In Nigeria, proverbs are important in every ethnic group as they are a great way to share traditional wisdom and values, teach life lessons, and communicate complex ideas in a concise and memorable way. In this article, we are going to be providing a list of common Igbo proverbs and their meanings. Keep on reading to the end.
Here’s a list of common proverbs in Igbo language and their meanings:
- Otu gị na-agbọ ya na-atọ ya Meaning of the proverb: The way you give is the way you find.
- Mgbe ya bụla jiri, onye ya n’enwe ya
Meaning of the proverb: When it rains, you know the person with an umbrella.
- Otu n’ọtụ ya bụla ndị na-obi ya
Meaning of the proverb: Those who share the same heart are one person.
- O gị n’eme ya na-agbọ ya n’ema ya
Meaning of the proverb: The way you give is the way you receive.
- O gị n’ofu ya n’afu ya
Meaning of the proverb: The way you forgive is the way you are forgiven.
- O gị n’ama ya, n’ama ya n’inye ya
Meaning of the proverb: The way you treat others is the way they treat you.
- O kwuo ya n’ara ya
Meaning of the proverb: A friend is as close as the skin.
- Ndị ọ bụla n’agbụ ya, ya n’agbụ ya n’ọrụ ya
Meaning of the proverb: Those who live together will quarrel, but they will also make peace.
- Okpokiri na azụ ndị gị, aka na-akpukwala ndị a
Meaning of the proverb: The early bird catches the worm.
- Otakwala nso na-asụ nwa ya, ọ bụrụ n’ile
Meaning of the proverb: It is the child who knows the father that can tell where he lives.
- Odoo akọ na-agwata ndị nwere mmadụ
Meaning of the proverb: The wind knows where men have died.
- Ukwala mgbakọ n’okwute nke ọhụrụ
Meaning of the proverb: When the frog jumps on a rock, the rock doesn’t jump.
- Agbomma m tuputara ulo ya, ulo kpalara agbomma
Meaning of the proverb: A lizard that blows on its house, its house also blows on it.
- Ụmụ nwanyị no n’ezi uka gboro, otu n’ezi uka gbuo
Meaning of the proverb: A woman who has breasts cannot breastfeed a goat
- Onye n’ọhụrụ n’anya ka anya ya n’agaghi amakọ ya
Meaning of the proverb: One who has eyes in the back of the head does not lack behind.
- Onye na-agwụ mgbe ọ bụlụ ihe, na-agwụ. Onye n’enweghi mgbe ọ bụlụ ihe, n’elu
Meaning of the proverb: He who sees when something is happening sees, he who hears when something happens is told.
- Otuto n’egbu n’ozuzu, a jọ gbogboro ya
Meaning of the proverb: The old masquerade dances slowly.
- Mgbe ọ bụrụ anya, ka anya ya n’agaghi
Meaning of the proverb: When you see a person’s eyes, you can tell what they are like.
- Ihe ntọta ji-ebe anya.”
Meaning of the proverb: A bad thing is never hidden for long.
- Igba mgbe nyiri ka ibe ya.”
Meaning of the proverb: you reap what you sow.
- Igba ndi na-aghị ama bu ndi na-anwụ ama
Meaning of the proverb: Birds of a feather flock together.
- Ihe aja ka ịgba mmiri, o na-agbọ adighi ama.”
Meaning of the proverb: A stone that enters the water does not break the surface.
- Nwanyi n’akwanu, onye ekwu aghana ya
Meaning of the proverb: A woman’s beauty, her husband praises it.
- Igba nwa n’obi ka ihe e n’akọ.”
Meaning of the proverb: A child in the house is worth more than what is outside.
- N’obodo gi ka ihe obi gi
Meaning of the proverb: What is important in your village is what is important to you.
- Ihe chọrọ ka ifeanyi
Meaning of the proverb:it is better to be poor than to be shameless.
- Mọ n’ata ka ya bụ n’enweghị
Meaning of the proverb:knowing something is better than doing nothing.
- Ije ndu na-asị ekele maka ọrọ.
Meaning of the proverb: The road to life is praise.
- Uwa ka ọ bụrụ anaghi kwuru
Meaning of the proverb: The world is a marketplace.
- O bụ onye nke ya nwụrụ ya
Meaning of the proverb:the owner of the farm is the one who tills it.
- Anaghi ekwe nkiti n’ije ya
Meaning of the proverb: Don’t cut a tree with the ax you borrowed.
- Ukwu ka iji ya n’ala n’ukwu, ọ bụ mbụ
Meaning of the proverb: The tree that stands on the hilltop will catch the wind.
- O bu ndụ ka ndụ
Meaning of the proverb: A friend is like a sibling.
- Ngwo nke a na-agba otu kwuru ya n’otu ya
Meaning of the proverb: One who finds money does not lose it.
- Oge na-agụ, ụmụ n’ogboro ya Meaning of the proverb: When the sun rises, people go about their business.
- Otu gị mmanya ahu gị Meaning of the proverb: A family is like a forest.
- Otute gị n’anya na n’ụkwa n’anya
Meaning of the proverb: The head of the family is in the heart, and the heart is in the head.
- Odika kwuru ya n’ama ka ya n’enwe
Meaning of the proverb: A goat that does not enter the pen is like one that does not exist.
- O bi na nchekwa nchekwa
Meaning of the proverb: Unity is strength.
- Onye amara na uka amara n’elu
Meaning of the proverb: One who remembers the past will live in the future.
- O bi ji ọ kpọrọ, nchịrị ya n’ach
Meaning of the proverb: The way you sow is the way you will reap.
- Ime ụwa n’ada n’aka ya
Meaning of the proverb: Water that falls on the ground does not come back up.
- Ani n’obi, na-akwara n’etiti ya Meaning of the proverb: A tree is known by its fruit.
- O bu mmanya n’alọ ya Meaning of the proverb: A good word is a good medicine.
- O bu mmanya n’alọ ya is Meaning of the proverb: Words are mightier than the sword.
- Onye n’eme nri n’agha ya Meaning of the proverb: A person who has food does not run.
- Ọ bụ ndụ nke agha, otu n’ụwa ya
Meaning of the proverb: Health is better than wealth.
- Ani n’elu otu akwụkwọ ya Meaning of the proverb: A tree that falls makes more noise than the one that stands.
- Chi n’ọ bụ ndụ n’anya ka ihe gbasara ndụ ya
Meaning of the proverb: What you see with your eyes is better than what you hear.
- O bi nchekwa, nchekwa ya n’agha ya
Meaning of the proverb: Anxiety causes loss of wealth.
- Ụmụ ndi n’agha ya n’enye ọ dịghị nkọ ya
Meaning of the proverb: One’s wealth is in the number of his friends.
- Ana n’elu ihe n’alụ nna ya
Meaning of the proverb: The eyes see what the mind wants.
- Ihe n’enweghị n’acha ya, n’aka o bi nweghị
Meaning of the proverb: What you hear when you are not present is worse than what you see.
- Ihe n’enweghị n’agba ya
Meaning of the proverb: What you hear will not follow you.
- Enyi ụtọ nchekwa ya n’ọ bụrụ ndụ
Meaning of the proverb: Many people do not see with their eyes.
- Agha ka anya.
Meaning of the proverb: Seeing is believing.
- Egbu agha maka ọ bụ nwoke
Meaning of the proverb: He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day.
- Ọ mma nke ọ bụla n’okike ya
Meaning of the proverb: Goodness is in the heart.
- Eji acha maka ọ bụ akpukwo Meaning of the proverb: Slow and steady wins the race.
- Ndu maka ọ bụ otu
Meaning of the proverb: Health is wealth.
- Ndụ ya n’ọgwụ onye ndụ ya Meaning of the proverb: Only a mad person can cure another mad person.
- Ihe ọ bụla n’ikpala ya, ka anya ya n’akpala ya
Meaning of the proverb: What is done in the dark will come to light.
- O bụla mmanya nke ọ bụla mmanya
Meaning of the proverb: What goes around comes around.
- Ka nnukwu mmụọ ya mma.” Meaning of the proverb: Even the smallest seed can grow into a beautiful tree.
- Ọkéke n’awa ihe o bụ nne ya Meaning of the proverb: A good friend is better than a brother.
- Ndị nke ọ bụ n’ogbo njọ ya Meaning of the proverb: Birds of a feather flock together.
- Mgbe ya ike ya, ka ya anya n’ọ n’ọgwụ ya
Meaning of the proverb:when the time is right, the opportunity will present itself.
- Ife ogbu, ndị na-aghụ ndi ndụ ya
Meaning of the proverb: Evil is powerless against those who unite.
- Ori na-akwụ mmanya gị Meaning of the proverb: Your character is your beauty.
- Ogbo nnukwu maka o bụ nnukwu ya
Meaning of the proverb: The bigger the head, the bigger the load.
- Ụwa nwoke n’ụwa nwaanyị Meaning of the proverb: The man is known by the company he keeps.
- Ome n’udo n’anya ihe ya
Meaning of the proverb: Anger blinds the eyes from seeing what is true.
- Ife n’ụwa bụ ego
Meaning of the proverb: Life is like a market.
- Agba ya ya n’ala, ndị bụla ya n’ala ya
Meaning of the proverb: Those who are silent are thought to agree.
- Ihe ọnụ na-atụ anya n’anya ya
Meaning of the proverb: The thing you see is in the eye.
- O gba mma na aja, aja ya n’anya n’akwukwo ya
Meaning of the proverb: The rat takes only the good, leaving the ugly.
- A chọrọ ya n’okike ya, a kwado ya n’okike ya
Meaning of the proverb: What is eaten with the eyes is digested with the eyes.
- A chọrọ ya n’okike ya, a kwado ya n’okike ya.
Meaning of the proverb: What is eaten with the eyes is digested with the eyes.
- Onye agha ya maka ife ya Meaning of the proverb: One who cannot see cannot be proud.
- Ezi na-agbanyere mmanya ya.
Meaning of the proverb: The palm frond that stays straight will not cut itself.
- Mmili ya n’anya, ndị na-akwa ya
Meaning of the proverb: Water is in the eyes, yet people are blind to it.
- Igba amara mma, ọ bụla n’ọ bụla ya
Meaning of the proverb: A basket cannot appreciate its own beauty.
- Ndu ya n’ihu ya
Meaning of the proverb: Life is in the breath.
- Ije ya n’oke ya, aha ya n’ala ya
Meaning of the proverb: A road is in the sky, a river is on the ground.
- Ndu ya n’iwu ya
Meaning of the proverb: Life
- Onye ife na n’enye ife ya
Meaning of the proverb: One person’s medicine is another person’s poison.
- Otu n’ụwa ya bụ isi n’ala
Meaning of the proverb: The head is above the ground, while the feet are on the ground
- Mmanya ya n’onye ya n’efu ya
Meaning of the proverb: Food is in the mouth of the person who eats it.
- Uwa nwanyi, nwanyi ya bụla ife ya
Meaning of the proverb: The world of a woman is in her kitchen.
- Nwoke ya mbu oge ya n’izu ya
Meaning of the proverb: A man’s fortune is in his hands.
- Ụmụ n’ụla n’ife ya
Meaning of the proverb: People are measured by their words.
- Iwu ya bụla n’agbọghọ ya Meaning of the proverb: A deed is known by its result.
- Ezi ya na-etumma ya, na nchekwa ya n’ebe ya
Meaning of the proverb: A race is won by perseverance, not by haste.
- Agba ya n’ala ya bụla n’ọ bụla onye ya
Meaning of the proverb: The time is known by the people.
- Agha ya n’ọ bụla n’anya ya.” Meaning of the proverb: The mouth speaks what the eyes see.
- Ojukwu ya bu n’izu ya
Meaning of the proverb: The day is known by its work.
- Ije ya bụla n’izu ya n’abụa ya
Meaning of the proverb: A journey is known by its destination, not by its length.
- Anyị n’ọrụ ya, na nchekwa ya n’ọrụ ya
Meaning of the proverb: Where you learn, you also unlearn.
- Ndụ ya bụla n’amaghị anya ya
Meaning of the proverb: Life is like a mirror.
- Oji ya na-asọ ndị nnem ya.” Meaning of the proverb: Fire is known by its smoke.