Here’s an example of ways to practice your Igbo. Use this page to practice listening and pronouncing Igbo words.
Listen to the video below, see if you recognise any words.
Excerpt from the movie Akaeze:
Try to read the text aloud, the audio clips are there to help you with the pronunciation.
Igbo
O nwere akแปฅkแป m ga kแปrแป แปฅnแปฅ
Kแปrแป anyแป ka obi dแป anyแป mma
O nwere adaeze ha na-akpo Akwaeke
Akwaeke bแปฅ ada eze Amanatแป Okporo
Akwaeke mara mma nke ukwu
Nke mere, แปฅmแปฅ okorobแปa Amanatแป Okporo ji wee na-achแป ka ha lแปฅwa ya
Akwaeke nna ya Ochikeze na nne ya Ugoeze hแปฅrแปฅ ya n’anya nke ukwu
If you can, record yourself reading the dialogue out loud. Does it sound right? If not, try to use both the video and the audio clips to keep practicing.
Igbo/English
O nwere akแปฅkแป m ga kแปrแป แปฅnแปฅ.
Thereโs a story Iโm going to tell you.
Kแปrแป anyแป ka obi dแป anyแป mma.
Tell us so our hearts will be happy.
O nwere adaeze ha na-akpo Akwaeke.
There was a princess that they called Akwaeke.
Akwaeke bแปฅ ada eze Amanatแป Okporo.
Akwaeke is the first daughter of King Amanato Okporo.
Akwaeke mara mma nke ukwu.
Akwaeke is very beautiful.
Nke mere, แปฅmแปฅ okorobแปa Amanatแป Okporo ji wee na-achแป ka ha lแปฅwa ya.
For this, young men of Amanatแป Okporo want to marry her.
Akwaeke nna ya Ochikeze, na nne ya Ugoeze, hแปฅrแปฅ ya n’anya nke ukwu.
Akwaeke’s father, Ochikeze, and her mother, Ugoeze, loved her a lot.
Song Practice: Umu Obiligbo – Culture
Try to listen to the verse again, see if you can follow along with the lyrics below. After, try it again without the music.
Onye amแปฅma sแป anyแป gbalแปฅ แปฅmแปฅ nwanyแป แปsแป
Ma ka m jแปฅแป gแป Okpuozor
Anyแป ga agbalแปฅ แปฅmแปฅ nwanyแป แปsแป?
Ijele nwanne
Asแป m anyแป ga agbalแปฅ แปฅmแปฅ nwanyแป แปsแป?
Ana m agbalแปฅ แปlแปฅ แปsแป?
Nwanne adแปghแป agbalแปฅ แปlแปฅ แปsแป
แป na anแปฅ ka mแปฅ na ekwu eh?
To listen to the whole song click here, for the full lyrics click here.
