Negation Forms in Igbo Language

In language, negation is used to indicate the absence, refusal, or contradiction of something. It transforms affirmative statements into negative ones, altering the meaning to indicate a negative condition or response. Negation is a fundamental linguistic concept used across various languages to convey negativities, denials, or contradictions in communication.

In Igbo language, the suffixes "-gh?" or "-na" wield profound significance. These additions to verb roots bear the weight of complex meaning, transforming positive statements into their negative counterparts.

When constructing negations in Igbo, the choice between adding "e" or "a" before the verb root is influenced by your pronoun and vowel harmony. The following rules also serve as a guiding principle in the formation process:

Rule A: Plural pronouns (such as "ha" for they, "unu" for you people) and specific names require the addition of 'a' or 'e' as a prefix to the following verb.

Rule B: Singular pronouns like "?" for he/her/it and "m" for me, I, my do not require the addition of 'a' or 'e' before the following verb.

Examples

"Did not" is contracted to "didn't"

1. I did not do it = m meghi ya OR emegh? m ya

2. She did not call me = ? kp?gh? m

3. He did not prepare on time = ? kwadoghi n'oge

4. I did not remember to buy it = M chetagh? gote ya OR echetagh? m z?ta ya

5. They did not do it = Ha egoteghi ya

6. We did not remember = Any? echetagh?

7. They did not go = Ha agagh?

"Do not" is contracted to "don't"

1. I don't like coffee = M h?gh? coffee n'anya

2. I don't take coffee = M nagh? a?? coffee

3. We don't drink alcohol = Any? anagh? a?? mmanya ?k?

4. We don't quarrel = Any? anagh? ak? ?n?

5. They don't eat yam = Ha anagh? eri ji

6. Don't come = Ab?ana

1. Don't go out today = Ap?na ap? taa

"Does not" is contracted to "doesn't"

1. She does not know = ? magh?

2. He does not know how to prepare on time = ? magh? akwado n'oge

Am not

1. I am not coming = M nagh? ab?a OR anagh? m ab?a

2. I am not eating = m nagh? eri OR anagh? m eri

3. I am not preparing = m nagh? akwado

4. I am not prepared = m kwadobeghi OR akwadobeghi m

"Is not" is contracted as "isn't".

1. She is not sleeping = ? nagh? arah? ?ra

2. She is not back = ? batabeghi

3. She is not ready = ? dibeghi njikere OR

? kwadobeghi

4. She is not eating = ? nagh? eri nri

5. He isn't picking/answering when I call = ? nagh? aza ma m kp??

"Are not" is contracted as "aren't"

1. They are not coming = Ha anagh? ab?a

2. They are not cooking = Ha anagh? esi nri

3. They are not prepared = Ha akwadobeghi

Notice: The choice of "nagh?" and "anagh?" is influenced by the preceeding pronoun.

"Will not" is contracted as "won't"

1. I will not come = m gagh? ab?a

2. I will not go = m gagh? aga

3. I will not prepared = m gagh? akwado

4. I will not sleep on time = m gagh? arah? ?ra n'oge

5. She will not buy the cloths = ? gagh? egote akwa

6. He will not visit = ? gagh? ab?a

7. They will not come = Ha agagh? ab?a

Notice: The choice of "gagh?" and "agagh?" is influenced by the preceeding pronoun.

"Has not" is contracted as "has not"

1. She hasn't responded = ? zabeghi

2. He hasn't slept = ? rah?begh? ?ra

3. She hasn't eaten breakfast = O ribeghi nri ?t?t?

4. He hasn't visited that museum before = ? gabeghi museum mb?

5. Your package hasn't arrived = Ngwa ah?a g? abatabegh?

6. Mary hasn't finished her homework = Mary emechabeghi ?r? ?l? ya

"Have not" is contracted as "haven't"

1. They haven't decided on a date for the party = Ha ekpebibeghi ?b?ch? mmemme ha ga-ab?.

2. I haven't seen that movie = M h?beghi muvi ah?

3. We haven't met your friend = Any? ah?beghi enyi g? OR Any? ezutebeghi enyi g?

Other negations in Igbo

No = mba

Never = I have never been to Egypt (m gabaghi Egypt)

Note that "never" cannot be expressed with a single lexicon in Igbo.

None/neither = Nweghi

"None" and "neither" share similar lexicon with haven't in Igbo.