Igbo Greetings and Phrases for Chatting
Igbo greetings are the short phrases speakers use to say hello, ask after someone and wish them well, from Ndewo and Kedu? to Ụtụtụ ọma in the morning and Ka chi fo at night. On a video chat they punch above their weight: one warm Igbo word can turn a stranger's polite nod into a grin and a real conversation. This guide gives you the phrases worth knowing, what each one means, when to use it, a handful of Pidgin openers, and how to type it all on a phone.
Key Takeaways
- Ndewo is a respectful hello for anyone, and Kedu? is the everyday 'How are you?', usually answered with Ọ dị mma
- Good morning in Igbo is Ụtụtụ ọma, good afternoon is Ehihie ọma and good evening is Mgbede ọma
- Thank you is Daalụ or Imeela, please is Biko, and I love you is A hụrụ m gị n'anya
- Most people type Igbo on a phone without tone marks, and often without the dots under ị, ọ and ụ, so Daalu and Ututu oma read fine
- Spelling and pronunciation vary between dialects, so follow the other person's lead rather than correcting them
- With someone older, greet first and open with Ndewo before any slang
- A greeting is the easiest icebreaker on IgboChat: say it on camera, or type it in the text box when the room is noisy
Why greet in Igbo on a video chat?
The first few seconds of a random video chat decide whether it goes anywhere. Plenty of people open with a flat 'hi' and a blank look. Open with Ndewo or Kedu? instead and you have said several things at once: you are friendly, you made an effort, and the two of you might have something in common.
- For Igbo speakers in Onitsha, Owerri or Lagos, it signals common ground straight away.
- For someone in London or Toronto who grew up hearing Igbo at home, it may be a rare chance to use it.
- For a Yoruba student in Ibadan or a Hausa speaker in Kano, it is an invitation to swap a greeting from their own language.
- For a match in Brazil or Poland, it is a talking point: they will want to know what you just said.
You do not need to be fluent. A dozen phrases, said with a smile, are plenty. If the other person answers in a flood of fast Igbo you cannot follow, laugh, admit it in English and carry on. Nobody minds an honest learner.
What are the basic Igbo greetings?
These are the ones you will reach for most. The plain-keyboard spelling many people type is in brackets:
| Igbo (plain spelling) | Meaning | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Ndewo | Hello, a respectful greeting | Any time, with anyone, and especially with someone older |
| Kedu? | How are you? / What's up? | The everyday opener with someone your own age |
| Kedu ka ị mere? (Kedu ka i mere?) | How are you doing? | A fuller check-in once the chat has warmed up |
| Ọ dị mma (O di mma) | I'm fine / It is good | Your reply to Kedu?, or to agree that something is good |
| Ụtụtụ ọma (Ututu oma) | Good morning | Early chats, before work or lectures |
| Ehihie ọma (Ehihie oma) | Good afternoon | From midday until late afternoon |
| Mgbede ọma (Mgbede oma) | Good evening | From late afternoon into the night |
| Ka chi fo | Good night (literally 'till dawn') | Closing a chat that ran late |
| Nnọọ (Nnoo) | Welcome | When someone tells you it is their first time on the site |
Match the greeting to their clock, not yours. If it is 9pm in Aba and your match is in Toronto, it is mid-afternoon for them, so Ehihie ọma fits their day better than Mgbede ọma. Getting that right is a small thing people notice.
How do you say thank you, please, yes and no in Igbo?
- Daalụ (Daalu): thank you. The everyday word, fine with anyone.
- Imeela: thank you, literally 'you have done well'. A warmer thanks, nice when someone has helped you or paid you a compliment.
- Biko: please. Handy on camera: 'Biko, can you move closer to the light?'
- Ee: yes.
- Mba: no.
Biko and Daalụ are the two worth practising until they come out without thinking. People are slower to tap Next on someone who says please and thank you.
How do you introduce yourself in Igbo?
Two phrases cover introductions: Kedu aha gị? (Kedu aha gi?), which means 'What is your name?', and Aha m bụ ... (Aha m bu ...), 'My name is ...'. A first exchange on video might run like this:
- You: Ndewo! Kedu?
- Them: Ọ dị mma. Kedu aha gị?
- You: Aha m bụ Daniel. And you?
- Them: Aha m bụ Grace. Where are you calling from?
Notice how it slides back into English after a few lines. Mixing Igbo and English in the same breath is completely normal, so do not feel you have to stay in one language.
Once you are getting on, Nwanne m (my brother, or my sister) is a friendly way to address someone. Save it for after you have shared a laugh; it carries warmth that a first line has not earned yet.
How do you say I love you in Igbo?
A hụrụ m gị n'anya (A huru m gi n'anya) means I love you. It is worth learning properly for the people who matter: a partner, a parent, a grandparent in the village who will be delighted to hear it.
On a random video chat, handle it with care. As a joke between two people clearly having fun, it can get a laugh. Said seriously by a stranger you met ten minutes ago, it is a warning sign, because rushed declarations of love are a classic opening in romance scams. Our online chat safety guide explains that pattern and what to do about it.
For a warm close to a good chat, Chukwu gozie gị (Chukwu gozie gi), God bless you, is a kind thing to say, and it suits a conversation with someone older or anyone who has been generous with their time.
How do you say goodbye in Igbo?
- Ka ọ dị (Ka o di): goodbye.
- Ka emesịa (Ka emesia): see you later. Friendly even when you will probably never cross paths again, which on a random chat is part of the charm.
- Ka chi fo: good night, literally 'till dawn'. The natural sign-off when it is late.
A goodbye before you tap Next costs two seconds. On a site built around a skip button, it stands out.
Which Pidgin phrases work in a Nigerian video chat?
Nigerian Pidgin is widely understood across the country, so these work whatever language the other person grew up speaking:
| Pidgin | Meaning | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| How far? | How are you? / What's up? | A relaxed opener with someone your age |
| I dey | I'm fine | Your reply to How far? |
| Wetin dey happen? | What's happening? | When their background looks lively, or to ask what they are up to |
| Abeg | Please | Softening a request: 'Abeg, hold the phone still' |
| No wahala | No problem | When the connection drops or they apologise for the noise |
| Na so | That's how it is | Agreeing with a story or a complaint |
If you are not sure the other person speaks Igbo, How far? is the safe opener. Try a Kedu? once you know.
Do you need tone marks and dots to type Igbo?
No. Written Igbo can carry two kinds of marks: dots under some vowels (ị, ọ, ụ), which mark different vowel sounds, and tone marks, which most people leave out in everyday writing anyway. In a chat, many people drop both and type Daalu, Ututu oma or Kedu ka i mere, and readers fill the gaps from context.
If you would like the dotted letters on your phone:
- Look in your keyboard's language settings. Some phone keyboards offer an Igbo layout that puts ị, ọ and ụ within reach.
- Copy and paste from this page the first few times, until the spellings stick.
Spelling varies too. Igbo has many dialects across the South-East and beyond, and the same greeting can sound and be written differently from one town to the next. The spellings here are widely understood, but if your match from Nsukka or Umuahia says it another way, they are not wrong and neither are you. Ask how they say it at home: it is a good question and an easy conversation.
How do you greet an elder respectfully on video?
IgboChat is for adults, and adults come in every age. When the person on screen is clearly older than you:
- Greet first. Across Nigeria, the younger person is generally expected to say hello before the older one.
- Lead with Ndewo, and keep How far? for later, if they bring the slang in themselves.
- Sit up, face the light and look at the camera lens, not at your own picture.
- End with Daalụ or Chukwu gozie gị rather than simply vanishing.
Respect runs both ways. If an older match is rude, a polite goodbye and Next is all you owe them.
How do you use a greeting as an icebreaker on IgboChat?
- Fix your picture first. IgboChat shows your own camera before you are paired, so sort out the light while you wait.
- Say Ndewo or Kedu? in the first few seconds, with a smile.
- Pause. Give them a moment to answer before you fill the silence.
- If it is loud, type it. The text box next to the video is handy when the generator next door is roaring.
- If they reply in English, follow them. The greeting has done its job.
- If they do not speak Igbo, teach them one word. Daalụ is easy, and people remember the person who taught them something.
- If they say they are new here, Nnọọ.
New to all this? Our guide to random chat in Nigeria explains how matching works. For more matches who might answer in Igbo, the Igbo chat room guide shows how to narrow your matches to Nigeria with karma, and if you would rather practise on people far from home, read our tips on chatting with foreigners for free. Then put the phrases to work in the chat.
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