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