everybody kẹmẹsẹ tẹbra kọn emi / kẹmẹsẹ tẹbra kẹ emi
How is your sick Dog ịnị dọụnmịnị obiribei tẹbra kẹ emi
QUESTIONS WITH “WHAT (TEYE KẸ/TERIYE KẸ)”
What is you name Teye kẹ ịnị arẹ (mẹ)
What are you doing there Teye kẹ I ạnịyọ mạ miẹmịnị
What do you want now Mẹtiẹkiri mẹ I teye kẹ dọumẹnẹ
What were you saying (yesterday evening) Teye kẹ I (bodẹ erịn buburu mạ) fietimi

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Phrases (fresis)

This Section will give you knowledge in 200+ popular phrases in different practical
situations in Ijaw. Before continuing with this section, please go over the previous section,
make sure you have comprehended the tenses and sentence build ups. Then go over to
the Extras section to broaden your knowledge before checking out this section.

In this Section, I will tend to translate some phrases in Pidgin English. This is because, if
one want to have a better understanding of Ijaw language, one has to know Pigdin English
or viz-a-viz. Most Ijaw sentence when translated Word-for-Word would give the Pidgin
English we speak in Nigeria.

Ways to say Hello and Goodbye

1. Abei! – meaning “Hey boy”

2. Ama! – meaning “Hey girl”
3. Bịnạowei/Bịnạrau – meaning “brother/sister”
4. Amowei – meaning “Hey man” or “Hey friend”
5. Amarau – meaning “Hey woman” or “Hey friend”
6. Ẹwei – meaning “my man / my guy”
7. Yabẹ – meaning “my friend” or “My guy”. It is used amongst males. This word also
means uncle.
8. Ẹ i ẹri alamo / ẹ i ẹri aladẹ oh! – meaning “it’s being long I saw you” or “long time
no see”
9. Zẹnẹ fiye ẹ i ẹri mẹnẹ – meaning “I will see you another time”.
10. Ịnị ạngọ di oh – meaning “look after yourself”. This phrase also means “Be careful”
11. ẹ mụnẹ / ẹ mụdẹ – meaning “I have gone” or put in pidgin “I don go”.
12. Kurọ timi – meaning “stay strong”.

Ways to say Yes and No

1. Ị – meaning “yes”
2. Ịyo – informal for “yes”
3. Ịye – formal for “yes”

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4. Ọn- ọn – meaning “No”

5. ẹ nịmị gha – meaning “I don’t know”
6. ẹ nịmị wẹri emi – meaning “I know”
7. ẹ ạ nịmị wẹri emi – meaning “I know it”
8. kẹrẹ emi – meaning “correct/accurate”
9. Pa bra – meaning “the way it happened”. This logically mean “na so” in pidgin
English. And it is said when you agree with a statement.
10. Pagha bra – meaning “not the way it happened”. It means “no be so” in Pidgin
English.

Ways to ask How Someone Is

1. Tẹbra? – meaning “how’re you”

2. I tẹbra kẹ emi? – meaning “how are you doing”
3. I emi? – meaning in pidgin “you dey?”
4. Ịnị _ _ _ _ ba? – meaning “what of your _ _ _” (you can add the noun you are
asking after in the space there. E.g. yịnmạ, daubei, tubọ, obiri etc). Example: ịnị wari
ba? – What of you family/house? / how is your family/house?
5. i teye kẹ miẹmịnị? – meaning “What are you doing?”
6. ịnị ozu kurọ emi? – meaning “Is your body strong/ok?”.

Ways to say How you are

1. Ẹ ebi emi, Doh. Imẹnẹ ba? – meaning “I’m good, Thanks. How about you?”
2. Ẹ kurọ emi – meaning “I am strong”.
3. ẹ emi – meaning in pidgin “I dey”

Ways to say Thank You

1. Nạnạowei bịnmọ i pri – meaning “God bless you” or “God increase you more”.
2. Doh – meaning “Thank you”
3. i miẹkamo – meaning “you’ve done a lot”
4. Koidẹ – meaning “I have kneeled”. Kneeling is an act of appreciation.
5. Mbạnạ – meaning “Well done”.
6. Doh! Imẹnẹ ebi kẹmẹ – meaning “Thank you. You are a good man.”
7. Doh oh! ẹ i kilemịnị – meaning “Thanks oh!, I am greeting you. (informal)”

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Ways to respond to “Thank you”

1. Akpotu fa – meaning “No problem”

2. Ese fa – meaning “No problem”
3. Doh! – Thank you
4. Problem fa / wahala fa – meaning “No problem/wahala” (This is one is spoken
very often due to the influence of pidgin English)
5. Ạ gba kụmọ – meaning “Don’t say it” or “Don’t mention it”.
6. Brasịn – meaning “leave it” or “forget it”
7. Tamarau kẹ kile – meaning “Thank God”. Literally “Greet God”.
8. Ẹ kile kụmọ, _ _ _ _ _ kẹ kile – Meaning “Don’t thank me, thank _ _ _ _ _ _ _”.

Phrases for Apologizing

1. Pasisei – meaning “Please”

2. ẹ bọumọ – meaning “forgive me”
3. ẹ sei miẹdẹ – meaning “I have done bad”
4. ẹ kẹ ạ miẹ wẹri emi – meaning “it is I that did it”.
5. Doh – meaning “sorry”
6. Biriseikụmọ/buluseikụmọ – meaning “don’t be angry”. Ijaws and many other
ethnic groups believe anger comes from within that’s why we say “biri” meaning
stomach or bulu meaning inside. Literally, they mean “don’t have an upset stomach”
and “the inside shouldn’t be upset”
7. ẹ miẹ kiridẹ – meaning “I have done wrong”

Phrases to respond to an Apology

1. Akpotu fa – meaning “No problem”

2. Problem fa / wahala fa – meaning “No problem/wahala” (This one is spoken very
often due to the influence of pidgin english)
3. Ok – same as English
4. Seritiẹ – meaning “Stand up”. This is response given when someone kneels when
apologizing to you.
5. Ebi dẹ – meaning “it is Ok”
6. ẹ i nạdẹ – meaning “I have heard you”
7. ẹ i bọumọdẹ/bọudẹ – meaning “I have forgiven you”
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Phrases for say Good morning, Good Evening, Good Night and Greetings

1. i soudẹ – meaning “have you woken up?”. Said in the morning

2. i seridẹ – meaning “have you arised?”. Said in the morning
3. ẹ okoidẹ – meaning “I have kneeled”. This is used as a response to the first two
above. It said by the younger person and not the older person. Here is a little
illustration between an Elder person and a younger person:
Elder or Younger person - i soudẹ? / i seridẹ?
Elder or Younger person - ị (yes)
Younger person - ẹ okoidẹ (I have kneeled)
Elder person - seri/seritiẹ (rise up)
Elder or Younger Person - Doh/Nụạ (Thank you)

If the conversation was between two age mates, none will say okoidẹ or seritiẹ.

4. Bai yo – this is informal greeting you say telling the receiver to survive till the next
morning. It is like “Wake up oh!’ in Pidgin. The generally accepted meaning to it is
Good Night.
5. Baidẹ o izizo ẹri – this means “We will see each other at dawn”.
6. Bọnọ nạ sou – Meaning “Sleep and Rise”
7. I buburudẹ / I buburutẹ – this is said as “Good evening”
8. Yanạm – this means “Good morning” and is used in Epie-Atissa dialect of Ijaw
9. Ebiezem – this mean “Good Evening” and is also used by Epie-Atissa dialect of Ijaw
10. ẹ i kilemịnị – meaning “I’m greeting you”
11. I ẹ kilemịnị? - meaning “Are you greeting me” or “are you thanking me”.
12. ẹ i kile? – meaning “should I greet you?”
13. Do! – meaning “Thanks, Sorry, Take care etc.

Phrase for Introductions

1. Mẹ ẹnị _ _ _ – meaning “this is my _ _ _”. Nouns, pronouns, adjectivial phrases

etc. fills the gap
2. ẹni arẹ mẹ _ _ _ – meaning “my name is _ _ _ _”.
3. i ịnị _ _ _ _ ẹridẹ? – meaning “have you seen your _ _ _ _ ?”. Nouns, pronouns,
adjectivial phrases etc. fills the gap.

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4. o sạ gbiligha, ẹnị arẹ mẹ _ _ _ – meaning “we have not met yet, my name is _
_”
5. ịnị arẹ ba? – meaning “what of your name?”.

Ways to end a conversation politely

1. kẹnịbọ ẹ korumịnị – meaning “someone is waiting for me”. In pidgin “person dey
wait for me”
2. kẹmẹbọ ẹ tẹnmịnị – meaning “someone is calling me”
3. Dịn bomịnị, ẹ mụdọudẹ – meaning “Night is coming, I want to go now” or “it
getting late, I want to go now”.
4. pasisei, ẹnị yịnmạ ẹ tẹnmịnị – meaning “please, my mother is calling me”

Phrases for Asking for Information

1. i la _ _ _ _ gba ẹ pri mẹnẹ? – meaning “can you tell me _ _ _ _”.

E.g. (a) I la ịnị yịnmạ emi yọ gba ẹ pri mẹnẹ? – can you tell me the place your mother
is?
2. i mẹ _ _ _ nịmị wẹri emi? – meaning “do you know this _ _ _ _?” (Words like iye
(thing), Mạsi (Maths), eremạ (woman), tubọbei (male child) etc. goes into the space).
3. ẹ iye kọn i bi dọumẹnẹ – meaning “I want to ask you something”.
4. Tubọ kẹ ẹ tẹnmịnị? – meaning “who is calling me?”
5. Ịnị _ _ _ _ bodẹ/mụdẹ? – meaning “have your _ _ _ _ come/gone? (words from
no 2 above goes here too.)
6. I tẹyọ kẹ emi? – meaning “where are you?”
7. i tẹyọ kẹ mụmịnị – meaning “where are you going”

Ways to say “I don’t Know”

1. ẹ nịmịgha – meaning “I don’t know”

2. ẹ kẹnị iye kpọ nịmịgha – meaning (literally) “I don’t know even one thing”,
logically (I don’t have a clue).
3. Iye mẹ ẹ bọumo – meaning (literally) “the thing surpasses me”, logically (it
surprises me)
4. Iye mẹ ẹ dẹịn emi – meaning “the thing (it) beats me”, or “It is more than me”.
5. ẹ kẹn ạnịyọ mẹ i bari ghafa – meaning “I cant help you there”

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Phrase for asking for someone’s opinion or giving you opinion

1. i tẹbra kọn ạ di wẹri emi? – meaning “how do you see it?”

2. i gba dọumẹnẹ iye gba – meaning “say what you want to say”
3. i ẹ bi dẹba … – meaning “if you ask me . . .”
4. ẹ kọn ạ di bra mẹ – meaning “the way I look at it” or “the way I see it”
5. ẹ mẹbra kọn gba mẹnẹ – meaning “I will say like this”.
6. ẹmẹnẹ ạ ororomịnị bra mẹ – meaning “the way I am thinking about it”.

Phrases for Agreeing

1. ạnịbra – meaning “like that”

2. mẹsẹbra – meaning “like that”
3. kọkọye – meaning “truly, indeed, candidly”
4. kọkọ/gesi ka emi – meaning “totally correct”, “very much correct/true”, “too
correct”
5. ẹ nạdẹ – meaning “I have heard”
6. ạ kẹ ẹ gba dọumẹnẹ iye – meaning “that’s what I wanted to say”
7. i ẹnị adọdọ bulumạ emi iye gbadẹ – meaning “you’ve said what’s inside my heart”

Phrases for disagreeing

1. ạnịbra gha – meaning “not like that”

2. mẹsẹbra gha – meaning “not like that”
3. ẹ bọu gha – meaning “I wont”, “I wont succumb” or in pidgin “I no gree”
4. ẹ bọu ghafa – meaning “I will not” or “I will not succumb”.
5. ekpe dẹịn egberi – Meaning “The falsiest story”.
6. Ạnị mẹ ekpe egberi – Meaning “That is a false story”
7. Kọkọye gha – Meaning “Not a truthful thing”

Phrases for Responding to Bad News

1. _ _ _ sei mo / _ _ _ sei ka mo – Meaning “_ _ _ is bad / _ _ _ is very bad”. Nouns

and pronouns fits in the gap.
2. Do – Meaning “Sorry”
3. mẹ ba tẹtọru iye/egberi? – Meaning “What kind of thing/story is this?”
4. egberi sei emi/mo – Meaning “The story is is bad”

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5. mẹ egberi ẹ miẹ biriseidẹ – Meaning “This story has made me angry”

6. egberi mẹ ẹ miẹ biriseidẹ – Meaning “The story has made me angry”.
7. Pasisei, adọdọ kurọmo – meaning “Please, strengthen you heart” or “Please, Take
Heart”.
8. Kamạyefa kụmọ / malafa kụmọ – meaning “Don’t be afraid”
9. Dọtimi – meaning “be at peace” or “don’t worry”

Phrases for Invitations

1. I fomụ emi? – Meaning “Are you free” or “Are you less busy”.
2. I bomịnị? – Meaning “Are you coming”.
3. i bo mẹnẹ? – Meaning “Will you come?”
4. ẹ bo ghafa – Meaning “I will not come”
5. ẹ la bo ghafa – Meaning “I cannot come”
6. I ẹ mọmọ mụ ẹ disẹ mo – Meaning “I’d like you to go with me”
7. I mẹ _ _ _ fomụ emi? – Meaning “are you free this _ _ _?”
8. I _ _ _ _ _ dọumịnị? – Meaning “You are looking for _ _ _?”

Ways to Make & respond to an Offer

1. Wuru I disẹ emi? – Meaning “Do you like a Drink?”

2. Wuru bou i disẹ emi? – Meaning “Do like to drink wine”
3. I bịnị bou dọumẹnẹ – Meaning “Do you want to drink water”
4. Ị, _ _ _ ololo(ạmạ) kọnbo. – Meaning “yes, bring _ _ _ bottle(s)”.
5. ẹ iye miẹ i pri? / ẹ feye miẹ i pri? – Meaning “Should I make something for you?
/ Should I make food for you?”.
6. Brasịn, ẹ ebi emi – Meaning “Don’t mind, I am good/ok”.
7. Brasịn, ẹ iye fidẹ – Meaning “Don’t mind, I have eaten something”.
8. Ọn-ọn, ẹ (_ _ _) disẹ gha – No, I do not like (_ _ _). Names of foods,
confectionnaries, fruits, veggies fill in the gap.
9. Ị, ẹ (_ _ _) disẹ emi – Meaning “Yes, I like (_ _ _). Nouns, pronouns, adjectivial
phrases of foods, confectionnaries, fruits, and veggies fill in the gap.

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Ways to Talk about Likes and Dislikes

1. Ẹ _ _ _ tari emi – Meaning “I love _ _ _”. Nouns, pronouns, adjectivial phrases etc.
fills the gap
2. Ẹ kọn _ _ _ _ disẹ emi bra mẹ – Meaning “The way I like _ _ _”. Nouns, pronouns,
adjectivial phrases etc. fills the gap
3. Ẹ kurọbra kọn _ _ _ tari emi – Meaning “I love _ _ _ _ strongly”. Nouns, pronouns,
adjectivial phrases etc. fills the gap
4. Ẹ ẹnị adọdọsẹ kọn _ _ _ disẹ emi – Meaning “I like _ _ _ with the whole of my
heart” or in a shorter form “I love _ _ _ wholeheartedly”.
5. Ẹ _ _ _ _ tari gha – Meaning “I don’t love _ _ _”. Nouns, pronouns, adjectivial
phrases etc. fills the gap
6. Ẹ dọlọ kpọ _ _ _ _ disẹ gha – Meaning “I do not like _ _ _ even a little?”. Nouns,
pronouns, adjectivial phrases etc. fills the gap
7. Ẹ mọ _ _ _ ogirẹnotu – Meaning “I and _ _ _ _ are enemies”. Nouns, pronouns,
adjectivial phrases etc. fills the gap
8. (ạ) ẹnị bọudụnye gha – Meaning “(its) not my burden”

Phrases for Asking/Talking about Jobs

1. Tẹrẹyọ kẹ ịnị fẹrẹyọ? – Meaning “Where is you Workplace?”

2. I tẹrẹ fẹrẹ kẹ miẹmịnị? – Meaning “Which Job are you doing?”
3. ẹnị fẹrẹ mẹ _ _ _ _ - Meaning “My work is _ _ _ “
4. ẹ sạ fẹrẹ nạnạ gha – Meaning “I have not gotten a job yet”
5. I kọn miẹ yịrịnmịnị fẹrẹ mẹ teye? – Meaning “What Job do you do for a Living?”
6. Ẹ ẹnị bubọu businessi nạnạ wẹri emi – Meaning “ I have my personal business”
7. Ẹ ẹnị _ _ _ fẹrẹ kẹ miẹmịnị – meaning “I am doing my _ _ _ _ _ job”. The name
of the job or work fills the gap. e.g. Teaching Job, Cooking, Banking job etc.

Ways to ask for clarification

1. I teye kẹ gbamịnị? – Meaning “what are you saying?”. This sometimes ends with
vowel exclamations like eh!, oh!, and ah!.
2. Pasisei, i gba iye wai gba – Meaning “Please, say the thing you said again”.
3. Ẹ i pei gha tịmị, wai ạ gba – Meaning “ I was not listening to you, say it again”.

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Ways to check if the other person understands you

1. I ẹ nạdẹ? – meaning “Have you heard me”. This sometimes ends with the vowel
exclamation “ah!”.
2. I ẹ gbatịmị iye nịmịdẹ/tunịmịdẹ? – Meaning “have you known/understood the
thing i was saying?”
3. I ẹ gbamịnị iye nịmịdẹ/tunịmịdẹ? – meaning “have you known/understood the
thing I am saying?”
4. I ẹ gbawẹri iye nịmịdẹ/tunịmịdẹ? – meaning “have you known/understood the
thing I said?’
5. I ạ nịmịdẹ? – meaning “have you known it” or “have you understood it”

Asking for help

1. Pasisei, ẹ bari – meaning “please, help me”. This usually ends with vowel
exclamations like eh!, oh!, and ah!.
2. i la ẹ bari mẹnẹ – meaning “are you able to help me” or “can you help me”
3. pasisei, mẹ iye teye, ẹ ạ bradẹ – meaning “please, what is this thing, I have
forgotten it”

Phrases for Complaining

1. ẹ _ _ _ miẹmịnị iye mẹ disẹ gha – meaning “I don’t like what _ _ _ is doing”.

Proper names goes in the space.
2. I miẹ iye mẹ ebi gha – meaning “The thing you did is not good”
3. I miẹ Iye mẹ sei bọ emi – meaning “The thing you did is too bad”
4. ẹ mẹ iye disẹ gha – meaning “I don’t like this thing”

Phrases for Remembering, Reminding & Forgetting

1. ẹ ạ bra ghafa – Meaning “I will not forget it”

2. ẹnị ikiyọu ạnịyọ mạ fatịmị – Meaning ‘My mind was not there”
3. ẹ ạ ororomịnị – Meaning “I am thinking about it”
4. I sạ sukulu mụ fiye bragha kẹdẹ? – Meaning “You have not forgotten the time
to go to school right?”
5. ẹ ạ bra mẹnẹ – meaning “I will forget it”. This usually ends with vowel exclamations
like eh!, oh!, and ah!.

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6. ẹ ạ bradẹ – meaning “I have forgotten it”.

7. Ạ bra kụmọ – Meaning “don’t forget it”. This usually ends with vowel exclamations
like eh!, oh!, and ah!.

Phrases for saying something is easy & difficult

1. mẹ iye kurọ gha – Meaning “This thing is not hard/strong”

2. (ạnị) iyegha – Meaning “(That is) Nothing”
3. Bọubọu iye – Meaning “Soft thing” or “Easy thing”
4. iye mẹ kurọ ẹ dẹịn gha – Meaning “The thing is not stronger/harder than me”
5. iye mẹ kurọ ẹ dẹịn ghafa – Meaning “The thing will not be stronger/harder than me”
6. iye mẹ kurọ mo – Meaning “The thing is hard/strong”.
7. Ạnị fẹrẹ mẹ opu bọ emi - Meaning “That job is too big”.
8. Ạnị _ _ _ _ oku bọ emi – Meaning “That _ _ _ _ is too heavy”.
9. iye mẹ duba ẹ bọ emi – Meaning “the thing is bigger than me”.

Phrases for Shopping

1. I _ _ _ _ nạnạ wẹri emi? – Meaning “Do you have _ _ _?” Names of groceries,
pharmaceuticals, livestocks etc. fits in the gap.
2. ẹ tẹyọ kẹ _ _ _ _ ẹri mẹnẹ? – Meaning “Where will I see _ _ _”. Names of
groceries, pharmaceuticals, livestocks etc. fits in the gap.
3. ẹ _ _ _ _ _ kẹ dọumịnị – Meaning “I am looking for _ _ _ _”. Names of groceries,
pharmaceuticals, livestocks etc. fits in the gap.
4. mẹ ịndẹ? – Meaning “ This is how much”
5. I mẹ yẹrimịnị? – Meaning “Are you selling this one?”
6. I mẹ yẹri mẹnẹ? – Meaning “will you sell this one?”
7. ẹ mẹ tuwadi dọumẹnẹ – Meaning “I want to try on this one”
8. ẹ ạ kọn mẹnẹ – Meaning “I will take it”
9. ẹ mẹ wai mẹnẹ – Meaning “I will return this one”
10. mẹ wai kẹ ẹ disẹ emi – Meaning “I’d like to return this one”

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Phrases for talking about Food

1. Mọụn ẹ kẹri mẹnẹ / ẹ mọụnkẹri mẹnẹ – Meaning “I am Hungry” or in pidgin

“Hungry dey catch me”.
2. ẹ zuwa ikịnkiyạnạmạ fẹ mo – meaning “I bought some biscuits
3. fiyai imẹlẹ bọ emi – Meaning “The food is too sweet”
4. ẹ biribịndẹ – Meaning “I am full” or in pidgin (word-for-word translation), “I don
belle full”
5. fiyai imẹlẹ gha – Meaning “The food is not sweet”

Phrases Talking about TV

1. Rụmụtụ tẹyọ kẹ emi? – Meaning “Where is the Remote?”

2. ẹ sạnẹli dei dọumẹnẹ – Meaning “I want to change the Channel”
3. ẹ mẹ ẹpisọdi didẹ – Meaning “I have watched this episode”
4. sạ nuyusu fiye la gha – Meaning “It is not News time yet” or in pidgin “News time
never reach”
5. ẹ mẹ fimi disẹ emi – Meaning “I like this Film”.

Ways to talk about price

1. Mẹ iye gạrẹn ka emi – Meaning “This thing is too costly”.

2. iye mẹ tukpo emi / iye mẹ tukpo ka emi – Meaning “The thing is cheap / the
thing is very cheap”.
3. zuwa sẹlẹ kọnsịn, ẹni sẹlẹ la gha – Meaning “remove some money, my money
is not enough”

Phrases for Hot, Cold and Raining weather

1. mẹ erịn afọrọ bọ emi – Meaning “This day is too hot” or “today is too hot”.
2. Erịntọru mẹ afọrọ bọ emi – meaning “the weather is too hot”.
3. Owura padẹ – Meaning “The Sun is out” or “It is sunny”
4. mẹ erịn kẹrẹkẹrẹ bọ emi – Meaning “This day is too cold” or “Today is too cold”
5. osuwo mẹ erịn koro mẹnẹ – Meaning “It will rain today” or in pidgin “rain go fall
today”
6. osuwo mẹ erịn koroghafa – Meaning “It wont rain today” or in pidgin (literally)
“rain no go fall today”

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Ways to say you are tired

1. iye mẹ ẹ dẹịndẹ – Meaning “The thing has surpassed me” or in pidgin “the thing
don tire me”
2. ẹnị ạngọ ẹ dọụnmịnị – Meaning “My body is paining me”
3. ẹ ikẹn ghafa, mẹ fẹrẹ duba ẹ bo emi – Meaning “I can not, this work is bigger
than me”

Ways to say Someone is Correct or Wrong

1. (ạ) kẹrẹ emi – Meaning “(its) Correct”

2. (ạ) kẹrẹ gha – meaning “(its) Not Correct”
3. i gbamịnị iye mẹ, kẹrẹ gha– Meaning “The thing you are saying, is not correct”
4. ọn-ọn, ạnịbra gha – Meaning “No, it’s not like that”

Ways to Avoid Answering a Question

1. ẹ fiye dọumẹnẹ iye bradẹ – Meaning “I have forgotten what I wanted to say”.
2. I gbolo gha – Meaning “Not your concern”. Literally it means in pidgin “e no touch
you”
3. ẹ gba i pri ghafa – Meaning “I will not tell you”
4. (ạ) i bọudụn iye gha – Meaning “(its) not your burden”
5. (ạ) ịnị akpotu gha – Meaning “(Its) not your problem”
6. ẹ brasịn – Meaning “Forget me” or “Leave me”
7. ẹ wẹri – Meaning “Leave me”
8. luwai ẹ wẹri – Meaning “Leave me alone” or “Leave me in peace”
9. ẹ (ạ) nịmị gha – Meaning “I don’t know (it)”
10. ịnị miẹmịnị iye di – Meaning literally “Look at what you are doing” but it logically
mean “Mind your own business”
11. wẹri timi di – Meaning “Wait and See”

Phrases for telling someone to wait

1. tịmịdẹkẹ – Meaning “hold on” or “Wait first (pidgin)” or “Stay Behind”. “Wait first”
is the literal meaning of that ijaw phrase.

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2. ẹ korutịmị – Meaning “Be waiting for me”. This phrase comes before other phrases
like “I am coming” E.g. ẹ kurotịmị, ẹ bomịnị (Be waiting for me, I am coming). It also
translates to “wait for me”
3. sạ mụ kụmọ – Meaning “Don’t go yet”.
4. Dọlọ (ẹ) koru – Meaning “ Wait a little (for me)”
5. (amẹnẹ) koru kẹ koru mẹnẹ – meaning “(she) will have to wait.

Phrases for Cheering Someone up

1. Teye kẹ pama? – Meaning “What happened?”

2. Teye kẹ padẹ? – Meaning “What has happened?”
3. Teye kẹ i bọudụnmịnị? – Meaning “What is disturbing you?”
4. Iyebosẹ ebi mẹnẹ – Meaning “everything will be Ok/good”
5. I ebi emi? – Meaning “Are you Ok/good/alright?”
6. Kẹnị iye ororo kụmọ – Meaning “Don’t think of a thing”. This logically means “Don’t
be depressed”.
7. Kẹnị iye kpọ ororo kụmọ – meaning “don’t even think of one thing”
8. Akpọ sạ fa gha – Meaning “the world has not ended yet”
9. Ịnị ozu kurọmo oh – Meaning “Strengthen you body” logically means “Take heart”.
10. Ba you kụmọ – Meaning “Don’t cry again”.

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Build Your Vocabulary Part II

(Ịnị vokabulari kẹrẹ, makaramọ yọ)

This section contains 500+ nouns, adjectives and verbs to enable you build up you
knowledge in Ijaw vocabulary.
NOUNS
BODY PARTS

Armpit - atọlọbulu Knee - ịmgbele

Asshole - bịẹn-opolo Lap - atẹnẹ
Back - abọbiri Leg - buwọ
Beard - ipọri Lip - bẹbẹ-odu
Brain - tẹbẹbiri Male genital - tọụn
Breast - ịndou Mouth - bẹbẹ
Buttock (Ass) bịẹn Nail - ịmịmị
Cheek - amgba Navel - ombu
Chest - agbobu Neck - kọụn
Ear - Beri Nose - nịnị
Eye - tọru Nostril - nịnị-opolo
Eyelash - tọru-itẹmẹ Palm - bira-bulu
Face - ạndẹ Pubic Hair - awuruyai
Female genital tu Rib - ạngasara, agaga
Finger - bira-egbesa Scrotum - ịmgbe
Forehead - okodo Skin - apirạịn, mịnị
Hair - dụmụ Stomach - biri
Hand - Bira Teeth - Aka
Head - Tẹbẹ Tongue - Mulọ
Jaw - kiriakpe, bibiege Waist - kụnụ

NOUNS
Air - Afori
Alligator - Isibiri
Alligator Pepper Sạni
Altar - Atẹnẹ
Answer - Parọ
Argument - Dọnọbẹbẹ
Argumentator - Bẹbẹdọnọbọ (General), Bẹbẹdọnọowei (Male),
Bẹbẹdọnọarau (Female)
Atmosphere - Ọgọnọ
Baby - Ayapẹdẹ, Tọtọ
Bag - Akpa
Bakery - tịnmịyọ
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Bead - Egbinẹ
Beans - Aguwa
Bed - Obịne
Bee - Akamạn
Behavior - Miẹbra
Believe - Bibirịnbulu
Bell - Igbomu
Bible - Biabulu
Bicycle - Azigere
Bird - Ofoni
Birth - Zi
Biscuit - Ikịnkiyạn
Blessing - Ebiye (singular), Ebiyai (plural), Pelebuimọ, Tuwapiri, Boma,
Blood - Asẹn
Boat - Arọ
Bone - Ụmgbou
Book - Fụn
Bottle - Ololo
Boy - Oweitubọ
Boyfriend - Iyẹowei
Bread - Fituru / Fitọru
Breeze - Afọri
Bride - Ayoro
Bridge - Osisa, Owofu
Broom - Afiyụn
Brush - Sịnye
Bubble - Ofoko
Bucket - Okoroba
Burden - Bọudụnye
Button - Imịn
Cap - Tụn
Cassava - Ịnbadau
Cat - Ologbo
Caterpillar - Edume-Edume
Chain - Agọrọdọ
Chair - Kasi
Chewing Stick - Akasọkiye, Akasikiye
Christmas - Alali / Kirisimasi
Church - Sọsi
City - Bekekiri
Clan - Ibe
Clock - Ogbo
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Cocoyam - Odu
Cold - Odidi
Comb - Zalaye
Community - Amạ
Compound - Polo, Igede
Corpse - Duwẹi
Court - Ọgulapẹlẹwari, Kọtu
Covenant - Avuwọ
Cream - Siriye / Siripu lou
Creator - Tẹmẹbọ (general), Tẹmẹowei (Male), Tẹmẹarau (Female)
Crocodile - Segi
Crown - Pẹrẹtụn
Cry - You
Cup - Ago
Darkness - Duko
Death - Fẹ
Debt - Sa
Desire - Disẹye
Dialect - Pọụn
Dog - Obiri
Door - Ogige
Dream - Dawai
Dreamland - Dawaiogbo, Dọumịnịogbo (Desired land)
Drink - Wuru
Dust - Duu
Eagle - Nụngu
Earth - Kiri
Egg - Ạngẹ
Empty - Foforofo
Envelope - Emulufu
Evil - Sei
Faith - Akịna / Piebulu / Bereni
Faithful - Gerede
Fame - Ẹrẹpa / Orupa
Fan - Azuzu
Farm - Kiribọu
Fart - Pụmụ
Fast - Onạ, Mọụnkoro
Fat - Imẹli / Imẹlẹ
Favour - Ebitọru
Fear - Esịịn, Malafa
Feast - Oge
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Fire - Fẹnẹ
Fish - Ịndi
Flesh - Nạmạ
Floor - Warikiri
Food Flask - Akpamaku
Food - Fiyai, Feye
Fool - Ayẹbẹ
Fountain - Ogilolo
Friend - Iyẹbọ (General), Iyẹowei (Male), Iyẹarau (Female)
Game - Olo
Garri - Geri / Bẹndiayai
Gift - Priye
Girl - Iyọrọtubọ
Girlfriend - Iyẹarau
Goat - Obori
God - Tẹmẹowei, Tạmạrau, Tẹmẹarau, Oyịn, Woyịngi, Ogịnẹarau, Tạmụnọ,
Ayiba, Aziba, Ayibarau
Good Ebi, Sọmzẹ, Ibi
Gold - Oro-ogu
Grace - Dinịnị
Ground - Kiri
Groundnut - Esawọu
Guests - Igini, Egeni
Gun - Alagba / Sibeye
Half - Ikisẹ
Hamlet - Indidougbẹnẹ
Hammer - Amạnạ
Handkerchief - Angisifụn
Happiness/Joy - Buluimbẹlẹ / Pọwẹi
Heart - Adọdọ
Heaven - Ọgọnọ / Sọ / Hẹvunụ
Height - tiye(mẹ)
Herdsman - Nạmạgbaliowei
Hole - Opolo, Ogugu
Holy - Tọntọn
Hook - Daye
Horse - Oyạyạn, Asi
Hospital - Họspitulu
House - Wari
Hunger - Mọụn
Injury/wound - Inọụn
Insane - Nọmụ
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Island - Tuo / Otokolo

Jetty - Egbepọu
Job/Work - Fẹrẹ
Journey - Yọu / Yọupa
Judge - Ọgulapẹlẹbọ (general), Ọgulapẹlẹowei (male), Ọgulapẹlẹarau (female)
Judgment - Ọgula
Kettle - Bịnịtạịnmọye
Key - Isafu / Sạngbasa
King - Ala, Alabọ, Alaowei
Kingdom - Amananabọkiri / Ebe
Kingdom - Ibe, Alaibe
Knife - Adẹịn
Kolanut - Dabou
Land - Ogbo
Language - Bẹli
Laugh - Dẹri
Law - Olo, Oloko
Lawyer - Ologobọ/Olobọ (general), Ologowei/Olowei (Male),
Ologoarau/Oloarau (female)
Leaf - Diberi
Leopard - Kọnọwei
Lice - Oku
Lie - Ekpe
Light - Tukpa
Lightening - Melumelu
Lion - Adaka, Bousei
Lord - Pẹrẹ
Love - Tari
Mad - Nọmụ
Market - Fọu
Mat - Akparakpa
Matches - Agbuna
Meat/Animal - Nạmạ
Medicine (Drugs) Diri
Meeting - Bẹni
Mercy - Enịnị
Midnight - Dịnbiri
Milk - Ịndoubịnị
Mind - Ikiyọu
Mirror - Tẹmẹdiye
Money - Sẹlẹ, Igbogi, Okubo
Monitor Lizard - Abedi
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Monkey - Ọbọkọ
Moon - Agọnọwei
Mop - Kiritiye
Mortar - Okinẹ
Mother - Yịn / Yịnma / Yịngi
Motor - Ogboarọ
Mount - Oguagọnọ
Mountain - Ogu
Mud - Atọu / Atọkọ
Music - Fariye
Nail - Ẹpẹru
Naked - Patu
Name - Arẹ
Namesake - Okpo
Needle - Nụụn
Net - Aridi
New Year - Aya Kurai
News - Ayaegberi / Nuyusu
Night - Dịn
Noise - Agboloko
Ocean - Opu-Abadi
Orange - Ago
Orphan - Oriẹntubọu
Owner - Nạnạbọ (general), Nạnạowei (Male), Nạnạrau (Female)
Padlock - Igodo
Pain - Dọụn
Parable - Akari
Parlour - Warikubu
Part - Iyọ
Pawpaw - Edemọde
Peace - Dọ
Pepper - Igịna
Person - Bọ / Kẹmẹbọ
Pig - Oporopo
Piss/Urine - Sạnbịnị
Place - Iyọ
Play - Olo / Tei
Player - Olomiẹbọ (general), Olomiẹowei (male), Olomiẹarau (female)
Plea - Tẹ
Pot - Bẹlẹ
Poverty - Igọịn
Power - Kurọ
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Praise - Tokoni, Serimọ

Prayer - Kari
Pregnancy - Ofurobiri
Presence - Tọruyọ
Pretence - Ariyai
Price - Yẹribẹbẹ
Prince - Alatubọ(Bei), Alaboweitubọ
Princess - Alatubọ(Ma), Alaeretubọ
Problem - Akpotu / Bere
Profit - Gbạnạsẹlẹ
Prophet - Burubọ (general), Buruowei (male), buruarau (female)
Pure - Fiyafiya
Queen - Alaere, Alabọtạmạ
Question - Bibẹbẹ
Rain - Osuwo
Rainbow - Osuwo-Azele / Osuwo-Apẹpi
Ransom - Tẹbẹgbẹ
Rat - Waribạịnyai / Oke
Remainder - Kọye (Singular) / Kọyai (Plural)
Respect - Ọgọ / Didubamọ
Rice - Atạngbala-Ạngẹ
Ring - Oroka
River - Pọu / Tọru / Pọutọru
Road - Ọwọu
Rock - Okuta / Ikputu
Room - Zuru
Rope - Dii
Salt - Adạụn, Imọụfụ
Sand - Owụn
Saw - Fẹkẹfẹkẹ
Saviour - Zuọbọ (general), Zuọowei (Male), Zuọarau (female)
Sceptre - Pẹrẹ-Akọlọ
School - Sukulu
Sea - Okụn / Abadi
Seat - Kasi
Seed - Gbọrọye, imgbọụ
Semen - Zidịna, Siraye
Servant - Odubobọ (general), Odubowei (Male), Oduboarau (Female)
Sex - Bọnọ
Shame - Boze
Share/Offering - Diẹpriye
Sheep - Anịnạ
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Shepherd - Anịnạgbalibọ (general), Anịnạgbaliowei (Male), Anịnạgbaliarau (Female)

Ship - Opuokuna
Shirt - Aru
Shoe - Agbuka
Side - Dia
Sight - Tọruyọ
Sister - Bịnarau / Kẹnịboarau
Sky - Ọgọnọ
Skycrapper - Egedegewari
Slave - Omịnị / Omonị
Sleep - Bọnọ
Smile - Mukẹ / Mụrẹn
Snake - Kiriwei
Sneeze - Adisẹịn
Snuff - Ẹfiẹn
Soap - Asọn
Soldier - Soja
Song - Nụmụ
Soup - Fulọ
Sower - Gborobọ (General), Gborowei (Male), Gboroarau (Female)
Spatula - Okpasu (For Baking Garri)
Spirit - Tẹmẹ
Spittle - Fila
Sponge - Isịnyạn
Spoon - Koyẹrẹ / Fiyaipạnga
Star - Kụịn
Starch (Food) - Osụn
Stick - Ogbolo
Stone - Ike, Egbai
Storm - Erise
Story - Egberi
Straight (Not Insane) Gọmụ
Sugar - Osigiri
Sun - Uwura
Sweat - Omụn
Sword - Agbụdụ
Swim - Oki
Table - Meze / Masi
Tail - Tu, Sẹitu
Tax - Tẹbẹsa
Tears - Youyaibịnị

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Teacher - Tolubọ (general), Tolumọowei (male), Tolumọarau (female). The

activity, subject, course or knowledge he or she teaches is said
before saying this words. E.g. Chemistry Teacher – Kẹmistiri
tolubọ, Kẹmistiri tolumọowei, and Kẹmistiri tolumọarau. Swimming
Teacher – Oki tolubọ, oki tolumọowei, oki tolumọarau etc.
Temple - Akpẹkpẹ, Ite
Test - Dadii
Thief - Furubọ (general), Furuowei (Male), Furuarau/Furuere (Female)
Thing - Iye
Thread - Bidẹdii
Thunder - Erịntịn
Toothbrush - Akasọrọye
Toothpaste - Akasọrọbịnị
Tortoise - Ewiri, Erefaowei
Tree - Tẹịn
Trouble - Akpotu / Bere
Trouser - Saka
Trumpet - Egbelegbele
Trust - Piebulu
Truth - Izọn / Gesiegberi
Umbrella - Asisa
Underwear - Kpata
Village - Gbẹnẹ
Voice - Fiepọụn
Walking Stick - Akọlọ
War - Sọu
Warrior - Sọuwei
Water Yam - Mamakoko
Water - Bịnị
Wealth - Ịngọ
Weather - Erịntọru
Widow - Duere
Widower - Duowei
Wine - Wuru (General), Imẹlẹ Wuru (Non-Alcoholic), Kurọ Wuru (Alcoholic)
Wise - Iyenịmị
Witch - Diriguọ / Aribọ / Diriguọarau
Witness - Aseri
Wizard - Diriguọwei / Aribọ
Woman - Ere
Word - Egberi
Workplace - Fẹrẹyọ
Yam - Buru
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Year - Kurai
Zero - Ofori

ADJECTIVES (when they come before nouns or after pronouns “EMI” is said after
some adjectives, if they end sentences “MO, OH” is said after them)
Able Kurọ (E.G. That Able Man – Ạni Kurọ emi Kẹmẹbei)
Angry Birisei
Awake Sou / Kirinạ
Bad Sei / Sei-Emi
Beautiful Ạngọtuwaebi, Kẹsi, Ebi
Bent Yarabai
Bitter / Salty Kọlọkọlọ
Bitter Aku, Akọ
Black Dirimọ / Kpẹlẹkpẹlẹ
Blind tọrubạn
Boiling Darimịnị
Bright Melumelu
Cheap Tukpọ
Clean Yalẹ
Clear Gạnạgạnạ / Gbẹnạ
Cold Kẹrẹkẹrẹ
Cool Kẹrẹkẹrẹ
Common Iyọsẹemi
Complete Karai
Costly Garẹn
Counterfeit Izẹbu
Crooked Yạnbayạnba
Cruel Birisei / Biyousei
Dark Dirimọ / Kpẹlẹkpẹlẹ (Complexion), dukoduko (low light)
Dead Fẹdẹ
Deaf Beribạn
Different Zẹnẹbra
Dirty Lọlu
Disarrayed, Disorganized Galaba-Galaba
Transparent Pẹrẹnpẹrẹn
Dry Ikpari / kpọịnkpọịn
Easy Bọubọu
Elastic Jinạjinạ
Faithful Gerede
False Ekpe / Ekpegberi
Fat Agbituwa
Female Iyọrọ / Ere
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Fertile Zinạnạ
First Bọlọu / Tari
Flat Pẹpẹlẹpẹ
Foolish Ọyẹbẹ
Free (Money) Sẹlẹgbẹgha / Gbẹgha
Free (State-Of-Being) Pere / Fomụ / Foki
Frequent Fiebosẹ
Full Bịndẹ / Bụịndẹ
Future Bọlọufiye / Bọlọu
Glorious Yoloyolo
Good Ebi, Sọmzẹ, Ibi
Great Duba
Happy Buluimẹlẹ / Buluimbẹlẹ
Hard Kurọ / Kakaraka
Healthy Ạngọebi / Gọmụ
Heat Gụmụgụmụ
Heavy Oku
High Agọnọmụ
Hot Afọrọ (subtances, atmosphere),
Last Tu / Sẹitu
Left Kọnọbra
Light (In Weight) Tẹfẹnẹ
Little Kala, zau
Living Yịrịnmịnị
Long Dawạịn
Lost Fatịmị
Loud Gologolo
Mad Nọmụmịnị
Male Owei
Married Oweinạnạdẹ / Erenạnạdẹ
Messy Bulọi-Bulọi
Muddy Atọu-Atọu
Narrow Gbabu
New Aya
Normal Gọmụ
Old Oru (Non-Living Things), Okosu (Living Things)
Open Fịnị
Opposite Bẹịnkiri
Past Bọdẹ
Pepperish Kọụn
Personal Bubọu
Poor ẹngọ, uyafọ
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Present Tiẹkiri
Quick Kiali
Quiet Kpịrịn
Radiant Yoko / Yokoyoko
Right Amabra
Rotten Bọrọdẹ
Round Mọnrọn / Mọnrọnmọnrọn
Second Makaramọ
Sexy Ạngọtuwaebi
Short Koli
Sick Dọụnmịnị
Slim/Thin Kpạịnkpạịn
Slow Pẹtẹpẹtẹ
Small Zau
Smooth/Silky Mụnrụn / Mụnrụnmụnrụn
Soft Bọu / Bọubọu
Stammer Opomboro
Stingy Gbarẹn
Stool Poukoro
Strong Kurọ
Stubborn/Strong Kakaraka
Suffering Uyafumịnị
Sweet Imẹlẹ / Imbẹlẹ
Tall Dawạịn
Tired Dẹịndẹ
True Izọn
Unshakeable Zigegha
Wealthy Pẹrẹmi
Wet Bosu
White Pịnạ
Windy afọriafọri
Wise Kẹlẹkẹlẹ
Witchy Diriguọguọ
Wrong Kẹrẹgha
Young Aya
Youthful Yạnyạn

VERB ACCORDING TO THE PART OF THE BODY PERFORMING THEM

1. Action Verbs performed by the Hands
(a) Beat - famụ
(b) Blow - ofuro

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(c) Break - yạịnmọ (wood and materials like plastic),

pei (glasswares)
(d) Brush (Hair) zala
(e) Brush (Teeth) - sọrọ
(f) Carve - kẹ / ka
(g) Clean - kuwọ
(h) Close - gbạn
(i) Destroy - sei / seimọ (humans and animals), wolo & gbọụngbọlọ
(Other things)
(j) Drag - kpọn
(k) Drop - koro
(l) Dry - ya
(m) Flog - vurọ
(n) Give - pri
(o) Gum - pali
(p) Hang - gbạnạ (to keep something on a shelf)
(q) Hang - sonlo (on a rope or hanger)
(r) Pick - tọlọ
(s) Pinch - kpọnụ
(t) Pound/hit - titi
(u) Pull - kpọn
(v) Push - duna
(w) Raise - seri
(x) Remove - kọnsịn
(y) Rub - siri
(z) Scratch - via
(aa) Shake (shake hand) akẹ (bra akẹ)
(bb) Shake - fọụn / zige
(cc) Slap - polo
(dd) Squeeze - fạ
(ee) Stab - woko
(ff) Sweep - afẹn
(gg) Take - kọn / akẹ
(hh) Tear - Kạ
(ii) Throw - tạịngbei
(jj) Tickle - sọnlọ
(kk) To Feel - ababa
(ll) Touch - gbolo
(mm) Wash - sọrọ

2. Verbs performed by the Legs

(a) Close - gbạn
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(b) Follow - tuduwo / buru

(c) Jump - desi
(d) Kick - gbọlu
(e) Match - dạ
(f) Raise - seri
(g) Run - bạịn
(h) Stand - tiyẹ
(i) Walk - wẹni

3. Verbs performed by the Whole Body

(a) Bend/bow - oboi
(b) Crawl - ikiri
(c) Dance - sẹi
(d) Fall - koro
(e) Rise/stand up - seri tiyẹ
(f) Roll - ikpiri
(g) Shift - kọnsịn
(h) Sit - petimi / pẹrẹ

4. Verbs performed by the Eyes

(a) Blink - gibu
(b) Close - gbạn
(c) Cry - you
(d) Look - di

5. Verbs performed by the Mouth

(a) Chew - dọ
(b) Cough - ọlọu
(c) Drink - bou
(d) Eat - fi / fẹ
(e) Murmur - wụnụ / wụnụwụnụfiye
(f) Say - gba
(g) Shout - olou
(h) Shut (as in shut up) gbạn / bẹbẹgbạn
(i) Swallow - Mẹni
(j) Talk - fiye
(k) Tell - gbapri
(l) Vomit - sịn
(m) Suck - ịndou

6. Verbs performed by the Nose

(a) Smell - nịnị
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7. Verbs performed by the Head

(a) Shift/move - Kọnsịn
(b) Turn - Wai

8. Verbs performed by the Teeth

(a) Bite - owịn
(b) Chew - Dọ

9. Verbs performed by the Tongue

(a) Lick - Taba
(b) Taste - Dadi

10. Verbs Performed by the Ears

(a) Hear - Nạ

VERBS PERFORMED IN THE KITCHEN

(a) Boil (on a stove) - tạịnmọ
(b) Clean - kuwọ
(c) Cook - tuwọ
(d) Dry - ya
(e) Fry - gbạnạ
(f) Pound - titi
(g) Put - tuwa
(h) Roast - fọịn
(i) Stir - gboro
(j) Sweep - afẹn
(k) Switch off / Off - vịn / vịnmọ
(l) Switch on / On - tọnụ
(m) Wash - sọrọ

VERBS PERFORMED IN THE HOUSE

(a) Clean - kuwọ
(b) Close - gbạ
(c) Dust - oburou
(d) Lock - Kai
(e) Mop - kiritii
(f) Open - fịnị

VERBS PERFORMED IN THE CHURCH

(a) Answer - parọ / bibirịn
(b) Ask - bi
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(c) Clap - polo (clap hands – brabo polo)

(d) Hear - nạ
(e) Listen - pei
(f) Pray - kari
(g) Read - go
(h) Shout - lolou
(i) Sing - tụ
(j) Speak/say - fiye / gba
(k) Stand - tiyẹ
(l) Stomp/Match - dạ
(m) Write - gẹ

VERBS PERFORMED IN THE BEDROOM

(a) Sleep - bọnọ

VERBS PERFORMED AT SCHOOL

(a) Ask - bi
(b) Clear (as in cut scrubs/bushes) - dọnọ
(c) Climb - owou
(d) Fight - sọu
(e) Jump - desi
(f) Listen - pei
(g) Read - go
(h) Run - bạịn
(i) Shout - olou / lolou
(j) Speak/say - fiye/gba
(k) Write - gẹ

VERBS PERFORMED IN THE BATHROOM/TOILET

(a) To Bath - bịnịbiri
(b) To urinate - sa
(c) To Wipe (with towel) - kuwọ
(d) To defecate - biẹn / pọukoro
(e) To brush (teeth) - sọrọ

VERBS PERFORMED IN SPORTS

(a) Blow - gbọlu
(b) Kick - gbọlu
(c) Shot - tịịn
(d) Throw - gbẹịn
(e) Run - bạịn
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(f) Jump - desi

(g) Foul/Rough - koro

OTHER VERBS
Awake - kirinạ
Bake - tịnmị
Bless - bịnmọpri, boma, ebikọnpri
Boast (pride) - bala
Bow - obou
Burn - yọụn / yọụnmọ
Burp/bleach - apẹrẹ
Bury - Dibi
Carry (on the back) - dẹi, gbala
Carry (with hand) - sibe
Carve - kẹ / ka / kara
Climb - owou
Comb - zala
Condemn - seimọ (humans and animals), wolo & gbọụngbọlọ (other things)
Conquer - dẹịn
Creep - okiri
Deceive - alẹi / alẹimọ
Decrease - zi / zimọ
Dig - sou
Disappear/vanish - mạịn
Drag - kpọn
Endure - ịnị / ịnịmọ
Entertain (a guest) - kamạịn
Fan - fọụn
Fart - pụmụbạn
Fetch - zu
Fish - ịndiba (Fishing – Ịndibamini)
Float - tẹịn
Fly - fịn
Give - pri / prẹ
Grind - sạ
Gum - pali
Help - Bari
Hungry - Mọụnkẹri
Imitate - da
Increase - owou / owoumọ
Insult - weri
Interpret - tugba
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Justify - gbaebimọ
Kill - Ba
Kiss - fọfọụn
Kneel - okei
Know - nịmị
Laugh - dẹri
Lick (punctured) - eri
Lift - owoumọ / serimọ
Light - tọnụ
Live - yịrịn
Load (goods) - sai
Look after/take care - gbali
Lose (nut) - gbọn
Mad - nọmụ
Measure - tọn
Misbehave - de
Mix - guwa, kubu
Mould/Sculpt - tẹmẹ
Nail - kai
Obey - gbana
Pack/gather - tạ
Peel - fọli
Pet - ko / komọ
Pinch - kpọnụ
Plant - gboro
Play (music) - fari
Play - tei / olomiẹtei
Pour - dẹsi / dọsu
Pretend - ariyaimiẹ
Puncture - sọku / sọki
Rape - kọribọnọ
Reduce - zi / zimọ
Return - wai
Rejoice - pọwẹi
Remember - ikiye
Rest - ẹmbafou, eyounsara
Save - zuwọ, teimọ
Scatter - yalai, gagala
Scratch - wala
Scream - giya
Sell - yẹri
Sew - gbẹịn
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Shame - boze
Sink - bile
Sleep - bọnọ
Smile - mukẹdẹri
Sneeze - adisẹịn
Snore - ngọrẹ
Spit - filagbẹn: this word is sometimes separated in an ijaw
sentence. E.g. Don’t spit there – ạniyọ mẹ/ma filagbẹn
kumọ; Don’t spit on me – fila kọn e gbẹn kumọ
Stammer - opomboro
Steal from pot - tai / kpali
Stool - pọukoro / biẹn
Stool - pọukoro
Suffer - oya / oyafu
Surround - yọrọi
Swear - Karisai
Swim - oki
Sympathize - tabai
Thick - kẹịn
Think - ororo, tọn
To Allow / Let - Pebi, bọu
To argue - bẹbẹdọnọ
To arrive - egbe
To be “close to” - nạịn
To bother someone - bọudụn
To bring - kọnbo
To Catch - Kẹri
To clap hands - birapele
To clap - pele
To correct - miẹkẹrẹ / miẹkarai
To cut (with a machete) - Ki / kimọ
To Cut - pẹlẹ
To deform/twist - bigi
To Deny - Pii
To disrespect - Disei / Diseimọ
To do / to make - miẹ
To Dream - dawai
To chase away - duwo
To enter (vehicle) - lei
To fast - mọụnkoru
To forget - bra / brasịn / gbarị
To get in - suwọ
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To get off - seri / koro

To get on - lei
To get out - seri / pa
To get pregnant - ofuro
To give - kọnpri (e.g. Give your father the phone – phonụ kọn ịnị
daubei pri)
To go away - sou / seri / wẹnipa
To go out - wẹni pa
To go - mụ
To Hate - golu
To have sex with female tubọnọ
To have sex with male - tọnbọnọ
To have - nạnạ
To hide - sọwẹi
To Hold - kọri
To hold on (to sth or s1) iyọlọ
To injure (sth or s1) - Inọụntuwa
To get injured - Inọụnạnạ
To Learn - Idawai / Tolumọ
To leave (a place) - wẹnipa
To like - disẹ
To meet/gather - bẹni
To miss/To forget - bra / gbarị
To miss someone - Gbarịa
To Mock - yẹkẹ
To oppress - pou / poumọ
To own/possess - nạnạ
To Plead - tẹ
To praise - seri
To pregnant someone - bọnọofuro
To pursue - bạịntuduwo
To put on - tuwa (as in cloths, shoes, jewelleries etc)
To Reach - la
To receive - akẹ, kọn
To remove - kọnsịn
To send - fẹrẹ / fẹrẹmọ
To share/halve - diyẹ / diẹ
To shout at - dari pri
To shout - olou
To show - kọndia: this word is sometimes separated in an ijaw sentence.
E.g. Show me your hands – ịnị birabo kọn ẹ dia; show me
how you dance – i sẹi bra kọn ẹ dia.
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To spoil - sei / seimọ

To stay - tịmị, ạnga
To stop - pẹlẹ, tiẹmọ
To study - Idawai
To Teach - Tolumọ
To test (sm) - dadi
To Thank sth or s1 - kile
To thief - furu
To Travel - yọupa
To try (effort) - gbadai (like when someone has done something to a
satisfactory level).
To try (attempt sth) - dadi
To try on - tuwadi (as in cloths, shoes, jewelleries etc)
To use - kọn miẹ (e.g. I am using it – ẹ ạ kọn iye miẹmịnị - which
literally means “I am using it to do something)
To wait - koru
To walk - wẹni
To walk away - wẹnipa
To walk to - wẹni mu
To wet - bosu
To work - fẹrẹwẹni
To wrong - miẹkiri
Wake/Wake up - sou / soutiyẹ
Yawn - awụn

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Extras

SOME SUFFIXES AND WORDS THAT CHANGES THE MEANING OF A SENTENCE, A

NOUN, AN ADJECTIVE AND A VERB

1. DẸ/TẸ/NẸ/DỌ:
This suffix comes after a verb to indicate past tense. “Dẹ” and “nẹ” is used by some
clans while “tẹ” and “dọ” is used by others. It goes along with “have or has”.
E.g. (a) Have you gone? - - - i mụ dẹ? (Mụ means go, the dẹ makes it gone)
(b) I have danced - - - ẹ sẹidẹ (sẹi means dance, the dẹ makes it danced)
(c) I have read it all - - - - ẹ ạ sẹ godẹ
(d) I have sat down there - - - - - - ẹ ạnịyọ petịmịdẹ (pẹrẹ and petịmị are words
which means sit)

2. MO:
This suffix still comes after a verb to indicate past tense but does not go along with
have or has. And it is usually used in very short sentences.
E.g. (a) I danced - - - - - - ẹ sẹi mo
(b) I read it all - - - - - ẹ ạ sẹ go mo
(c) I thought I read it all - - - - - ẹ ạ sẹ godẹ kẹ tọn mo
(d) I sat down there - - - - - - ẹ ạnịyọ ma petimi mo
(e) I was sitting down there - - - - ẹ ạniyọ ma petimi timi mo

3. BO/MỌ/ ẠMẠ:
This suffixes is placed in front of nouns to pluralize them, the three variants sounds well
with different words
E.g. (a) My Houses - - - - ẹnị wariạmạ/ẹnị waribo/ẹnị warimọ (wari means house)
(b) His Bags - - - - - - ụnị Akpabo (Akpa means bag)
(c) That boy gave his book(s) to those men - - - - - - - - ạni tubọbei ụnị fụn(ạmạ)
kọn ạnị kẹmẹbọ pri

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4. EMI
This word comes last in sentences. Although it means available, it serves as the English
equivalent of “there is”, “is there?” “are, is ”, “it is”, “is it?”, “were” and others
E.g. (a) Is your mother available? - - - - ịnị yịnmạ emi?
(b) Your face is beautiful - - - - - - - ịnị ạndẹ mẹ ebi emi
(c) It is good - - - - - - - - ebi emi
(d) Is it bad? - - - - - - - - - sei emi? (Stress is in the “e” in the “emi” for questions)
(e) There is salt in that bottle - - - - - - adạụn ạnị ololo bulumạ emi
(f) Is there water in the bottle? - - - - - - Bịnị ololo bulumạ emi?

5. EMI GHA
This is the opposite of “emi”. It means “There is no”, “is there no?”, “is it not”, “it is
not”, “are not, is not”. This is applicable if a noun does not end the sentence. If the
sentence ends with a noun then “gha” only is pronounced.
E.g. (a) Is your father not available? - - - - ịnị daubei emi gha?
(b) Your face is not beautiful - - - - - - - ịnị ạndẹ mẹ ebi emi gha
(c) It is not good - - - - - - - - ebi emi gha
(d) is it not bad? - - - - - - - - - sei emi gha? (Stress is in the “e” in the “emi” for
questions)
(e) There is no salt in that bottle - - - - - - adạụn ạnị ololo bulumạ emi gha
(f) Is there no water in the bottle? - - - - - - Bịnị ololo bulumạ emi gha?
(g) Are you not Pere’s daughter? - - - - - - imẹnẹ pẹrẹ tubọmạ gha?
6. FA
This is the same as “emi gha” above. But this is used only when something or someone
is not in a place or no longer available. It means “not available”, “not available?”, “There
is no” and “is there no”.
E.g (a) Is your father not available? - - - - ịnị daubei fa?
(b) My father is not home - - - - - ẹnị daubei warigha fa?
(e) There is no salt in that bottle - - - - - - adạụn ạnị ololo bulumạ fa
(f) Is there no water in the bottle? - - - - - - Bịnị ololo bulumạ fa?
(g) Are you not Pere’s daughter? - - - - - - imẹnẹ pẹrẹ tubọmạ gha?

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7. WẸRI EMI
This words comes last in a sentence; after a verb and it makes the verb a present tense
in a question and a past tense in the answer. E.g. know is nịmị in ijaw, knew means
nịmị wẹri emi. If the sentence is a question then the English word “did” comes into play.
E.g. (a) I knew they were bad - - - - - - ẹ ọn sei emi nịmị wẹri emi.
(b) Did you go to school today? - - - - - i mẹ erịn mẹ sukulu mụ wẹri emi?
(c) I went to school today - - - - - - - ẹ mẹ erịn mẹ sukulu mu wẹri emi
(c) Did you beat her? - - - - - - - - - i a famụ wẹri emi?
(d) Did you dance? - - - - - - - - - - i sẹi wẹri emi?
(e) I danced - - - - - - - - - ẹ sẹi wẹri emi
“Weri” alone also comes after verbs, even in this situation it means the verb is in its
past tense.
E.g. (a) The word you said is bad - - - - - - i gbawẹri egberi mẹ sei emi.
(b) Have you read what I wrote - - - - - i ẹ gẹwẹri iye godẹ
Note: intonation and stressing matters a lot in examples d and e. One (I danced) is
affirmative, the other is not. Just like English, some syllables are stressed. In “d” above,
the e in “emi” is stressed while in that of example e, the e in “emi” is not stressed.

8. AGBẸ EMI / AGBẸ GHA

Agbẹ as a word means deserve, worthy, fit (for cloths to fit) when it comes after a noun
or pronoun, when “agbẹ emi” comes after a verb to portray the meaning “supposed to”.
Agbẹ gha too comes after a verb to mean “not supposed to”.
E.g. (a) You are supposed to eat your food - - - - - i ịnị fiyai/feye fi agbẹ emi
(b) you are not supposed to eat your food - - - - i ịnị fiyai/feye fi agbẹ gha
(b) We are supposed to read our books - - - - - o onị fụnbo go agbẹ emi
(c) you are not supposed to talk - - - - - - i fiye agbẹ gha
9. KẸ / KẸRẸ
This one is equivalent to the English “It is _ _ _ that” “is it _ _ _ that (in a question)”,
(nouns, pronouns and adjectival phrases fills in the gap) “it was”
e.g. (a) It is that boy that ate the food - - - - - ạnị tubọbei kẹ/kẹrẹ fiyai fi wẹri emi
(b) It is your child that spoiled it - - - - ịnị tubọ kẹ/kẹrẹ ạ sei wẹri emi

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10. GHA/GHẸ:
This word always comes after a verb to indicate negation or opposition. It means
“won’t”. It also comes after an adjective to mean “not”.
E.g. (a) I won’t go to school - - - - - - - - ẹ sukulu mụ gha
(b) I won’t flog you - - - - - - - - - ẹ i vurọ gha
(c) That thing is not good - - - - - - ạnị ye ebi gha
(d) John is not tall - - - - - - - - - Jọnụ dawạịn gha (j pronounced as z.)
(e) John is not too tall - - - - - - - Jọnọ dawạịn ka gha
It is used to give opposites and signifies “not”.
E.g. (a) Sei - - - - Bad / Sei gha - - - - Not Bad (Good)
(b) Kolu - - - Short / kolu gha - - - Not Short (Tall)
(c) Ebi - - - - Good / Beautiful / Ebi gha - - - - - Not Good/Not Beautiful (Bad/Ugly)
So, just knowing this will help you a lot in ijaw, you just have to know one and with the
“gha” added to the one you know it changes the meaning to the opposite word.

11. GHAFA/ GHẸFA:

This word is similar to “gha/ghẹ” above but this means “will not”. In questions it means
“won’t”.
(a) I will not flog you - - - - - - - - ẹ i vurọ ghafa
(b) Today, I will not go to school - - - - mẹ erịn mẹ, ẹ sukulu mụ ghafa
(c) I will not go to the market today - - - - - ẹ mẹ erịn mẹ fọu mụ ghafa
(d) I will not eat - - - - - - - - - - ẹ fi ghafa
(e) Won’t you come back? - - - - - - i wai bo ghafa?
(f) Won’t you eat your food? - - - - - i ịnị fiyai fi ghafa?

12. DỌUGHA / BỌUGHA:

Dọu means find and the several synonyms of find including “want, search etc.” while
bọu means “To allow” as a verb, “soft” and “easy” as an adjective. But “dọugha” and
“bọugha” means either “not wanted”, “not searching”, “not wanting”, “don’t want”,
“don’t want to”, “does not want”, does not want to”.
e.g. (a) I don’t want to go - - - - - - - - ẹ mụ dọugha / ẹmẹnẹ mụ dọugha

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(b) We don’t want you - - - - - - - - o i dọugha / omẹnẹ imẹnẹ dọugha

(c) You are not searching for my walking stick? - - - - - i ẹnị akọlọ dọugha? /
imẹnẹ ẹnị akọlọ dọugha
(d) I don’t want to sleep - - - - - - - ẹ bọnọ dọugha / ẹmẹnẹ dọugha
(e) I don’t want to beat you - - - - - ẹ i famụ dọugha
(f) He does not want to eat - - - - - - - u fi dọugha/bọugha

13. DỌUMẸNẸ:
The mẹnẹ attached to the “dọu” makes it to mean “want to”.
E.g. (a) I want to go home - - - - - - ẹ wari mụ dọumẹnẹ
(b) I want to go to my work/workplace - - - - - - - - ẹ ẹni fẹrẹ/fẹrẹyọ mụ dọumẹnẹ
(c) I want to jump past that place - - - - - ẹ ạnịyọ desi bọ dọumẹnẹ
(d) I want to live a good life - - - - - ẹ ebi akpọ yịrịn dọumẹnẹ / ẹ ebi yịrịn yịrịn
dọumẹnẹ (the first is more popular).

14. DỌUTỊMỊ:
The “tịmị” attached to the dọu makes it to mean “wanted to” when it comes after a verb
or adjective. It means “was/were looking for” when it comes after a noun and in this
case “kẹ” is sometimes added (e.g. ke dọutịmị).
E.g. (a) He wanted to praise that man - - - - - - u ạnị kẹmẹ seri dọutịmị / ụ ạnị kẹmẹ
tokoni dọutịmị
(b) She wanted to read my books - - a ẹni fụnbo go dọutịmị / a ẹni fụnạmạ go
dọutịmị
(c) They wanted to run - - - - - - - - ọn bạịn dọutịmị
(d) I wanted to win them - - - - - ẹ ọn dein dọutịmị / ẹmẹnẹ ọnmẹnẹ dẹịn dọutịmị
(e) He was looking for his book - - - - - u ụnị fụn kẹ dọutịmị
(f) They were looking for their fathers Walking stick - - ọn ọni dau akọlọ kẹ dọutịmị

15. DỌUMỊNỊ
This means “looking for” and it comes last in a sentence. And like above, “kẹ” sometimes
comes before dọumịnị.
E.g. (a) I am looking for my Mother - - - - - - - ẹ ẹnị yịnma dọumịnị

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(b) He is looking for my spoon - - - - - u ẹnị koyẹrẹ dọumịnị

(c) What are they looking for - - - - - ọn teye kẹ dọumịnị
(d) Who are you looking for - - - - - i tubọ kẹ dọumịnị
16. DỌUDẸ
The “dẹ” attached to dọu makes it to mean “now wants to”
E.g. (a) He now wants to eat something - - - - - - umene iye fi dọudẹ
(b) She now wants to go - - - - - amene mụ dọudẹ
17. KỤMỌ/KỤMA/SOMẠ:
This word means “don’t” in a sentence when it comes after a verb; it means “should
not” or “shouldn’t be” when it comes after an adjective.
E.g. (a) Don’t go there - - - - - - - - - ạnịyọ mụ kụmọ
(b) Don’t go to school - - - - - - Sukulu mụ kụmọ
(c) Don’t talk yet - - - - - - - - - - sa fiye kụmọ
(d) My bag should not be dirty - - - - - ẹnị akpa lọlu kụmọ
(e) Don’t make it old - - - - ạ mie oru kụmọ
(f) Don’t leave me - - - - - ẹ wẹri somạ
18. WAI/BA:
This two words means “again” when it starts a sentence or come before or after
pronouns. “Wai” means return and its synonyms (verb), turn (as in turn around) or stir
(verb) or any other synonyms when it ends a sentence, if it is in the middle of a sentence
it means “again”. It also means the English prefix “re”. It also means “no longer” but
sentence like this must have “gha” in them. “Ba” means “what of” when it comes after
nouns, pronouns or adjectivial phrases and ends a sentence. If it is used between two
pronouns or between a pronoun, a noun or verb it means “then”.
E.g. (a) Don’t there go again - - - - - wai ạnịyọ mụ kụmọ / ba aniyo mu kụmọ
(b) He has come back again - - - - - u wai bodẹ / u ba bodẹ (here “back and
again” means the same)
(c) He has returned it - - - - - - - u a waide
(d) Turn around - - - - - - - - - wai
(e) Stir the soup - - - - - - - - fiyai wai
(f) Rewrite your essays - - - - - wai ịnị ẹsebo gẹ
(g) I am no longer eating - - - - - ẹ ba fi gha

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(h) I then walked home after I saw her - - - - ẹ a ẹri sịn mẹ, ẹmẹnẹ ba wẹnị wari
mụ wẹri emi
19. MẸ:
This word means “The” when it comes after a noun or pronoun. It means “This” &
“These (if the noun or pronoun is plural)” if it comes before a noun or pronoun or starts
a sentence. Most times it always comes after nouns.
E.g. (a) The Man is Good - - - - - - - - Kẹmẹ mẹ ebi emi
(b) The Thing is bad - - - - - - - - iye mẹ sei emi
(c) This Boy is your son - - - - - - mẹ Tubọbei ịnị oweitubọ
(d) This is my Book - - - - - - - - mẹ ẹnị fụn
(e) These are my shirts - - - - - - mẹ ẹnị aruạmạ/arubo
(f) These shirts are mine - - - - - mẹ arubo ẹnịyạịn
20. KẸDẸ
This word comes after a question. Is means “Right?, “have you?” Etc.
E.g. (a) I sạ mụ gha kẹdẹ - - You have not gone. Have you? (“Have you?” here is kẹdẹ)
And the answer is “ẹ sạ mụ gha” – I have not gone or “ẹ mụdẹ” – I have gone
This word is not applicable in all question and answer phrases or sentences.
(b) You brother did not come. Right? - - - ịnị kẹnịbọwei bogha kẹdẹ?
21. ỊNDẸ:
This word means How much on it’s own but when it is associated with “nạ (Ịndẹnạ)” it
means “How many”
E.g. (a) How much is this? - - - - - - - - - Mẹ ye ịndẹ?
(b) How many times? - - - - - - - - - Ịndẹnạ seri / Ịndẹnạ fiye
(c) How many Cloths are in your room - - - Ịndẹnạ aruạmạ kẹ ịnị okpo buluma emi
(d) How many men - - - - - - Ịndẹnạ kẹmẹạmạ
22. MẸNẸ/MỤNỤ
This words means “will or shall”, “will be or shall be” in a sentence and it comes last in
a sentence after a verb.
E.g. (a) Will you go? - - - - - - - - i mụ mẹnẹ?
(b) Will the girl come? - - - - - Tubọma bo mẹnẹ?
(c) I will flog you - - - - - - - ẹ i vurọ mẹnẹ
(d) It will be good - - - - - - ạ ebi mẹnẹ / ạ ebi mụnụ

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23. MỊNỊ / ARI:

Sometimes used as mene is the English equivalent of “ing”. “Ari” is used by Eastern Ijaw
clans for this same purpose.
E.g. (a) I am Dancing - - - - - - - - - ẹ sẹimịnị
(b) I am going / am I going? - - - - - - - - - - ẹ mumịnị / ẹ mumịnị?
(c) Are you going? - - - - - - - i mụmịnị?
(d) He is eating something - - - - - umẹnẹ iye fimịnị
(e) He is coming - - - - - - - - u boari.
24. SỊN:
This comes after a verb to signify termination of the action. It acts as the English word
“finished” or the phrase “through (termination) with” an action. It also means “after”
and it comes after verbs.
E.g. (a) When you have finished eating your food wash the plates - - - - - i ịnị fiyai fi
sịn nẹba, pạnụbo sọrọ.
(b) When you are through with talking - - - - - - i fiye sịn dẹsẹ
(c) I slept after reading my books - - - - ẹ ẹnị fụnbo go sịn mẹ kẹ ẹ siyạịnbọnọ
wẹri emi
25. BRA/PA:
This word means the noun “Hand” and the verb “Forget” on its own. If it comes after a
possessive pronoun it means hand e.g. eni bra (my hand), if it comes after other
pronouns it means forget. E.g. e brade (I have forgotten). When it comes after a verb
it means “the way something is done” or “how something is done”. Pa means same and
this comes after verbs.
E.g. (a) I like your movement / I like the way you walk - - - - - - ẹ i weni bra disẹ emi
(“weni” is move, “weni bra” is movement which is means the way one moves)
(b) I like the way you dance - - - - - - - ẹ i sẹi bra disẹ emi
(c) I like the way you are dancing - - - - - ẹ i sẹimịnị bra disẹ emi
(d) I do not like how you are singing - - - - - - - - ẹ i tụnmịnị bra disẹ gha
(d) Show me the way you danced - - - - - - I kọn sẹiwẹri pa mẹ kọn ẹ dia
(e) I like the way you talked yesterday - - - ẹ I bọdẹ erịn mẹ fiye pa mẹ disẹ emi

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26. WẸRẸ:
This word means “now”
E.g. (a) You can now talk - - - - - - - imẹnẹ wẹrẹ fiye
(b) Now go to your houses - - - - - - wẹrẹ ọni wariạmạ mụ

27. KỌN/KỌNBO:
Kọn word means take, accept etc. Kọnbo also means “bring” etc. Kọn also means “how
someone did an action” like point No. 25.
E.g. (a) That woman brought good things - - - ạnị erema ebi iyeạmạ kọnbo wẹri emi
(b) Take your bag / take back you bag - - - - - - ịnị akpa kọn / wai ịnị akpa kọn
(c) Bring the food, I am hungry - - - - - - fiyai kọnbo, e mọụnkẹri mẹnẹ
(d) Don’t accept that cloth - - - - - - - ạnị aru kọn kumọ

28. LA/KẸN:
This two words refers to ability. La also means reach, up to. La/kẹn is also translated as
“can”or “able”.
E.g. (a) can you reach there? - - - - - - - I la ạnịyọ la mẹnẹ?
(b) are you able to reach there? - - - - - I la ạnịyọ la mẹnẹ?
(c) Can you do it? - - - - - - - I la ạ miẹmẹnẹ?
(d) Can you? - - - - - - - - - I kẹnmẹnẹ?
(e) you can’t - - - - - - - I kẹngha
(f) They cannot - - - - - o kẹnghafa

29. GHA PA EMI / A PA EMI

These phrases means “can”. It comes after verbs and is used in questions and verbal
sentences.
E.g. (a) I can eat your food - - - - - - ẹ ịnị fiyai figha pa emi
(b) Can I eat your food? - - - - - ẹ ịnị fiyai figha pa emi?
(c) Can your brother do that? - - - ịnị kẹnịbọwei ạnịye me miẹgha pa emi?
(d) Can I go with you? - - - - - ẹ i mọmọ mụgha pa emi?
(e) Can I take your shirt? - - - - ẹ ịnị aru kọngha pa emi?
(f) You brother can do this thing - - - - - ịnị kẹnịbọwei mẹye miẹgha pa emi

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30. GHA PAGHA / A PAGHA

Just like No. 26, these phrases refers to “can’t” or “cannot”. But unlike No. 25, these
ones are used in verbal and adjectivial sentences.
E.g. (a) Your bag cannot be dirty - - - - - - ịnị akpa mẹ lọlugha pagha
(b) My aunty’s son cannot dance - - - - ẹnị yabearau tubọbei sẹigha pagha
(c) I cannot eat that thing - - - - - - ẹ ạnị iye figha pagha
(d) I can’t come today - - - - - - - ẹ mẹ erịn mẹ bogha pagha
(e) You cannot be poor - - - - - - i uyafọgha pagha / i ẹngọgha pagha
31. SẸ:
This word means all, totality and it comes after a noun or pronoun.
E.g. (a) All of them - - - - - - - - ọn sẹ
(b) All of us - - - - - - - - - - o sẹ
(c) All the children are at home - - - - - awọubo sẹ wari emi
(d) All of you should come - - - - - - ọ sẹ bo (this sentence practical use ends with “eh”)
(e) All of you should now come - - - - - ọ sẹ wẹrẹ bo
32. MẸGBAI MẸ:
This word means “this time around” or simply “this time”
E.g. (a) This time, I will not succumb - - - - - - Mẹgbai mẹ, ẹ bọughafa
(b) This time around, we won’t go there - - - - - - mẹgbai mẹ, omẹnẹ ạnịy ọ mụgha
33. KPỌ
This word means these English synonymous words: also, even, too, etc.
E.g. (a) Even you? - - - - - - I kpọ / imẹnẹ kpọ
(b) Me too - - - - - - - ẹ kpọ / ẹmẹnẹ kpọ
(c) Even her daughter - - - - - - - ạnị eretubọ kpọ / ạnị tubọma kpọ
(d) His son is also involved - ụnị oweitubọ kpọ suọ emi / ụnị tubọbei kpọ suọ emi
34. SẠ / NẠ
This word is always used in sentences that are negative (i.e. sentences that have “not”
in them) and this is reason why “gha” always comes last after the verb in such
sentences. This word means “have not” or “yet”.
E.g. (a) I have not gone yet - - - - - - - ẹ sạ mụgha
(b) My face is not clean yet - - - - - - - ẹnị ạndẹ sạ yalẹgha
(c) My Husband has not returned yet - - - - - - - ẹnị yei/zei (bei) sạ wai bogha

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35. BỌTẸBẸ / BUBỌU:

This two words means “only”.
E.g. (a) Only he will do it - - umẹnẹ bọtẹbẹ kẹ ạ miẹ mẹnẹ / umẹnẹ bubọu kẹ ạ miẹ mẹnẹ
(b) Only one person has come - - kẹnị kẹmẹ bọtẹbẹ kẹ bodẹ / kẹnị kẹmẹ bubọu
kẹ bodẹ
(c) Only three children - - - - - - - - tara awọu bọtẹbẹ
(d) The people were only two - - - - - - kẹmẹbo mạ bọtẹbẹ / kẹmẹbo mạ bubọu
36. TỊMỊ
This word alone means stay when it comes after a noun or “mẹ”, but when it comes
after a verb it portrays several meanings. For example the word dance (sẹi) together
with “tịmị” (sẹitịmị) either means danced until or be dancing.
E.g. (a) Be here talking, the man has gone - - - - - Mẹyọ ma fietịmị, kẹmẹ mẹ mụdẹ
(b) We all danced until our bodies pained us - - - - - o sẹ sẹitịmị onị ạngọbo o
dẹịn wẹri emi.
Explained: o sẹ (we all) sẹitịmị (danced until) onị ạngọbo (our bodies) o
dẹịn wẹri emi (pained us)
(c) He was fighting with your wife - - - - - - umẹnẹ ịnị tạmạ kẹ mọmọ sọutịmị
(d) He and your wife was fighting - - - - - - umẹnẹ mọ ịnị tạmạ kẹ sọutịmị
(e) We were talking in the room - - - - - - omẹnẹ okpo bulumạ fietịmị
37. KAMO/BỌMO/ KA EMI/BỌ EMI:
“Kamo/Bọmo” means two things, when it comes after an adjective it means “very
good/well”, “extremely good/well”. When it comes after a verb it means the phrase “too
much”, “very much”. While ka emi/bo emi mean the same. Mind you “too much” also
means plenty which means “bịn” in ijaw.
E.g. (a) This girl is very beautiful - - - - - - mẹ tubọmạ ebi kamo / mẹ tubọmạ ebi bọmo
(b) That boy is very tall - - - - - - - ạnị tubọbei dawạịn bọ emi
(c) That girl is too good/beautiful - - - - - ạnị tubọmạ ebi bọ emi
(d) The Boy is very intelligent - - - - - - tubọbei iyenịmị kamo
(e) The boy is very smart - - - - - tubọbei kẹlẹkẹlẹ kamo
(f) He talks too much - - - - - - - umẹnẹ fiye kamo
(g) That boy walks too much - - - ạnị tubọbei wẹni bọmo / ạnị tubọbei wẹni kamo

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38. NẸBA, NẠBA, DẸBA, DẸSẸ

The first three (nẹba, nạda, dẹba) word means “if”. “Nẹba/dẹba” is used in past tense
sentences while “nạba” is used in present ones. Dẹsẹ means “when”. And they all comes
after a verb.
E.g. (a) If I have money now, I will buy a car - - - - - e mẹtiẹkiri mẹ sẹlẹ nạnạdẹba, ẹ
kẹnị yọu/moto fẹ mẹnẹ (NOTE: Fẹ either means die, or buy)
(b) Tell your mum when you reach your house - - i ịnị wari ladẹsẹ, gba ịnị yịnmạ pri
(c) When I get/have money - - - - - - ẹ sẹlẹ/okubo/igbogi nạnạdẹsẹ

39. ABA/GHABA:
This means “if not”, “if do not”.
E.g. (a) If not for God - - - - - Ayiba/Tamụnọ/Tạmạrau ghaba
(b) I don’t have money now, if not I would have built a house - - - - ẹ mẹtiẹkiri
mẹ sẹlẹ nạnạ gha, ghaba ẹ wari kẹridẹ
(c) If you do not read your books you will not pass your exams - - -
i ịnị fụnạmạ go ghaba, i ịnị esambo bọ ghafa
(d) If you do not talk she will oppress you - - - i fiye ghaba, a i poumọ mẹnẹ

40. EBIMỌ/IBIMỌ & EBIGHA

These two words means “justify” if it comes after “gba (say)”; when it comes after
others it means “very well”. “Ebigha” on the other hand is used for the opposite which
is “not … very well”, “do not … very well”. Ebimọ /Ibimọ are used mostly when giving
an order. Depending on the tense, the “mọ” in “Ebimọ/Ibimọ” changes to the different
types of tenses. In the case of “ebigha”, the tense is added in front.
E.g. (a) Dance very well - - - - - - sẹi ebimọ
(b) I danced very well - - - - - ẹ sẹi ebi wẹri emi
(c) I have dance very well - - - - ẹ sẹi ebi dẹ
(d) I do not know her very well - - - - - ẹ a nịmị ebigha
(e) I did not know her very well - - - ẹ a nịmị ebigha tịmị
(f) I knew her very well - - - - - - ẹ a nịmị ebi wẹri emi
(g) Wash the plates very well - - - - - - panụbo sọrọ ebimọ

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41. PRI
This word means two things according to the verb that comes before it. If the verb is
say (gba) it means tell (gbapri), if the verb is dance (sẹi), look (di), read (go), write
(gẹ), fight (sọu) etc. It means doing those actions “for” someone or something. The
“pri” comes after the pronoun which comes after the action. Example: Tell her (gba a
pri).
E.g. (a) I have told her - - - - - ẹ gba a pridẹ
(b) I told her - - - - - - - ẹ gba a pri mo
(c) I have danced for her - - - - - - ẹ sẹi a pridẹ
(d) I danced for her - - - - - - ẹ sẹi a primo
(e) I have fought for them - - - - - - ẹ sọu ọn pridẹ
(f) I have written her essays for her - - - - - - - ẹ ạnị ẹsebo gẹ a pridẹ
(g) look after my children for me - - - - - - ẹnị awọubo di ẹ pri
42. TỌRU:
Tọru means River (or the different synonyms of river) or “eye” and it is a noun when it
either starts a sentence or comes before the word “Mẹ (discussed above)”, after a
pronoun or after an adjective. If the comes before a noun it means “kind of”, “type of”
etc.
E.g. (a) The kind of things that are happening this year - - - mẹ kurai pamịnị tọru
iyebo
(b) I want that kind of bag - - - - - - ẹ ạnị tọru akpa kẹ dọu emi
(c) I don’t like these type of people - - - - - ẹ mẹ tọru kẹmẹạmạ disẹ gha

43. TẸPATỌRU / TẸTỌRU / TẸPA:

It means “which kind”, “what kind”, “what type”, “which type” and is usually
accompanied with the word “iye” or the noun in question. If the noun is plural “iye” will
be in its plural form “yai”.
E.g. (a) This phone is which kind? - - mọ fonụ mẹ tẹpatọru iye?/ mẹ fonụ tẹtọru iye?
(b) What type of Book is that? - - - - - - ạnị fụn mẹ tẹpatọru iye?
(c) What type of books are those? - - - - ạnị fụnbo tẹpatọru yai?
(d) What type of books are these? - - - - mẹ fụnbo tẹpatọru yai?

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44. MẸỊMỊKPỌ:
This word means “even now, still” and other similar conjunctions.
E.g. (a) Are you still here? - - - - i mẹịmịkpọ mẹyọ emi / i mẹịmịkpọ mẹyọ ma emi
(b) Uptil now, you have not changed? - - - - - - mẹịmịkpọ, i sạ deigha?
45. MẸTIẸKIRI (Explained better under Conjunction subheading in Building your
Vocabulary, Part II Section)
This word mean “now” “just now”.
46. MỌ (Explained better under Conjunction subheading in Building your
Vocabulary, Part II Section)
This word is equivalent to “and” in English
E.g. (a) You and I are going there - - - - - - imẹnẹ mọ ẹmẹnẹ mọ kẹ ạnịyọ mụmịnị.
(b) Your children and their uncle went out - ịnị awọubo mọ ọnị yabẹbei wẹni pa emi
47. PAPA:
This means anyhow
E.g. (a) Why are you doing this thing anyhow? - - Tẹkẹdonẹ i papa kọn mẹ iye miẹmịnị
Tẹkẹdonẹ (why), i (you), mẹ iye (this thing), papa (anyhow), miẹmịnị (doing)
(b) Don’t eat anyhow - - - - - papa iye fi kumọ
(c) Don’t talk anyhow - - - - - papa fiye kumọ
48. MỌMỌ:
This word means “with”
E.g. (a) I am with you - - - - - - - ẹ i mọmọ emi
(b) I will stay with her - - - - - - ẹ a mọmọ timi mẹnẹ
(c) Stay with me - - - - - - - ẹ mọmọ timi
(d) Don’t you want to stay with your uncle? - - i ịnị yabẹbei mọmọ timi dọugha?

49. MẸBRA / ẠNỊBRA & MẸSẸBRA

Mẹbra means “like this”, Ạnịbra means “like that”. Mẹsẹbra means the both. Mẹbra and
Ạnịbra could be separated in a sentence too.
E.g. (a) Do it like that - - - - - - ạnịbra kọn ạ miẹ / mẹsẹbra kọn ạ miẹ
(b) Dance like this - - - - - - mẹbra kọn sẹi
(c) Like that! / Like this! - - - - - Mẹsẹbra!
(d) Don’t do like this - - - - - - mẹbra mẹ kumọ

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50. USING THE WORDS “ANYHOW” & “ANYWHERE”

If you want to say sentences like “anyhow you dance, anyhow she cries, and anywhere
you go” in Ijaw, usually the actions are said twice in ijaw. The following ijaw translations
is for when the above words comes first in a sentence. For “anyhow”, “bra” is added in
front of the verb while for “anywhere”, “yọ” is added to the verb.
E.g. (a) anyhow you behave, I don’t mind - - - - I miẹbra miẹbra, ẹ gbologha
Now, in the Ijaw sentence above, “miebra means behave,
gbologha is the closest translation of the English idiom. If the
English sentence was in its pidgin form – anyhow you do, e no
consign me – then you will see the correctness because “miẹ”
means do and “consign (in pidgin not english) which also
means affect” means gbolo in ijaw.
(b) anyhow you dance, he will not see you - - - I sẹibra sẹibra u imẹnẹ ẹri ghafa
(c) anywhere you go - - - - - - - - I mụyọ mụyọ
(d) anywhere you eat food - - - - - - - I fiyai fiyọ fiyọ
(e) anywhere you look - - - - - - - I diyọ diyọ
(f) anyhow you talk - - - - I fiyebra fiyebra
(g) anyhow you walk - - - - - I wẹnibra wẹnibra

In sentences like the following, “anyhow” is translated as “papa” which is explained above.
E.g. (a) Even if you dance anyhow - - - - - - I papa kọn sẹi kpọ
(b) He ate the food anyhow - - - - - - - umẹnẹ papa kọn fiyaibo fi wẹri emi
(c) She reads books anyhow - - - - - amẹnẹ papa kọn fụnạmạ go mẹnẹ

Now there are some English sentences having “anyhow, anywhere” that can not be
translated word for word in ijaw.

PLEASE NOTE: as stated above plularizing in Ijaw takes multiples forms just like
English (which has “s, es, ies, ves etc.), bo, mọ, ạmạ, amọ are different forms,
Tarakiri (the ones I heard growing up) were “bo and ạmạ”, through the Facebook
Group “Ijaw language clinic (ILC)”, I have learnt mọ and amọ used by some other
clans, so take note.

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