Body Parts

1. Ta

   Head

   Usage

   Use it to point to the head, for example to show where it hurts

   Grammar Note

   ta is “head”. The same form also means “chapter”.

2. Ɖa

   Hair

   Usage

   Refers to the hair of the head

   Grammar Note

   ɖa is “hair”. The same form is also the verb “to cook”. The ɖ is a separate letter from d.

3. Ŋku

   Eye

   Usage

   Use it to point to the eye, for example when telling someone about trouble seeing

   Grammar Note

   ŋku is “eye” and the plural is ŋkuwo. The ŋ is a single letter, never written n or ng.

4. Ŋkume

   Face

   Usage

   Refers to the face. In scripture it also appears in “before the Lord”

   Grammar Note

   ŋkume joins ŋku “eye” and me “inside”, and means “face”.

5. To

   Ear

   Usage

   Use it to point to the ear, for example to say it hurts

   Grammar Note

   to is “ear”. The same form also means “mountain” and other things, so context decides.

6. Ŋɔti

   Nose

   Usage

   Use it to point to the nose

   Grammar Note

   ŋɔti is “nose”. Both ŋ and ɔ are single letters.

7. Nu

   Mouth

   Usage

   Refers to the mouth. The same short word also means “thing”

   Grammar Note

   nu is “mouth”. The same form also means “thing”, so context decides.

8. Nuyi

   Lip

   Usage

   Refers to the lip. A word found in the Proverbs

   Grammar Note

   nuyi is “lip”, built on nu “mouth”.

9. Aɖu

   Tooth

   Usage

   Use it to point to a tooth, for example when it hurts

   Grammar Note

   aɖu is “tooth”. The ɖ is a separate letter from d.

10. Aɖe

    Tongue

    Usage

    Refers to the tongue. The same word can also mean speech

    Grammar Note

    aɖe is “tongue”. Dictionaries also give “speech”. The same form is also the very common word meaning “a, some”.

11. Kɔ

    Neck

    Usage

    Use it to point to the neck, for example when it hurts

    Grammar Note

    kɔ is “neck”. The ɔ is the open o.

12. Abɔta

    Shoulder

    Usage

    Use it to point to the shoulder

    Grammar Note

    abɔta is “shoulder”, related to abɔ “arm”.

13. Abɔ

    Arm

    Usage

    Use it to point to the arm. It is also used for an animal’s foreleg

    Grammar Note

    abɔ is “arm”, the part from the shoulder to the wrist.

14. Asi

    Hand

    Usage

    Use it to point to the hand, for example to show an injury

    Grammar Note

    asi is “hand”. The same form also means “market” and “wife”, so context decides.

15. Asibidɛ

    Finger

    Usage

    Use it to point to a finger

    Grammar Note

    asibidɛ is “finger” and contains asi “hand”. The final ɛ is a separate letter from e.

16. Akɔta

    Chest

    Usage

    Use it to point to the chest, for example when it hurts

    Grammar Note

    akɔta is “chest”.

17. Dɔme

    Belly / stomach

    Usage

    Use it to point to the belly, for example when it feels unwell

    Grammar Note

    dɔme is “belly”. It also appears inside words about inner feeling, such as dɔmenyonyo “kindness”.

18. Dzime

    Back

    Usage

    Use it to point to the back, for example when it hurts

    Grammar Note

    dzime is “back”. An older dictionary gives a sense of “inside the chest”, so context decides.

19. Ata

    Thigh

    Usage

    Use it to point to the thigh

    Grammar Note

    ata is “thigh”. In scripture it is the place where a hand is put when swearing an oath.

20. Klo

    Knee

    Usage

    Use it to point to the knee, for example when it hurts

    Grammar Note

    klo is “knee”. There is also the expression dze klo “kneel”.

21. Afɔ

    Leg / foot

    Usage

    Use it to point to the leg or foot, for example to show an injury

    Grammar Note

    afɔ covers both “foot” and “leg”. Spell it with f, not ƒ.

22. Ŋutigbalẽ

    Skin

    Usage

    Use it to point to the skin, for example to show a rash or a wound

    Grammar Note

    ŋutigbalẽ is “skin”. In scripture it appears paired with flesh. The word agbalẽ alone means “book” or “leather”.

23. Ƒu

    Bone

    Usage

    Refers to a bone. In scripture it appears in the plural ƒuwo

    Grammar Note

    ƒu is “bone”. The same form can also be another word, so context decides. The letters f and ƒ differ.

24. Ʋu

    Blood

    Usage

    Refers to blood, for example when telling someone about bleeding

    Grammar Note

    ʋu is “blood”. The same form also means “vehicle”. The letters v and ʋ differ.

25. Dzi

    Heart

    Usage

    Refers to the heart. It also appears in many expressions of feeling

    Grammar Note

    dzi is “heart”. The same form can also mean “on top”, so context decides.

26. Aklã

    Liver

    Usage

    Refers to the liver, used when naming an illness or describing the body

    Grammar Note

    aklã is “liver”. Keep the nasal mark on ã.

27. Ayiku

    Kidney

    Usage

    Refers to the kidney

    Grammar Note

    ayiku is “kidney”. In scripture it appears as part of an offering.

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