Explanation

Igbo is a tonal language with two basic tones: high and low. The same syllables with different tones have different meanings. Tone is as important as consonants and vowels.

Example: “akwa” can mean “cloth” (low-high), “egg” (high-low), “cry” (high-high), or “bed/bridge” (low-low) depending on tone pattern. Context helps, but tone must be learned.

Tone marks: acute accent (á) for high tone, grave accent (à) for low tone, or no mark with tone learned from context. Proper tone usage distinguishes fluent speakers.