There are 36 (iri atọ na isii) letters in the Igbo alphabet, which are called Mkpụrụ okwu Igbo, Mkpụrụedemede, or Abidii (A B D). The English letters not found in the Igbo alphabet include C, Q, and X.
There are various ways to order all of the alphabets in the Igbo language. Here is one popular way to order the letters in the Igbo alphabet:
A B CH D E F G
GB GH GW H I Ị J
K KP KW L M N Ñ
NW NY O Ọ P R S SH
T U Ụ V W Y Z
Note: The alphabet lessons on this site are based on the Onwu orthography, a standard spelling system for the Igbo language. This means that you may find additional consonants and vowels in other Igbo dialects.
Learning how to say letters in Igbo is the first step to speaking Igbo properly!
Also view the guides on pronouncing Igbo consonants, diagraphs, and vowels.
MORE ON THE IGBO ALPHABET
The Igbo alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet, and has 36 letters. The Igbo term for alphabet is abịdịị. The Igbo term for letters of the alphabet is mkpụrụ edemede. There is no C, Q, X in the Igbo language (there is CH which is a single letter in Igbo. See digraphs below). There are eight vowels and 28 consonants in the Igbo alphabet.
Capital Letters
A B CH D E F G GB GH GW H I Ị J K KP KW L M N Ṅ NW NY O Ọ P R S SH T U Ụ V W Y ZSmall Letters
a b ch d e f g gb gh gw h i ị j k kp kw l m n ṅ nw ny o ọ p r s sh t u ụ v w y zIgbo Vowels
The Igbo vowels are A E I Ị O Ọ U Ụ. The Igbo term for vowel is ụdaume. Igbo vowels are divided into two groups: the light group (A Ị Ọ Ụ) and the heavy group (E I O U). The Igbo term for light vowel is ụdamfe, and heavy vowel is udaarụ.
Igbo Consonants
There are 28 consonants: B CH D F G GB GH GW H J K KP KW L M N Ṅ NW NY P R S SH T V W Y Z. The Igbo term for consonant is mgbochiume.
Igbo Pseudo-Vowels
Two of the Igbo consonants M and N can appear as vowels in some instances. When used in that manner, they are pseudo-vowels. The Igbo term for pseudo-vowel is myiriụdaume.
Igbo Digraphs
When there are two Latin letters combined to form an Igbo letter, it is called a digraph. There are nine digraphs or blends in Igbo language. They are CH GB GH GW KP KW NW NY SH. The Igbo term for digraph is ụdamkpị.