'''Yoruba''' is a language native to Africa with over 22 million speakers. It is spoken, among other languages, chiefly in '''Nigeria''', '''Benin''', and '''Togo'''.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

A - [ah] like in the Spanish alphabet<br> E ? [a] like _ga_h in skate<br> ? - [eh] like the first _ge_h elephant<br> I ? [ee] like in sweet<br> O ? [o] like _go_h in sofa<br> ? - [or] like the first _go_h in octopus<br> U ? [u] like _gu_h in blue<br>

Consonants

B ? [be] like in bed<br> D ? [de] like in<br> F - <br> G - geh<br> Gb ? [gbe] is a strong _eb_f like sound as in the name of the NFL star Gbaja-Biamila<br> H - <br> J - [ji] like "jee" in Jeep<br> K ? [ki] like in kilo<br> L ? [li] like in Lisa <br> M ? [mi] like in Miso soup<br> N ? [ni] like the word _eknee_f<br> P ? [kpee] a strong 'p' unlike any sound in English. <br> R ? [ri] like 'ree' in reef<br> S ? [si] like the word 'see'<br> ? - [shi] like the letter 's' in the name of the singer, Sade.<br> T - [ti] <br> U - ooh <br> W - wee <br> Y - yee <br>

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

Basics

; Hello. : ; Hello?. (''informal'') : Bawo ni? ; How are you? : Se alafia ni? ; Fine, thank you. : A dup?, ? se! ; What is your name? : Kini oruk? r??; What are your names? : Kini oruk? yin? ; My name is ______ . : Oruk? mi nj? _____. ; Nice to meet you. : . (''Inu mi dun lati m? ?/m? yin '') ; Nice to meet you both/all. : . (''Inu mi dun lati m? yin '') ; Please. : (?) j?? (''note: [?] is plural in Yoruba but also used in respect to elders) ; Thank you. : ? se / o se (''note: [o] is singular and used amongst mates''.) ; You're welcome. :Ko si nkan kan . (''ko to ?p? '') ; Yes. : b?? ni ; No. : b?? k? ; Excuse me. (''getting attention'') : . (''E j?w? '') ; Excuse me. (''begging pardon'') : . (''E ma binu '') ; I'm sorry. : (E) p?l?. ('' '') ; Goodbye : O dab?! ; Goodbye (''informal'') : . ('' '') ; I can't speak ''Yoruba'' [well]: Mi ko le s? Yoruba [daradara] ; Do you speak English? : ?e o le s? oyinbo? ? ('' ?'') ; Is there someone here who speaks English? : ? (''Nj? ?nik?ni wa nibi ti o le s? oyinbo'') ; Help! : ? gba mi o! ; Look out! : )(E) wo b? y?n ! ('' !'') ; Good morning. : (?) ku aar? ; Good evening. : (?) ku irol? (E k'aal?) ; Good night. : (?) ku ir?l? ; Good night (''to sleep'') : O di aar?! (note: could also be used as a dismissal. It literally means ''till morning''.) ; I don't understand. : Ko ye mi . ('' '') ; Where is the toilet? : Nibo ni ile igb?ns? wa ? ('' ?'')

Problems

Numbers

'''?kan or ?ni or kan'''<br> (one)

'''eji or meji'''<br> (two)<br> '''m?ta'''<br> (three)<br> '''m?rin'''<br> (four)<br> '''marun'''<br> (five)<br> '''m?fa'''<br> (six)<br> '''meje'''<br> (seven)<br> '''m?j?'''<br> (eight)<br> '''m?san'''<br> (nine)<br> '''m?wa'''<br> (ten)<br> '''m?kanla'''<br> (eleven)<br> '''mejila'''<br> (twelve)<br> '''m?tala'''<br> (thirteen)<br> '''m?rinla'''<br> (fourteen)<br> '''m?dogun'''<br> (fifteen) note: fourteen is the last number in Yoruba, besides those in the tenth position)<br> '''m?rindilogun'''<br> (sixteen) note: to make sixteen Yoruba will subtract four (m?rin) from twenty (ogun)<br> '''m?tadilogun'''<br> (seventeen)<br> '''mejidilogun'''<br> (eighteen)<br> '''m?kandilogun'''<br> (nineteen) <br> '''ogun'''<br> (twenty) note: Yoruba numbers uses increments of ten, but not like in English. It is shifted upward 15-24, 25-34, etc.<br> '''m?kanlelogun'''<br> (twenty one) note: to make twenty one Yoruba will add one (?kan) to twenty (ogun)<br> '''mejilelogun'''<br> (twenty two)<br> '''m?talelogun'''<br> (twenty three)<br> '''m?rinlelogun'''<br> (twenty four)<br> '''m?d?gb?n'''<br> (twenty five)<br> '''?gb?n'''<br> (thirty)<br> '''m?kanlel?gb?n'''<br> (thirty one)<br> '''marundilogoji'''<br> (thirty five)<br> '''ogoji'''<br> (forty)<br> '''ad?ta'''<br> (fifty)<br> '''?g?ta'''<br> (sixty)<br> '''ad?rin'''<br> (seventy)<br> '''?g?rin'''<br> (eighty)<br> '''ad?run'''<br> (ninety)<br> '''?g?run'''<br> (one hundred)

Time

Clock time

Duration

Days

'''?j? Aiku'''<br> (Sunday/_B_____{___u___u_~___u)<br> '''?j? Aje'''<br> (Monday/_P___~_u_t_u_|___~_y_{)<br> '''?j? Is?gun'''<br> (Tuesday/_B_______~_y_{)<br> '''?j? Riru'''<br> (Wednesday/_R___u_t_p)<br> '''?j? B?'''<br> (Thursday/_X_u___r_u___s)<br> '''?j? ?ti'''<br> (Friday/_P_____~_y___p)<br> '''?j? Abam?ta'''<br> (Saturday/_R___q_q_____p)<br>

Months

Oshu

Writing time and date

Colors

Transportation

Bus and train

Directions

Taxi

Many people use motorcycles to get around the heavy traffic in Nigeria. These motorcycle taxis are called OKADA(s), pronounced OH-CAD-AH.cabi

Lodging

Money

Naira. There is about 118 naira to the american dollar.

Eating

Bars

Shopping

Driving

Authority

'''King'''

Oba, Otunba

Learning more