How to say hello, thank you and more in Yoruba

Quick answers

First words

Greetings that open every door

• Ẹ káàárọ̀Good morning/eh kah-AH-raw/
• Ẹ káàsánGood afternoon/eh KAA-sahn/
• Ẹ kú ìrọ̀lẹ́Good evening/eh KOO ee-RAW-leh/
• Ẹ ṣéThank you/eh SHEH/
• Bẹ́ẹ̀ niYes/BEH-eh nee/
• RáráNo/RAH-rah/
• Jọ̀wọ́Please/JAW-waw/
• Ó dàbọ̀Goodbye/oh DAH-baw/

Meeting people

Names, family and friends

• Orúkọ mi ni AmaraMy name is Amara/oh-ROO-kaw mee nee a-MA-ra/
• Kí ni orúkọ rẹ?What is your name?/kee nee oh-ROO-kaw reh/
• Báwo ni?How are you?/BAH-wo nee/
• Mo wà dáadáaI am fine/mo wah DAA-daa/
• OmiWater/OH-mee/
• OúnjẹFood/oh-OON-jeh/
• Ọ̀rẹ́Friend/AW-reh/
• IléHouse/ee-LEH/

Getting around

Ask where, how much, and say you're lost

• Ọjà wà níbo?Where is the market?/AW-ja wah NEE-bo/
• Èló ni èyí?How much is this?/eh-LOH nee eh-YEE/
• Mo fẹ́ omiI want water/mo FEH OH-mee/
• Mi ò gbọ́I don't understand/mee oh BAW/

Counting

Numbers one to ten

• Ọ̀kanOne/AW-kan/
• ÈjìTwo/EH-jee/
• Ẹ̀taThree/EH-ta/
• ÀrúnFive/AH-roon/
• Ẹ̀fàSix/EH-fa/
• ÈjeSeven/EH-jeh/
• Ẹ̀jọEight/EH-jaw/
• Ẹ̀wáTen/EH-wah/

Family

The people closest to you

• ÌyáMother/EE-ya/
• BàbáFather/BA-ba/
• Ẹ̀gbọ́nOlder sibling/EH-gbawn/
• ÀbúròYounger sibling/a-BOO-raw/
• ỌmọChild/AW-maw/
• ẸbíFamily/eh-BEE/
• ÌyàwóWife/ee-YA-waw/
• ỌkọHusband/AW-kaw/

Days and times

Say when something happens

• ÒníToday/oh-NEE/
• Ọ̀laTomorrow/AW-la/
• ÀnáYesterday/a-NA/
• NísinsìnyíNow/nee-sin-SIN-yee/
• Òwúrọ̀Morning/oh-WOO-raw/
• Ọ̀sánAfternoon/aw-SAN/
• Alẹ́Evening/a-LEH/
• ÒruNight/OH-roo/

Food and drink

Order and share a meal

• OúnjẹFood/oh-OON-jeh/
• ÌrẹsìRice/ee-REH-see/
• ẸranMeat/EH-ran/
• Búrẹ́dìBread/BOO-reh-dee/
• OmiWater/OH-mee/
• Iyọ̀Salt/ee-YAW/
• Ebi ń pa míI am hungry/EH-bee n pa MEE/
• Ó dùnIt is delicious/oh DOON/

Getting around town

Directions and travel words

• Ọkọ̀Car/aw-KAW/
• ỌjàMarket/AW-ja/
• IléHouse/ee-LEH/
• Ọ̀nàRoad/AW-na/
• ÒsìLeft/OH-see/
• Ọ̀túnRight/aw-TOON/
• TààràStraight ahead/TAA-ra/
• DúróStop/DOO-raw/

Colours and describing

Say what something looks like

• PupaRed/POO-pah/
• DúdúBlack/DOO-DOO/
• FunfunWhite/FOON-foon/
• Àwọ̀Colour/AH-waw/
• ŃláBig/n-LAH/
• KékeréSmall/KEH-keh-reh/
• DáadáaGood/DAH-ah-DAH/
• BurúkúBad/boo-ROO-koo/

At home

Name the things around you

• IléHouse/ee-LEH/
• Ìlẹ̀kùnDoor/ee-LEH-koon/
• YàráRoom/yah-RAH/
• ÀgaChair/AH-gah/
• IbùsùnBed/ee-BOO-soon/
• Kọ́kọ́rọ́Key/KAW-KAW-RAW/
• AṣọCloth/AH-shaw/
• InáFire/ee-NAH/

Body and health

Say what hurts and ask for help

• OríHead/oh-REE/
• Ọwọ́Hand/aw-WAW/
• OjúEye/oh-JOO/
• InúStomach/ee-NOO/
• Ara mi kò yáI am sick/AH-rah mee kaw YAH/
• DókítàDoctor/DOH-kee-tah/
• Ilé ìwòsànHospital/ee-LEH ee-WAW-sahn/
• ÒògùnMedicine/OH-oh-goon/

Work and school

Talk about what you do

• Iṣẹ́Work/ee-SHEH/
• Ilé ìwéSchool/ee-LEH ee-WEH/
• Olùkọ́Teacher/oh-LOO-kaw/
• Akẹ́kọ̀ọ́Student/ah-KEH-kaw-AW/
• ÌwéBook/ee-WEH/
• Mo ń kọ́ YorùbáI am learning Yoruba/moh n KAW yoh-ROO-bah/
• ÌbéèrèQuestion/ee-BEH-eh-reh/
• Ọ̀rọ̀Word/AW-raw/

Feelings

Say how you feel

• Inú mi dùnI am happy/ee-NOO mee doon/
• Ara mi ti rẹ̀I am tired/AH-rah mee tee REH/
• Mo nífẹ̀ẹ́ rẹI love you/moh NEE-feh-EH reh/
• Ọ̀rẹ́Friend/AW-REH/
• Ebi ń pa míI am hungry/EH-bee n pah MEE/
• Òùngbẹ ń gbẹ míI am thirsty/OH-oon-beh n beh MEE/
• Má bínúSorry/mah BEE-noo/
• Ayọ̀Happiness/ah-YAW/

Small talk

Keep a short conversation going

• Ibo ni o ti wá?Where are you from?/EE-boh nee oh tee WAH/
• Mo ti Amẹ́ríkà wáI am from America/moh tee ah-MEH-REE-kah WAH/
• Ṣé o ń sọ Gẹ̀ẹ́sì?Do you speak English?/sheh oh n saw GEH-EH-see/
• Díẹ̀A little/DEE-eh/
• A ó rí ọ̀laSee you tomorrow/ah OH REE AW-lah/
• O di àárọ̀Good night/oh dee AH-ah-raw/
• Ẹ kú oríireCongratulations/eh KOO oh-REE-ee-reh/
• Kò séwuNo problem/kaw SHEH-woo/