Yoruba Phrases 6m2n1s

YORUBA PHRASES

GREETINGS Hi! - Bawo Good morning! - Ek’aro Good afternoon! - Ek’asan Good evening! - Ek’ale Welcome! (to greet someone) - Ek’abo Hello my friend! - Bawoni Oremi How are you? (friendly) - Bawo lowa How are you? (polite) - Bawo lara I’m fine, thank you! - Mowa dada, Ese And you? (friendly) - Iwo na nko And you? (polite) - Iwo nko Good - Oda Not so good - Kofibe da Long time no see - Ope ti mo ti rie I missed you - Mos’aro e What’s new? - Kini tuntun Nothing new - Kosi tuntun Thank you (very much)! - Ese gan You’re welcome! (for “thank you”) - Ko t’ope My pleasure - Inu midun Come in! (or: enter!) - Wole wa Make yourself at home! - Ef’okan bale,Ile lewa

EXPRESSIONS OF FAREWELL Have a nice day! - Od’igba Good night! - Od’aro Good night and sweet dreams! - od’aro kosi la ala to da

See you later! - mari e ni’gba mi See you soon! - mari e laipe See you tomorrow! - mari e lola Good bye! - Od’abo Have a good trip! - Irin ajo ada o I have to go - Moni lati malo I will be right back! - Mon padabo

HOLIDAYS AND WISHES Good luck! - Pade orire Happy birthday! - Eku ojo ibi Happy New Year! - Eku odun tuntun Merry Christmas! - Eku odun keresimesi -

Ei del kabir Eku odun Ileya

Independence Day - Eku odun ojo ominira Congratulations! - Eku ori ire Enjoy! (or: bon appetit) - Igba dun Bless you (when sneezing) - Epele Best wishes! - Nko rere fun e Cheers! (or: to your health) - Eku araya Accept my best wishes - Gba nkan rere timo fefun e

INTRODUCING ONESELF What’s your name? - Kini oruko e? My name is (John Doe) - Oruko mi ni (john Doe) Nice to meet you! - Inumidun lati ri e Where are you from? - Ilu wo loti wa? I’m from (the U.S/ Nigeria) - Mowa lati ilu (America/nigeria) I’m (American/ Nigerian) - Omo (America/Nigeria) nimi Where do you live? - Ibo l’ongbe? I live in (the U.S/ Nigeria) - Mongbe ni(America/ nigeria)

Do you like it here? - S’o feran ibi? Nigeria is a beautiful country - Orile ede to rewa ni nigeria What do you do for a living? - Ise wo lonse? I’m a (teacher/ student/ engineer) - (Oluko/akeko/ onimo ero) ni mi Do you speak (English/ Yoruba)? - S’ole so ede(geesi/ Yoruba)? Just a little - Mole so die I like Yoruba - Moferan Yoruba I’m trying to learn Yoruba - Mongbiyanju lati ko ede yoruba It’s a hard language - Ede t’ole ni It’s an easy language - Ede ti kole ni Oh! That’s good! - hehen, Iyen da Can I practice with you? - se mole ko pelu e? I will try my best to learn - Mase iwon ti mole se lati ko How old are you? - Omo odun melo ni e? I’m (twenty one, thirty two) years old - Omo (ogun odun lekan,ogun odun lemeji) ni mi It was nice talking to you! - Mogbadun bi mose nba e soro It was nice meeting you! - bi mose pade e Mr/ Mrs/ Miss Ogbeni - Iya afin…/ Omidan…. This is my wife - Iyawo mi niyi This is my husband - Oko mi niyi Say hi to Thomas for me - Bami ki Thomas

ROMANCE/LOVE PHRASES Are you free tomorrow evening? - S’o raye lati ola lo I would like to invite you to dinner - mo fe kajo jade fun ounje ale You look beautiful! (to a woman) - O rewa gan lobinrin You have a beautiful name - Oruko re rewa Can you tell me more about you? - Se ole so si fun mi nipa re? Are you married? - Se oti se igbeyawo? I’m single - Mosi da wa

I’m married - Moti se igbeyawo Can I have your phone number? - Se mole gba nomba ero ibani soro re? Can I have your email? - Se mole gba iwe ateranse re? Do you have any pictures of you? - Se oni awon aworan re? Do you have children? - Se oni awon omo? Would you like to go for a walk? - Se ole jeka nase jade I like you - Moferan e I love you - Mon’ife e! You’re very special! - Eeyan pataki ni e! You’re very kind! - Odaa gan! I’m very happy - Inumi dun gan Would you marry me? - Se wa femi? I’m just kidding - Mon sere ni o I’m serious - Mi o selere rara My heart speaks the language of love - Okan mi nso ede ife

SOLVING A MISUNDERSTANDING Sorry! (or: I beg your pardon!) - Ema binu Sorry (for a mistake) - Epele No problem! - Kosi’yonu Can you repeat please? - Se ole tunso jo? Can you speak slowly? - Se ole soro didie? Can you write it down? - Se ole koosile? Did you understand what I said? - Se nko ti mo so ye e? I don’t understand! - Ko ye mi! I don’t know! - Mi o mo! What’s that called in Yoruba? - Kini won npe ni ede yoruba? What does that word mean in English? - Kini itumo oro yen ni ede geesi? How do you say “thanks” in Yoruba? - Bawo lese nso pe”Ese gan” ni ede yoruba? What is this?- Ki leleyi? My Yoruba is bad - Ede yoruba mi da

Don’t worry! - Mase iyonu! I agree with you - Mo faramo nko to so Is that right? - Se iyen da? Is that wrong? - Se iyen o da? What should I say? - Kini kinso? I just need to practise - moni lati ko gan Your Yoruba is good - Ede yoruba re da I have an accent - Ede mi fihan pe mi owa lati ilu yi You don’t have an accent - Ede re dabi tiwa

ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS Excuse me! (before asking someone) - Ejo I’m lost - Mi o mona Can you help me? - S’ele ran mi lowo? Can I help you? - Se mole ran e lowo? I’m not from here - Mio kinse ara ile yi How can I get to (this place, this city)? - Bawo ni mosele de adugbo yi? Go straight - Malo lookan Then - Tobaya Turn left - Ya si apa osi Turn right - ya si apa otun Can you show me? - S’ole fihan mi? I can show you! - Mole fihan e Come with me! - Telemi kalo! How long does it take to get there? - Ato igbawo k’atodebe? Downtown (city centre) - Aarin ilu Historic centre (old city) - Ilu atijo It’s near here - Itosi ibi It’s far from here - Ojina s’ibi Is it within walking distance? - Se molerin debe I’m looking for Mr. Smith - Mon bere Ogbeni Smith

One moment please! - Jo funmi ni iseju kan! Hold on please! (when on the phone) - Ejo monbo He is not here - Ibi kis’ebi ( kosi nibi) Airport - Papako Ofurufu Bus station - Ibudoko Train station - Ibudoko oko ojurin Taxi - tansi Near - Sunmo Far – Jina

EMERGENCY SURVIVAL PHRASES Help! - Egbawa o! Stop! - Oto! Fire! - Ina! Thief! - Ole! Run! - Sare! Watch out! (or: be alert!) - Egbara di Call the police! - Epe olopa! Call a doctor! - Epe dokita! Call the ambulance! - Epe oko tongbeyan lo si ile iwosan Are you okay? - daada! I feel sick - Ara mi oya I need a doctor - Moferi dokita Accident - Ijamba Food poisoning - Majele ounje Where is the closest pharmacy? - Ibo ni ile oloogun oyinbo to sunmon ju? It hurts here - Eeyan nsese nibi? It’s urgent! - Ogba kiakia! Calm down! - Fara bale! You will be okay! - Ara re aya! Can you help me? - Se ole ranmi lowo?

Can I help you? - Se mole ran e lowo?

HOTEL, RESTAURANT, TRAVEL PHRASES Have a reservation (for a room) - Motigba yara kan sile Do you have rooms available? - Se awon yara wanle? With shower / With bathroom - To ni baluwe I would like a non-smoking room - Mofe yara ti won ti kin mu siga What is the charge per night? - Elo ni owo re fun ale kan? I’m here on business /on vacation - Mo wasibi fun ise/ fun isinmi Dirty - Idoti Clean - Mimo Do you accept credit cards? - S’e n gba owo ni ona kaadi I’d like to rent a car - Mafe lati ya oko ayokele How much will it cost? - Elo lo ma na mi? A table for (one / two) please! - Ejo tabili fun eyan (kan/meji)! Is this seat taken? - Se wan ti gba aye yi ni? I’m vegetarian - Ounje elewe lemi nje I don’t eat pork - Mio kin je elede I don’t drink alcohol - Mio kin mu oti What’s the name of this dish? - Ki’loruko ounje yi? Waiter / waitress! - Adani loun! Can we have the check please? - S’ele fun mi ni iwe sowedowo na? It is very delicious! - Odun gan! I don’t like it - Mi o feran e

SHOPPING EXPRESSIONS (Ise nibi nkan rira) How much is this? - Elo leleyi? I’m just looking - Mo kan nwo ni I don’t have change - Mio ni sanji

This is too expensive - Eyi ti won ju Expensive - Owon Cheap – Kowon

DAILY EXPRESSIONS What time is it? – Ago melo lolu? It’s 3 o’clock - Ago meta lolu Give me this! - Fun mi leleyi! Are you sure? - S’o da e loju? Take this! (when giving something) - Gba eleyi! It’s freezing (weather) - Otutu gan nibi gan It’s cold (weather) - Otutu nibi It’s hot (weather) - Ogbona nibi Do you like it? - S’o feran e? I really like it! - Moferan gan! I’m hungry - Ebi npa mi I’m thirsty - Orungbe ngbe mi He is funny - Apani lerin ni In The Morning - l’owuro In the evening - N’irole At Night - L’ale Hurry up! - Se kia! \ CUSS WORDS (POLITE): It’s good to know these so you know when someone is cussing at you. Please don’t cuss) This is nonsense! (or: this is craziness) - Kantan kantan leyi! My God! (to show amazement) - Oluwa o! Oh gosh! (when making a mistake) - Mogbe! It sucks! (or: this is not good) - Eyi oda! What’s wrong with you? - Kilo ndamu e?

Are you crazy? - S’onsiere ni? Get lost! (or: go away!) - Kuroni’waju mi! Leave me alone! - Fimi sile! I’m not interested! - Ko wunmi!

WRITING A LETTER Dear John - John mi owan My trip was very nice - Irin ajo mi dara The culture and people were very interesting - Asa ati awon eyan yi daa gan ni I had a good time with you - Mogbadun igba ti molo pelu e I would love to visit your country again - Mafe lati wa si orile ede re si Don’t forget to write me back from time to time - Magbagbe lati mak’owe simi ni gbogbo igba

SHORT EXPRESSIONS AND WORDS Good - Oda Bad - Koda So-so (or: not bad not good) - Koda kobaje Big - Nla Small - Kekere Today - Eni Now - ni’sin Tomorrow - Ola Yesterday - Ana Yes - Be’ni No - Be’ko Fast - yara Slow - Koyara Hot - Gbona Cold - Tutu

This - Eyi That - Iyen Here - Ibi There - Ibe Me (ie. Who did this? – Me) - Emi You - Iwo Him - Owun (okunrin) Her - Owun (obinrin) Us - Awa Them - Awon Really? - Looto? Look! - Woo! What? - Kini? Where? - Nibo? Who? - Tani? How? - Bawo? When? - Nigba wo? Why? - kilo fa?

NUMBERS Zero - Odo One - Eni Two - Eji Three - Eta Four - Erin Five - Arun Six - Efa Seven - Eje Eight - Ejo

Nine - Esan Ten -

Ewa