Yoruba/Printable version

Yoruba

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Lesson 1

Salutation

Depending on the time of the day, different salutations may be used.

• Ẹ káàárọ. - good morning
• Ẹ káàsán. - good afternoon
• Ẹ Káalẹ́.. - good evening
• Ó dàárọ̀. - good night

If you are talking to someone who is the same age or younger than you, you greet differently.

• Káàárọ.
• Káàsán.
• Káalẹ́.

To present yourself, you can use the following expression:

• Orúkọ mi ni ... - My name is...

To ask how the person is:

• Ṣe dáadáa nì? - How are you?

• Gbogbo ẹbí ńkọ́? -How is your family?
• Níbo lo wà  ?-Where are you?

Yorùbá has salutation for every occasion and situation. Examples:

Ẹ kú ìjókòó (sitting) Ẹ kú ìdúró (standing) Ẹ kú iṣẹ́. (Working) Ẹ kú ìgbádùn (enjoyment) Ẹ kú ojú oorun (sleeping)

Pronunciation

The Yoruba alphabet is simple as the Famous English alphabet. The Yoruba alphabet is below;

Àà Bb Dd Ee Ẹẹ Ff Gg GBgb Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Òó Pp Rr Ss Ṣṣ Tt Uu Ww Yy

The structure of Yoruba syllables is slightly different from English. There are three kinds of syllables that may be formed:

• Consonant + vowel
• Vowel alone
• Syllabic nasal

Consonants

Letter	IPA	Pronunciation of the letter (English approximation)
B b	b	Like in English
Ch ch	t͡ʃ	Used in only some dialects, like "cheese" in English
D d	d	Like in English
F f	f	Like in English
G g	g	Like in goal
Gb gb	ɡ͡b	G and b pronounced simultaneously
H h	h	Like in English
J j	d͡ʒ	Somewhere between English j and y
K k	k	Slightly aspirated like in English
L l	l	Hard like in British English
M m	m	Like in English
P p	k͡p	K and p pronounced simultaneously
R r	r~ɹ	Either trilled or like in English
S s	s	Like in sit
Ṣ ṣ	ʃ	Like in English sh
T t	t	Slightly aspirated like in English
V v	ʋ	Somewhere between v and w
Y y	j	Like in yes

In Benin, Ṣ/ṣ and V/v are represented, respectively, as Sh/sh and W/w.

Vowels

Letter	IPA	Pronunciation of the letter (English approximation)
A a	a	Like a in father
E e	e	Almost like in say, but a single release
Ẹ ẹ	ɛ	Like in "well"
I i	i	Like in see
I i	ɪ	Used only in some dialects, like bit
O o	o	Like in low, but a single release
Ọ ọ	ɔ	Like in "mom"
U u	u	Like in you
U u	ʊ	Used in only some dialects, like hook

In Benin, Ẹ/ẹ and Ọ/ọ are represented, respectively, as Ɛ/ɛ and Ɔ/ɔ.

"N"

The letter n, in Yoruba, does not exist as a phoneme, but it may have three uses, depending on the context:

• Syllabic nasal
• Nasal vowel
• Allophone of "l"
• The letter "m"

Syllabic nasal

When a syllable is formed only by an n, it is called a syllabic nasal. It may have different pronunciations, depending on the following consonants.

When it precedes a vowel it is a velar nasal /ŋ/, like in sing. In other cases its place of articulation is homorganic with the following consonant, using the same place of articulation.

Nasal vowel

When n follows a vowel by the end of the syllable, it causes the preceding vowel to be nasalised. The vowel may either be ẹ, i, ọ or u, that get a nasal vibration during their respective realisations. Sometimes, nasal ọ sounds pretty much like nasal a. However, vowels e and o cannot be nasalised.

Sometimes, nasal vowels are not represented not by a preceding, but by a succeeding n (see below.)

In IPA, nasalisation is represented by a tilde (~) over the vowel.

Allophone of l

The letter l can never precede a nasal vowel. If it appears in such environment, the nasal vowel is written as oral (that is, without the succeeding n) and the l is written as n, pronounced /n/, like in English.

The letter "m"

The letter m is also a nasal vowel. However, it is only used for the letters b and p. An example would be the word "jambà" which means crash.

Tone

Yoruba is a tonal language with three level tones: high, low, and mid (or "the default tone".)

Every syllable must have at least one tone, a syllable containing a long vowel can have two tones. Contour tones (i.e. rising or falling tone melodies) are usually analysed as separate tones occurring on adjacent tone bearing units (morae) and thus have no phonemic status.

Tones are marked by use of the acute accent for high tone (⟨á⟩, ⟨ń⟩), the grave accent for low tone (⟨à⟩, ⟨ǹ⟩). Mid is unmarked, except on syllabic nasals where it is indicated using a macron (⟨a⟩, ⟨n̄⟩).

Colloquial writing and even some literary texts may ignore diacritics, usually these representing tone, but also the dot used under e, o and s, seen as completely different letters.

Word order in Yoruba

Yoruba word order (also known as linear order) is the order of the syntactic constituents of a language. The normal word order in Yoruba is Subject-Verb-Object, here are some examples,

1. Bàbá ra bátá ‘Father buy shoes.’ Adjectives usually follow nouns.
2. Ajá funfun ‘Dog white’. ‘Adverbials usually follow verbs.

Verbs

Verbs in Yoruba is called ̀̀̀̀ọ̀rọ̀ ise .

Number	English Verb	Yoruba Verb		Examples and Meaning	Notes
1	Eat	Jẹ		Jẹ ewà :Eat Beans	Jẹun: Eating.Jẹun is used when a person or animal is eating at the moment.
2	Drink	Mu		Mu omi:Drink water	Mumi can be used instead of Mu omi also Muti or Mu ọti(Drink Alcohol)
3	Call	Pè		Pè àwọn omo: Call the children	It could also mean pronounce. E.g Pè Orúkọ mi(Call my name or pronounce my name)
5	Walk	Rin		Ade n rin lo kilassi: Ade is walking to class	Rin: Walking or to walk. Rin is used when a person is moving from one place to another
4	Sleep	Sùn		Mo tí sùn lana(I have slept yesterday{literal translation})	Orun also means sleep but it is used as a noun.E.g Oún Sùn Orun (He is Sleeping)
5	Accept	Gba		Mole gba ye	Gba is used when someone accept or is given or offer something
6	Added	Dapo		Oun lodapo mo	Dapo is used when one thing is mixed with another. It could also mean a name of a person
7	Admit	Gba		e gba be	When someone admit. This deferent from the Gba in accept. The pronunciation is the major defference
8	Adviced	Imoran		Won fun ni imoran	Imoran is used when you advice someone
9	Agree	Fara mo		Mo le fara mo iyen	In English this means; I can agree with that
10	Allow	Gba		Oun logba	In English this means; she allows it
11	I Spoke	Mo Soro		Mo n soro	In English this means; i am speaking
12	I wrote	Mo kowe		Mo n kowe	In English this means; i am writing
13	I drove	Mo wa moto		Mo n wa moto	In English this means; i am driving

Nouns

Noun in Yoruba is called ̀̀̀̀Eka Oro Oruko.

Number	English Noun	Yoruba Noun
1	Dog	Aja
2	Car	Oko
3	Arm	Apa
4	Teeth	Eyin
5	Eye	Oju
6	Ear	Eti
7	Tongue	Ahon
8	Toe	Omo Ese
9	Thumb	Omo Ika
10	Throat	Ofun
11	Stomach	Ikun
12	Shoulder	Ejika
13	Nose	Imu
14	Mouth	Enu
15	Neck	Orun
16	Hair	Irun
17	Knee	Orikun
18	Cheeks	Ereke/eeke

Food and Fruits

English Name	Yoruba Name	Notes
Orange	Ọsàn òrom̀bó	Fruit
Paw-paw	Ìbẹ́pẹ	Fruit
Banana	Ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀	Fruit
Lime	Ọsàn wẹ́wẹ́	Fruit
Corn	Àgbàdo	Fruit
Cherry	Agbalumo	Fruit
Beans	Ewa	Food
Rice	Iresi	Food
Bread	Buredi	Food
Porridge	Asaro	Food
Beans Cake	Akara	Food
Garden Egg	Egba	Fruit
Cassava	Egè	Food
Bean pudding	Moi moi	Food
Plaintain	Ogèdè	Fruit
Pap	Ogi	Food
Yam	Ísu	Food
Pounded yam	Íyan	Food
Flour	Amala	Food
Watermelon	Elegede	Fruit
Strawberry	iru eso didun kan	Fruit
Mango	Mangoes	Fruit

Adjectives

Yoruba Adjectives are words that describe or modify another person or thing in the sentence. Here are some examples:

Number	English Adjectives	Yoruba Adjectives
1	Black	Dudu
2	Red	Alawo eje
3	A green tree	Igi Alawo ewe
4	A tall building	Ile giga
5	A very good friend	Ore todara pupo
6	A very old man	Arugbo Okunrin
7	Deep	Jin
8	Tall	Ga
9	Long	Gun
10	Deep	Jin
11	White	Alawo efun
12	Big	Nla
13	Narrow	Tinrin
14	Small	Kekere
15	Thick	Nipon
16	Wide	Gboro
17	Straight	Tooro
18	Salty	Iyo ja
19	Difficult	Ole
20	Easy	Irorun
21	Sweet	Dun

Pronouns

Yoruba pronouns are words that are used instead of a noun. Here are some examples:

Number	English Pronoun	Yoruba Pronoun
1	I	Emi
2	You	Iwo
3	He	Oun
4	We	Awa
5	They	Awon
6	Me	Emi
7	My	Temi
8	His	Toun
9	Theirs	Tawon
10	Mine	Temi
11	Our	Tiwa

Prepositions

Yoruba Prepositions are Position and direction that are expressed by the prepositions in combination with spatial relational nouns, Here are some examples:

Number	English Prepositions	Yoruba Prepositions
1	top	ori
2	down	ilẹ̀
3	inside	inú
4	Edge	etí

Conjunctions

Yoruba conjunction are words that are used to connect words, phrases, and clauses. Here are some examples:

Number	English Conjunctions	Yoruba Conjunctions
1	After	lẹhin
2	Although	Biotilejepe
3	As much as	niwongbati
4	But	sugbon
5	Because	Nitori

Adverbs

Yoruba adverbs are part of speech. Generally they're words that modify any part of language other than a noun. Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives (including numbers), clauses, sentences and other adverbs. Here are some examples:

Number	English Adverbs	Yoruba Adverbs
1	Tomorrow	Ola
2	Soon	Laipe yi
3	later	Tobaya

Numbers

One- Ookan
Two - Eeji
Three -Eeta
Four - Eerin
Five - Aarun
Six - Eefa
Seven - Eeje
Eight - Eejo
Nine - Eesan
Ten - Eewa
Eleven - Ookanla
Twelve - Eejila
Thirteen- Etala
Fourteen - Erinla
Fifteen - Eedogun
Sixteen - Eerindilogun
Seventeen - Eetadilogun
Eighteen - Eejidilogun
Nineteen - Ookandilogun
Twenty - Ogun
Twenty one - Mokanlelogun
Twenty two - Mejilelogun
Twenty three - Metalelogun
Twenty four - Merinlelogun
Twenty five - Aarundilogun
Twenty six - Medogbon
Twenty seven - Metadinlogbon
Twenty eight - Mejidinlogbon
Twenty nine - Meedogbon
Thirty - Ogbon
Thirty one - Okanlelogbon
Thirty two - Ejilelogbon
Thirty three -Metalelogbon
Thirty four - Merinlelogbon
Thirty five- marundinlogoji
Thirty six - merindinlogoji
Thirty seven- Ogbonmeje
Thirty eight -Mejidinlogoji
Thirty nine - Ogbonmesan
Forty- Ogoji
Forty one - Mokanlelogoji
Forty two - mejilelogoji
Forty three- Metalelogoji
Forty four - Meerinlelogoji
Forty five - Marundinladota
Forty six - Merindinladota
Forty seven - Metadinladota
Forty eight - Mejidinladota
Forty nine - Mokandinladota
Fifty - Aadota
Fifty one - Mokanleladota
Fifty two - Mejileladota
Fifty three - Metaleladota
Fifty four - Merinleladota
Fifty five - Marundinlogota
Fifty six- Meerindinlogota
Fifty seven - Metalelogota
Fifty eight - mejidinlogota
Fifty nine - Mokandinlogota
Sixty - Ogota
Sixty one - Mokanlelogota
Sixty two - Mejilelogota
Sixty three - metalelogota
Sixty four- merinlelogota
Sixty five - Marundinladorin
Sixty six - Merindinladorin
Sixty seven - Metadinladorin
Sixty eight - mejidinladorin
Sixty nine - Mokandinladorin
Seventy - Aadorin
Seventy one - Mokanleladorin
Seventy two - mejileladorin
Seventy three - metaleladorin
Seventy four - Merinleladorin
Seventy five - marundinlogorin
Seventy six - Merindinlogorin
Seventy seven - Metadinlogorin
Seventy eight - Mejidinlogorin
Seventy nine - Mookandinlogorin
Eighty - Ogorin
Eighty one - Mookanlelogorin
Eighty two - mejilelogorin
Eighty three - metalelogorin
Eighty four - merinlelogorin
Eighty five - Marundinlaadorun
Eighty six - Merindinladorun
Eighty seven - Metadinladorun
Eighty eight - Mejidinladorun
Eighty nine - mokandinladorun
Ninety - Aadorun
Ninety one - Mookanleladorun
Ninety two - mejileladorun
Ninety three - Metaleladorun
Ninety four - Merinleladorun
Ninety five - Marundinlogorun
Ninety six - Merindinlogorun
Ninety seven - Metadinlogorun
Ninety eight - Mejidinlogorun
Ninety nine - mokandinlogorun
Hundred - Oogorun
Hundred and one - Ọgọrun le ọkan
Hundred and two - Ọgọrun le meji
Hundred and three - Ọgọrun le leta
Hundred and four - Ọgọrun le Lerin
Hundred and Five- Ọgọrun le lerun
Hundred and six - Ọgọrun le Mefa
Hundred and seven - Ọgọrun le meje
Hundred and eight - Ọgọrun le mejo
Hundred and nine - Ọgọrun le mesan
Hundred and ten - Adọfa
Hundred and eleven - Adọfa le okan
Hundred and twelve - Adọfa le leji
Hundred and thirteen - Adọfa le meta
Hundred and fourteen - Adọfa le lerin
Hundred and Fifteen - Adọfa le lerun
Hundred and sixteen- Adọfa le lefa
Hundred and seventeen - Adọfa le meje
Hundred and eighteen - Adọfa le mejo
Hundred and nineteen- Adọfa le lesan
Hundred and twenty - Ọgọfa

Idioms in yoruba

Idiomatic expression in Yoruba is an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up.

Number	English meaning	Yoruba meaning
1	In trouble	Fori jale agbon
2	Stingy	Je Ori ahun
3	The secret has been leaked	Akara tu si epo
4	Make unnecessary enquiry	Tun ifun oro
5	Spend without saving	Fi owo mewa jeun

Proverbs in yoruba

Yoruba proverb is a simple and insightful, traditional saying that expresses a perceived truth based on common sense or experience. Proverbs are often metaphorical and use formulaic language.

Number	English Proverb meanings	Yoruba Proverbs meanings
1	Both the tortoise that taunts a hungry snake are edible meat (preys) to a hungry hunter.	Ebi npa ejo, ahun nyan, ati ahun ati ejo, eran jije ni fun olode.
2	Do not falter if you are being chased as one is getting tired so is the one chasing you	Eniti eegun nlepa ko roju , bi o ti n re eniyan beni o n re araorun
3	Passers-by are the first to bring the news that the corn is ripe	Ero ona ni royin oka to gbo
4	A protruded tooth is a problem to the mouth	Eyin to ta yo,wahala enu ni
5	When a king's palace burns down, the re-built palace is more beautiful.	Ile oba t'o jo, ewa lo busi
6	All lizards lie flat on their stomach and it is difficult to determine which has a stomach ache	Gbogbo alangba lo d'anu dele, a ko mo eyi t'inu nrun
7	Charity begins at Home	Ile la ti n ko eso re ode
8	The person that eat late, will not eat spoiled food	A pę ko to jęun, ki ję ibaję
9	There is danger at Longę's farm (Longę is a name of a Yoruba Legend), Longę himself is danger	Eewu bę loko Longę, Longę fun ara rę eewu ni
10	If a big masquerade claims it doesn't see the smaller masquerade, the small masquerade will also claim it doesn't see the big masquerade	Bi Ēēgun nla ba ni ohùn o ri gontò, gontò na a ni ohùn o ri Ēēgun nla

Phrases in Yoruba

Yoruba phrases called expression in some contexts is a group of words or singular word acting as a grammatical unit This page will include greetings, questions, emergency and survival expressions, asking for direction, language practice, introducing yourself, holiday wishes, and finally some travel phrases. Here are examples of travel phrases,

Numbers	phrases in Yoruba	English meaning
1.	mo gba aye sile	I have a reservation (hotel)
2.	elo ni fun ale kan	What is the charge per night?
3.	se won ti gba ijoko yi	Is this seat taken?
4.	aduro-tini nile ounje	Waiter