How To Construct Negative Sentences In The Future Tense In Igbo
Welcome back! In this lesson, we would be exploring how to construct negative sentences in future tenses in Igbo. Having looked at how to construct simple negative sentences in Igbo, today we are going to be looking at how to construct negative sentences in the future tense in Igbo.
To make negative sentences in the future tense in Igbo you put ‘àgághị’ followed by the verb.
‘Àgághị’ means ‘will not’.
Examples of how to convert a sentence from a future tense sentence to a negative future tense sentence are given below.
Example 1
Ágà m àṅụ́ ḿmírī = I will drink water
Àgághị m àṅụ́ ḿmírī = I will not drink water
Example 2
Chídị̀ gà-àgá ụ́kà = Chidị will go to church
Chídị̀ àgághị aga ụ́kà = Chidị will not go to church
The special case for ‘Ọ’ and ‘ḷ’
Negative sentences with the pronouns ‘Ọ’ (he/she/it) and ‘ḷ’ (you) are treated slightly differently.
For the pronouns ‘Ọ’ and ‘ḷ’, the ‘à’ in front of ‘ànághị’ is removed and left with ‘nághị’ for the sentence to flow.
Example 1
Ọ́ gà-àbị́á = He/she/it will come
Ọ̀ gághị àbị́á = He/she/it will not come
Example 2
Ị́ gà-àsá àhụ́ = You will bath
Ị̀ gághị àsá àhụ́ = You will not bath
The table below shows how standard pronouns are expressed in the future tense.
Standard pronouns in the negative future tense in Igbo
| English | Igbo |
| I will not | Àgághị m |
| You will not | Ị̀ gághị |
| He/She/It will not | Ọ̀ gághị |
| We will not | Ànyị́ àgághị |
| You all will not | Únù àgághị |
| They will not | Há àgághị |
Some examples of how to use negative future tenses in a sentence are given below.
Examples of Negative Sentences with Future Tense in Igbo
| Igbo | English |
| Àgághị m èrí | I will not eat |
| Ị̀ gághị àṅụ́ | You will not drink |
| Ọ̀ gághị àgá | He/She/It will not go |
| Ànyị́ àgághị èkwú | We will not talk |
| Únù àgághị èdé | You all will not write |
| Há àgághị àbị́á | They will not come |
Now you know how to use negative future tense in Igbo to create sentences. Keep practicing and keep learning.
See you in the next lesson
Ndeewo!