Learn Igbo: Numbers, Greetings & Conversation

Tone: the music of Igbo

One word, four meanings. See pitch move and hear it, if you turn the sound on.

Lesson 1 of 3

Pitch is part of the word

A tonal language

Igbo is a tonal language. The pitch pattern of a word is part of the word, just like its letters.

One dictionary describes Igbo as having two tones, High and Low, plus downstep: a High tone pitched a little lower than the High before it.

The four lives of akwa

Tap a pitch pattern to see it (turn on 🔊 to hear it)

Lesson 2 of 3

More pairs to listen for

Tone changes the word

Tap to flip

Did you know?

Because tone matters, saying “my friend” and “my elephant” with the wrong pitch could cause a very funny mix-up.

Lesson 3 of 3

How tone is written

Usually left out

Everyday Igbo writing usually leaves tone unmarked. Readers use context to know which word is meant. Dictionaries mark tone so that learners can see it.

There is no agreement on whether to mark every tone or only the low ones.

Two ways to describe it

A dictionary analysis uses two level tones plus downstep. A learner’s book teaches three marks: high (´), low (`) and flat or mid (¯).

They are two ways of describing the same system for different readers.

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