How to ask questions in Igbo

 

There are question starters in Igbo, just like you have in English.

Things like ‘where’, ‘how’, ‘what’, etc.

Most questions in Igbo start with ‘kedụ?’ or olee?. It is then usually followed by a word that clarifies the question eg:

Kedụ ihe - what thing/what?

Kedụ ebe - what place/where?

Kedụ mgbe - what time/when?

Kedụ ka/kedụ otu - how?

Kedụ nke - which?

Kedụ ụdị - what type?

Others are:

Maka gịnị - why?

Ole - how many?

With the examples above, you can swap ‘olee’ for ‘kedụ’, eg: olee ihe? etc.

Note that ‘how many’ has only one ‘e’, ole?

Kedụ ihe?/ Gịnị? (What?)

Kedụ ihe ị na-eme?

M na-eme isi m

What are you doing?

I am doing my hair

Kedụ ihe bụ aha gị?

Aha m bụ Ijeoma

Gịnị bụ aha gị?

Aha m bụ Ijeoma

Kedụ ebe?/ Ebee? (Where?)

Ebe means place

Kedụ ebe ị nọ?

M nọ n’ụlọ

Where are you?

I’m at home

Ebee ka ị nọ?

M nọ n’ụlọ

Kedụ mgbe? (When)

This can also be ‘kedụ oge?’

Mgbe/oge means time

Kedụ mgbe ị ga-abịa?

M ga-abịa echi

When will you come?

I will come tomorrow

Kedụ ka/Kedụ otu (How?)

Kedụ ka i mere?

Ọ dị mma

How are you?

It is well

Kedụ ka e si eme achịcha?

Amaghị m

How is bread made?

I don’t know

Kedụ nke? (Which?)

Kedụ nke ọ bụ?

Ọ bụ nke a

Which one is it? or Which one?

It is this one

Kedụ akwa nke ọ bụ?

Akwa ojii

Which cloth?

The black cloth

Kedụ ụdị? (What type?)

Kedụ ụdị ị chọrọ?

M chọrọ nke ojii

What type do you want?

I want the black one

Kedụ ụdị nri ị chọrọ?

M chọrọ osikapa

What type of food do you want?

I want rice

Maka gịnị? (Why?)

Maka gịnị?

O nweghị

Why?

Nothing

Maka gịnị ka i ji mee ya?

Maka na iwe were m

Why did you do it?

Bcause I was angry

Ole? (How many/how much?)

Ego ole?

Naira iri

How much?

Ten naira

Mmadụ ole na-abịa?

Mmadụ abụọ

How many people are coming?

Two people

Daalụ for visiting and for reading this post

Which of these Igbo question starters will you use today?