Ibibio
Atlantic-Congo (Cross River, Lower Cross)
Ibibio (or its closely related cluster Ibibio-Efik) is a major Cross River language of southeastern Nigeria, with the Ibibio people forming Nigeria's 4th-largest ethnic group. Tonal with extensive verb morphology. The closely related Efik (efi) was historically the language of the Cross River trade and the basis of one of West Africa's earliest indigenous Bible translations (1846).
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Ibibio
Water
mmọñ
/mːɔŋ/
Fire
ikañ
/ikaŋ/
Sun
utin
/utin/
Moon
ọfiọñ
/ɔfiɔŋ/
Mother
eka
/eka/
Father
ete
/ete/
Eat
dia
/dia/
Drink
ñwọñ
/ŋwɔŋ/
Love
ima
/ima/
Heart
esit
/esit/
Tree
eto
/eto/
House
ufọk
/ufɔk/
Dog
ebua
/ebua/
Cat
ekpe
/ekpe/
Hand
ubọk
/ubɔk/
Eye
enyin
/eɲin/
Hello
mesiere
/mesiere/
Thank you
sọsọñọ
/sɔsɔŋɔ/
One
kiet
/kiet/
Good
mfọn
/mfɔn/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Cross River, Lower Cross) languages
| Meaning | Ibibio | Efik | Lingala | Meta' | Degema | Themne | Nyaturu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mmọñ /mːɔŋ/ | mmọñ /mːɔɲ/ | máí /mai/ | mə /mə/ | mọn /mɔn/ | mant /mant/ | maazi /maːzi/ |
| Fire | ikañ /ikaŋ/ | ikañ /ikaɲ/ | mɔ́tɔ /mɔtɔ/ | mɔŋ /mɔŋ/ | ọmạrị /ɔmaɾi/ | anang /anaŋ/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | utin /utin/ | utin /utin/ | mói /moi/ | nyam /ɲam/ | ọvịnị /ɔvini/ | arɛ /arɛ/ | nzua /nzua/ |
| Moon | ọfiọñ /ɔfiɔŋ/ | ọfiọñ /ɔfiɔɲ/ | sánzá /sanza/ | nuŋ /nuŋ/ | ọsọ /ɔsɔ/ | arai /arai/ | umweri /umweɾi/ |
| Mother | eka /eka/ | eka /eka/ | mamá /mama/ | ma /ma/ | inyeyẹ /iɲɛjɛ/ | ya /ja/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | ete /ete/ | ete /ete/ | tatá /tata/ | ta /ta/ | etete /etete/ | pa /pa/ | tata /tata/ |
| Eat | dia /dia/ | dia /dia/ | kolía /kolia/ | mé /me/ | re /ɾe/ | ði /ði/ | kuria /kuɾia/ |
| Drink | ñwọñ /ŋwɔŋ/ | ñwọñ /ŋwɔɲ/ | komɛ́la /komɛla/ | nyo /ɲo/ | da /da/ | di /di/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ |
| Love | ima /ima/ | ima /ima/ | bolíngo /boliŋɡo/ | kɔŋ /kɔŋ/ | inyiẹna /iɲjɛna/ | ka-haŋkə /kahaŋkə/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ |
| Heart | esit /esit/ | esit /esit/ | motéma /motema/ | mu /mu/ | ọkọmpọnị /ɔkɔmpɔni/ | ka-yɔn /kajɔn/ | umutima /umutima/ |
| Tree | eto /eto/ | eto /eto/ | nzété /nzete/ | ti /ti/ | eyo /ejo/ | kʌ-ant /kʌant/ | umuti /umuti/ |
| House | ufọk /ufɔk/ | ufọk /ufɔk/ | ndáko /ndako/ | nda /nda/ | ọsụnẹ /ɔsunɛ/ | anseth /ansetʰ/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Dog | ebua /ebua/ | ebua /ebua/ | mbwá /mbwa/ | mbu /mbu/ | ifụnị /ifuni/ | kabul /kabul/ | imbwa /imbwa/ |
| Cat | ekpe /ekpe/ | nyabudaha /ɲabudaha/ | nyáu /ɲau/ | guŋ /ɡuŋ/ | ọchẹ /ɔtʃɛ/ | kanaŋ /kanaŋ/ | paka /paka/ |
| Hand | ubọk /ubɔk/ | ubọk /ubɔk/ | lobɔ́kɔ /lobɔkɔ/ | boa /boa/ | ọnẹ /ɔnɛ/ | anpa /anpa/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ |
| Eye | enyin /eɲin/ | enyin /eɲin/ | líso /liso/ | dzi /dzi/ | enẹ /enɛ/ | ari /ari/ | iriiso /iɾiːso/ |
| Hello | mesiere /mesiere/ | mọñọ /mɔɲɔ/ | mbóte /mbote/ | mɔlɔŋ /mɔlɔŋ/ | amọn /amɔn/ | seke /seke/ | mbukire /mbukiɾe/ |
| Thank you | sọsọñọ /sɔsɔŋɔ/ | sọsọñọ /sɔsɔɲɔ/ | matɔ́ndɔ /matɔndɔ/ | nfɔn /nfɔn/ | nani /nani/ | sɔŋ /sɔŋ/ | ahsante /ahsante/ |
| One | kiet /kiet/ | kiet /kiet/ | mɔ̌kɔ́ /mɔkɔ/ | mɔ /mɔ/ | ọmọ /ɔmɔ/ | piɲ /piɲ/ | umwe /umwe/ |
| Good | mfọn /mfɔn/ | eti /eti/ | malámu /malamu/ | mwa /mwa/ | ekenẹ /ekenɛ/ | lɔŋ /lɔŋ/ | kihi /kihi/ |
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