Two Verbs in a Row

Level 3

Verb, object, verb: Were akwụkwọ gị bịa.

How It Works

Igbo often chains verbs where English uses “and”.

Example	Meaning
Were akwụkwọ gị bịa.	Take your book and come.
Ọ gbara ọsọ bịa.	He or she ran here.
Were nri bịa.	Bring food.

Compare wee “and then”, which adds a clear step. In a chain the verbs share a subject and a time.

Each verb can have its own object, as in Were akwụkwọ gị bịa: akwụkwọ gị belongs to were, and bịa follows. Read the chain from left to right in the order the actions happen.

Examples (4)

Were akwụkwọ gị bịa.
Take your book and come.
Two commands in a row.
Ọ gbara ọsọ bịa.
He or she ran here.
Gba ọsọ plus bịa.
Were nri bịa.
Bring food.
Take food and come.
Were mmiri bịa.
Bring water.
Take water and come.

How It Connects

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

Two Verbs in a RowLevel 3

Learn This First

Serial verbs link actions with no word between, in contrast to wee, so wee comes first.

wee: And Then
Know wee, because wee says “and then” out loud and a chain of verbs leaves it out: Were akwụkwọ gị bịa “take your book and come”.
Level 3

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

werebịa

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