Tiv Parts of Speech

A noun is a word that gives the name of something such as an animal, a person, thing, or place. An idea or action also names something. There are proper nouns such as names of people, popular places, and concepts. For example, Makurdi Town, Abuja, River Niger, and Josev. All other nouns are common nouns.

 

List of common nouns:

 

aingbiôr - mud

alôm – hare, rabbit

amine - millet

amishe - roots)

ashe - eyes

ato - ears

atsaka - potato 

atuur - okra

awambe - blood

ayaba - banana

bar - salt

bur - carve, butcher

butu - mat

gambe - bed

genga - drum

girigi dogo - train

goods - ikav                                                 

icur - forehead

ifi – river

igirgi purugh - airplane

igo - pig

ihambe - wasp

ihô - knife

ihuma - smell

ikegh - chicken

ikeghdam - duck

ikom - corpse

ikônogh - chair

ikôôr - snail

ikpa - bag

ikuleke – maize or corn

inhev - mouse

inyaregh - money

inyon - bird

ishoribo - sin

itiegh – pot

ituna - bitter leaf

ityeku - ocean

ivile - palm nuts

iwa - dog

iyange - sun

iyolhian - fever

kon - tree

kôôkombo - plantain

kpatema - cat

kwaghyan - food

mbee u kasua - weekend

mbuer - pawpaw

mon - neck

mzembe - African pear

ngô - mother

nyinya - horse

ortwer - doctor

seta - ginger

sule - farm

telefon - telephone

ter - father

terankon - cross

uwagh - stream                                           

uwer - moon

wo - mountain

wondo - trousers or pants

zendeinya - animal

zwa - mouth

 

 

 

Tiv Pronouns

m = I (as in m mough sha/I stood up)                 

m, mo = me as in dem/leave me or

ka mo/it’s me).

i = it

kwagh (thing) = it

se = we, us

ne = you (plural)

ven = you (plural)                                 

we = you (singular)

ve = they, them

 

Tiv Pronouns

The following pronouns are found in the Tiv language.

M - I

Se - We

Un - He/she

I - It

U - You (singular)

Ne - You (plural)

Ve - They

 

 

Short phrases and sentenses with Tiv pronouns:

 

m ngu - I am

se mba – we are

un ngu – he/she is (“un” is often omitted)

i ngi – it is (“i” is often omitted)

u ngu – you (sing) are

ne mba – you (pl) are

ve mba – they are

                                               

ne mba lamen - you (plural) are speaking

kwagh ngu - there is something

kwagh ngu hian – something is burning

ka kwagh - it is something

ka kwagh ga - it is nothing

u ngu = you (sing) memen – you (sing) are resting

m ngu ngeren kwagh - I am writing something

un ngu a takerada go - he/she has no book

ne mba sha nongo - you (plural) are on the line

ve mba a hide ga - they are not yet back (the “ve” is often omitted)

se mba moughon higen - we are leaving now

 

Note: The following are also common:  

 

i hide - it returned (came back)

i yem - it went (away)

a - he/she

a hide - he/she returned

se ya kwagh - we ate something

ve  tema - they sat

kwagh er - something happened

kwagh er  ga - nothing happened

 

Tiv Words Fast Study Guide

 

The following is a list of Tiv words and phrases, with their English equivalents, that you can learn in under one hour to make you, and others, feel that you “know” Tiv. Study these before your visit among Tiv family and friends.

 

Common Tiv Words and Phrases

Hai (or simply say the person’s name or title) – Hello

Za dedo, or Saa shie gen, or babai – Goodbye

En – Yes

Ei – No

Sev u doo – Goodday

Wea rumun yo – Please

(M) sugh (u) – (I) thank (you)

En, mo kpa m sugh u – Yes, I too thank you. (You are welcome.)

M sugh za (da) van – You are welcome (thank you for your coming)

Nam injô! = Forgive me! Sorry!

Nam injô (Yam anyi) – I’m sorry.

I don’t know – M fa ga

M vôr - I’m tired

Ishima vihim! – I’m angry!

Saan mo iyol – I’m happy

Mnyam kôrom – I’m sleepy

Ijen kôrom – I’m hungry

Mnyam cie m a we – I dreamt of you

U ngu mama (aya) u doon mo ishima (with a hug) – I love you, mom (grandma)

            papa, baba                                                                               dad (grandpa)

            aningyô (aningbian)                                                                brother

            kwase wam                                                                             my wife

            nomom                                                                                    my husband

Iti you er ana? – What is your name?

That’s great – Doo kpishi (gbing)

Sev av – Goodnight

 

You will also hear these on the streets:

De kwagh la - Stop that

Nônsen - That’s nonsense

U pir shee? – Look where you’re going! (Are you blind?)

Or ne! – hello, bro (brother)

Kwase ne! – Hello, sis (my sister)

 

 

Tiv Words for Time/period

Time - shie

Second - sekendi

Miniti – minute

Ahwa – hour

Inyange – day

Sev - daytime

Kasua – week

Uwer – month

Inyom – year

Nyian – today

Nyen – yesterday

Inyan ngise – day before yesterday

Kper – tomorrow

Due la – day after tomorrow

Cii man – before

Kar – after (past)

Hegen, higen – now

Ken hemen – later

Tugh – night

Atetan -afternoon

Aikie – evening

Pepe – morning

Pepe pepe, dendee – early morning

Nomiyange - noon

 

Tiv Words when speaking of People

Kwase – woman

Nomso or – man

Wanye kwase – girl

Wanye nomso – boy

Wankwase (wan u kwase) – daughter

Wannomso (wan u nomso) – son

Tamen kwase – elderly woman

Tamen or – elderly man

Huror, ikyar – friend

Or – person

Nom – husband

Nom – male-type (including all things)

Kwase u – wife (of a married woman)

Name – iti

Wan – child

Mbayev – children

Tica, ortesen – teacher

Ortese – preacher

Nes – nurse

Loya , orfanatindi – lawyer

Jooji – judge

Ortwer – doctor

Deraba, or nahan mato – driver

Or nahan igirgi purugh – pilot

Wanye makeranta – student

Or u ange – patient

Mbauangev – patients

Or purusu – prisoner

Or shoja – soldier

Or (kwase) poloshi – policeman (woman)

 

Tiv Words for Objects/Things

Kwagh – thing/something

Tiivii – television

Redio – radio

Fon – phone

Kômputa – computer

Kwaghhendan – vehicle

Mato u kiriki – car

Turôku – truck

Tipa – domp truck

Nyinyaiyo; ikeke = bicycle

Agugu = motor bike, motor cycle

Kwaghyan – food

Tii – tea

Kofi – coffee

Mngerem – water

Mkulem – oil

Mkulem ma nyian – palm oil

Mkulem ma abun – peanut oil

Mkulem ma shien -  cream

Peturu -petrol

Gaz – gas

Humbe – air

Ahumbe – wind

Hiar – whirl wind

Turugh – vapour

Turugh u tseen – steam

Aisz -ice

Inima – umbrella; bat

Akôv – shoes

Kii – key

Kokolo - lock

Avande – rock

Iwen -stone

Dirt – inya

Ambi – faeces

Mnyandem – urine

Ijer – sputum

Azer – spits

Mliam – tears

Iusa – sweat

Iche – hair

Tiv Words for Place/Position

Ijiir – place

Ikyav – sign

Heen – here

Heera – there (when close by)

Keera – there (when farther away)

Ikua – near

Ica – far

Ikua ikua – very near

Ica kpishi – very far

Sha – up

Shin (inya) – down

Ken imbusu – beside

Kejime – behind

Ajime jime – backwards

Makeranta – school

Iyoughci – hospital; clinic

Shopu – shop

Setoo, kasua - store

Kasua – market

Hotev – hotel

Tom – work

Ijiir tom – workplace

Ya – home

Iyough – house

Itumbe – hut

Palo – palour, common room

Ate – common hut