Putting Words in Order

Level 1

Subject, verb, object, then place and time.

How It Works

The order is like English: subject, verb, object.

Subject	Verb	Object	Place or time
Ada	riri	nri
Obi	gụrụ	akwụkwọ	taa
Nne m	zụtara	anụ	n'ahịa

Describing words, numbers, owners and a or ahụ all come after the noun they go with: ụlọ ọhụrụ, akwụkwọ atọ, nne m, nwoke ahụ. The pronoun for I, m, comes after the verb or its helper: Aga m.

Questions with a question word often start with it: Gịnị ka ị chọrọ?

Examples (4)

Ada riri nri.
Ada ate food.
Subject, verb, object.
Obi gụrụ akwụkwọ taa.
Obi read a book today.
Time comes last.
Nne m zụtara anụ n'ahịa.
My mother bought meat at the market.
Place comes last.
Ha na-eri nri.
They are eating food.
The helper goes with the verb.

How It Connects

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

Putting Words in OrderLevel 1

Learn This First

A sentence needs a verb between subject and object, so verb names come first.

Verb Names With i- or ị-
Know verb names, because word order puts the verb between the subject and the object, so learners must spot the verb first: Ada riri nri “Ada ate food”.
Level 1

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Practice Putting Words in Order in Bubblegum

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