Language/Igbo/Grammar/Negation

Igbo Grammar - Negation

Hi Igbo learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will explore the topic of negation in Igbo. You will learn how to negate verbs, adjectives, and nouns. We will also provide you with cultural information and interesting facts related to negation in Igbo.

After mastering this lesson, these related pages might interest you: How to Use "Be", Future Tense, Give your Opinion & How to Use Have.

Negation of Verbs

In Igbo, the negation of verbs is done by using the word "ꞌa" in front of the verb. Let's look at some examples:

Igbo	Pronunciation	English
ꞌa nụ	[a nụ]	Not eat
ꞌa gaa	[a gaː]	Not go
ꞌa bia	[a bia]	Not come
ꞌa chọpụta	[a tʃɔ̃pʊta]	Not learn

As you can see from the examples above, the word "ꞌa" is placed before the verb to indicate negation. It is important to note that the negation particle "ꞌa" is only used in the present tense. For past and future tenses, different negation particles are used.

Here is a dialogue to help you practice:

• Person 1: Kedu? (How are you?)
• Person 2: Nzọọ. ꞌa gaa mụ nꞌanya. (Fine. I'm not going anywhere.)

Negation of Adjectives

In Igbo, the negation of adjectives is done by using the word "ma" before the adjective. Let's look at some examples:

Igbo	Pronunciation	English
ma fụla	[ma fʊla]	Not red
ma ọcha	[ma ɔ̃tʃa]	Not white
ma ọnụ	[ma ɔ̃nʊ]	Not sweet
ma fepụ	[ma fɛpʊ]	Not beautiful

As you can see from the examples above, the word "ma" is placed before the adjective to indicate negation. It is important to note that "ma" is also used for negation of nouns.

Here is a dialogue to help you practice:

• Person 1: Igwe, Ị bụ isi nꞌanya nke a? (Igwe, are you the owner of this car?)
• Person 2: Ee, mba. Ma fepụ nile. (No, but it's not beautiful anyway.)

Negation of Nouns

In Igbo, the negation of nouns is done by using the word "ma" before the noun. Let's look at some examples:

Igbo	Pronunciation	English
ma obi	[ma ɔbi]	Not heart
ma nwa	[ma nwa]	Not child
ma oke	[ma ɔkɛ]	Not big
ma ụkwụ	[ma ʊkwʊ]	Not star

As you can see from the examples above, the word "ma" is placed before the noun to indicate negation. It is important to note that "ma" can also be used for negation of adjectives, as mentioned earlier.

Here is a dialogue to help you practice:

• Person 1: Kwụsị, obi gị nwere ike ịrị m? (Kwusi, do you have the courage?)
• Person 2: Ee, mba. Ma obi mụ nile. (No, but I don't have the heart anyway.)

Interesting facts

- In Igbo culture, the concept of negation is closely tied to the idea of respect. For example, in some parts of Igbo land, it is considered disrespectful to say "No" directly. Instead, people may use indirect negation, such as saying "It's not possible" or "I'm not sure."

- Igbo language has many proverbs related to negation. One of the most famous is "Onye ụzọ ụkwụ na-ekwuru nwa nꞌọnụ," which means "The one who chases after the stars will catch a bat in the mouth." This proverb highlights the importance of being realistic and not pursuing impossible dreams.

- The negation particle "ꞌa" is also used in some African American Vernacular English (AAVE) dialects. This is because many African languages, including Igbo, were brought to the Americas by enslaved Africans.

If you want to improve your Igbo Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Sources

• Negation and V-movement in Igbo: a minimalist perspective ...
• Negations (Negative verbs) in Igbo Language – Ezinaụlọ

Other Lessons

• Future Tense
• Pronouns
• Questions
• Adjectives
• Plurals
• Conditional Mood
• How to Use Be
• How to Use Have
• Give your Opinion