Yoruba phrasebook
Yoruba (èdè Yorùbá) is a language native to West Africa, mainly near the Bight of Benin. With an estimated 50 million speakers worldwide as of 2020, Yoruba is one of the most influential African languages. It is spoken chiefly in Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and Ghana, where it is an official language. Internationally, Yoruba can be heard in Brazil, where it is a recognised minority language, plus England, Maryland, Texas, and New York.
Pronunciation guideEdit
VowelsEdit
A a - [ah] like in the Spanish alphabet
E e – [a] like “a” in skate
Ẹ ẹ - [eh] like the first “e” elephant (dot written underneath the vowel to get the new sound: E / e + ̣: E / é)
I i – [ee] like in sweet
O o – [o] like “o” in sofa
Ọ ọ - [or] like the first “o” in octopus (dot written underneath the vowel to get the new sound: O / o + ̣: O / O)
U u – [u] like “u” in blue
ConsonantsEdit
- B
- like boy (IPA: b)
- D
- like do (IPA: d)
- F
- like fin (IPA: f)
- G
- like go (IPA: ɡ)
- Gb
- the g and b of go and bed at the same time (IPA: ɡ͡b)
- H
- like hello (IPA: h)
- J
- somewhat like geek (IPA: ɟ)
- K
- like skit (IPA: k)
- L
- light L (higher-pitched, non-dental), like British light (IPA: l)
- M
- like milk (IPA: m)
- N
- like nose (IPA: n)
- P
- the k and p of skit and spin at the same time (IPA: k͡p)
- R
- rolled/trilled R (IPA: r)
- S
- like seem (IPA: s)
- Ṣ
- like ship (IPA: ʃ)
- T
- like still (IPA: t)
- W
- like will (IPA: w)
- Y
- like yacht (IPA: j)
Common diphthongsEdit
Phrase listEdit
BasicsEdit
- Hello? (informal)
- Ẹ ǹlẹ́ o?
- How are you?
- Bawo nI?
- Fine, thank you.
- Daada ni, Ẹshe.
- What is your name?
- Kini Orúkọ rẹ?
- What is your names?
- Kíni Orúkọ yin? (plural but also used for politeness towards elders)
- My name is Eseosa .
- Orúko mi n jẹ Eseosa. / Orúko mi ni Eseosa.
- Nice to meet you. (informal)
- Inu mi dùn lati mọ̀ ọ́.
- Nice to meet you. (plural/honorific)
- Inu mi dùn lati mọ̀ yín
- Please.
- (é) Ẹ jọ̀ọ́/ Ẹ dákun (note: [e] is plural in Yoruba but also used in respect to elders)
- Thank you.
- ẹ ṣe / o ṣe (note: [o] is singular and used amongst friends.)
- You're welcome.
- Kò si nkan kan . (ko to ope)
- Yes.
- bẹ́ẹ̀ni
- No.
- bẹ́ẹ̀ ko / ó ti / ra ra
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- Ẹ jọ̀wọ́
- Don't be annoyed. (begging pardon)
- Ẹ ma bínú (literally: "Don't be angry.")
- I'm sorry.
- (E) jè bù rẹ́/ E ma binu
- Goodbye
- O dabọ̀!
- I can't speak Yoruba [well]
- N kò lè sọ Yorùbá [daradara] / N kò le gboo èdè Yorùbá [daradara]
- I speak Yoruba a little bit
- Mo gbọ èdè Yorùbá díẹ̀
- Do you speak English?
- Se o le s èdè oyinbo /gẹ̀ẹ́sì?
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- Sé énikéni wà nibi ti o lè sọ òyìnbó?
- Help!
- ẹgbà mi o! / ran mi lọwọ!
- Look out!
- (E) wo bẹ̀ yẹn!
- Good morning.
- ku àárọ̀ (singular) = Ẹ káàrọ̀ (plural and used to show respect to elder ones)
- Good evening.
- ku ìrọ̀lẹ́ /Kaalẹ (singular)= Ẹ ku ìrọ̀lẹ́/ Ẹ Kaalẹ (plural and used to show respect to elder ones)
- Good night.
- O dàárọ̀ (dismissal at night to bed)
- I don't understand.
- Kò ye mi.
- I understand.
- O ye mi.
- I have a question.
- Mo ni ìbéèrè
- Where is the toilet?
- Nibo ni ilé ìgbọ̀nsẹ̀ wà?
I am Hungry
Ebi npa mí
ProblemsEdit
- Leave me alone
- Fi mi silẹ
- Don't touch me!
- Maṣe fi ọwọ kan mi!
- Police!
- Olopa
- Stop! Thief!
- Duro! Olè jíjà!
It's an emergency:Pajawiri ni
- I'm lost
- mo sonu
- I lost my bag
- Mo padanu apo mi
- I lost my wallet
- Apamọwọ mi ti sọnu
- I'm sick
- Mo ṣaisan
- I've been injured
- Mo ti farapa
- I need a doctor
- Mo nilo dokita kan
- Can I use your phone?
- Ṣe mo le lo foonu rẹ
NumbersEdit
ọkan or ẹni or kan
(one)
eji or meji
(two)
mẹta
(three)
mẹrin
(four)
márùn
(five)
mẹfa
(six)
meje
(seven)
mẹjọ
(eight)
mẹsan
(nine)
mẹwa
(ten)
mọkanla
(eleven)
mejila
(twelve)
mẹtala
(thirteen)
mẹrinla
(fourteen)
mẹdogun
(fifteen) note: fourteen is the last number in Yoruba, besides those in the tenth position)
mẹrindilõgún
(sixteen) note: to make sixteen Yoruba will subtract four (mẹrin) from twenty (õgún)
mẹtadilõgún
(seventeen)
mejidilõgún
(eighteen)
mọkandilõgún
(nineteen)
õgún
(twenty) note: Yoruba numbers uses increments of ten, but not like in English. It is shifted upward 15-24, 25-34, etc.
mọkanlelõgún
(twenty one) note: to make twenty-one Yoruba will add one (ọkan) to twenty (õgún)
mejilelõgún
(twenty two)
mẹtalelõgún
(twenty three)
mẹrinlelõgún
(twenty four)
mẹdọgbọn
(twenty five)
ọgbọn
(thirty)
mọkanlelọgbọn
(thirty one)
márùndilogoji
(thirty five)
ogoji
(forty)
adọta
(fifty)
ọgọta
(sixty)
adọrin
(seventy)
ọgọrin
(eighty)
adọrun
(ninety)
ọgọrun
(one hundred)
Time (Ago)Edit
Clock timeEdit
Ago me loo lo lu? (What time is it?)
DurationEdit
Igbawo ni (When)
DaysEdit
Ọjọ Aiku
(Sunday/Воскресенье)
Ọjọ Aje
(Monday/Понедельник)
Ọjọ Isẹgun
(Tuesday/Вторник)
Ọjọ Riru
(Wednesday/Среда)
Ọjọ Bọ
(Thursday/Четверг)
Ọjọ Ẹti
(Friday/Пятница)
Ọjọ Abamẹta
(Saturday/Суббота)
Months (Oṣù)Edit
January = Ṣerẹ
February = Èrèlé
March = Ẹrẹ́nà
April = Igbe
May = Èbìbí
June = Okúdù
July = Àgẹmọ
August = Ògún
September = Ọ̀wẹ́wẹ̀
October = Ọ̀wàwà
November = Bélú
December = Ọpẹ́
Writing time and dateEdit
Colors (Awo)Edit
- Red
- Pupa
- Blue
- Bulu
- Silver
- Awo fadaka
- Whit
- Funfun
- Black
- dudu
- Yellow
- ofee fee
TransportationEdit
All forms of air transport - Oko ofurufu (ofurufu being sky) All forms of rail transport - Oko oju irin (irin being steel/metal/rail All forms of water transport - Oko Oju omi. ( You can now ellaborate further with size e.g. Nla (large), for a ship; Kekere (little/small) for a canoe or boat... E.g. Oko oju omi kekere ni mo wo wa (I can by a small water vehicle (canoe/boat))
Bus and trainEdit
Train- Oko Oju Irin
DirectionsEdit
Right- Otun Left- Osi Front- Iwaju Back- Eyin/Ehin Up- Oke Down- Isale Under- Abe/l'abe On top of- L'orii
TaxiEdit
Many people use motorcycles to get around the heavy traffic in Nigeria. These motorcycle taxis are called OKADAs, pronounced oh-ka-dah. "Cabi" is Nigerian Pidgin, which is an alternative word for taxi.
LodgingEdit
MoneyEdit
Eating (Ohun jíjẹ)Edit
Àmàlà (made from yam or bananas. It's more better to be taken for dinner at night as it's lighter than other food substances. Furthermore, it can be taken with Vegetable soup known as Ẹ̀fọ́ rírò, or Ewédú combined with gbẹ̀gìrì)
Gbẹ̀gìrì (made from beans)
Ewédú (Draw soup)
Iyán (Pounded yam, made from yam)
Ẹ̀bà (made from cassava flakes otherwise known as Gàrí in Yorùbá Land)
Ẹ̀fọ́ (Vegetables used to prepare vegetable soup)
Fùfú ( Also from cassava flakes but made in a different taste)
Ìkokóré or Ìfokóre (depending on the dialect) to the Yoruba's(the Ijebu people to be precise) or Epé people in Lagos
Parts Of the BodyEdit
- head
- ori
- face
- oju
- eyes
- eyin oju
- ears
- eti
- nose
- imu
- throat
- onafun
- chin
- agbon
- neck
- orun
- shoulders
- ejika
- chest
- aya
- waist
- ibadi
- arms
- apa
- wrists
- orun owo
FamilyEdit
- Father
- bàbá.
- Mother
- ìyá.
- Grandfather
- bàbá bàbá.
- Grandmother
- ìyá ìyá/iya gbà.
- Child
- omo.
- Child(male)
- omo okunrin.
- Child(female)
- omo obinrin.
- Husband
- oko
- Wife
- ìyàwó.
- Sister
- aburo/egbon obinrin.
- Brother
- aburo/egbon okunrin.
- Cousin
- ara.
- Cousin(male)
- arakunrin.
- Cousin(female)
- arabinrin.
BarsEdit
ShoppingEdit
DrivingEdit
AuthorityEdit
King
Oba, Otunba