Translation is ntụgharị asụsụ. Sometimes it is appropriate to translate word-for-word from Igbo to English, or vice versa. However, some words in Igbo do not have equivalent in English, and the way ideas are represented in the two languages are not always the same. For example, to say one is cunning, we can say 'he is a fox', but in Igbo we say 'ọ bụ mbe', 'he is a tortoise'. Fox is nnanwụruede in Igbo, but Igbo people do not say 'ọ bụ nnanwụruede'. So, in this case, it would make sense to translate 'fox' to 'tortoise'. Take a look at the following proverbs and their translations.
Greetings
'Nwoke ọma' is 'good man'. 'Good' is 'ọma'. For example, 'I am happy, this is a good morning' translates to 'obi dị m ụtọ, ihe a bụ ụtụtụ ọma'. Given that 'good' is 'ọma', are these translations correct?
The above word-to-word translations are correct, but they are not really forms of greetings in Igbo. To understand why word-to-word translations may not be correct for greetings, let's use 'good morning' in French. Good morning is bonjour in French. Bonjour is ụbọchị ọma (good day) in Igbo. So, if France had colonized Nigeria as the British did, would we be saying ụbọchị ọma instead of ụtụtụ ọma? Secondly, 'good night' in English is also 'have a good night', which sounds more like 'ka chi fo - may we see day-break' than 'nwee abalị ọma - have a good night'.
Generally, people who speak Igbo as their first language would not say ụtụtụ ọma to their parents or grandparents or elders when they wake up in the morning. Ụtụtụ ọma is a good starting point for someone who is learning to speak Igbo, but Igbo people have several ways of greeting in the morning. The morning greetings do not translate word-for-word to 'good morning' but they mean 'good morning', and there are as many of them as there are dialects in Igbo language. Some of them are:
I bọọla chi
I saala chi
I biliela
I biligwo
I biligwe
I tetala
I tetago
I teela
I pụtala ụra
I pụtakwara
I rahụkwara
General greetings like kedụ, ndeewo, ndeeme, deeme, daalụ, ị bịala, ị lawala, ị gawala, ị lọtala, ọlịa, anyakwa (hi, welcome, go well, how are you, long time no see) can be used for 'good afternoon' and 'good evening'.
Other translations
John is tall - John toro ogologo
John is taller than Emeka - John tokarịrị Emeka n'ogologo
John is as tall as Emeka - John toro ogologo ka Emeka
How old are you? - Afọ ole ka ị dị?
How old are you now? - Afọ ole ka ị dị ugbu a?
I am 10 years old - M dị afọ iri
My father and mother are both tall - Nna m na nne m tochara ogologo
Come and dance - Bịa gbaa egwu
| Igbo | Literal | English Equivalent (Translation) |
| E mee ngwa ngwa e meghara ọdachi Kwọọ mmiri mgbe ọ ka dị na mgbụgba ọla | Act quick to avoid obstacles Clear the flooding when it is still ankle-deep | A stitch in time saves nine |
| Awọ anaghị agba ọsọ ehihie na nkiti Enwere ihe mere ede jiri bee nwịị | A toad does not run in the daytime without cause Something caused the cocoyam to make a sound | There is no smoke without fire |
| Were ehihie chọwa ewu ojii | Look for the black goat in the afternoon | Make hay while the sun shines |
Greetings
'Nwoke ọma' is 'good man'. 'Good' is 'ọma'. For example, 'I am happy, this is a good morning' translates to 'obi dị m ụtọ, ihe a bụ ụtụtụ ọma'. Given that 'good' is 'ọma', are these translations correct?
| English | Igbo |
| good morning | ụtụtụ ọma |
| good afternoon | ehihie ọma |
| good evening | mgbede ọma |
| good night | abalị ọma |
The above word-to-word translations are correct, but they are not really forms of greetings in Igbo. To understand why word-to-word translations may not be correct for greetings, let's use 'good morning' in French. Good morning is bonjour in French. Bonjour is ụbọchị ọma (good day) in Igbo. So, if France had colonized Nigeria as the British did, would we be saying ụbọchị ọma instead of ụtụtụ ọma? Secondly, 'good night' in English is also 'have a good night', which sounds more like 'ka chi fo - may we see day-break' than 'nwee abalị ọma - have a good night'.
Generally, people who speak Igbo as their first language would not say ụtụtụ ọma to their parents or grandparents or elders when they wake up in the morning. Ụtụtụ ọma is a good starting point for someone who is learning to speak Igbo, but Igbo people have several ways of greeting in the morning. The morning greetings do not translate word-for-word to 'good morning' but they mean 'good morning', and there are as many of them as there are dialects in Igbo language. Some of them are:
I bọọla chi
I saala chi
I biliela
I biligwo
I biligwe
I tetala
I tetago
I teela
I pụtala ụra
I pụtakwara
I rahụkwara
General greetings like kedụ, ndeewo, ndeeme, deeme, daalụ, ị bịala, ị lawala, ị gawala, ị lọtala, ọlịa, anyakwa (hi, welcome, go well, how are you, long time no see) can be used for 'good afternoon' and 'good evening'.
Other translations
John is tall - John toro ogologo
John is taller than Emeka - John tokarịrị Emeka n'ogologo
John is as tall as Emeka - John toro ogologo ka Emeka
How old are you? - Afọ ole ka ị dị?
How old are you now? - Afọ ole ka ị dị ugbu a?
I am 10 years old - M dị afọ iri
My father and mother are both tall - Nna m na nne m tochara ogologo
Come and dance - Bịa gbaa egwu