Time expressions in Igbo
Welcome back! Today we are going to learn how to express time in Igbo. It is important to learn time expressions as it allows us to make plans, to talk about things that happened in the past, things that are happening now or things will happen in the future. It helps us in describing different times of the day and days of the week.
In today’s lesson, we will learn time expressions for weeks, days and the days of the week in Igbo.
- Days of the week in Igbo
- Time expressions for a week
- Time expressions for a day
1. Days of the week in Igbo
Traditionally, the Igbo language has only four days in a week which are: Èké, Órìè, Àfọ̀ and Ǹkwọ́. These are four Igbo market days which equally serve as days of the week in the traditional Igbo calendar.
The days of the week in the Gregorian calendar which are; Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday are not present in the traditional Igbo calendar so the Gregorian version is Igbonized. Igbonization means spelling and pronouncing English words following Igbo tones and patterns.
The days of the week in Igbo
| Igbo | English |
| Monday | Mọ́ǹdè |
| Tuesday | Túùzdéè |
| Wednesday | Wénézdéè |
| Thursday | Tọ́zdéè |
| Friday | Fụ̀ráị̀déè |
| Saturday | Sátọ̀déè |
| Sunday | Sọ́ǹdè |
Using the days of the week in sentences
To say, ‘On Tuesday’ or ‘On Wednesday’ or any particular day, all you have to do is put the word ‘nà’ before the day.
‘Nà’ + Day of the week
Some examples of how to use the days of the week in a sentence are given below.
Examples of how to use Days of the Week in Igbo sentences
| Igbo | English |
| Nà Mọ́ǹdè, ágà m àgá ụ́lọ̀ákwụ́kwọ́ | On Monday, I will go to school |
| Nà Wénézdéè, ényì ḿ gà-àbị́á | On Wednesday, my friend will come |
| Nà Fụ̀ráị̀déè, ànyị́ gà-èrí òrírí | On Friday, we will have a party |
| Nà Sọ́ǹdè, ágà m àgá ụ́kà | On Sunday, I will go to church |
2. Time expressions (A week)
After learning about the days of the week, we shall go on to time expressions for the week.
The time expressions for the week are displayed in the table below.
Time expressions (A week)
| English | Igbo |
| Day | Ụ́bọ̀chỊ̀ |
| Yesterday | Ụ̀nyàá |
| Today | Táà |
| Tomorrow | Échí |
| Day after tomorrow | Nwáńnē échí |
| Day before yesterday | Nwáńnē ụ̀nyàá |
| Everyday | Ụ́bọ̀chỊ̀ níílē |
| Birthday | Ụ́bọ̀chỊ̀ ńchètá ọ̀mụ́mụ́ |
| Week | Ízù |
Some examples of how to use the time expressions for a week are given below.
Examples of Igbo sentences with time expressions (A week)
| Igbo | English |
| Érìrì m òsìkápá ụ̀nyàá | I ate rice yesterday |
| ÀnyỊ́ gà-àgbá bọ́ọ̀lụ̀ échí | We will play ball tomorrow |
| Ńné m gà-èsí ófé táà | My mother will cook soup today |
| Átàrà m ánụ́ ọ̀kụ́kọ̀ nwáńnē ụ̀nyàá | I ate chicken the day before yesterday |
| Ágà m èbídó ùlé n’ízụ̀ à | I will start exam this week |
| Táà bụ̀ ụ́bọ̀chỊ̀ ńchètá ọ̀mụ́mụ́ | Today is my birthday |
3. Time expressions (A day)
Finally, for the last part of today’s lesson, we shall move on to the time expressions for the day.
The time expressions for the day are displayed in the table below.
Time expressions (A day)
| English | Igbo |
| Morning | Ụ̀tụ́tụ̀ |
| Afternoon | Èhíhìè |
| Evening | Ḿgbèdè |
| Night | Àbàlị̀ |
| (Middle of) Night | Ètítī àbàlị̀ |
| (Wee hours of) Night | Ǹdèérī |
Just like the days of the week, time expressions for the day are preceded by ‘nà’ when being used in a sentence.
What you need to remember about the Igbo language is that the time expressions that start with a vowel, the ‘a’ in ‘nà’ is removed and replaced with an apostrophe (‘n’).
While for those that start with a consonant, the ‘nà’ remains unchanged.
Some examples of how to use the above time expressions are given below.
Examples of Igbo sentences with time expressions (A day)
| Igbo | English |
| Áṅụ̀rụ̀ m tíì n’ụ̀tụ́tụ̀ | I drank tea in the morning |
| Ágụ̀rụ̀ m ákwụ́kwọ́ nà ḿgbèdè | I read in the evening |
| Ànyị́ mụ̀ ányá rúó n’ètítī àbàlị̀ | We were awake till the middle of the night |
Now you know how to express time in Igbo and how to use them in sentences. Make sure you practice by using different time expressions to make sentences.
Remember the more you practice, the more you learn.
See you in the next lesson!