Learn Igbo Prepositions | Prepositions in Igbo

 

Mbuụzọ (Prepositions)

They describe the relationship between a noun or pronoun to other words in the sentence eg: they show time, direction, and location.

 List of Igbo Prepositions (with sentence examples)

·         About – maka , gbasara. Okwu a bụ maka ọrụ m. This speech is about my work

·         Above – n’elu/karịrị. Ọ dị n’elu ụlọ. It is above the house. Ị karịrị ihe a. You are above this

·         Around – gburugburu. Ọ dị gburugburu ụlọ. It is around the house

·         Aside – n’akụkụ. Dowe ya n’akụkụ. Keep it aside.

·         At – na. M nọ na ọrụ. I am at work

·         Among – n’etiti. Ọ nọ n’etiti ha. He is among them

 

·         Before – tupu. Tupu ị bịa, biko gwa m. Before you come, pls tell me.

·         Behind – n’azụ. Akpa m nọ n’azụ oche

·         Below – n’okpuru. Akpa m nọ n’okpuru oche

·         Beside – n’akụkụ.

·         Between – n’etiti. Ọ nọ n’etiti ha abụọ. He is between the two

·         Beyond – karịrị. Ihe a karịrị ya. This is beyond him

 

·         Down – n’ala. Put your bag down. Wetuo akpa gị n’ala

·         During – n’oge. N’oge nzukọ, ọ bịara. During the meeting, he came.

 

·         Except – belụsọ/ belụsọ ma/ wezuga. Unu gawa, belụsọ Obi. You’all go, except Obi. Belụsọ ma a mụrụ mmadụ ọzọ....Except a man be born again...

 

·         For – maka. Nke a bụ maka ya. This is for him

·         From – si/ site na. O si Enugu bịa. He came from Enugu. Site na elekere abụọ ruo elekere ise, anyị ga-eme nzukọ. From 2 to 5 o’clock, we’ll be having a meeting

 

·         In front of – n’ihu. Ọ nọ n’ihu gị

·         In regard to – gbasara. Gbasara okwu ahụ, hapụ ya. Regarding that talk, leave it (alone)

·         Inside – n’ime. Ọ dị n’ime akpa

·         In spite of – n’agbanyeghị. N’agbanyeghị ihe o mere, m ga-abịa

 

·         Near – nso. Ọ nọ m nso. He is near me. It is near me

 

·         Of – si/nke/maka. Ị si ala Igbo. You are of Igboland (Igbo tribe).  M chere maka ya. I thought of him. Ọbịbịa nke Onye nwe anyị. The coming of our Lord

·         On -n’elu. Ọ dị n’elu oche.

·         Opposite – n’ihu. Ụlọ ahụ nọ n’ihu ahịa. That house is opposite the shop.

·         Over – Here I would use the Igbo verb specific to the sentence. Eg: wufere – jumped over.

 

·         Since – kemgbe. Kemgbe, m nọ ebe a, na-eche. Since, I’ve been here, waiting.

 

·         Therefore – ya mere. M gara taa, ya mere m gaghị aga echiI went today, therefore won’t go tomorrow.

·         Through – site na. Site n’aka ya, i ga-enweta ya. Through him, you’ll get it

·         To – na. Jee na ahịa. Go to the market.

 

·         Under – n’okpuru. Akpa gị nọ n’okpuru oche

·         Until – ruo/ruo mgbe. M ga-eche, ruo echi. I will wait, till tomorrow. M ga-anọ ya ruo mgbe ị ga-abịa. I will stay until you come.

·         Up – n’elu. Uko nọ n’elu. The shelf is up.

 

Sources:

1. A textbook of Igbo grammar. By Godson Echebima.

2. https://www.learngrammar.net/english-grammar/preposition

3. https://medium.com/@english_grammar/how-to-use-preposition-in-english-grammar-on-at-in-of-for-2fdb11e80029