bụ: Who or What Something Is

Level 1

Noun + bụ + noun: Aha m bụ Ada.

How It Works

Bụ is the “is” word that links two nouns. It is a separate word and does not change with the subject.

PatternExampleMeaning
nameAha m bụ Ada.My name is Ada.
thingNke a bụ akwụkwọ.This is a book.
jobObi bụ onye nkuzi.Obi is a teacher.

With the pronoun ọ, it makes ọ bụ “it is”, written as two words. The negative is abụghị: Abụghị m onye nkuzi “I am not a teacher”.

English “is” appears with adjectives and places too, but Igbo uses other words there: dị for what something is like and nọ for where it is.

Examples (4)

  1. Aha m bụ Ada.

    My name is Ada.

    Bụ sits between aha m and the name.

  2. Nke a bụ akwụkwọ.

    This is a book.

    Bụ links nke a and akwụkwọ.

  3. Obi bụ onye nkuzi.

    Obi is a teacher.

    A job follows bụ.

  4. Ndị a bụ ndị enyi m.

    These are my friends.

    Bụ stays the same for many people.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

bụ: Who or What Something IsLevel 1

Learn This First

Bụ joins a noun like aha m to a name, so the pronoun after a noun comes first.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

bụ