Dear nairalanders, I need your help.

I would like to be able to talk already a little to my mother-in-law
when I come to Nigeria at the end of next month. With the fullness of dialects
I have difficulties to find the right thing on the Internet.
I learn languages in general fast, autodidactically as well as by hearing.

I would be really very grateful if somebody could teach me at least basic knowledge
and some everyday phrases, so that I can lead a small conversation.

Many thanks already in advance for your help.

Well let me just give you a few good sources with alphabets, numbers and some basic phrases, although I must warn you that the second link shows phrases that are in the Northern (Enugu) dialect, although this would not matter much, in fact, would you mind if I asked what part of Igboland, or if you don't know, what city is nearest to the part of Igboland you're in-laws are from?

In the meantime here are the links:

http://www.igbofocus.co.uk/html/learn_igbo.html Numbers, alphabet, etc.
http://www.igboguide.org/ Igbo guide (and even a free dictionary).

Many thanks for your quick answer ezeagu.
The family comes from the area around Owerri, more exactly said from Ezinihitte.

@Ajali: The most thing to happen to you is to learn Igbo from NdiIgbo (Igbo people) around you.
Nairaland is secondary or other sources.
For proper communication with your mother in-law, her own dialect should be considered.

@Andre Uweh: Thanks for your response.
With it you are right absolutely. I also know that I will learn it fast when I am there.
Only the thought that we will meet in the first days like dumb fish is disagreeable to me.
Particularly as my mother-in-law virtually speaks no English.

Are there within central igbo still differences?
Speaks not everybody from the area around Owerri, same central igbo?

☻ajali☺:


@Andre Uweh: Thanks for your response.
With it you are right absolutely. I also know that I will learn it fast when I am there.
Only the thought that we will meet in the first days like dumb fish is disagreeable to me.
Particularly as my mother-in-law virtually speaks no English.

Are there within central igbo still differences?
Speaks not everybody from the area around Owerri, same central igbo?

Central Igbo is not too different from Owerri Igbo.

@Ajali
Ezinaihitte are Mbaise people and they speak Mbaise dialect. It is different from Owerri dialect.
Owerri and Mbaise are neighbours and understand each other's dialect.

ezeagu:

Central Igbo is not too different from Owerri Igbo.

Andre Uweh:

@Ajali
Ezinaihitte are Mbaise people and they speak Mbaise dialect. It is different from Owerri dialect.
Owerri and Mbaise are neighbours and understand each other's dialect.

@ezeagu and @Andre Uweh: Thank you to you both. This gives me a little hope.

This can help you.if you need any help or have any question to ask just ask and i with my peeps here will help you.
www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-260225.0.html

@fingard02k

thank you very much. I will do so.

Don't know where to start, my list of what I want to know is toooooooooo long. LOL

ezeagu:

Central Igbo is not too different from Owerri Igbo.

Really?

Best way to learn Ibo is by being around ibo people.
You should consider buying some simple ibo txtbook while you
are in nigeria and also buy a dictaphone or small portable recorder
before you travel, so that you can tape some important words and convo
in ibo. If you need some further info you can send me a private message.
.

ChinenyeN:

Really?

I was also wondering the same .As someone that grew up there it cannot be much further from the truth.

igbo is a very easy and simple language which you can eaisly understand only communicating with igbo people around you to get more about this fact just send mail to nzubeonyejekwe@yahoo.com

Ajali,

call the number below so that we can open a conversation and you'll start lerning from there. I think that you would be able to learn better through conversation, 07028449381

Many thanks to you all for your nice answers and offers of help.

I appreciate this really very much. It will be really the best if I take
it relaxed and do not put myself under pressure so much.
If necessary there is still the language with hands and feet, LOL.

But maybe you could explain to me how I greet my mother-in-law in hearty
and affectionate manner. That I am pleased very much to get to know her, finally,
personally, that I am very grateful for the affectionate admission in the family and
that it is to me an honour to be belonged to the family.

This is to me a big demand, because this family is really great.

Many thanks again ,to you all!

Will post some everyday Igbo words and their meanings leta, i'm in a bus. My late mum is from Ofeama in Ezinihitte LGA, Mbaise, . .

I don't really get this, what about ur husband? Can't he help in teaching u? I know of a white woman dat can speak a little Igbo cos her husband taught her b4 they came back. Does it mean ur husband can't speak Igbo? To learn Igbo u need to hear it and try to speak it, not everybody who can speak Igbo knows how to read Igbo. I advice u to try and interact wit someone who can speak Igbo for faster learning.

Why all these grammer. I half expected the thread to be filled with people speaking igbo, or teaching her the language like she had requested. Sweetheart, like every thing, u ve to learn the basics and they are, a, b, ch, d, e, f, g, gb, gh, gw, h, i, ï, j, k, kp, kw, l, m, n, o, ö, p, r, s, sh, t, u, ü, w, y, z. Hope i got that right.

Starting wit greetingz:
gud mornn = ututu oma (don't pronounce d u as an alphabet but as if ur pronouncing hu wit d h silent)
bye = kachifo but some ll say ka-odi,
come = bia
food = nri
water = mmiri
car = ugboala
ship = ugbommiri
land = ala
money = ego
cloth = akwa (bed, egg n cry all share d same spellings but they differ with pronounciation)
man = nwoke
woman = nwanyi
book = akwukwo
house = ulo.
Infact, u just nid sm1 2 speak it 2 u 2 get sm f d pronounciations. U can't learn just by mere typing/writing. Wish u success as u try 2 learn

peacettw:

Why all these grammer. I half expected the thread to be filled with people speaking igbo, or teaching her the language like she had requested. Sweetheart, like every thing, u ve to learn the basics and they are, a, b, ch, d, e, f, g, gb, gh, gw, h, i, ï, j, k, kp, kw, l, m, n, o, ö, p, r, s, sh, t, u, ü, w, y, z. Hope i got that right.

a b ch d e f g gb gh gw h i ï j k kp kw l m n nw ny o ö p r s sh t u ü v w y z. Spot the difference! u try sha @ Peacettw.
Note that the dots are actually under. Mbaise people are accomodating people. U will not find any difficulty in learning and mixing with them in so far as you have been accepted by the family. The family members will even take it upon themselves to make sure u understand the language. Cheers.

@slap1

I would really appreciate it. Thank you very much.


@neily

Thanks for your response.
Your question is entitled. My husband is already in Nigeria since some months
and now I follow on. We have tried it about the phone, however, the connection is
mostly quite bad. Yes and with the writing in igbo he also has his difficulties. 


@peacettw

The alphabet I know already, nevertheless, many thanks. Is almost like in German. Only few exceptions.


@feraz

Thank you very much for your help.
Yeah, the pronounciations is the problem.  I have read already about.
Some words have several meanings with different pronounciation. This makes it difficult.


@Okoro2015

Thanks for your response. Okay, the dots are under. It's noted. 
You are very right, they are accomodating people.

I think ur husband cn do that for u better bcoz the easier way to learn a language is thru hearing and nt reading coz some pronounciation are nt as d were written and d issue of multiple word wt d same spelling bt wt different meaning and pronounciation. One example was given above by a poster like 'Akwa' that means egg,cry,bed,cloth. Goodluck

i am very good in igbo teaching
my name is (juomu Igbo) ask me Igbo
just connect me on IM
and your problem is over

Is your husband not an Igbo? Why cant he boldly teach you his own native language if you are so anxious to learn?
He stand in the best position to teach you his dialect more than any one here on nairaland.

ezeagu:

Central Igbo is not too different from Owerri Igbo.

May I make these clarifications:

1. There is nothing like "Central Igbo." We have "Standard Igbo," which is NOT spoken by anybody

2. Owerri, Mbaise, Orlu, Okigwe, Umuahia & their neighbouring areas of Igbo has suprasegmental features, including NASALISATION & ASPIRATION (both of which are phonemic in nature; meaning they can bring about change in meaning).

3. Igbo generally is a tonal language, meaning that tone brings about change in meaning between words that look alike.

You need to put extra effort to master these things.

I can bet you, it will be difficult for you to learn Igbo without a CD/voice recording.

Anyway, good luck.

@princekevo

I have answered this question already @neily. Read up please.
Of course my husband and the family will teach me the language.
But I would like to have a few knowledge when I arrive.
However, obviously this is difficult.


@airzzee

There is nothing like "Central Igbo." We have "Standard Igbo," which is NOT spoken by anybody

If this is right, my husband does not know his own language. However, I dare to doubt this.
He answered once as I asked that he speaks "Central Igbo".

@all

I already see, I will have to practice myself in patience and wait until I am in Nigeria.
I thank you all for your well-intentioned advice.
You have persuaded me that it is the best if I begin with learning when I am with the family.

Once again many thanks to you all

@AJALI.
Do not let some I.D.I.O.T.S deceive you.
It is IGBO.
ibo is incorrect.

@Andre Uweh

No, of course not.
I would also not like it if the name of my language or my people was disfigured.
It is all a case of respect.

Ajali, owerri dialect is diff from central Igbo. I speak both, though I am yoruba man.
Me ya otuah (CI) owerri will say me ya kpa meaning do it this way.
For No ow. Olo cenral Igbo Mba.

airzzee:

May I make these clarifications:

1. There is nothing like "Central Igbo." We have "Standard Igbo," which is NOT spoken by anybody

Central Igbo is taught in schools and people are encouraged to speak it.

ChinenyeN:

Really?

It's not as different as other Igbo dialects, that's why I said "not too different" not 'not different at all'. If you learn central Igbo you're not going to be completely alien to people that speak Owerri Igbo. Of course central Igbo is different to every authentic Igbo dialect; even if I told people from Umuahia that Central Igbo is similar to their dialect, they'd disagree despite the fact that part of Central Igbo is based on their dialect.