ma ọ bụ: Or

Level 2

A ma ọ bụ B.

How It Works

The phrase ma ọ bụ is three small words, and together they mean “or”.

ExampleMeaning
Ị chọrọ mmiri ma ọ bụ nri?Do you want water or food?
Ị na-aga ahịa ma ọ bụ ụlọ akwụkwọ?Are you going to the market or to school?
Ọ bụ Ada ma ọ bụ Obi?Is it Ada or Obi?

Keep ọ bụ as two words. The choices can be nouns or whole clauses.

Examples (3)

  1. Ị chọrọ mmiri ma ọ bụ nri?

    Do you want water or food?

    Two nouns.

  2. Ị na-aga ahịa ma ọ bụ ụlọ akwụkwọ?

    Are you going to the market or to school?

    Two places.

  3. Ọ bụ Ada ma ọ bụ Obi?

    Is it Ada or Obi?

    Two names.

How It Connects

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

ma ọ bụ: OrLevel 2

Learn This First

Ma ọ bụ is ma plus ọ bụ, so ọ bụ comes first.

Words in This Pattern

ma ọ bụ