Igbo for Beginners

Breni's Igbo for Beginners path teaches the language from its first sounds, and Breni is one of few app-based ways to learn Igbo. Its 7 courses cover sounds and tones, greetings, everyday phrases, two grammar courses, conversation, and Igbo culture. Tones are taught explicitly, including downstep, because many Igbo words differ only in pitch. Learners finish able to read tone marks, greet elders, shop at a market and talk about past and future. Sounds and tones open the path, with every later course unlocking only after the previous one.

7 courses
18 learning objectives
Level: beginner
Language: English
Price: Subscription, free trial

What you will be able to do

Pronounce the dotted vowels ị, ọ and ụ and follow vowel harmony
Hear high and low tones and tell apart words that differ only by tone
Greet elders and introduce yourself in Igbo
Count, shop and order food in Igbo
Talk about present, past and future actions
Use common Igbo proverbs in the right situations

Full curriculum

Part 1 · Sounds and tones

1. Igbo Sounds and Tones: Vowels, Consonants and Pitch

Pronounce Igbo vowels and consonants and hear its tones. Units, in order: The Igbo alphabet; Vowels with dots: ị, ọ and ụ; Vowel harmony; High and low tones and downstep; Tone marks and words that differ only by tone; Practising tone with word pairs.

— The Igbo Alphabet
Learn the standard letters and sounds of the Igbo alphabet.
- Consonants and Vowels
- Standard Consonants
- Unique Consonants
— Special Vowels
Master the dotted vowels unique to the Igbo language.
- The Dot Vowels
- Pronouncing Ị and Ọ
- Pronouncing Ụ
— Vowel Harmony
Discover how vowel groups shape Igbo word structure.
- Two Vowel Groups
- Harmony Rules
- Exceptions in Harmony
— Tones and Pitch
Explore high, low, and downstep tones in spoken Igbo.
- High and Low Tones
- The Downstep Tone
- Tone Direction
— Tone Marks and Meaning
See how tone marks change the meanings of identical words.
- Writing Tone Marks
- Words with Different Tones
- Avoiding Meaning Errors
— Practising Tone Pairs
Build confidence by speaking tone word pairs aloud.
- High-Low Word Pairs
- Recording and Comparing
- Tone in Short Sentences

Part 2 · Basics

2. Igbo Greetings and Introductions

Greet people respectfully and introduce yourself in Igbo. Units, in order: Ndewo and kedu; Greetings for each time of day; Greeting elders with respect; Introducing yourself; Saying where you are from; Thank you, please and sorry.

3. Everyday Igbo Phrases

Handle numbers, the market, food and directions in Igbo. Units, in order: Numbers and counting; Shopping at the market; Food and ordering; Family words; Asking for directions; Days of the week and telling the time.

Part 3 · Core grammar

4. Igbo Grammar Basics

Build simple Igbo sentences about now and the past. Units, in order: Subject, verb, object word order; Pronouns; Present and ongoing actions; Past actions; Asking questions; Saying is and are in Igbo.

5. More Igbo Grammar

Talk about the future, say no and describe things. Units, in order: Future actions; Negation; Showing possession; Describing people and things; Verb suffixes in brief.

Part 4 · Real use

6. Conversations in Igbo

Hold simple conversations in everyday situations. Units, in order: Small talk; At the market; Visiting family; Making plans; Talking about work and school; Asking someone to repeat.

7. Igbo in Culture and Daily Life

Use Igbo with names, proverbs and dialects in mind. Units, in order: Igbo names and their meanings; Proverbs, the palm oil of speech; Standard Igbo and dialects; Writing a short message with tone marks; Igbo music, festivals and media.

Sample: Igbo Sounds and Tones: Vowels, Consonants and Pitch

The opening tier, (The Igbo Alphabet). Learn the standard letters and sounds of the Igbo alphabet.

Consonants and Vowels

Identify all 36 letters of the Igbo alphabet.

Standard Consonants

Pronounce basic Igbo consonants that match English sounds.

Unique Consonants

Master distinct Igbo consonant blends like gb, kp, ch, and gh.

Questions about Igbo for Beginners

Is Igbo a tonal language?

Yes. Igbo uses high and low tones, plus a lowered high tone called downstep, and some words differ only in tone. Igbo for Beginners on Breni teaches tones in the first course.

Is there an app to learn Igbo?

Only a few apps teach Igbo, and Breni is one. Its lessons take about three minutes and give immediate feedback.

Which Igbo dialect does the path teach?

It teaches Standard Igbo, which is widely understood, and the last course explains how dialects differ.

Can heritage learners use this path?

Yes. It starts from zero, which suits people who hear Igbo at home but were never taught to speak or read it.