Giving and Telling: nye and gwa

Level 3

nye + person + thing. gwa + person + thing.

How It Works

With these verbs the receiver comes before what is given or told.

SayMeaning
Nye m ego.Give me money.
Gwa m aha gị.Tell me your name.
Nye ya nri.Give him or her food.
O nyere m akwụkwọ.He or she gave me a book.

The past of nye is nyere. Gwa also appears with ka to give an order: Gwa ya ka ọ bịa., taught next.

Examples (4)

  1. Nye m ego.

    Give me money.

    The receiver is m.

  2. Gwa m aha gị.

    Tell me your name.

    M then aha gị.

  3. Nye ya nri.

    Give him or her food.

    Ya is the receiver.

  4. O nyere m akwụkwọ.

    He or she gave me a book.

    A past form.

How It Connects

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

Giving and Telling: nye and gwaLevel 3

Learn This First

Nye and gwa are often commands and take the person after them, so commands and the pronouns after a verb come first.

Words in This Pattern

nyegwa