Open Syllables

Foundations

Say each syllable fully: o-bo-do, ụ-lọ. Words rarely end in a consonant.

How It Works

Igbo words are built from open syllables: a consonant followed by a vowel, or a lone vowel. A syllabic nasal can also stand alone.

WordSyllables
obodo “town”o-bo-do
ahịa “market”a-hị-a
ụlọ “house”ụ-lọ
ọkụkọ “chicken”ọ-kụ-kọ

The ending ịa in ahịa is two vowels side by side, and each is said. Because syllables are open, you can sound out a new word from its spelling and then check the dictionary. Start slowly, say one syllable at a time, and then speed up until the word sounds like one smooth piece.

It is easy to drop a final vowel when you speak quickly. Keep it.

Examples (4)

  1. obodo

    town

    Three syllables: o, bo and do. The first is a vowel alone, and the other two are a consonant and a vowel.

  2. ahịa

    market

    The final a is a syllable of its own.

  3. ụlọ

    house

    Two vowel-final syllables.

  4. ọkụkọ

    chicken

    Three syllables, all ending in a vowel; the first is a vowel alone.

How It Connects

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

Open SyllablesFoundations

Learn This First

A syllable is built from a vowel and often a consonant, so learners need the vowels and the two-letter consonants first.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.