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A few hundred common words carry most everyday conversation in any language. This lesson introduces Tiv words you will hear and use every day, around the home, at the market and on the farm, so you can start to follow simple conversations and build your own sentences.
Learning words that stay learned
Learn words in small groups of five to ten, and say each one aloud as you learn it. Tiv is a tonal language: the pitch of your voice can change a word's meaning, so copy the speaker's tone in the video, not just the spelling. Use each new word in a short sentence of your own, even a simple one, and come back to the list over the following days. Words you meet again after a gap are the ones you remember.
Using the tables
The tables below give a starting set of words for time, everyday objects and common actions, taken from the archive's dictionary. For any word, the dictionary gives its full entry, often with example sentences. When you are ready to put words together, the grammar pages explain how Tiv sentences are built, and the translator can help you check short phrases.
Time
| Tiv | English |
|---|---|
| dendee | early morning |
| aikighe | evening |
| iyange | day |
| inyom | year |
| hegen | now |
| kper | tomorrow |
| iyanngise | day before yesterday |
| faa | early |
| ken hemen | later |
| gbem | always |
Around the home
| Tiv | English |
|---|---|
| akpera | mortar |
| gbande | dish, plate |
| ijondough | calabash |
| ikese | basket |
| akwati | box, giftbox |
| genga | drum |
| gbough | walking stick |
| ajingi | glasses, spectacles |
Everyday actions
| Tiv | English |
|---|---|
| soo | want, desire |
| pinen | ask |
| sugh | to greet / to thank |
| ôron | read |
| kile | brush (teeth) |
| ôô iyol | bathe |
These tables are drawn from the archive's own records. If you spot a mistake, please tell us through the contribution form.
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