Igede is a Benue–Congo language spoken by the Igede people of Benue State, Nigeria. It is a tonal language, meaning the pitch of a syllable can change the meaning of a word. The phrases below are written with approximate English pronunciations to help you get started.
Greetings
| Igede | Pronunciation | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Obeh | oo-bay | Hello / Good day |
| Nolei | nor-lei | Good morning |
| Obeh n'yobi | obay-n'yo-bi | Good evening |
| obeh ohoho | obay-oho-ho | Thank you |
| Obeh lumelume | obay-lu-me-lu-me | Thank you very much |
| Kpayi meh | kpa-yi-meh | Goodbye |
At the Loom
| Igede | Pronunciation | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ogodogodo | oh-go-do-go-do | The woven fabric (also the sound of the loom) |
| Afwu | af-wu | Cloth / garment |
| Ogan | or-gahn | needle |
| Afwu | a-fwu | Loom |
| Aru ogaga | aru-oga-ga | Pattern / designed cloth |
| ona fwu | ona-fwu | Weaving (the action) |
Colours
| Igede | Pronunciation | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| O'nyobiri | o-nyo-biri | Black |
| Ọ'nyoru | o-nyo-ru | White |
| o'nyokpukpo | o-nyo-ukpu-kpo | Blue (colour of the sky) |
Family & Community
| Igede | Pronunciation | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Adam | a-dam | Father |
| Inam | een-am | Mother |
| anjwo | an-jwo | Children |
| Opi n'igede | opi-nyi-gede | Community / homeland |
| Al'igede | ali-gede | The people / the community |
| Oha | o-ha | It is good / all is well |
Help Us Grow This Resource
This vocabulary list is a starting point, not a complete guide. If you are a fluent Igede speaker or have corrections and additions to contribute, we would welcome your help in making this section more accurate and comprehensive.
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