Language/Igbo/Vocabulary/Telling-Time
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Introduction[edit | edit source]
Welcome to the lesson on telling time in Igbo! In this lesson, we will learn how to express the hours, minutes, and days of the week in Igbo. Telling time is an essential skill that allows us to navigate our daily lives and coordinate with others effectively. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently tell the time in Igbo and incorporate it into your conversations. Let's get started!
Vocabulary[edit | edit source]
Before we dive into telling time, let's familiarize ourselves with some important vocabulary related to this topic. Here are the key terms we will be using:
Numbers[edit | edit source]
Let's begin by reviewing the numbers from 1 to 12 in Igbo. These numbers are crucial for telling the hours on a clock. Pay close attention to the pronunciation and practice saying them out loud.
| Igbo | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Otu | oh-too | One |
| Abuo | ah-boo-oh | Two |
| Ato | ah-toh | Three |
| Ano | ah-noh | Four |
| Ise | ee-seh | Five |
| Isii | ee-see-ee | Six |
| Asaa | ah-sah-ah | Seven |
| Asato | ah-sah-toh | Eight |
| Itoolu | ee-toh-oo-loo | Nine |
| Iri | ee-ree | Ten |
| Iri na otu | ee-ree nah oh-too | Eleven |
| Iri na abuo | ee-ree nah ah-boo-oh | Twelve |
Minutes[edit | edit source]
In addition to the hours, we also need to learn how to express the minutes in Igbo. Here are the numbers from 1 to 59 that we will be using:
| Igbo | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Otu | oh-too | One |
| Abuo | ah-boo-oh | Two |
| Ato | ah-toh | Three |
| Ano | ah-noh | Four |
| Ise | ee-seh | Five |
| Isii | ee-see-ee | Six |
| Asaa | ah-sah-ah | Seven |
| Asato | ah-sah-toh | Eight |
| Itoolu | ee-toh-oo-loo | Nine |
| Iri | ee-ree | Ten |
| Iri na otu | ee-ree nah oh-too | Eleven |
| Iri na abuo | ee-ree nah ah-boo-oh | Twelve |
| Iri na ato | ee-ree nah ah-toh | Thirteen |
| Iri na ano | ee-ree nah ah-noh | Fourteen |
| Iri na ise | ee-ree nah ee-seh | Fifteen |
| Iri na isii | ee-ree nah ee-see-ee | Sixteen |
| Iri na asaa | ee-ree nah ah-sah-ah | Seventeen |
| Iri na asato | ee-ree nah ah-sah-toh | Eighteen |
| Iri na itoolu | ee-ree nah ee-toh-oo-loo | Nineteen |
| Iri na iri | ee-ree nah ee-ree | Twenty |
| Iri na abuo na otu | ee-ree nah ah-boo-oh nah oh-too | Twenty-one |
| Iri na abuo na abuo | ee-ree nah ah-boo-oh nah ah-boo-oh | Twenty-two |
| Iri na abuo na ato | ee-ree nah ah-boo-oh nah ah-toh | Twenty-three |
| Iri na abuo na ano | ee-ree nah ah-boo-oh nah ah-noh | Twenty-four |
| Iri na abuo na ise | ee-ree nah ah-boo-oh nah ee-seh | Twenty-five |
| Iri na abuo na isii | ee-ree nah ah-boo-oh nah ee-see-ee | Twenty-six |
| Iri na abuo na asaa | ee-ree nah ah-boo-oh nah ah-sah-ah | Twenty-seven |
| Iri na abuo na asato | ee-ree nah ah-boo-oh nah ah-sah-toh | Twenty-eight |
| Iri na abuo na itoolu | ee-ree nah ah-boo-oh nah ee-toh-oo-loo | Twenty-nine |
| Iri na iri na otu | ee-ree nah ee-ree nah oh-too | Thirty |
| Iri na iri na abuo | ee-ree nah ee-ree nah ah-boo-oh | Forty |
| Iri na iri na ato | ee-ree nah ee-ree nah ah-toh | Fifty |
| Iri na iri na ano | ee-ree nah ee-ree nah ah-noh | Sixty |
| Iri na iri na ise | ee-ree nah ee-ree nah ee-seh | Seventy |
| Iri na iri na isii | ee-ree nah ee-ree nah ee-see-ee | Eighty |
| Iri na iri na asaa | ee-ree nah ee-ree nah ah-sah-ah | Ninety |
| Iri na iri na asato | ee-ree nah ee-ree nah ah-sah-toh | One hundred |
Days of the Week[edit | edit source]
Now that we know the numbers, let's move on to the days of the week in Igbo. Here are the Igbo names for the days of the week:
| Igbo | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Mọnde | moh-deh | Monday |
| Tiuzde | tee-ooz-deh | Tuesday |
| Wenezde | weh-nehz-deh | Wednesday |
| Tọsde | toh-sdeh | Thursday |
| Fraịde | frah-ee-deh | Friday |
| Satọde | sah-toh-deh | Saturday |
| Sọnde | soh-deh | Sunday |
Telling Time[edit | edit source]
Now that we have learned the necessary vocabulary, let's put it all together and learn how to tell time in Igbo. We will cover both the 12-hour and 24-hour clock formats, so you'll be prepared for any situation.
The 12-Hour Clock[edit | edit source]
In the 12-hour clock format, we use the numbers from 1 to 12 to express the hours. To indicate the minutes, we use the numbers from 1 to 59 that we learned earlier. Here's the general structure for telling time in Igbo:
[Hour] [Minutes]
Let's go through some examples to understand how this works:
Example 1: 3:15 PM - Igbo: Ato na ise otu - Pronunciation: ah-toh nah ee-seh oh-too - English: Three fifteen
Example 2: 9:30 AM - Igbo: Itoolu na iri na otu - Pronunciation: ee-toh-oo-loo nah ee-ree nah oh-too - English: Nine thirty
Example 3: 7:45 PM - Igbo: Asaa na anọ na iri na abụọ - Pronunciation: ah-sah-ah nah ah-noh nah ee-ree nah ah-boo-oh - English: Seven forty-five
Remember to practice saying the time out loud to improve your pronunciation and fluency.
The 24-Hour Clock[edit | edit source]
In certain situations, such as transportation schedules or official documents, the 24-hour clock format is used. This format eliminates any confusion that may arise from using the 12-hour clock. To express the hours in the 24-hour format, we simply use the numbers from 0 to 23. Here's the structure for telling time in Igbo using the 24-hour clock:
[Hour] [Minutes]
Let's look at some examples:
Example 1: 15:30 - Igbo: Iri na otu na iri na abụọ - Pronunciation: ee-ree nah oh-too nah ee-ree nah ah-boo-oh - English: Fifteen thirty
Example 2: 9:00 - Igbo: Itoolu na iri - Pronunciation: ee-toh-oo-loo nah ee-ree - English: Nine o'clock
Example 3: 19:15 - Igbo: Asaa na anọ na iri na ise - Pronunciation: ah-sah-ah nah ah-noh nah ee-ree nah ee-seh - English: Nineteen fifteen
By familiarizing yourself with both the 12-hour and 24-hour clock formats, you'll be able to effectively communicate the time in Igbo regardless of the context.
Cultural Insight[edit | edit source]
In Igbo culture, time is often perceived differently compared to Western cultures. While punctuality is highly valued in many Western societies, Igbo culture places a greater emphasis on flexibility and a relaxed approach to time. It is common for events and gatherings to start later than the specified time, with people gradually arriving over a period of time.
Additionally, the Igbo calendar traditionally consisted of four market days, which were designated as Oye (Eke), Afor, Nkwo, and Orie. These market days were not only used for trading but also served as reference points for scheduling events and activities. Today, although the Igbo calendar has largely been replaced by the Gregorian calendar, the influence of the four market days can still be observed in certain aspects of Igbo culture.
Practice Exercises[edit | edit source]
Now it's time to put your knowledge to the test! Complete the following exercises to practice telling time in Igbo. The answers will be provided at the end, so don't peek ahead!
Exercise 1: Translate the following times from English to Igbo using the 12-hour clock format:
1. 8:20 AM 2. 2:45 PM 3. 11:05 PM
Exercise 2: Translate the following times from English to Igbo using the 24-hour clock format:
1. 13:30 2. 6:15 3. 22:50
Exercise 3: Translate the following times from Igbo to English:
1. Iri na abuo na ato na iri 2. Iri na iri na otu na asaa 3. Asaa na anọ na iri na ise na iri na abụọ
Take your time and do your best!
Exercise Solutions[edit | edit source]
Exercise 1: 1. Igbo: Asato na iri na abuo 2. Igbo: Abuo na anọ na iri na abụọ 3. Igbo: Iri na otu na anọ na iri na abụọ
Exercise 2: 1. Igbo: Iri na asaa na otu 2. Igbo: Isii na anọ na iri 3. Igbo: Iri na abuo na asaa na abụọ
Exercise 3: 1. English: Twelve forty-eight 2. English: Ten oh-five 3. English: Seven thirty-five
Well done! You've successfully completed the exercises. Keep practicing to further reinforce your understanding of telling time in Igbo.
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Congratulations on completing the lesson on telling time in Igbo! In this lesson, we learned how to express the hours, minutes, and days of the week in Igbo. We explored both the 12-hour and 24-hour clock formats and practiced using them in various examples. Remember to continue practicing and incorporating time-related vocabulary into your daily conversations to solidify your grasp of this topic.
In the next lesson, we will delve into the world of adjectives and adverbs in Igbo. We will learn how to describe people, objects, and actions using these important linguistic tools. See you in the next lesson!
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Telling Time in Igbo Language - Igbo Village Square
- Igbo Picture Book for Kids and Beginners in Igbo and English ...
- A GLOSSARY OF IGBO WORDS, NAMES AND PHRASES Taken ...
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Eating and Drinking
- Days of the Week
- Colors
- Common Foods
- Geography
- Fruits
- Family
- Health
- Count to 10
- Introducing Yourself
| ◀️ Numbers — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Adjectives ▶️ |