Learn Igbo Pronouns

 

In Igbo, pronouns are used in place of nouns.

We’ll be looking at:

Personal pronouns

Possessive pronouns

Relative pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns

Indefinite pronouns

Reflexive pronouns

Interrogative pronouns

 

Personal Pronouns

I/me - M/mụ. Eg: I’m coming - M na-abịa. Give me - Nye m. Mụ na di m

jere. I and my husband went.

 

You - Ị/gị. Are you coming? - Ị na-abịa?. And you? – Gị kwanụ? I’m calling you – M na-akpọ gị.

 

She/he/it - Ọ/O. She’s coming. Ọ na-abịa. She went - O jere. Him/her/it – Ya. Give him - Nye ya.

We/us – Anyị. Anyị na-abịa. Nye anyị.

 

They/them – Ha. Ha na-abịa. Nye ha.

 

You (plural) – Unu. Unu na-abịa. I will give you - M ga-enye unu.


Possessive Pronouns

My - m. My chair – oche m.                                  Mine – nke m

Our – anyị. Our chair – oche anyị                       Ours – nke anyị

 

Your – gị                                                                    Yours – nke gị

Your (plural) – unu                                                  Yours – nke unu

 

His/her/its – ya                                                        His/hers/its – nke ya

Their – ha                                                                 Theirs – nke ha


 
 

Relative Pronouns

Who/whom/whose - Onye. The one who came – Onye bịara.

Who/whom/whose (plural) - Ndị. The ones who came – Ndị bịara.

 

Whoever/whomever - Onye ọbụla. Whoever wants ... Onye ọbụla chọrọ

Whoever/whomever (plural) – Ndị ọbụla. Whoever wants ... Ndị ọbụla chọrọ

 

Which – Nke. This is the bag which I gave him. Nke a bụ akpa nke m nyere ya Whichever - Nke ọbụla. Whichever you want ... Nke ọbụla ị chọrọ...

Whichever (plural) – Ndị ọbụla. Ndị ọbụla ị chọrọ...


Demonstrative Pronouns

This - A, nke a. Eg: this chair – oche a.

This one – nke a

These - Ndị a. Eg: these chairs - oche ndị a

 

That - Ahụ, nke ahụ. Eg: that chair - oche ahụ.

That one – nke ahụ

Those - Ndị ahụ. Eg: those chairs - oche ndị ahụ


Indefinite Pronouns

Anyone – Onye ọbụla. Eg: onye ọbụla chọrọ, nye ya.

Everyone – Onye ọbụla, Ndị niile (mmadụ niile). Eg: Onye ọbụla bịara. Anything     – Ihe ọbụla, nke ọbụla

Everything – Ihe niile

Something – Ihe. M hapụrụ ihe - I left something.

Someone – E/A. Eg: A saala ya – it has been washed (by someone)

E mere ya – it was done (by someone)

Some - Ụfọdụ. Ụfọdụ mmadụ bịara – Some people came. Many - Ọtụtụ. Ọtụtụ mmadụ bịara.


Reflexive/emphatic Pronouns

Myself – Onwe m. M mere ya n’onwe m – I did it myself

Mụnwa. Eg: Mụnwa? - Myself? Mụnwa mere ya – I did it (myself) Ourselves – Onwe anyị. Anyịnwa

Yourself    – Onwe gị. Gịnwa Yourselves – Onwe unu. Ununwa.

Himself/herself/itself – Onwe ya. Yanwa Themselves - Onwe ha. Hanwa


Interrogative Pronouns

These are used in asking questions eg: who, what, which etc. Learn more in the blog and video titled: ‘ How to ask questions in Igbo’.


References

1.    Godson Echebima. A Textbook of Igbo Grammar

 

2.    List of Pronouns (english-grammar-revolution.com)