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 guide

Vowels

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

Consonants

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)

Phrase list

Basics

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

Problems

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

Numbers

ọkan (OR-kãh) or ẹni (er-nee) or kan (kãh)
(one)
eji (EH-gee) or meji (MAY-gee)
(two)
mẹta (MARE-tar)
(three)
mẹrin (MARE-rinh)
(four)
márùn (MAH-roon)
(five)
mẹfa (MARE-far)
(six)
meje (MAY-jay)
(seven)
mẹjọ (MARE-jaw)
(eight)
mẹsan (MARE-sawn)
(nine)
mẹwa (MARE-wah)
(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)

Clock time

Ago me loo lo lu? (What time is it?)

Duration

Igbawo ni (When)

Days

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)

January = Ṣerẹ

February = Èrèlé

March = Ẹrẹ́nà

April = Igbe

May = Èbìbí

June = Okúdù

July = Àgẹmọ

August = Ògún

September = Ọ̀wẹ́wẹ̀

October = Ọ̀wàwà

November = Bélú

December = Ọpẹ́

Colors (Awo)

Red

Pupa

Blue

Bulu

Silver

Awo fadaka

White

Funfun

Black

dudu

Yellow

ofee fee

Transportation

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 train

Train- Oko Oju Irin

Directions

Right- Otun Left- Osi Front- Iwaju Back- Eyin/Ehin Up- Oke Down- Isale Under- Abe/l'abe On top of- L'orii

Taxi

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.

Eating (Ohun jíjẹ)

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 Body

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

Family

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.

Authority

King

Oba, Otunba