a hụrụ m gị n'anya kwa
The English phrase "I love you, too" is translated into Igbo as a hụrụ m gị n'anya kwa.
A response used to tell someone that you also feel love for them.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, gị is the singular pronoun for "you" acting as the object. The particle kwa is placed at the end of the sentence to function as "too" or "also".
Did you know?
- The word anya used in this phrase means 'eye', which makes the expression of love in Igbo literally a description of seeing someone with the eyes of love.
- While a hụrụ m gị n'anya is a direct translation, Igbo culture often prioritizes acts of service and care over the verbalization of love, making this phrase less frequent in daily life than 'I love you' is in English.
- The pronoun m used for 'I' in this phrase shares a common linguistic ancestor with the Yoruba pronoun n̄.
Examples in context
- Ọ bụrụ na ị hụrụ m n'anya, a hụrụ m gị n'anya kwa.If you love me, I love you, too.
Example conversation
A couple saying goodbye before work.
- AdaObi m, a hụrụ m gị n'anya.My dear, I love you.
- EmekaImeela, a hụrụ m gị n'anya kwa.Thank you, I love you, too.
- AdaKa ọ dị.Goodbye.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries m, CC BY-SA 4.0.
