Time and days in Igbo
Now, later, tomorrow, what time it opens and one moment please. Play the ten Igbo words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Igbo phrases in this lesson
- Ugbu aOOG-boo a
- Now
- Emesiaeh-MEH-sia
- Later
- TaaTAH
- Today
- EchiEH-chee
- Tomorrow
- N'abalị ana-BA-lee a
- Tonight
- Kedu mgbe?KEH-doo m-GBEH
- When?
- Kedu oge ọ na-emepe?KEH-doo OH-geh oh na-eh-MEH-peh
- What time does it open?
- Chere ntakịrịCHEH-reh n-ta-KEE-ree
- One moment, please
- Nkejin-KEH-jee
- Minutes
- AwaAH-wa
- Hours
Literally "at this time". "Ugbu a na-aga" (right now going). Igbo time is event-based; seasons and harvests matter more than clock hours.
Literally "after". A vague future; could be minutes or hours. "Ka m ga-ahu gi emesia" (I will see you later) covers all non-immediate future.
The present day only. "Taa ahụ" (this very day) emphasizes now. Time is fluid in Igbo; exact clock time is less important than task completion.
Tomorrow only, no ambiguity. "Echi kacha" (the day after tomorrow). Igbo time is relative; scheduling specific times is modern and feels foreign.
Literally "wait a little".