are

From the same root as eré, iré, and uré, see Proto-Yoruba *V-ré

Alternative form of eré (“running, race”)

Alternative form of eré (“play, pastime”)


are

miserableness; the state of being miserable and aimless


fa

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - fàview map

lẹ̀ghẹ̀FAOlùkùmiUgbódùfàFAProto-YorubaCentral YorubaÈkìtìÈkìtìÀdó ÈkìtìfàFAÀkúrẹ́Àkúrẹ́fàFAMọ̀bàỌ̀tùn ÈkìtìfàFAIfẹ̀Ilé Ifẹ̀fàFAÌjẹ̀ṣàIléṣàfàFAWestern ÀkókóỌ̀gbàgì ÀkókófàFANorthwest YorubaÀwórìÈbúté Mẹ́tàfàFAẸ̀gbáAbẹ́òkútafàFAẸ̀gbádòÌjàkáfàFAÈkóÈkófàFAÌbàdànÌbàdànfàFAÌbàràpáIgbó ÒràfàFAÌbọ̀lọ́ÒṣogbofàFAÌgbómìnàÌlá Ọ̀ràngúnfàFAÌfẹ́lódùn LGAfàFAÌrẹ́pọ̀dùn LGAfàFAÌsin LGAfàFAÌlọrinÌlọrinfàFAOǹkóÒtùfàFAÌwéré IléfàFAÒkèhòfàFAÌsẹ́yìnfàFAṢakífàFATedéfàFAÌgbẹ́tìfàFAỌ̀yọ́Ọ̀yọ́fàFAStandard YorùbáNàìjíríàfàFABɛ̀nɛ̀fàFANortheast Yoruba/OkunOwéKabbafàFAEde Languages/Southwest YorubaAnaSokodefàFACábɛ̀ɛ́Cábɛ̀ɛ́fàFATchaouroufàFAÌcàBantèfàFAÌdàácàBeninIgbó ÌdàácàfàFAỌ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí-ÌjèỌ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí/ÌjèÌkpòbɛ́fàFAOnigbolofàFAKétu/ÀnàgóKétufàFAIfɛ̀AkpáréfàFAAtakpamɛfàFABokofàFAMoretanfàFATchettifàFAKuraAledjo-KourafàFAFAAwotébifàFAFAPartagofàFAFAMɔ̄kɔ́léKandifàFAFANorthern NagoKambolefàFAFAManigrifàFAFANote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties

i.e. Southeast Yorùbá, Northwest Yorùbá, Central Yorùbá, and Northeast Yorùbá

now deemed dialects of Yorùbá in Nigeria

have converged with those of Standard Yorùbá leading to the creation of what can be labeled Common Yorùbá. It can be assumed that the Standard Yorùbá term can also be used in most Nigerian varieties alongside native terms

especially amongst younger speakers. This does not apply to the other Nigerian Yoruboid languages of Ìṣẹkírì and Olùkùmi

mo fa aṣọ

ó fa ìlà sórí ìwé

ọ̀lẹ́ fà tìì lẹ́nu iṣẹ́

ọbẹ̀ ewédú náàá fà

to be elastic, to be mucilaginous (as a soup or stew), to draw

bí ìgbín fà, ìkarahun á tẹ̀lé e

When the snail crawls its shell shall follow it

eéwó t'ó wú ti fà

ọkàn àwọn ọmọ́ fà mí

ìyà púpọ̀ ni ó fa ẹkún

Too much suffering is the cause of weeping


fa

alápatàá fá awọ náà

mo fá irun abíyá


f

The sixth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called fí and written in the Latin script.


ami

Àmì ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ òjò rírọ̀ ni awọ àwọsánmà tó ń bẹ lójú ọ̀run

The sign of incoming rain is the colour of the clouds in the sky


ami

From English amen, from Ecclesiastical Latin āmēn, from Ancient Greek ἀμήν (amḗn), from Biblical Hebrew אָמֵן (ʾāmēn, “certainly, verily”) when used by Yoruba Christians, it is invoked with the Anglo-Christian meaning in mind. Also from Arabic آمِين (ʔāmīn), from Classical Syriac ܐܰܡܺܝܢ (ʾāmēn) or Aramaic אַמִין (ʾāmēn), possibly via Koine Greek ᾱ̓μήν (āmḗn), from Biblical Hebrew אָמֵן (ʾāmēn) when used by Yoruba Muslims, it is invoked with the Arabic meaning in mind.


Gambia

/ɡá.ŋ́.bí.à/


Kiribati

Kiribati (A country consisting mostly of the Gilbert Islands archipelago, located in Micronesia in Oceania)


Angola

/à.ŋ̀.ɡó.là/


y

The twenty-fifth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called yí and written in the Latin script.


Romania

Southeast Europe
Southeast Europe#English


Fiji

Fiji (a country and archipelago of over 300 islands in Melanesia in Oceania)


Somalia

Somalia (a country in East Africa, in the Horn of Africa)


ao

(Ekiti) Ekiti form of awó (“guinea fowl; (in particular) Western crested guineafowl”)


ao

Cognate with Igala àwó, Olukumi awó, Itsekiri éwó, proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruba *à-wó, ultimately from Proto-Yoruboid *à-wó


ao

Aóòláyè

a Yoruba name meaning "The Ifa oracle does not lie"

Ọlọ́fịnṣao

a Yoruba name meaning "Olofin worships Ifa"

(Ekiti) Alternative form of awo (“secret, that which is secretive”)

(Ekiti) Alternative form of awo (“cult, sect; especially pertaining to Ifa or the Ifa oracle”)

awo

(Ekiti) Alternative form of awo (“the worship of Ifá”)

(Ekiti) Alternative form of awo (“priest of Ifá or Ọrúnmìlà”)

(Ekiti, by extension) Alternative form of awo (“respected member of a guild; especially one of musicians and dramatists”)

awo

(Ekiti) a prefix in given names and surnames used by Ifa priests and their descendants


ao

From a- (“nominalizing prefix”) + ò (“to look”)


win

Compare with Olukumi wẹ́n and possibly Igala mẹ́, also used by SEY speakers, it has largely been replaced by sún mọ́ in standard Yoruba

(dated) to be near or close to something


in

him, her, it (third-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a high-tone /ĩ/)


in

him, her, it (third-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a low- or mid-tone /ĩ/)

[preceding vowel repeated for monosyllabic verbs]


in

(Ekiti) you, Alternative form of ẹ (“(second-person plural or honorific personal pronoun)”)


de

Mo dè é lọ́wọ́ àti lẹ́sẹ̀

Mo de ọrùn aṣọ náà


de

Ó ń de ipò fún mi

(intransitive) to deputize, to hold a position for someone temporarily


de

Mo jókòó dè é


de

A ti dé

(transitive) to attain, to reach a particular point


de

Ó gùn títí dé Èkó


pi

The name of the Latin-script letter P/p.


o

The sixteenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called ó and written in the Latin script.


o

The name of the Latin-script letter O/o.


o

you (second-person singular non-honorific personal pronoun)


o

he/she/it (third-person singular non-honorific personal pronoun)


o

him, her, it (third-person singular object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a high-tone /o/)


o

him, her, it (third-person singular object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a low- or mid-tone /o/)


o

ẹ ṣeun o

Used at the end of sentences to emphasize a statement.


o

not (placed before a verb to negate it, frequently used after personal pronouns)


o

mò í ò ẹ

(Ekiti) Alternative form of wò (“to look at”)


too

From Hausa tṑ; cognate with Baatonum to.


mi

The name of the Latin-script letter M/m.


mi

me (first-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a high-tone monosyllabic verb)


mi

me (first-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a low- or mid-tone monosyllabic verb)


mi

my (first-person singular possessive pronoun)


mi

From an old Niger-Congo root, see Proto-Niger-Congo *-mi


mi

From mi used in solfège to represent the third note of a major scale.

The syllable used to represent the high-tone and its diacritic (´)


tutu

From a partial reduplication of tù (“to be cold”). Compare with Olukumi tutùn, Itsekiri tùn. Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruba *-tũ̀, ultimately from Proto-Edekiri *-tũ̀.


A

The first letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called á and written in the Latin script.


i

The tenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called í and written in the Latin script.


i

The name of the Latin-script letter I/i.


i

Used to express the progressive tense in negative constructions.


i

him, her, it (third-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a high-tone /i/)


i

him, her, it (third-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a low- or mid-tone /i/)


pupa

Compare with Ifè kpikpa, probably from a reduplication of pa (“to be red”), which follows the general pattern of the other basic color roots, which involve a duplication of monosyllabic verbs. See dúdú (“black”), a reduplication of dú (“to be dark”) and funfun, a reduplication of fun (“to be white”). Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *-kpa
Perhaps related to Fon kpákpá (“a tree with red wood”), proposed by Westerman to be derived from Proto-Volta-Congo *pia


pupa

to be light in color, usually in regard to skin tone


sun

Mo sùn gbalaja

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - sùnview map


sun

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - sunview map

Mo sun ẹran.

A máa ń sun òkú nínú àṣà tèmi.

Àwọn jagunjagun ya wọ̀lú, wọ́n sì dáná sun ojúbọ

The warriors raided the town and set the shrines on fire


sun

sọnABATABLEOlùkùmiUgbódùhọ́nABATABLEProto-YorubaCentral YorubaÈkìtìÈkìtìÀdó ÈkìtìsụnABATABLEÀkúrẹ́Àkúrẹ́sụnABATABLEMọ̀bàỌ̀tùn ÈkìtìsụnABATABLENorthwest YorubaÀwórìÈbúté Mẹ́tàsunABATABLEÈkóÈkósunABATABLEÌbàdànÌbàdànsunABATABLEÌlọrinÌlọrinsunABATABLEỌ̀yọ́Ọ̀yọ́sunABATABLEStandard YorùbáNàìjíríàsunABATABLEBɛ̀nɛ̀sunABATABLENortheast Yoruba/OkunÌyàgbàÌsánlú Ìtẹ̀dóhuABATABLEOwéKabbahunABATABLEEde Languages/Southwest YorubaIfɛ̀AkpárésɔABATABLEAtakpamɛsɔABATABLETchettisɔABATABLENote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties

Wọ́n ń sun ẹkún níbi ìsìnkú

Ọdẹ ni ó máa ń sun ìjálá, ìyàwó ni ó máa ń sun ẹkún-ìyàwó

Hunters chant ìjálá, and brides chant the ẹkún-ìyàwó


sun

Ìyẹn ni mò ń fojú sùn lọ́dún tó ń bọ̀

That's what I aspire for this coming year


sun

Sún mọ́ mi.

Pẹ̀lúmi fẹ́ sún ìpàdé síwájú

Ó sún mi láti wọ́de

Ẹ̀gún sún mi lọ́wọ́


sun

A ti fẹjọ́ yín sùn wọ́n


to

(transitive) to order, to put things in order

(intransitive) to become ordered, to become arranged


to

Ẹjọ́ kúwe é tò

What are you gossiping about? (literally, “What matter are you talking incessantly about”)

(Ekiti, Ondo) to talk incessantly; to gossip


to

(intransitive) to be enough, to be worthy, to be sufficient, to amount to

gíga a rẹ̀ẹ́ tó erin

His tallness is comparable to an elephant


to

ọwọ́ mi kò tó o


uwe

Cognate with Yoruba ìwé. Possibly from ù- (“nominalizing prefix”) + wé (“to bind, to wrap”), literally “That which can be bound”. Compare with ewé and fi wé

affix

(Ekiti, Ijebu, Ondo, Idanre) book, paper


uwe

Cognates with Yoruba iwe, Ifẹ̀ Yoruba ighe


hi

The name of the Latin-script letter H/h.


hi

(Ikalẹ) to, at, toward (used when movement is implied)


ajo

àwọn ọmọ Nàìjá tó wà lájò

the Nigerian Diaspora (literally, “the Nigerians that are abroad”)


gun

to be long (usually along a horizontal axis)


gun

Possibly from Proto-Yoruboid *gwũ̀ (“to ascend”) or Proto-Yoruboid *gũ̀, cognate with Igala gwú (“to climb, to mate”)

mágùn

a charm used to prevent a man from sleeping with one's wife

(intransitive) to climb, to ascend something

ó gun kẹ́tẹ́kẹ́tẹ́

(intransitive, transitive) to ride or mount (someone or something)

(idiomatic, intransitive) to copulate, to mate

ó ń hùwà bí ẹni tí Ṣàngó ń gùn

He is behaving like someone that Sango is possessing

(idiomatic) to be possessed; (in particular) to be possessed by the spirit of an orisha


gun

Possibly from Proto-Yoruboid *gwũ̀ (“to sweat”), cognate with Igala gwù (“to sweat”), see *(ò)úgwũ̀ (“sweat”), úgwù (“sweat”), and òógùn (“sweat, perspiration”)


gun

to be angular in shape, to form an angle


gun

Jùmọ̀kẹ́ ò kí ń gún iyán dáadáa, ẹ̀bà nìkan ló lè tẹ̀.

Jumoke doesn't pound yam well, she can only make eba.


gun

Dókítà gún mi lábẹ́rẹ́.

Igi gogoro máà gún mi lójú; àtòkèèrè la ti ń wò ó

So that we may not be poked in the eye by the tall, pointed tree, one must watch it from afar.

to pierce; to jab; to penetrate; to stab


gun

Àárín tọkọtaya gún régé.

There is peace between the couple. (literally, “Between the couple is in proper alignment.”)

Mo gún èjìká.


tin

Bọ̀bọ́ yẹn tin lẹ́sẹ̀.

Apá mi tin díẹ̀.


an

him, her, it (third-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a high-tone /ã/)


an

him, her, it (third-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a low- or mid-tone /ã/)


re

Àwòdì t'ó ń re Ìbarà, ẹ̀fúùfùú ta a nídìí pá; ó ní 'iṣẹ́ kúkú yá'

The hawk which is going to Ibara, the wind pushes it suddenly, it responds quickly that that is the next best thing (proverb on expediency)


re

Ọmọ mẹ́tàdínlógún ní mo rè


re

Ìjẹ̀bú "ré" m wa

Ọmọ Ìjẹ̀bú "ré" iye mi


re

(transitive or intransitive or ergative) to roast


re

(transitive) to nurse, to give specific attention to something or someone


re

ara ọmọ náàá ré lọ́wọ́ọ nínà

The child's body became swollen from the beating

(transitive) to soak, to become swollen (usually in reference to the skin)


re

(transitive) to exceed (in degree or dimension), to pass, to go across a mark


re

(transitive) to skim the top of a liquid

Ifá ré ikú lórí awo

Ifa removed(premature) death from the head of the Ifa priest

To alter something, to cause something to be transferred or removed via supernatural or authoritative means


re

(transitive) to put a curse or spell on someone


re

Pàkúté ré

(intransitive) to trigger, to undergo a hit

Ẹ̀yìn aboyún ré

(medicine) to dislocate, to suffer from a dislocated body part


re

From re used in solfège to represent the second note of a major scale.

The syllable used to represent the mid-tone


ba

kòkó ti bà

to carry out the process of fermentation on seeds or plants


ba

ba òrom̀bó

To plant lemon seeds for future transplanting

(horticulture) to plant seeds in prepared pots for future transplanting into a farm (when it becomes an established seedling)


ba

ba ojú egbò

to press a wound; to apply a warm compress on a wound


ba

ọfà á bà wọ́n

ẹ̀rú bà wá

to be overcome with fear (literally, to be hit with fear)

agbádá yìí bà mí nílẹ̀

(usually used with ilẹ̀) to be too long or oversized (to hit the ground)

Lékeléke bà mí lékè, ẹyẹ àdàbà bà mí lékè

An egret perched on me, a dove perched on me


were

→ Nigerian Pidgin: werey

one who claps for a lunatic to dance is no better than the lunatic

aṣápẹ́-fún-wèrè-jó àti wèrè, ọgbọọgba ni wọ́n

ebi ni yóò kọ́ wèrè lọ́gbọ́n

it is hunger that will force sense into the fool

(sometimes derogatory, offensive) mad person


dada

Alternative letter-case form of Dàda (“a child born with matted, curly hair”)


dodo

Noun sense derives from the ideophone sense.

rẹ̀ dòdò

Ara wọn rẹ̀ dòdò bíi ẹ̀jẹ̀.

Àwọn Yorùbá kì í wọ aṣọ tó bá rẹ̀ dòdò.

1997, Sachnine Michika, “dòdò”, in Dictionnaire usuel yorùbá-français suivi d'un index français-yorùbá (overall work in French), Ibadan, Nigeria: Éditions Karthala and IFRA-Ibadan, →ISBN, page 220:

The Yoruba do not wear bright red clothes.

Ó rẹ̀ dòdò bí òòrùn alẹ́.

2008 December 19, Yiwola Awoyale, “dòdò”, in Global Yoruba Lexical Database v. 1.0, number LDC2008L03, Philadelphia: Linguistic Data Consortium, →DOI, →ISBN:

It turned deep red like the late evening sun.

Ó já sí pápá, ó rẹ̀ dòdò, ó so igba àdó mọ́rí.

It bursts into the open field, it comes out in deep red, it ties two hundred tiny gourds on its head (riddle = imí/ìgbẹ́ (feces))

Ìlẹ̀pa dòdò kì í jẹ́ kí òkú bẹ̀nìyàn wò.

2008 December 19, Yiwola Awoyale, quoting A. Babalola, “dòdò”, in Orin Ọdẹ fún Àṣeyẹ, number LDC2008L03, 1973, Ibadan: Macmillan Nigeria Publishers Ltd., page 26, quoted in Global Yoruba Lexical Database v. 1.0, Philadelphia: Linguistic Data Consortium, →DOI, →ISBN:

The deep red laterite from fresh grave does not allow the dead to come and visit his relations.

12: Ojú rẹ̀ yóò rẹ̀ dòdò ju wáìnì lọ.

2009, “Gẹnẹsisi 49”, in Bíbélì Mímọ́ Yorùbá Òde Òn [Yoruba Contemporary Bible (YCB)], Biblica, Inc:

12: His eyes will become redder than wine.

(of an object) being deeply or richly red

dòdòòdò

of an object being very deeply or richly red

rẹ̀ dòdò

to be a deep red, (of a sauce) to look appetizing


dodo

→ English: dodo

→ Nigerian Pidgin: dodo

dín dòdò

Dòdò díndín kò ṣòro rárá.

Oúnjẹ tí mo fẹ́ràn ju ni dòdò. Oúnjẹ díndín ni dòdò. Dòdò kò ṣòro láti dín rárá.

1993 November 24, Antonia Yétúndé Fọlárìn Schleicher, Jẹ́ K'Á Sọ Yorùbá [Let's Speak Yoruba], Yale University, →ISBN, page 197:

My favorite food is fried plantain. It's a fried food. (Fried) Plantain isn't hard to fry at all.


dodo

The poison devil's-pepper, Rauvolfia vomitoria


dodo

Ìrì kérékéré níí dodò; ìrì wàràwàrà níí dòjò, kí ọmọdé méje kọ oúnjẹ alẹ́ níí dìjà àgbàlagbà.

2008 December 19, Yiwola Awoyale, quoting I. O. Delano, “dodò”, in Orin Ọdẹ fún Àṣeyẹ, number LDC2008L03, 1966, Ibadan: University Press Limited, page 24, quoted in Global Yoruba Lexical Database v. 1.0, Philadelphia: Linguistic Data Consortium, →DOI, →ISBN:

Just as it is the trickles of dew that become a stream, and it is the falling of heavy dews that form rains, so for seven siblings to refuse their dinner would provoke a fight between adults (proverb on the danger of minor events).

to become or be transformed into a river or stream

d'odò

standard orthography when odò has a qualifier


dodo

The plants Adenia lobata and Adenia cissampeloides.


dodo

From dé (“to arrive at”) + odò (“river”).

Mo dódò mo kàndí/tìró, mi ò rọ́lọ́kọ̀ tí yóò tù mí gàlé, omi ńlá ti gbé ẹja lọ!

2008 December 19, Yiwola Awoyale, “dódò”, in Global Yoruba Lexical Database v. 1.0, number LDC2008L03, Philadelphia: Linguistic Data Consortium, →DOI, →ISBN:

I got to the river and stood back; I did not find a canoe man to pilot me across; the bigger river has swept off the fish!

adódòmáwẹ̀

the one that arrives at the river but does not clean themselves


ke

Mo ké sí ọ


ke

Ìghọn ọlọ́ṣà kè gbe arù rẹ̀ rè


he

Mo rí ẹ̀bùn he, mo sì bẹ̀rẹ̀ sí í ṣí i.

I came across a gift and started to open it.

Ìṣòro mìíràn tí mo dojúkọ, yàtọ̀ sí ti èdè, ni àníyàn léraléra pé kí àwọn ọlọ́pàá má he mí.

1995?, “‘Níwọ̀n Bí A Ti Ní Iṣẹ́-òjíṣẹ́ Yìí, Àwa Kò Juwọ́sílẹ̀’”, in ÀKÁ ÌWÉ ORÍ ÍŃTÁNẸ́Ẹ̀TÌ ti Watchtower:

Another problem I faced, apart from the language, was the constant concern over being picked up by the police.


he

(Ikalẹ) (transitive) Ikalẹ form of sè (“to cook”)


eye

Possibly related to etymology 2, but this is used in slightly more formal settings.

a term of familiarity or respect for an older woman, or older female relative, or a priestess


eye

Perhaps related to Edo iye and Yorùbá iye

a term of familiarity or respect for an older woman, or older female relative


kita

Probably from Edo ekita, see Igbo nkịta.

Olú ó pa kítà ọdẹ. ― Olu killed the hunter's dog. (Ìkálẹ̀)


mama

Probably influenced by English mama, may have existed before contact with English though. Possibly a corruption of mọ̀mọ́.

a term of endearment or respect for an older woman or female relative


ye

A jọ̀ọ́, yè i

(Idanre, Ondo) a term of endearment or respect for an older woman or female relative


ye

Ṣó yé yín?

Kò yé mi


ye

Yé ṣe bẹ́ẹ̀!


ye

Ògún yè, mo yè


ye

Adìẹ mi ti yé ẹyin


pin

Ọ̀nà ti pin


pin

Àwọn apẹja pín èyí tí wọ́n pa fún gbogbo abúlé

The fishermen shared their catch with the village

O fẹ́ tọ́ ọ wò àbí? Màá pín in sí méjì.

Do you want to taste it? I'll divide it in two.


do

From do used in solfège to represent the first tonic of a major scale.

Ẹ bá mi fàmì sí "pàtàkì"
pà-tà-kì dò-dò-dò
Help me tone mark "pàtàkì"
pà-tà-kì low-tone, low-tone, low-tone

The syllable used to represent the low-tone and its diacritic (`)


do

Àwọn Àwórì ló kọ́kọ́ dó sí Èkó.

(transitive) to settle; to found a settlement


bi

The name of the Latin-script letter B/b.


bi

Wọ́n kọ́ wa bí a ti lè ṣe é.

Alternative spelling of bíi (“like, as”)


bi

Bí a ti jáde ni wọ́n dé.


bi

subordinating conjunction used solely with intensifiers such as àfi, àyàmọ̀, àyàṣe, and àdàmọ̀


bi

Ẹ̀yin lọ bí?

question marker that can be used at the end of a yes-no question


bi

Cognate with Igala bí (“to give birth to”)

Ọmọ mẹ́rin l'ó bí.


bi

Inú ń bí mi


bi

Likely cognate with Igala bi (“to beg for; to pray for”)

Mo bi í nípa àwọn ọ̀rẹ́ rẹ̀.


bi

(transitive) to cause one to gain an evil reward for a prior evil committed


bi

Ó ti bi oúnjẹ rẹ̀.

Alternative form of bì (“to vomit”) used before object nouns


rin

Proposed to be from Proto-Yoruboid *rɪ̃̀

Ọmọlúwàbí ní ń bá ọmọlúwàbí rìn

Ọ̀kadà jẹ́ ọkọ̀ kan tó ń fẹsẹ̀ méjì rìn

An okada is a vehicle that goes on two wheels


rin

Amọ̀ yìí ò rin rárá

(ergative) to be moist; to moisten; to dampen


rin

Ó rìn mí lábíyá

Ẹrù ń rìn ín mọ́lẹ̀


ese

irọ́ ni, ẹ̀yìn èse kì í kanlẹ̀

It is impossible, a cat can never land on its back


ese

From è- (“nominalizing prefix”) + sè (“To dye, to paint”).

ó sè é ní èsè


ese

dioscorea cayenensis
dioscorea cayenensis

(Ijebu) yellow yam, dioscorea cayenensis


go

ó go adìẹ náà

to cover or put something in a coop; usually referring to birds


go

Ulí yí Olú kọ́ go (Oǹdó)


sin

(transitive) to worship a deity; to revere


sin

(transitive) to domesticate an animal or plant


sin

(transitive) to give a girl away in marriage


sin

(transitive) to accompany or escort someone; to keep company of someone; to guide


sin

(transitive) to serve, to work for someone


sin

(transitive) to demand something from someone to recover it


sin

ọ̀rọ̀ náà sin

(transitive) to lie hidden, to remain secret


sin

(transitive, usually with gbẹ́rẹ́) to incise the body (usually in the process of traditional rituals)


sin

(intransitive) to string or piece things together


sin

(intransitive) to crack a nut (to reach the inner seed or kernel)


run

Ó ti rún wómúwómú

Mo fẹ́ rún obì

Ṣé ẹ̀wù mi ti rún?


run

Inú ń rún un.


ewe

Cognate with Itsekiri ìwé, perhaps also related to Edo èbé, Urhobo ẹbe, see Doublet of ìwé

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - ewéview map

ewé-iná

Mucuna sloanei shrub, known for irritant hairs

ewédú

Corchorus olitorius shrub, also soup made from same plant

The leaves of the plants Thaumatococcus daniellii and Megaphrynium macrostachyum, which are used in wrapping foods.


ewe

Ọmọ Ọbalùú kò gbọ́dọ̀ jẹ ewè ― The subjects of the King (of the town of Ẹ̀fọ̀n) must never eat the ewe mushroom (The people of Ẹ̀fọ̀n regard it as a taboo to eat this specific species of mushroom)

A common species of edible fungi, Termitomyces robustus


du

wọ́n du oúnjẹ


du

(intransitive, of a person or animal) to bleed


du

ó dú láwọ̀

Adú

A Yoruba nickname for someone who is dark in complextion


san

Ó ti san owó orí ìyàwó.


san

Ó sàn kí a sinmi.

Ọgbẹ́ ti sàn.


san

Àrá ń sán.


san

Compare Nupe sán (“to split; to ache (head)”).

Òkúta ti sán.

Orí ń sán mi.


ore

Edo: òré

Urhobo: eré

Cyperus esculentus
Cyperus esculentus#Translingual

the plants Cyperus articulatus and Cyperus esculentus, commonly used in making straw sleeping mats

(by extension) a straw sleeping mat, made from the òré plant


ore

Non-standard spelling of oore (“kindness, goodness, blessing”), see ire, ure, rere

Alternative form of oore (“kindness, goodness, blessing, favor”)


l

The thirteenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called lí and written in the Latin script.


j

The eleventh letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called jí and written in the Latin script.


r

The nineteenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called rí and written in the Latin script.


p

The eighteenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called pí and written in the Latin script.


w

The twenty-fourth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called wí and written in the Latin script.


t

The twenty-second letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called tí and written in the Latin script.


m

The fourteenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called mí and written in the Latin script.


m

Standard spelling of n̄ (“I”) (used before bá (“conditional marker”))


m

Standard spelling of ń (“imperfect aspect marker”) (used before verbs that start with a /b/ sound)


s

The twentieth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called sí and written in the Latin script.


k

The twelfth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called kí and written in the Latin script.


b

The second letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called bí and written in the Latin script.


d

The third letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called dí and written in the Latin script.


n

The fifteenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called ní and written in the Latin script.


n

Marks the imperfective aspect, for actions that are not completed.

mí

Ìjẹ̀ṣà, Ìjẹ̀bú


n

Alternative form of mo (“I”) (used in negative or future sentences, or with kí)


g

The seventh letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called gí and written in the Latin script.


h

The ninth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called hí and written in the Latin script.


u

The twenty-third letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called ú and written in the Latin script.


u

The name of the Latin-script letter U/u.


u

him, her, it (third-person singular object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a high-tone /u/)


u

him, her, it (third-person singular object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a low- or mid-tone /u/)


e

The fourth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called é and written in the Latin script.


e

The name of the Latin-script letter E/e.


e

him, her, it (third-person singular object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a high-tone /e/)


e

him, her, it (third-person singular object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a low- or mid-tone /e/)


han

Compare with Ifè ŋà, Olukumi ghàn, Itsekiri ghàn and possibly Igala ñà, from Proto-Yoruba *ɣɪ̃ã̀, *ŋɪ̃ã̀ , from Proto-Edekiri *ɣɪ̃ã̀, *ŋɪ̃ã̀, ultimately from Proto-Yoruboid *ŋɪ̃ã̀.


han

Compare with Ifè ŋɔ́, Olukumi ghọn, Igala ñwọ̀, proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruba *ɣɔ̃̀, *ŋɔ̃̀, from Proto-Edekiri *ɣɔ̃̀, *ŋɔ̃̀, ultimately from Proto-Yoruboid *ŋʷɔ̃̀, Proto-Yoruboid *wɔ̃̀. See Proto-Bantu *gon, Igbo gwọ, Urhobo ahọnre


han

(Igbomina) Alternative form of wọ́n (“to catch something in the air”)


ile

→ Portuguese: ilê

Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *ú-lí. Cognates include Ifè ilé, Itsekiri ulí, Igala únyí, Ede Ije ńné, Olukumi ulé. Many dialects of Southeast Yoruba retain the form ulí.

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - iléview map

n̄léWEDNESDAYÌdàácàBeninIgbó ÌdàácàiléWEDNESDAYỌ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí-ÌjèỌ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí/ÌjèÌkpòbɛ́iléWEDNESDAYỌ̀húnbẹ́iléWEDNESDAYKétu/ÀnàgóÌláráiléWEDNESDAYÌmẹ̀kọiléWEDNESDAYKétuiléWEDNESDAYIfɛ̀AkpáréiléWEDNESDAYAtakpamɛiléWEDNESDAYBokoiléWEDNESDAYMoretaniléWEDNESDAYTchettiiléWEDNESDAYKuraAledjo-KourailéWEDNESDAYWEDNESDAYNorthern NagoKamboleiléWEDNESDAYWEDNESDAYManigriiléWEDNESDAYWEDNESDAYSouthern NagoÌsakétéiléWEDNESDAYWEDNESDAYÌfànyìniléWEDNESDAYWEDNESDAYOverseas YorubaLucumíHavanailéWEDNESDAYNote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties

(soccer, sports) goal (an area into which the players attempt to put an object)


hun

Kítà é hùn.


hun

Mo fẹ́ hun aṣọ òfì wọn, fún ayẹyẹ wọn, lọ́sẹ̀ tó ń bọ̀.

I want to weave their clothes, for their celebration, this upcoming week


wee

Clipping of ìwé. Cognates with Yoruba èyí, Ìkálẹ̀ Yoruba ìyí


aa

Àá lọ sí Amẹ́ríkà ní oṣù tí ó ń bọ̀.


aa

Áá rí wa l'ọ́jọ́ márùn-ún òní.

Contraction of òun á (“He'll, she'll, it'll”).


GB

Alternative letter-case form of Gb (“The eighth letter of the Yoruba alphabet”)


aha

drinking calabash; a small cup carved out of a calabash used to drink palm wine and feed babies.


ha

what a pity; an interjection used to denote displeasure or disappointment


ha

ìṣó ha mi lọ́wọ́

(transitive) to graze, to scrape (something), to erode, to abrade


ha

òṣùpá ha

(intransitive, copulative) to shine brightly


ha

(transitive) to jam or wedge something into some space

ẹrán há mi léyín

(intransitive) to become jammed, gagged, or barricaded


ha

wọ́n há ẹran kálé

They distributed the meat among the members of the household

(transitive) to allocate, to distribute, to share, to divide things (among a group)


obi

From ò- (“nominalizing prefix”) + bí (“to give birth to”), literally “That who gives birth”.


obi

Cognate with Itsekiri óbì, Igala óbì. Possible cognates include Nupe ebì, Aghem ébiá. Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *ó-bì. A common folk etymology used in traditional prayers identifies it as from o- (“nominalizing prefix”) + bì (“to remove, to spue”), literally “That which removes (impurities)”


ni

The name of the Latin-script letter N/n.


ni

at, in (used when no movement is implied)

preposition used for creating adverbials


ni

(transitive) to be (to have a quality or identification)


un

him, her, it (third-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a high-tone /ũ/)


un

him, her, it (third-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a low- or mid-tone /ũ/)


ta

From Proto-Yoruba *tà, from Proto-Edekiri *tà, ultimately from Proto-Yoruboid *tà. Compare with Igala tà, Itsekiri tà

kí l'a à bá tà k'á fi ra ọmọ?

what could we possibly have sold to purchase a child? (proverb on the pricelessness of a child)

(transitive, intransitive) to sell something


ta

uṣu ta, kí uṣu ò ta, ọkọọkan ló gbéṣu àbá mi láti oko rẹ l'Éjìgbò ― If the yam grows big or not, they must carry the yams of my father one by one from his farm in Ejigbo (family oríkì)


ta

gúgúrú ta

ìgbìmọ̀ alátakòó ta lórí ọ̀rọ̀ náà

The opposition opposed the measure very loudly


ta

oòrún ta sí wá lára

(intransitive, copulative) to shine (as in the sun or daylight)


ta

ọlọ́pàá ta ìbọn

(transitive) to shoot, fire (from a weapon that releases a projectile).

oyín ta wọ́n

(transitive, of an insect or arachnid) to sting

atá ta

ẹṣín ta, ta, ta, ó kú o!

The horse kicked, kicked, and kicked, and then it died

ó ń fi wá tayín

He was using us to floss his teeth - Literally, "He was deliberately ignoring us at work"

(transitive) to pick, pluck, floss (as in your teeth)


ta

Most dialects have a different cognate form, see Yoruba Varieties and Languages chart below for cognates. Likely an innovation among the speakers of the Ọ̀yọ́ dialect of Yoruba, in which the modern Yoruba koine was constructed from.

ta ni eṣinṣin kò bá gbè fún bí kò ṣe elégbò?

who else would a fly have sided with other than the one with an open sore or ulcer? (proverb on partiality)

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - ta niview map

nẹ̀ẹ́ síABDUCTIONOǹdóOǹdóè síABDUCTIONỌ̀wọ̀Ọ̀wọ̀síABDUCTIONÌtsẹkírìÌwẹrẹnẹ̀ sínABDUCTIONOlùkùmiUgbódùè ghíABDUCTIONProto-YorubaCentral YorubaÈkìtìÈkìtìÀdó Èkìtìì síABDUCTIONÀkúrẹ́Àkúrẹ́ì síABDUCTIONMọ̀bàỌ̀tùn Èkìtìì síABDUCTIONIfẹ̀Ilé Ifẹ̀yè síABDUCTIONÌjẹ̀ṣàIléṣàyè síABDUCTIONNorthwest YorubaÀwórìÈbúté Mẹ́tàẹ̀síABDUCTIONÌgbẹsàẹ̀síABDUCTIONỌ̀tàẹ̀síABDUCTIONAgégeẹ̀síABDUCTIONÌlogbò Erémiẹ̀síABDUCTIONẸ̀gbáAbẹ́òkútalè síABDUCTION

èsíABDUCTIONÈkóÈkóta niABDUCTIONÌbàdànÌbàdànta niABDUCTIONÌbọ̀lọ́Òṣogbota niABDUCTIONÌlọrinÌlọrinta niABDUCTIONỌ̀yọ́Ọ̀yọ́ta niABDUCTIONStandard YorùbáNàìjíríàta niABDUCTIONBɛ̀nɛ̀ta niABDUCTIONNortheast Yoruba

èsíABDUCTIONKétu/ÀnàgóKétuleABDUCTIONIfɛ̀Akpárénɛ̀ɛ́ABDUCTIONAtakpamɛnɛ̀ɛ́ABDUCTIONBokonɛ̀ɛ́ABDUCTIONMoretannɛ̀ɛ́ABDUCTIONTchettinɛ̀ɛ́ABDUCTIONKuraAledjo-KouraìsíABDUCTIONABDUCTIONMɔ̄kɔ́léKandiyoiABDUCTIONABDUCTIONNorthern NagoKamboleèsíABDUCTIONABDUCTIONManigrièsíABDUCTIONABDUCTIONNote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties


ta

eyín ta síta


ta

ó ta òkòtó


ta

àṣá idìí ta òròmọdìẹ nílẹ̀


ta

àwọn ọmọkùnrin àti ọmọbìnrin ń tage

The young boys and girls were flirting with each other

to flirt, to talk with teasing affection


yu

Me è yú ― I will not go (Èkìtì)

Ùwọ ó yú ín. ― It was you who went. (Ìkálẹ̀)

(Ekiti, Idanre, Ondo, Ọwọ, Ikalẹ, Usẹn) to go


mu

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - muview map

Má mu ọtí tó o bá fẹ́ wakọ̀.

Don't drink alcohol if you want to drive.

Ọmọ-ọwọ́ ṣì ń mu ọmú.

Ọmọdé ń mu ọsàn.

to lick (juicy fruits such as oranges, or deserts such as ice cream)

Kò kí ń mu sìgá.


mu

Àwọn ọlọ́pàá ti mú wa o.

Mo mú bọ́ọ̀lù.

Òtútù ń mú mi.

I feel cold. (Cold is having an effect on me)

to have an effect on (relating to temperature)

Oògùn yẹn mú mi sùn.

Ó mú mi mumi.

(auxiliary verb) to cause something to do something else (must be used with another verb)

Ọbẹ̀ náà mú.


mu

Ó mù sábẹ́ igbó.


ga

Bá mi ga agbòjò yìí

to set up a collapsible device; to open out; to spread out

Ilẹ̀ á gà jù ọ́ lọ

The ground shall open and swallow you up


ga

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - gaview map

gùDECEMBERNorthern NagoKamboleɡãDECEMBERDECEMBERManigrigùDECEMBERDECEMBERNote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties

now deemed dialects of Yorùbá in Nigeria

have converged with those of Standard Yorùbá leading to the creation of what can be labeled Common Yorùbá. It can be assumed that the Standard Yorùbá term can also be used in most Nigerian varieties alongside native terms

especially amongst younger speakers. This does not apply to the other Nigerian Yoruboid languages of Ìṣẹkírì and Olùkùmi

(idiomatic) to be beyond that which can be tolerated or described


ga

ọ̀rọ̀ náàá gá mi


ge

(transitive) to cut something; especially using a tool

mo gé e wẹ́lẹ́-wẹ́lẹ́

(stative, intransitive) to become cut, snapped, or broken


li

The name of the Latin-script letter L/l.


pu

Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *kpa, possibly a Doublet of kú. Compare with Yoruba pa, Àhàn pu.

Ó pu ìyàwó ẹ̀.

(Ijebu, transitive) to kill
(Ijebu, transitive) to murder

(Ijebu, transitive) to kill
(Ijebu, transitive) to execute

Pu iná yẹn

(Ijebu, transitive) to switch off, to turn off


ra

Proposed to derive from Proto-Yoruboid *là, cognate with Igala là, Olukumi la


ra

Wẹ́ ra kú

(Ekiti) not (placed before a verb to negate it, often used after personal pronouns)


po

Má pò ó pọ̀ síbẹ̀.

Bá mi po ẹyin.

A gbọ́dọ̀ lo omi gbígbóná nígbà tí a bá fẹ́ po tíì.

We must use hot water when we want to make tea.

(transitive) to make warm drinks, baby food, or medicine.


po

awó dára lẹ́yẹ, ṣùgbọ́n orí pó o

The guinea fowl is a beautiful bird, but it has a very small head


ti

The name of the Latin-script letter T/t.


ti

Adìyẹ tí mo rà.


ti

Mo ti ṣe é tán.

Wọn ò tí ì ka ìwé tí olùkọ́ fún wọn.

They have not read the book that the teacher gave them.

Marks the perfective aspect, for actions that are completed.


ti

Ojú máa ń tì mí nígbà tí mo bá ń sọ̀rọ̀ nípa ara mi.

I feel shy whenever I talk about myself.


pe

(transitive, intransitive) to call, to pronounce, to summon, to invoke (an orisha)

(transitive) to tag someone or something


pe

(transitive, intransitive) to assemble, to congregate


pe

to be correct, to be complete in degree or quantity

(idiomatic) to be sane, to be intelligent, to be sharp (of the mind); (literally - "to have a complete or correct mind")


pe

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - péview map

tiABERRATIONNorthwest YorubaÀwórìÈbúté Mẹ́tàpéABERRATIONÈkóÈkópéABERRATIONÌbàdànÌbàdànpéABERRATIONÌbàràpáIgbó ÒràpéABERRATIONÌbọ̀lọ́ÒṣogbopéABERRATIONÌlọrinÌlọrinpéABERRATIONOǹkóÒtùpéABERRATIONÌwéré IlépéABERRATIONÒkèhòpéABERRATIONÌsẹ́yìnpéABERRATIONṢakípéABERRATIONTedépéABERRATIONÌgbẹ́tìpéABERRATIONỌ̀yọ́Ọ̀yọ́péABERRATIONStandard YorùbáNàìjíríàpéABERRATIONBɛ̀nɛ̀péABERRATIONNortheast Yoruba/OkunOwéKabbahiABERRATIONEde Languages/Southwest YorubaIfɛ̀AkpáréníABERRATIONAtakpamɛníABERRATIONTchettiníABERRATIONNote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties


pe

ọjà náà pé mi dáadáa

The market goods were very profitable for me

to become rewarding or profitable for someone


ho

(intransitive, of liquids) to become gaseous, to become boiled

òkún ń hó yee; ọ̀sà ń mì lẹ̀gbẹ̀

The sea was roaring; the lagoon was swaying majestically


ho

(transitive) to peel off the skin or bark of something


pa

Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *kpa, possibly a Doublet of kú

Ó pa ìyàwó ẹ̀.

(transitive) to kill
(transitive) to murder

(transitive) to kill
(transitive) to execute

Má gbàgbé láti máa pa tẹlifíṣọ̀n.

Don't forget to turn off the television.

(transitive) to kill
(transitive) to switch off, to turn off

A dúpẹ́ pé wọ́n pa iná kó tó jó odindi ilé tán pátá.

Thankfully the fire was extinguished before it burnt the whole house down.

(transitive) to kill
(transitive) to extinguish

Wọ́n pa ìlù.

(transitive) to kill
(transitive) to stop, to terminate

Ẹ fẹ́ pa mí ni!?

Ebi ń pa mí.

(transitive) to pain, to kill
(transitive) to disturb

Ọtí ń pa wọ́n.

(transitive) to pain, to kill
(transitive) to intoxicate

Yéè! Ẹsẹ̀ yìí fẹ́ pa mí o!

Ẹ bá mi pa obì yìí.

Ó pa ọkà.

(transitive) to open, to smash open, to thresh

Adìyẹ mi ti pa ọmọ


pa

Irọ́ l'o ń pa o!


pa

Mo máa ń fi òrí pa ọwọ́ mi

I use shea butter to moisturize my hands

Òjò ń pa mí.

Òjò ń pa òrùlé.

Oòrùn ń pa mí.

(transitive) to scorch, to drench, to beat usually in relation to weather


pa

Wọn kì í pa owó látinú iṣẹ́ yìí.

They don't make money from doing such work.

Ọbẹ̀ tó dùn, owó ló pa á

A delicious stew; money is what earnt it


pa

Òkun pa rọ́rọ́.

to be in a state, defined by a following adverb


pa

Mo dè é pa


pa

Ó pá lórí.

(He is bald)


se

Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *sì, compare with Igala hì, Igbo si

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - sèview map

Ó se ọbẹ̀ ilá.

Mi ò mọ ẹyin ín sè.


se

Wọ́n sé fèrèsé náà.

Òkúta tí ó jù sé ihò.


si

The name of the Latin-script letter S/s.


si

to, at, toward (used when movement is implied)


ika

Ìkà ni wọ́n


la

Proposed to have derived from Proto-Yoruboid *lá. Possibly cognate with Proto-Bantu *-dáada


la

Proposed to have derived from Proto-Yoruboid *lá


la

to be wealthy; to become wealthy, to become rich


la

òòrùn-ún là

to shine like the moon/sun/light, to glow, to radiate


la

to cut, to divide, to separate, to slice

Ẹ̀là

A spirit and energy force in the Yoruba religion and divination


Ó nà án ní pàṣán


Àníkẹ́ ń ná owó nínàákúkàá

Ó ná mi ní ogún náírà péré

Ó lè máa ná wọn tó ẹgbẹ̀rún dọ́là

It may cost them up to a thousand dollars

Ìyá mi ń bá oníkiri ná

Mo ná ọjà Mọ́kọ́lá

to haggle; to bargain
to trade; to go to the market


Mo na ọwọ́ mi dì í mú

Àwòdì na ìyẹ́ rẹ̀, kí ó sì fò lọ

Ọlọ́pàá na ìbọn sí wọn lójú


idi

Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *ú-dì, compare with Igala újì, Itsekiri udìn, Ifè iɖì (“hawk”)
equivalent to i- + dì

eagle, usually referring to African species of the genera Aquila and Haliaeetus, (in particular) the African crowned eagle


idi

From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + dì (“to pack together”)


idi

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - ìdíview map

ekiti ìdíEAGLEMọ̀bàỌ̀tùn ÈkìtìùdíEAGLENorthwest YorubaÀwórìÈbúté Mẹ́tàìdíEAGLEẸ̀gbáAbẹ́òkútaìdíEAGLEÈkóÈkóìdíEAGLEÌbàdànÌbàdànìdíEAGLEÌbàràpáIgbó ÒràìdíEAGLEÌbọ̀lọ́ÒṣogboìdíEAGLEỌ̀fàìdíEAGLEÌlọrinÌlọrinìdíEAGLEOǹkóÒtùǹdíEAGLEÌwéré IléǹdíEAGLEÒkèhòǹdíEAGLEÌsẹ́yìnǹdíEAGLEṢakíǹdíEAGLETedéǹdíEAGLEÌgbẹ́tìǹdíEAGLEỌ̀yọ́Ọ̀yọ́ìdíEAGLEÒgbómọ̀ṣọ́ìdíEAGLEÌkirèìdíEAGLEÌwóìdíEAGLEStandard YorùbáNàìjíríàìdíEAGLEBɛ̀nɛ̀ìdíEAGLENortheast Yoruba/OkunOwéKabbaekitìdìEAGLEEde Languages/Southwest YorubaAnaSokodeòkpìEAGLECábɛ̀ɛ́Cábɛ̀ɛ́ɔmɔ́ìdíEAGLETchaourouɔmɔ́ìdíEAGLEÌcàBantèɔmɔ́ǹdíEAGLEÌdàácàBeninIgbó Ìdàácàìkpɛ́EAGLEỌ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí-ÌjèỌ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí/ÌjèÌkpòbɛ́ìdíEAGLEOnigboloɔbɔ̀EAGLEKétu/ÀnàgóKétuìdíEAGLEIfɛ̀Akpáréòkpĩ̀EAGLEAtakpamɛòkpĩ̀EAGLEBokoòkpìEAGLEEst-Monoòkpĩ̀EAGLEMoretanɔ̀bɔ́EAGLETchettiòkpìEAGLEKuraAwotébiìdíEAGLEEAGLEPartagoedíEAGLEEAGLEMɔ̄kɔ́léKandifítíEAGLEEAGLENorthern NagoKamboleɔmɔdíEAGLEEAGLEManigriɔmɔdíEAGLEEAGLESouthern NagoÌsakétéìdíEAGLEEAGLEÌfànyìnìdíEAGLEEAGLENote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties


idi

ìdí tí mo fi ṣe é ni pé ó tọ́

The reason why I did this was because it was right


idi

The name for a variety of similar plants, including Terminalia schimperiana, Terminalia macroptera, Microdesmis puberula, and Terminalia avicennioides


baba

A term of respect or endearment for an older man, male relative, or a higher ranking man.

A title for a man of a specific occupation (ex. bàbá-alágbẹ̀dẹ (“blacksmith”)).


baba

ògòǹgò, baba ẹyẹ

The ostrich, the most revered of all the birds

orúkọ àmútọ̀runwá
orukọ amutọrunwa#Yoruba

A prefix for given names in the class orúkọ àmútọ̀runwá, given to children who are believed to be reincarnations of a male ancestor. (ex. Babájídé, Babátúndé).


baba

copper (chemical element, Cu, atomical number 29)


baba

Possibly from Etymology 3 (bàbà (“copper”)), in reference to the copper-like color of sorghum

Sorghum bicolor
Sorghum bicolor#Translingual

sorghum, millet, (in particular) Sorghum bicolor

dark red color, in comparison to the color of sorghum


baba

Adjective sense derives from ideophone sense

(of an object) to be quickly and rapidly hovering


baba

bábá owó


fo

(intransitive) to jump, or leap in an upwards direction

ọkàn mí fò ó

(idiomatic) to miss, to escape one's attention, to forget


fo

wọ́n fi idà fo orí olè

They used a sword to decapitate the head of the thief


fo

aṣọ yìí fò mí

(intransitive) to become shortened in dimension; to contract; to no longer be able to fit


awe

Táni àwé yẹn?


poo

A bucket serving as a traditional toilet, chamber pot


edo

From è- (“nominalizing prefix”) + dó (“to be established, to be placed”)

wooden pole or stake, especially when erect


yi

The name of the Latin-script letter Y/y.


da

ọkọ̀ ojú-omi dà

(intransitive, nanutical) to overturn, to capsize

to draw out some quantity of something all round or to put round an entity


da

Fúlàní da mààlúù

(transitive) to direct, guide, or lead a flock


da

oúnjẹ ti dà nínú mi


da

ẹbọ dà

The sacrifice is acceptable to the orisha

(intransitive) to be acceptable (especially pertaining to a religious sacrifice), to be acceptable to the orisha


da

bí oore bá pọ̀ lápọ̀jù, ibi níí dà

If too much kindness is shown, it can turn into evil

Mo da ọmọ ọdún mẹ́tàlélógún níjẹta

to change and become something else, to turn into


da

Ayọ̀ dà?


da

Má bá wọn ṣọ̀rẹ́ o, wọ́n dà mí


da

ọmọdé gbọ́n, àgbà gbọ́n, l'a fi dá Ilé-Ifẹ̀

The child is wise, the elder is wise, is the idea that was the basis for the establishing of Ile-Ife

Èmi ni mo dá ọ̀rọ̀ yìí sílẹ̀

I was the one who initiated this conversation

(transitive) to create, to make, to initiate, to establish


da

Òjò ò tíì dá síbẹ̀


da

Ara mi dá ṣáṣá

I'm healthy (literally, “My body is healthy”)

(intransitive, with ara) to become healthy, to be devoid of illness (in reference to the body)


da

Tí àwọn ọmọdé bá ṣerépá, ìyá wọn á máa dá sí i

If the kids start engaging in horseplay, their mum will intervene

Wọn ò tiẹ̀ fẹ́ dá sí mi

Ẹ máa dá ọgbọ́n yín sí i

(with sí) to intervine; to contribute (to a conversation)

Wọ́n dá mi lọ́lá gidi gan-an


da

wọ́n dá Ifá

(transitive) to engage in divination, to divine


da

o ti tó dá ṣiṣẹ́


da

(transitive) to overcome, to overpower, to throw down

igi dá


da

sòbìà dá mi

(idiomatic) to contract an illness, to be infected with a disease (literally, to be "hit" with a disease)


da

ẹnu rẹ̀ dá

(intransitive) to become sharp, vocal, or fully awake

Ó dá mi lójú


da

mo dá igi

(transitive, intransitive) to snap, to break, to cut (into two)


odi

From ò- (“nominalizing prefix”) + dì (“to block”)

opposite or converse of something; negative

O ti wọ òdì aṣọ.


odi

From o- (“nominalizing prefix”) + dì (“to block”)

wọ́n ń ṣe odì pẹ̀lú ara wọn

They were having malice towards one another


odi

(Ijebu, historical) class of royal messengers


odi

ọmọ yẹ́n fa òdí yọ


odi

wall, fortress; (especially) walls around a city or town


odi

ọmọ́ ti ya odi


ja

(intransitive, reciprocal) to fight, to wrestle, to struggle

ogún jà

(intransitive) to occur, to take place, to break out (as in a war or disease)


ja

(intransitive, transitive) to snap, to break off, to break loose


ja

gudugbẹ̀ẹ́ já

(intransitive) to occur, to take place, to begin suddenly (to break out)


ja

etí rẹ̀ ń já


ja

(heading, intransitive) to fall off (from some height)


ja

òṣùpá já tòò bí ọ̀sán

The moon shined brightly like the afternoon (sun)


ja

to become aware, to come to full realization


ja

àpò rẹ̀ẹ́ já


ja

iyọ̀ ọ́ já ọbẹ̀ yìí

(intransitive) to become saturated or oversaturated with something; to become too much of something


ja

Likely cognate with Igala já (“to harvest”)

(transitive) to pluck off (usually referring to fruit or leaves)


olio

From olí- (“one who has”) + ió (“money”).

(Ekiti) Alternative form of olówó (“rich person”)


akin

Akin

Yoruba name, and a shortening of many names with the prefix 'Akin'

A prefix used in male Yoruba given names, (ex. Akíndélé).


adan

Cognate with Itsekiri adán, Nupe èdán, Olukumi adan, Ayere àdã, Ifè àdán, Arigidi ada, possibly cognate with Igala ìdọ́, Urhobo adján, Idoma ùdọ́.

onílé etídò níí gbọ́ ìrànrán àdán

The owner of the riverside house is the one who hears the restlessness of the bat (Yoruba incantation)

bat, usually (in particular) the straw-colored fruit bat


ada

Cognate with Edo áda, possibly derived from à- (“nominalizing prefix”) + dá (“to split, to slice”)


ada

the tree Lophira lanceolata, commonly used in traditional herbal medicine


yin

your (second-person plural or honorific possessive pronoun)


yin

you (second-person plural object pronoun)

[preceding vowel repeated for monosyllabic verbs]


ago

àgò onílé yìí o!

excuse me, hello, an interjection used to get the attention of the addressee


ago

Compare with Olukumi agó, Itsekiri ẹgó, Igala àgó, Ayere úgó (“navel”). Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruba *à-gó, from Proto-Edekiri *à-gó, ultimately from Proto-Yoruboid *à-gó. It is unclear if this word was used in Standard Yoruba as there are few texts that cite its existence in Standard Yoruba. It is possible that the word had become long obsolete in Standard Yoruba.

(anatomy, Ondo, Ikalẹ, Eastern Akoko, Ọwọ) hip, waist


aamu

ààmú ń dà á


gele

→ English: gele, gelee

we gèlè

Fún òde pàtàkì, obìnrin Yorùbá gbọ́dọ̀ ró ìró, ó gbọ́dọ̀ wọ bùbá, ó gbọ́dọ̀ we gèlè, ó sì gbọ́dọ̀ fi ìboorùn kọ́ èjìká.

1993 November 24, Antonia Yétúndé Fọlárìn Schleicher, “Ẹ̀kọ́ Kẹsànán - Clothing”, in Jẹ́ K'Á Sọ Yorùbá [Let's Speak Yoruba], Yale University Press, →ISBN, page 159:

For important occasions, a Yoruba woman must tie a wrapper, wear a blouse, wear a gele, and hang a scarf on her shoulder.


apa

wastefulness, prodigality, a wasteful person, prodigal


apa

Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *á-ká. Cognate with Igbo aka (“arm/hand”), Nupe ekpá (“shoulder”), Olukumi áká (“shoulder, wing”), Igala íká (“wing”), possibly a Doublet of èjìká. The root is reconstructed to Proto-Niger-Congo *-ka (“hand”), where it is believed to have held the meaning "five." See Defaka ápá as well.

wọ́n gbé apá gangan sí wa

wọ́n kó apá kan

ó dúró sí apá ọ̀dọ̀ọ̀ mi


apa

wọ́n dòòyì ká apá, apá kò ká apá

They encircled and surrounded the African mahogany tree, but their hands never got the tree under their control (proverb on invincibility)


apa

àpá kì í jọ̀lọ̀ títí kó dàbí ara gidi

A scar does not fully heal up to become the natural skin (proverb on the permanent effect of any damage)


ibi

Ìbì omi òkun


ibi

ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + bi (“to question, enquire”)


ibi

From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + bí (“to give birth to”)


ibi

Ibí l'a gbé sin baba

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - ibíview map

ńbíbɛ́ABDOMINOSCOPYNote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties


ibi

Ibi òmíràn-án jẹ́ ilẹ̀ rere; ibi òmíràn-án jẹ́ ilẹ̀ aṣálẹ̀

Some places have good soil, other places are barren land

Ibi ajá ni a ti ń mọ òkúrorò àpọ́n

It is from the perspective of the dog that we know of the mean bachelor (proverb on perspective)


ibi

Ijọ́ a bá ríbi ni ibi í wọlẹ̀

The day we see the placenta is the day we bury it in the ground


ibi

Wọ́n fi ibi san án fún olóore

Ibi bá wọ́n


ayo

→ English: ayo

òdù ayò

The hole in an ayo game board filled with seeds

Any of a variety of plants including Guilandina bonduc and Corchorus olitorius (ewédú)

bí ayò ó bá wọ ọ̀ta lára, á dígbà sọ ìsọkúsọ

When an expert ayo player becomes over-excited while ayo, he will occasionally utter some gibberish (proverb on over-excitement)

The strategy game ayo, a variety of the mancala or oware game played by the Yoruba, of which the seeds of the ayò plant are used in the game

mo pa á ní ayò

(by extension) A general term for any strategic game, competition, or pastime, hobby


maa

Mo máa lọ sí Èkó l'ọdún tí ó ń bọ̀.

Ẹ máa rọra o!

Be careful! (literally, “Keep being careful!”)

Used to express the durative tense in commands.


maa

Màá lọ rí ọ̀rẹ́ mi lọ́tùn-únla.

I'll go see my friend the day after tomorrow.


aika

àì- (“negative nominalizing prefix”) + kà (“to read, to count”)


و

The twenty-fourth letter of the Yoruba alphabet in the ajami script, equivalent to Latin script w.


dan

àwọn ológùn-ún dan araa wọn

The men with ritual powers neutralized each other's spells

(transitive) to counteract or neutralize someone's charm or spell


dan

àwọ̀ ọ́ dán

(intransitive, copulative, stative, descriptive) to shine, to be smooth

(transitive) to polish or shine something

ó dán orí rẹ̀

(transitive) to scrape or smoothen something; to shave


kura

An irredeemable person, unrepentant, hopeless, rogue


kura

to feel numb, to suffer from numbness, to be impotent


kura

Mò ń bu iyẹ̀pẹ̀ kùrà

Emphasizing the act of scooping or digging dirt with one's hands


oni

Cognate with Olukumi òní, Ifè òní, and likely cognate with Igala èñíni.

Òní ni ọjọ́-ìbí mi.

Òní l'a rí, ọba òkè l'ó rọ́la.

2008 December 19, Yiwola Awoyale, Global Yoruba Lexical Database v. 1.0, number LDC2008L03, Philadelphia: Linguistic Data Consortium, →DOI, →ISBN:

It is [only] today that we see, [only] the Most High sees tomorrow (proverb on divine supremacy)

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - òníview map

nɔ́mbɛ́CURRENT EVENTSNote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties

Òní

a child who cries non-stop until its naming ceremony


odo

Probable cognate with Igala òfo (“zero”) and related to òfo (“empty, nothing, loss”)

Òdo ni wọ́n gbá nínú ìdánwó yẹn.

Ni ọjọ Aje ni orilẹede Canada ti kọkọ [na] orilẹede [Cayman] Islands pẹlu ami ayo mọkanla si odo.

2021 March 30, “FIFA 2022 World cup qualifiers: Japan wọ́ Mongolia nílẹ̀ gẹrẹrẹrẹ pẹ̀lú góòlù mẹ́rìnlá sí òdo [FIFA 2022 World cup qualifiers: Japan drags Mongolia across the ground with fourteen goals to zero]”, in BBC News Yorùbá:

On Monday, Canada first beat the Cayman Islands with a score of eleven to zero.

olódo

a dunce, a stupid person, one who receives poor grades


odo

A very old term no longer used except in a few dialects, compare with Igala òkò, proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *ò-kò

Ọmọ yọyọ ni ti òdo

2008 December 19, Yiwola Awoyale, quoting Fabunmi, M. A., Àyájọ́ Ohùn Ifẹ̀ Ibadan, number LDC2008L03, 1972, Nigeria: Onibon-oje Press & Book Industries Ltd, quoted in Global Yoruba Lexical Database v. 1.0, Philadelphia: Linguistic Data Consortium, →DOI, →ISBN:

Numerous children are a feature of the pig (incantation)


odo

Odò Ọya ni òdo t'ó tóbi jùlọ ní Ìwọ Oòrùn Áfíríkà.

The Niger River is the biggest river in West Africa.

Ẹ̀mí àbàtà níí módòó ṣàn; ọláa baba níí mú ọmọọ́ yan.

Just as the liveliness of the marshy land ensures the flowing of the river; so a father's good reputation makes a child feel proud (proverb admonishing good behavior)

Fáwẹ̀lì odò

Mo fi ọ̀rọ̀ náà sí odò inú mi.


odo

Mansonia altissima (Bété, mansonia, or African black walnut)


odo

Odo sílébù


odo

Dioscorea cayenensis subsp. rotundata (white yam, West African yam, Guinea yam, or white ñame)


odo

Cognate with Igbo odō and Edo odó, equivalent to o- (“nominalizing prefix”) + dó (“to pound”)

af

Níbo ni àwọn odó tí a máa ń lò láti gún iyán?.

Where are the pounding mortars that we use to pound yam?

Wọ́n ń gún iyán nínú odó.

They were pounding pounded yam food in a pounding mortar.

odókódó

any pounding mortar or a bad pounding mortar

olódó

a seller, owner, bearer or maker of mortars


di

The name of the Latin-script letter D/d.


di

(transitive) to change to something else

(transitive) Alternative form of da (to become)


di

(transitive) to bind, to fasten, to tie up


di

(transitive) to defeat, to conquer, to vanquish


di

(intransitive) to coagulate, to solidify


inu

Proposed to be derived from Proto-Edekiri Proto-Edekiri *ɪ́-nʊ̃́ or Proto-Edekiri *ɪ́-lʊ̃́. Perhaps from the same root as Yoruba àánú (“mercy”), Yoruba ẹ̀nị́nụ́. Compare with Ifè inɔ́

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - inúview map

unúABEde Languages/Southwest YorubaAnaSokodeinɔ̃́ABCábɛ̀ɛ́Cábɛ̀ɛ́inɔ́ABTchaourouinɔ́ABÌcàBantèinṹABÌdàácàBeninIgbó ÌdàácàinúABỌ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí-ÌjèỌ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí/ÌjèÌkpòbɛ́inɔ́ABOnigboloinɔ́ABKétu/ÀnàgóKétuinúABIfɛ̀Akpáréinɔ̃́ABAtakpamɛinɔ̃́ABBokoinṹABEst-Monoinɔ̃́ABMoretaninɔ̃́ABTchettiinɔ̃́ABKuraAwotébiénɔABABPartagonɔ̃́ABMɔ̄kɔ́léKandiinɔ̃́ABNorthern NagoKamboleinɔ̃́ABManigriinɔ̃́ABNote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties


saari

From Hausa sàhûr̃, ultimately from Arabic سَحُور (saḥūr).

(Islam) suhur, a pre-dawn breakfast during the Ramadan fasting


asin

Cognate Igala áhí, proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *á-sĩ́


bun

ó bùn mi ní owó

(transitive) to dash, to donate, to give away

(transitive) to gift, bless, or endow someone

(intransitive) to be gifted, endowed, or blessed with something


lo

(transitive) to use; to engage; to exploit


lo

èlùbọ́ ti lò

The yam tuber used to prepare èlùbọ́ has become parboiled

to become parboiled (specifically relating to yam tubers in the process of making yam flour, èlùbọ́)


lo

to lose interest in something; to become disheartened


io

Cognate with Nupe ewó, Edo ígho, Urhobo ígho


nama

Borrowed from Hausa nāmā̀, ultimately from Benue-Congo.


ira

(Ilajẹ) member of a society, group, club, or family

(Ilajẹ) family, relative, friend, acquaintance


ira

Several plants of the Euphorbiaceae or Phyllanthaceae families such as Bridelia Micrantha, traditionally used as a purgative


ira

ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + rà (“to decay, to be rotten”)


ira

ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + rà (“to buy”)


ira

The plant Rauvolfia Vomitoria, often used in traditional medicine


ira

ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + rá (“to crawl”)


ira

i- (“non-gerundive nominalizer”) + rà (“to decay, to decompose”), literally “That in which decomposition occurs”


ire

Compare with oore (“blessing”) and rere (“goodness”)

ire l'ó pé, ìkà kò pé

Only goodness brings a positive result, wickedness does not

A prefix used in unisex given names (ex. Irégbèmí)


ire

bákùkọ́ bá ń kọ, jìnnìjìnnnì níí mú ìré ìdí i rẹ̀

when a rooster crows, a state of vibration will overwhelm its tail feathers


ire

wọ́n ń ṣiré erùpẹ̀


ule

Cognates include Itsekiri ulí, Olukumi ulé, proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruba *u-lé, from Proto-Edekiri *u-lí, ultimately from Proto-Yoruboid *ú-lí

(Ekiti, Ijebu, Ilajẹ, Ijesha, Idanre) home, house, household


abo

canopy, normally used to conceal the coming of a king


abo

ọ̀rọ̀ yẹ́n mú mi ní àbo

àbo mí mú un

My charm caught him and caused him to behave irrationally


abo

Annona senegalensis
Annona senegalensis#Translingual


ode

wọ́n ké sí gbogbo òde


ko

Ẹ bá mi kó ẹrù yìí sẹ́yìn ọkọ̀

Wọ́n kó wọn lẹ́rú


din

Cognate with Yoruba dẹ́n, Èkìtì Yoruba dị́n, Itsekiri dẹ́n, Ifè ɖɛ̃́, Igala dẹ́, and Olukumi dín. Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *dɪ̃́

a dín ata

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - dínview map


din

(intransitive) to become reduced in number


ala

purity, white cloth, a symbol of the god Ọbàtálá


ala

From à- (“nominalizing prefix”) + lá (“to dream”).

affix

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - àláview map

ị̀láUMSONSTÀkúrẹ́Àkúrẹ́àláUMSONSTNorthwest YorubaÈkóÈkóàláUMSONSTÌbàdànÌbàdànàláUMSONSTÌlọrinÌlọrinàláUMSONSTỌ̀yọ́Ọ̀yọ́àláUMSONSTÒgbómọ̀ṣọ́àláUMSONSTÌkirèàláUMSONSTÌwóàláUMSONSTStandard YorùbáNàìjíríààláUMSONSTNortheast Yoruba/OkunOwéKabbaàlàUMSONSTEde Languages/Southwest YorubaIfɛ̀AkpáréàláUMSONSTAtakpamɛàláUMSONSTEst-MonoàláUMSONSTTchettiàláUMSONSTNote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties

now deemed dialects of Yorùbá in Nigeria

have converged with those of Standard Yorùbá leading to the creation of what can be labeled Common Yorùbá. It can be assumed that the Standard Yorùbá term can also be used in most Nigerian varieties alongside native terms

especially amongst younger speakers. This does not apply to the other Nigerian Yoruboid languages of Ìṣẹkírì and Olùkùmi


le

Ó lè gbọ́ Yorùbá.

(auxiliary, defective) to be able, can, to be possible


le

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - leview map

leENCYCLOPAEDIAOǹdóOǹdóniENCYCLOPAEDIAUsẹnUsẹnleENCYCLOPAEDIAÌtsẹkírìÌwẹrẹniENCYCLOPAEDIAOlùkùmiUgbódùniENCYCLOPAEDIAProto-YorubaCentral YorubaÈkìtìÈkìtìÀdó ÈkìtìleENCYCLOPAEDIAÒdè ÈkìtìleENCYCLOPAEDIAÌfàkì ÈkìtìleENCYCLOPAEDIAÀkúrẹ́Àkúrẹ́leENCYCLOPAEDIANorthwest YorubaÀwórìÈbúté Mẹ́tàleENCYCLOPAEDIAÈkóÈkóleENCYCLOPAEDIAÌbàdànÌbàdànleENCYCLOPAEDIAÌbàràpáIgbó ÒràleENCYCLOPAEDIAÌbọ̀lọ́ÒṣogboleENCYCLOPAEDIAÌlọrinÌlọrinleENCYCLOPAEDIAOǹkóÒtùleENCYCLOPAEDIAÌwéré IléleENCYCLOPAEDIAÒkèhòleENCYCLOPAEDIAÌsẹ́yìnleENCYCLOPAEDIAṢakíleENCYCLOPAEDIATedéleENCYCLOPAEDIAÌgbẹ́tìleENCYCLOPAEDIAỌ̀yọ́Ọ̀yọ́leENCYCLOPAEDIAStandard YorùbáNàìjíríàleENCYCLOPAEDIABɛ̀nɛ̀leENCYCLOPAEDIANortheast Yoruba/OkunOwéKabbaleENCYCLOPAEDIAEde Languages/Southwest YorubaIfɛ̀AkpáréleENCYCLOPAEDIAAtakpamɛleENCYCLOPAEDIAEst-MonoleENCYCLOPAEDIATchettileENCYCLOPAEDIANote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties

kára ó le

A Yoruba greeting meaning, may you always be in good health!

Iṣẹ́ náà le bí ojú ẹja.

ṣe ará le o?

(idiomatic) to be healthy, to be in good health


le

Ọtí yìí le.


le

Alébíoṣù

A Yoruba nickname meaning, "One that appears very distinctly like the moon."


le

Wọ́n bí Àlàbá lé Ìdòwú.


le

Wọ́n lé e nílèékulèé, òun náà sàsàákúsàá.

They pursued him relentlessly, and he also ran relentlessly.


aba

From à- (“nominalizing prefix”) + ba (“to brood, to incubate”)


aba

(Ekiti) a term of familiarity or respect for an older man or male relative


yo

to become saturated with food or drinks; to become full (after eating)

to become fleshy or robust (in reference to the belly or body)

(idiomatic, euphemistic) to become pregnant


ojo

Compare with Olukumi òzò, perhaps from ò- (“nominalizing prefix”) + jò (“to leak, drip”)

af

òjò ó pa wa


ojo

ojo pátápátá gbáà ni ẹ́


pere

Adverb sense derives from ideophone sense

(of an object) being only some amount or quantity


pere

ẹyọ mẹ́ta péré


ita

From i- (“nominalizing prefix”) + ta (“to be spicy”).

affix

(Ilajẹ, Ọwọ, Ikalẹ, Ào) Alternative form of ata (“pepper”)


oko

Cognate with Igala óko, proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *ó-ko


oko

From Proto-Yoruboid *ó-kó. Compare with dó (“to have sex”), akọ (“male”) and ọkọ (“husband”).


erin

Cognate with Urhobo eni, Edo ení, Igbo enyi, Igala éli, Olukumi erin, in many cognate languages, this form was replaced by a form seen in Nupe dagba, Idoma adagba, Igala adagba. Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *é-lĩ or Proto-Yoruboid *é-nĩ. See Benue-Congo cognates, Ibibio eniin, Tee ni, Proto-Lower Cross River *é-nì:n, Proto-Ogoni *ǹnĩ, Westerman constructs a possible reconstruction to Proto-Atlantic-Congo *-ni-, and also suggests that it probably is of the same root as the root for four, thereby being a distant Doublet of ẹ̀rin

Erín wó

The mighty one has fallen (said when a respected person dies)

a nickname for a mighty person, in comparison to an elephant


erin

The tree Picralima nitida and its seeds, which are used for traditional medicine


erin

The plant Hunteria umbellata, traditionally used to make arrow poison and used in traditional medicine


erin

From Proto-Yoruba *o-rĩ, *e-rĩ, from Proto-Edekiri *e-rĩ, *o-rĩ, ultimately from Proto-Yoruba *é-lĩ. The use of e-/o- suffixes signify the retention of an obsolete singular/plural noun market that has been obsolete since Proto-Yoruboid. Compare with Olukumi orin, Ifè orin, Itsekiri ẹrín, Igala éli

(Ekiti, Eastern Akoko) Alternative form of orin (“song”)


araba

Replaced the older Yoruboid forms, ogungun or egigun


kuna

(transitive, intransitive) to miss (the way or mark), to go in the wrong direction

(intransitive) to fail (in one's attempt)


oi

Oi é è yọ̀n yéye. ― Corn pap isn't very tasty. (Oǹdó)

Inọ́n ùkòkò dínún òun oi fifun tì jáde í. ― It is from inside a black pot that white corn pap comes from. (Oǹdó)

(Ondo) A type of Yoruba food made from cornflour typically eaten with mọ́ínmọ́ín or àkàrà.


Yoruba

Of unclear and disputed origin, it is likely that it was derived from an exonym from neighboring groups to the north, such as Hausa, Fulani, or Bariba. Various implausible etymologies have been proposed, often used to insult the Yoruba people or support supposed Middle Eastern or Jewish origins of the Yoruba people. What is certain is that the term was used originally in reference to only the Ọ̀yọ́ people (a subgroup of the Yoruba ethnic group) and the Oyo empire, and did not become used to refer to all Yoruba peoples until the late 19th century during attempts to foster a common ethnic identity. Etymological theories include:
* Several folk etymologies associate the term from coming from Hausa or Fula slurs of Yoruba people, such as Hausa ya rība meaning "One who cheats," referring to the supposed deceitful tactics Yoruba traders used, or Hausa ya ruba meaning "Bad or rotten person." These has been dismissed and proscribed by most Yoruba scholars, however, the Yoruba term yóóbá is derived from the first etymology, but is not to be mistaken with "Yoruba."
*According to linguist Kọlá Túbọ̀sún, it ultimately derives from a contraction of yārṑ + ọba "Children of the Ọba", (referring to the Alaafin of Oyo).
* A newly proposed theory suggests it is a reborrowing from the word Yàgbà, a Yoruba subethnic group, borrowed into the Nupe and Hausa languages, where it became Yarba, and then reborrowed from Hausa Yarbanci

Mo jẹ́ ọmọ Yorùbá.

Kò gbọ́ (èdè) Yorùbá.


oo

From Proto-Yoruba *-wó, from Proto-Edekiri *-wó, ultimately from Proto-Yoruboid *-ɓó. Compare with Ifè wówo, Itsekiri wó, Olukumi wó, Ede Nago wo, and Igala wójì.

erù í mọ̀ óo


jo

Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *jó, compare with Igala jó


jo

Possibly from Proto-Yoruboid *jó, cognate with Igala jó


bode

(by extension) a point of entry; entrance


ere

From Proto-Yoruba *e-rè, from Proto-Edekiri *e-rè, ultimately from Proto-Yoruboid *é-lè, compare with Igala élè, Olukumi érè

python, specifically the Ball python, regarded as a symbol of the rainbow spirit, Òṣùmàrè


ere

ó gbẹ́ igi ní ère

ọdún Ère

A festival celebrated by the people of Èsìẹ́


ere

Brazilian Portuguese: erê

eléré

dramatist, stage actor, player, comedian, athlete

Ẹ kúrò nídìí ìdò, eré ọmọdé ni

Stop playing with the ido seeds, it's a child's game

Eré tí ajá fogún ọdún sá; ìrìn fàájì ni fẹ́ṣin

The race that took the dog twenty years to run is a leisurely stroll for the horse.

mo ń ṣe eré ni


ere

From è- (“nominalizing prefix”) + ré (“to swell”).


ere

From è- (“nominalizing prefix”) + ré (“to curse”).

ó fi wá ré èré


ana

From à- (“nominalizing prefix”) + ná (“to spend”), literally “that which time has already been spent on”.


ana

ìmàna

a ceremony before a wedding where the bride and groom's families formally meet


dun

Cognates include Itsekiri yọ̀n, Olukumi yọ̀n, Ifè ɖɔ̃̀. Likely from the same root as yọ̀n and the /y/ alternatives.

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - dùnview map

dụ̀nSEMANTICSNorthwest YorubaÀwórìÈbúté Mẹ́tàdùnSEMANTICSÈkóÈkódùnSEMANTICSÌbàdànÌbàdàndùnSEMANTICSÌlọrinÌlọrindùnSEMANTICSOǹkóÒtùdọ̀nSEMANTICSÌwéré Ilédọ̀nSEMANTICSÒkèhòdùnSEMANTICSÌsẹ́yìndọ̀nSEMANTICSṢakídọ̀nSEMANTICSTedédùnSEMANTICSÌgbẹ́tìdùnSEMANTICSỌ̀yọ́Ọ̀yọ́dùnSEMANTICSStandard YorùbáNàìjíríàdùnSEMANTICSBɛ̀nɛ̀dùnSEMANTICSNortheast Yoruba/OkunÌyàgbàÌsánlú Ìtẹ̀dódùnSEMANTICSOwéKabbadùnSEMANTICSEde Languages/Southwest YorubaIfɛ̀Akpáréɖɔ̃̀SEMANTICSAtakpamɛɖɔ̃̀SEMANTICSTchettiɖɔ̃̀SEMANTICSNote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties


dun

egbò ń dùn mí

ó dùn mí pé ó kú


dun

ẹyẹ yìí dún


ر

The nineteenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet in the ajami script, equivalent to Latin script r.


ege

From è- (“nominalizing prefix”) + gé (“to cut”).


Siria

Syria (a country in West Asia, in the Middle East)


magi

From English Maggi, which was genericized from the name of the company and product, named after Swiss entrepreneur Julius Maggi.

named-after

sugbon ao le se'be ka ma fi magi si lode oni. Bi a ba tie fi iru si, ao tun fi magi die si tori oun na ni awon eroja asara loore (ṣùgbọ́n a ò lè sebẹ̀ ká má fi magí sí lóde òní. Bí a bá tiẹ̀ fi irú sí, a ó tún fi magí díẹ̀ sí torí òun náà ní àwọn èròjà aṣaralóore)

2014-7-12, @bodex4mama, Twitter :https://twitter.com/bodex4mama/status/488057808089534464

But we can't cook stew without adding stock cubes nowadays. Even if we use iru [locust beans], we'll still add some of stock cubes because it has nutrients too.

genericized trademark
genericized trademark

(genericized trademark) bouillon cube; stock cube (regardless of brand)


akaka

From à- (“nominalizing prefix”) + kàkà (“intense effort”), literally “that which is of intense effort”


owe

Folk etymology explains that it comes from ò- (“nominalizing prefix”) + wé (“to wrap, to twist”), literally “That which wraps something around something else (another meaning)”.


owe

a species of black monkey; (in particular) Collared mangabey

agbọ̀n la ó fi kó ọmọ òwè níbẹ̀

If the colobus monkey breaks its arm while suspended from a tree, Collard mangabeys will be scooped off the place by the basketful

ikú tó pa òwè ń pòwe fún ẹdun

the death that killed the Collared mangabey sends a proverbial message to the colobus monkey


wi

The name of the Latin-script letter W/w.


wi

Òòrẹ̀ ní ń ṣẹ́gi tí a ó fi wì í

The porcupine gathers the wood with which we will singe it


aka

desc

ọ̀gụ̀nrụ̀nká

Yoruba: ọ̀gụ̀nrụ̀nká (“shoulder”)

Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *á-ká. Cognate with Igbo aka (“arm/hand”), Nupe ekpá (“shoulder”), Olukumi áká (“shoulder, wing”), Igala íká (“wing”), Itsekiri iká, possibly a Doublet of èjìká. The root is reconstructed to Proto-Niger-Congo *-ka (“hand”), where it is believed to have held the meaning "five." See Defaka ápá as well


aka

The plant Cynometra mannii in the genus Cynometra


aka

a storage for farm produce, barn, root cellar


ki

The name of the Latin-script letter K/k.


ki

(subjunctive) Subjunctive clause particle expressing obligation, wish, or permission.


ki

(transitive) to deliver a eulogy for someone

(transitive) to sing the praises of someone


ki

(transitive) to compress (powdered material) into a container


ki

Alternative form of kò (“not”) (used before í)


ku

Proposed to derive from Proto-Yoruboid *kú or Proto-Yoruboid *kpú. Cognates are extensive throughout many different branches of Niger-Congo. Cognate with Igala kwú, Tiv *kpe, Ibibio *kpa, Proto-Jukunoid *kwu-, Ewe *kuku and Awing *kfu (from Proto-Grassfields *kÚ(a)).

Ọ̀pọ̀ ló kú nínú ìjàǹbá yẹn

Fóònù mi ti fẹ́ kú nísìnyí, màá pè yín padà o

My phone's about to die now, I'll call you back


ku

Ó ku oṣù mẹ́ta kí n padà lọ

There're three months left until I go back


fi

The name of the Latin-script letter F/f.


fi

(auxiliary verb) to use something to do something else (must be used with another verb)


ulu

From ù- (“nominalizing prefix”) + lù (“to beat”). Literally, “that which is beaten”.

affix

(Ekiti, Ijesha) Alternative form of ìlù (“drum, percussion”)


ulu

Ọba òun ùjòyè wà núlùú. ― The monarch and the chiefs are in the city. (Ìjẹ̀bú)

(Ekiti, Ijebu, Ijesha, Ikalẹ, Ondo, Ọwọ) city, town, country


gi

The name of the Latin-script letter G/g.


anti

auntie, a term of familiarity or respect for a middle-aged or elderly woman.


A diacritical mark of the Latin script, called àmì ohùn ìsàlẹ̀ (“low-tone mark”) in Yoruba, and found on À/à, È/è, Ẹ̀/ẹ̀, Ì/ì, Ò/ò, Ọ̀/ọ̀, Ù/ù, Ǹ/ǹ and M̀/m̀. Used to indicate low-tone, or falling-tone when after ◌́


gin

ìyá gin uṣu lé ọmọ lọ́wọ́

The mother chipped off a small part of a yam to give to the child

(Igbomina) to chip off a small part of something

babá gin irun ọmọ náà

The father trimmed the edges of the child's hair

(Igbomina) to trim the edges of something with a razor


titi

→ Hausa: tītī̀


elu

Unique to Ifẹ̀, it serves as a very common name prefix

(Ifẹ) Alternative form of ìlú (“town, community”)

(Ifẹ) Alternative form of ìlú (“chief, elder”)


ri

The name of the Latin-script letter R/r.


ri

Proposed to derive from Proto-Yoruboid *lí, cognate with Igala lí

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - ríview map


ri

Alternative form of rì (“to sink”) used before object nouns


fada

wọ́n tẹ́ fádà ijó

A public display or performance, normally performed for a king in his court or palace


ا

The first letter of the Yorùbá alphabet in the Ajami Script.


ب

The second letter of the Yorùbá alphabet in the Ajami Script.


oro

Cognate with Igala óló, proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *ó-ló


oro

From ò- (“nominalizing prefix”) + ró (“to be up, to be independently straight”).


oro

Irvingia gabonensis
Irvingia gabonensis#Translingual


wo

Èdè wo ni ẹ gbọ́ jù?

Which language do you understand the most?

Fíìmù wo ni kí n wò?


wo

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - wòview map

Ẹ jẹ́ ká wò ó


ya

Wọ́n yá owó lọ́wọ́ mi.

Wọ́n yá mi lówó.


ya

Aago yẹn fi wákàtí kan yá.

Ó ti yá!

Nígbà tó yá, ó jáde.

Ara mi ò yá.

I'm not feeling well. (literally, “My body is not healthy.”)

to be fit
(with ara (“body”)) to be healthy


ya

Tó o bá jíwèé wò, màá ya pépà ẹ.

Má fa aṣọ rẹ ya.

Ó fa ọkàn mi ya.

Ìjì máa ya á lulẹ̀.


ya

Odò ti ya wọ oko.

Odò yẹn ya wọ odò Ọya.

Ẹrẹ̀ ti ya wọ̀lú.


ya

Lọ tààrà, kó o sì yà sósì.


ya

Yà mí ní fọ́tò níbí báyìí.

Ó ń ya àwòrán.


ya

Ibí ni ọ̀nà ti yà.

Ó yà wá lẹ́nu gan-an.

Ẹnu ya mí.

(with ẹnu (“mouth”)) to surprise; to shock


ya

ya wèrè

ya pòkíì

ya ọ̀lẹ

yabo

ya ahun


ya

Mo ya ilé ọ̀rẹ́ ìyá mi lánàá

I visited my mother's friend's house yesterday.


ro

Related to etymology 2, compare with Igbo lò (“to reflect”)

Mo rò pé kò dáa kéèyàn máa jíwèé wò.

I think it's not good for people to be cheating.


ro

Oko tí àgbẹ̀ ro lánàá nìyí.

This is the field that the farmers tilled yesterday.


ro

Báwo la ṣe máa ró ìró.

(transitive) to wrap, to tie a wrapper, skirt, or towel.


ro

Ẹ̀yìn ń ro mí.

(My back hurts)


ro

Mo ró n’Íbàdọ̀n


bora

(transitive) to bleach one's skin; to lighten one's skin


odio

An archaic term, only found in the praises and oríkì of deities like Ọlọ́fịn, Olú orókè, and Ọlụ́ayé, and certain kings, such as the Olúkàrẹ́, Déjì, Aláwẹ̀, and Èwí. See SEY form òdígho, which may suggest a Proto-Edekiri root, or inter-dialectal borrowings.

Olú orókè òdío ooooo
Olú orókè, hail the king

(archaic, Ekiti, Eastern Akoko, Ifẹ) king


ت

The twenty-second letter of the Yoruba alphabet in the ajami script, equivalent to Latin script t.


labalaba

(of an object) being distinctly light and floppy


labalaba

Labalábá fi ara ẹ̀ wẹ́yẹ, kò lè ṣe iṣẹ́ ẹyẹ.

The butterfly compares itself to a bird, but cannot do what a bird does.


fu

ará fu mí pe àṣírí ti tú

to suspect, to have a second thought on a person, to be vigilant


jamba

/d͡ʒà.ŋ̀.bá/

Said to come from a term of Arabic origin, possibly from Arabic ذَنْب (ḏanb)

an accident (that causes physical damage)


agbe

Perhaps related to Yoruba ogbe (“crest, cockscomb”)

Corythaeola cristata
Corythaeola cristata#Translingual

great blue turaco (Corythaeola cristata)


agbe

vessel traditionally made from a calabash used for fetching water


egbe

From è- (“nominalizing prefix”) + gbè (“to support; to sing a chorus of a song”)


egbe

From e- (“nominalizing prefix”) + gbè (“to be next to someone or something”)

a town outside from one's hometown; a neighboring town to one's hometown


egbe

From è- (“nominalizing prefix”) + gbé (“to cease to exist”)

ègbé ń bọ̀ fún aṣebi

a state of destruction, annihilation or perishment


egbe

From e- (“nominalizing prefix”) + gbé (“to carry off”)

a traditional charm believed to allow one to become invisible


koko

a kì í mọ̀ ọ́n gún mọ̀ ọ́n tẹ̀ kí iyán ewùrà máà ní kókó


digo

From dí (“to cover”) + ìgò (“bottle”), literally “to cover the bottle”. Noun sense derives from verb sense.

compound

(literally, transitive) to seal or cork a bottle

(idiomatic) to cover one's nakedness a cloth


Ado

From a- (“agent prefix”) + dó (“to establish a human settlement”), literally “The place we settled”.


Ado

Possibly from àdó (“tiny gourd type for blowing or for storing ritual medicine”)


Ayọ

a unisex given name meaning “joy”, it is a shortened form or nickname for much longer names, ex. Ayọ̀ọ́délé


duro

Ìyá mi ń dúró dè wọ́n.

Lásìkò kòrónà yìí a gbọ́dọ̀ dúró sílé.

In these corona times we must stay at home.

Ó dúró bí igi.

Òdòdó róòsù dúró fún ìfẹ́.


Dada

* The given name (Sense 1) is believed to be derived from the name of the divinity (Sense 2)

a kò gbọ́dọ̀ gé irun-un Dàda láìṣe-ètùtù; bí a bá ṣe bẹ́ẹ̀, ọmọ yìí yóò kú

We must not cut the hair of Dada without doing the proper rites, if we do not do so, the child will die

a unisex given name, an orúkọ àmútọ̀runwá given to a child born with long curly hair or locks

An orisha of nature, plants, and children. They are identified as an older sibling of Ṣàngó and associated as the deification of the Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́, Àjàká. They are believed to be a protecter of Dàda children.


Imo

From English Imo, ultimately from Igbo Imo, referring to the Imo River

A state of Nigeria in the South East geopolitical zone. Capital and largest city: Owerri.


Ire

Ire Ekiti (a Yoruba town in Ekiti, Nigeria); known for being closely associated to the deity of Ògún. Ògún is believed to have gone to Ire first when descending from the heavens, and fought for the people of Ìrè. It is also where Ògún is believed to have disappeared into the ground, and returned to the other deities. Ògún is commonly referred to as Onírè, "owner of Ìrè."


Sango

(chiefly NWY) Alternative form of Ṣàngó (“Shango”)


Kuba

Cuba (an island and country in the Caribbean)


akan

Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *á-kɪ̃ã̀rã́. Cognates include Nupe kara, Igala íkáakàla, Olukumi akakara, Khana àka, Ayere anká


ka

Igala language
Igbo language
Nupe language

Likely cognate with Igala kà (“to tell”) and Igbo kà (“to speak”), perhaps related to Nupe gàn

(transitive) to confess (literally, "to recount previous misdeeds involuntarily or under duress")


ka

ká ìbó

for a child dying literally "to pluck the fruit of the ibo tree"

(transitive) to pluck fruit (from a tree)

to break something; to knock off something

(idiomatic) to become snapped under pressure


ka

Fọlá, wá bá mi ká aṣọ!

(intransitive) to become curled or folded

to constrain someone (often via supernatural means)

apá àtẹ́lẹwọ́ kì í ká ilé

The arm of the palm cannot control the house (Yoruba incantation)

(idiomatic) to get something under control


ka

Yímiká

a shortened name form meaning "surrounds me"


jan

(idiomatic) to fail an examination or test


E

The fourth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called é and written in the Latin script.


L

The thirteenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called lí and written in the Latin script.


F

The sixth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called fí and written in the Latin script.


B

The second letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called bí and written in the Latin script.


D

The third letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called dí and written in the Latin script.


oye

honor, respect, a title given to a chieftain or chief


oye

From ò- (“nominalizing prefix”) + ye (“to understand”)


N

The fifteenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called ní and written in the Latin script.


W

The twenty-fourth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called wí and written in the Latin script.


P

The eighteenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called pí and written in the Latin script.


mo

I (first-person singular personal pronoun)

mi

used in a negative sentence, or generally in some dialects

n

used in negative or future sentences, or with kí

[preceding vowel repeated for monosyllabic verbs]


M

The fourteenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called mí and written in the Latin script.


H

The ninth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called hí and written in the Latin script.


R

The nineteenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called rí and written in the Latin script.


J

The eleventh letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called jí and written in the Latin script.


T

The twenty-second letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called tí and written in the Latin script.


K

The twelfth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called kí and written in the Latin script.


O

The sixteenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called ó and written in the Latin script.


U

The twenty-third letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called ú and written in the Latin script.


Y

The twenty-fifth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called yí and written in the Latin script.


G

The seventh letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called gí and written in the Latin script.


asia

Lucumí: asia

áà! ẹgbẹ́ẹ̀ mi, ẹ wo àsíá b'ó ti ń fẹ́ lẹlẹ!

Behold, my fellow compatriots, look how our flag billows cheerfully in the wind!


S

The twentieth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called sí and written in the Latin script.


ibo

ajábọ̀ bíbáyọrí-ìbò

incumbent politician running for reelection

(Yoruba religion) a device used in a form of cleromancy done in divination. This device consists of cowries, bones, and other objects as a way to get the solution to a specific problem.


ibo

ẹmu náàá kan bí ìbó

the palm wine was as sour as the ìbó plant

The name for several plants of the family Apocynaceae that are known for their sour taste. They include Landolphia dulcis, Ancylobotrys scandens (from the genus Ancylobothrys), Saba comorensis, species, and Saba thompsonii.

ọmọ́ lọ ká ìbó

The child is dead (literally, “The child went and picked the ìbó plant”)


imu

Proposed to derive from Proto-Yoruboid *ɪ́-ŋmʊ̃́. Cognate with Igbo imi and Igala ímọ́

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - imúview map


I

The tenth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called í and written in the Latin script.


iho

From Proto-Yoruboid *á-wò or Proto-Yoruboid *ú-wò, cognate with Igala áwò. The transition from /w/ to /h/ in Standard Yoruba is systematic, with Central Yoruba and Southeast Yoruba dialects maintaining /w/ or deleting the /w/.


iki

Mo mẹmu, mo mobì, mi ò mọ ẹranko ẹ̀, mo jẹ́wọ́, ẹ jọ̀ọ́. // Ṣé ẹ máa ń gbọ́ ẹranko tí wọ́n ń pè ní 'ikì?

2016, ApreelTV+, Odunlade Adekola's interview on GbajumoTV, 0:52–1:08:

I know of palm wine and kolanut, but not that animal, I give up. // Have you heard of the animal called potto?


etu

Compare with Olukumi ẹtú, proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruba *V-tú, *è-tú, ultimately from Proto-Edekiri *V-tú. May either be cognate with Àhàn atu, or Ahan may have borrowed this term from Ekiti

ẹ̀tú

Ifọ́n, Ọ̀wọ̀


etu

From Proto-Yoruba *e-tu, from Proto-Edekiri *e-tu, ultimately from Proto-Yoruboid *á-tu

ẹ̀tú

Ifọ́n, Ọ̀wọ̀

(Ekiti) duiker; (in particular) Maxwell's duiker


etu

Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruba *e-tù

ẹ̀tú

Ifọ́n, Ọ̀wọ̀


etu

ẹ̀tú

Ifọ́n, Ọ̀wọ̀

(Ekiti) Alternative form of ẹtù (“guinea fowl”)


ori

Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruba *o-ríɣo, *o-rí, from Proto-Edekiri *o-ríɣo, *o-rí, ultimately from Proto-Yoruboid *ó-ɗí, *ó-dí. Cognate with Igala ójí. The compounding of the suffix "ɣo" (later "wo") is possibly an Proto-Edekiri innovation still maintained in a majority of Edekiri languages, and the non-suffixed version likely existed side by side. However, Ayere ago may suggest it is a remnant of an older root. See potential non-Yoruboid cognates, Arigidi igíri, Proto-Bantu *mʊ̀tʊ́è, Proto-Grassfields *tú, Proto-Plateau *-tii, Proto-Benue-Congo *-to, possibly Igbo isi, Akpes ìcùm, perhaps ultimately from Proto-Atlantic-Congo *-li- or Proto-Niger-Congo *-túi, *-tu
Cognate with Ede Idaca erío, Ifè eríwo, Olukumi órí, and Itsekiri orígho.

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - oríview map

oíABDESTỌ̀wọ̀Ọ̀wọ̀oríghoABDESTUsẹnUsẹnoríABDESTÌtsẹkírìÌwẹrẹoríghoABDESTOlùkùmiUgbódùóríABDESTProto-YorubaCentral YorubaÈkìtìÈkìtìÀdó ÈkìtìoríABDESTÒdè ÈkìtìoríABDESTÒmùò ÈkìtìoríABDESTAwó ÈkìtìoríABDESTÌfàkì ÈkìtìoríABDESTÀkúrẹ́Àkúrẹ́oríABDESTMọ̀bàỌ̀tùn ÈkìtìoríABDESTIfẹ̀Ilé Ifẹ̀oríABDESTÒkè IgbóÒkè IgbóoríABDESTNorthwest YorubaÀwórìÈbúté Mẹ́tàoríABDESTẸ̀gbáAbẹ́òkútaoríABDESTÈkóÈkóoríABDESTÌbàdànÌbàdànoríABDESTÌgbómìnàÌlá Ọ̀ràngúneríABDESTÌfẹ́lódùn LGAeríABDESTÌrẹ́pọ̀dùn LGAeríABDESTÌsin LGAeríABDESTÌlọrinÌlọrineríABDESTOǹkóÌwéré IléeíABDESTÒkèhòoríABDESTÌsẹ́yìneríABDESTṢakíeríABDESTTedéoríABDESTÌgbẹ́tìeríABDESTỌ̀yọ́Ọ̀yọ́oríABDESTStandard YorùbáNàìjíríàoríABDESTBɛ̀nɛ̀oríABDESTNortheast Yoruba

éwoABDESTMoretaneéwoABDESTKuraAwotébióríABDESTABDESTPartagoéríABDESTABDESTMɔ̄kɔ́léKandiiríABDESTABDESTNorthern NagoKamboleeéwoABDESTABDESTManigrieéwoABDESTABDESTSouthern NagoÌsakétéeríABDESTABDESTÌfànyìneríABDESTABDESTOverseas YorubaLucumíHavanaoríABDESTNote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties

(Yoruba religion) the metaphysical concept of one's spiritual intuition, destiny, and consciousness, deified as a divinity, Orí.


ori

(Ekiti) A type of Yoruba food made from cornflour, also known as ẹ̀kọ


jaa

the tree Ehretia cymosa, commonly used in traditional medicine


mii

clipping

òmíì or ìmíì

Kò rí bẹ́ẹ̀ ní agbègbè míì.


aro

wọ́n ń lu aro


aro

From a- (“nominalizing prefix”) + rò (“to say, to lament”)

af

dirge, lamentation; usually during a funeral


aro

a type of yam; Dioscorea cayenensis subsp. rotundata


ara

Proposed to have derived from Proto-Yoruboid *ɔ́-la, cognates include Igala ọ́la.


ara

Ará Ìbàdàn


fila

Ultimately from Hausa fū̀lā, perhaps through Nupe fùla.

hat, cap (in particular) the traditional Yoruba caps worn by males.


iri

Probably cognate with Igala élì and Olukumi èrìrì


iri

ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + rí (“to see”)

the act of seeing, sighting, or discovering


rege

Borrowed from English reggae, from Jamaican Creole rege (“rags; a quarrel”).

der

(music) reggae (a music genre from Jamaica)


gan

ọ̀tá mí gàn mí

(transitive) to disparage, criticize, belittle


gan

kankéré ti gan

(intransitive) to become stiff, to harden


gan

àgbẹ́ gán' igbó

(transitive) to stub, to clear (plants or a forest)


gan

mo ń gán owó lò


gan

mo ń gán owó lò

to hit something with a thrown or spun object


gan

mo gán etí aṣọ pọ̀


gan

mo fọwọ́ gán bọ́ọ̀lù náà pákó

I used my hand to snatch the ball swiftly from the air

to snatch something in the air, especially with one hand


pako

chewing stick; used for brushing one's teeth

a plant of species Vernonia amygdalina, of which its sticks are used to make the chewing stick. Along with other members of the genus Vernonia, it is known as ewúro, and its bitter leaves are used in many stews and soups. It is also used as a purgative.


pako

(horticulture) to weed; to kill or clear plants, grass


pako

wine bamboo (Oxytenanthera abyssinica), of tropical Africa


horo

Noun sense derives from ideophone sense, the root may be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *ɣó (“small”), which may link this word as a Doublet of owó (money)

(of a small round object) being in small quantity


abata

From à- (“nominalizing prefix”) + bàtà (“ideophone representing something heavy and thick”)


taka

From ta (“to tap, to flick”) + ìka (“finger”).


a

The first letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called á and written in the Latin script.


a

The name of the Latin-script letter A/a.


a

Likely a clipping of àwa (“we (emphatic pronoun)”)

clipping

Ó yẹ kí a dọ̀bálẹ̀ fún áwọn àgbàlagbà tí a máa ń pàdé.

It's necessary that we prostrate for elders that we meet.

A à tí ì rí wọn lónìí, ṣùgbọ́n a máa lọ sí báńkì lọ́la láti bá wọn sọ̀rọ̀.

We haven't seen them yet today, but we'll go to the bank tomorrow to talk to them.

we (first-person plural personal subject pronoun)


a

Àá bá a sọ̀rọ̀ l'ọ́sẹ̀ t'ó ń bọ̀.

him, her, it (third-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a high-tone /a/)


a

Wọ́n ti pa á o!

Ǹj'ó o kà á?

him, her, it (third-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a low- or mid-tone /a/)


agan

(sometimes derogatory) A barren woman, a childless woman


ase

From à- (“nominalizing prefix”) + sè (“to cook”).


raun

ọmọ abẹ́nị mọ́ta mọ́ ráùn ọ̀nị̀yọ̀n kọ́ nù, ké ráùn ịdà rẹ̀ góró
The one who beheads someone on the rock, and not complain about the person they lost, but complain about the state of their sword (oríkì of the Déjì of Àkúrẹ́)

(Ekiti) Alternative form of ráhùn (“to complain; to verbally complaint”)


Jesu

Jésùbíyìí

a Yoruba name meaning "Jesus gave birth to this child"

Jésùdùnsìn

a Yoruba name meaning "It is sweet to serve Jesus"

Jésùṣọlá

a Yoruba name meaning "Jesus has made honor"

Jésùtọ́lá

a Yoruba name meaning "Jesus is worthy of honor"

Jésùtófúnmi

a Yoruba name meaning "Jesus is enough for me"

Jésùtómi

a Yoruba name meaning "Jesus is enough for me."

Jésùtósìn

a Yoruba name meaning "Jesus is worthy of being worshipped"

a common prefix in names used by Christians


afin

From à- (“nominalizing prefix”) + fín (“to be clean, to be white”)

ọ̀rọ̀ tí àfín báá sọ, Òrìṣà l'ó sọ ọ́

The words an albino person says, the deity known as Òrìṣà was the one who said it


ete

Likely a Doublet of èdè, see there for more information, ultimately from Proto-Yoruboid *-dè (“tongue”)

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - ètèview map

Southwest YorubaIfɛ̀Akpárébèbèlè-arũUMSONSTNote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties

now deemed dialects of Yorùbá in Nigeria

have converged with those of Standard Yorùbá leading to the creation of what can be labeled Common Yorùbá. It can be assumed that the Standard Yorùbá term can also be used in most Nigerian varieties alongside native terms

especially amongst younger speakers. This does not apply to the other Nigerian Yoruboid languages of Ìṣẹkírì and Olùkùmi


ete

From è- (“nominalizing prefix”) + te (“to peel something from the body or stem”).


alere

From à- (“nominalizing prefix”) + lé (“on top of”) + orí (“head, surface”)


kare

From kú + àre (“vindication”), literally “greetings on being provided vindicated or justice in one's work or actions”.

compound

to deserve or earn appreciation for satisfactory performance


atari

From àtà + orí (“head”), compare with Yoruba àtàbútọ̀n

òòrún kan àtàrí


aza

Proposed to have derived from Proto-Yoruboid *á-byá. Cognates include Igala ábíá and Olukumi ázá.


igi

Erythrophleum suaveolens
Ficus thonningii
Parinari curatellifolia
Triplochiton scleroxylon

Cognate with Ede Idaca egi and Igala íji (“firewood”), proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *í-gĩ. Compare with orín (“chewing stick”)

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - igiview map

Gbẹ́nàgbẹ́nà Àbárìṣà, ó fi igba igi gbẹ́ ọpọ́n; ó ní kí wọ́n sọ fún Àbárìṣà pé òun kò tí ì gbẹ́ nǹkankan

The carpenter of Àbárìṣà, he uses two-hundred trees to carve a canoe, he then said they should tell Àbárìṣà that he has not carved anything at all


isu

(chiefly NWY) Alternative form of iṣu (“yam”)


parada

pa ara dà (“to change one's appearance”)


awa

we (emphatic first-person plural personal pronoun)


imi

From i- (“nominalizing prefix”) + mí (“to breathe; to give life to”). Doublet of ẹ̀mí, èmí, and ìmí. Cognate with Olukumi imí

af

Ifámímíkòmí

Yoruba name meaning "Ifa bestowed me with strength"


imi

From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + mì (“to swallow”)


imi

From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + mí (“to breath”). Doublet of ẹ̀mí, èmí, and imí


iwa

From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + wà (“to be; to exist”)


iwa

From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + wà (“to skim”)


iro

From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + ró (“to wrap”), probably from Proto-Yoruboid *ù-ló, compare with Igala ùló

a cloth wrapped around a woman's lower body, usually made with six yards of fabric


iro

From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + ró (“to sound”)

(by extension) distant news or information on someone or something


iro

a general term for any species of great ape; gorilla, chimpanzee


iro

From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + rò (“to think”), see èrò (“thought”)


iro

Compare with Igala ílo, proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *í-lo


tumba

Ebi ló mú ọ̀tá túḿbá.

It was hunger that made the enemy surrender.

(intransitive) to apologize, to show remorse, to repent


mita

meter, metre (unit of measurement, 100 cm)


warawara

Omijé ń dà wàràwàrà

Wàràwàrà ni àkàrà ń tà

Akara is a best seller (literally, “Akara is selling in a flowing manner”)


kokoro

kokoro; a Nigerian street snack made from a paste of maize flour mixed with sugar and gàrí (cassava flour) or yam flour which is deep-fried.


uta

From u- (“nominalizing prefix”) + ta (“to be spicy”).

affix

(Ào, Ekiti) Alternative form of ata (“pepper”)

ita

Ìlàjẹ, Ọ̀wọ̀, Ìkálẹ̀


gomina

/ɡó.mĩ̀.nã̀/


eje

Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *è-bye, compare with Igala èbye, ultimately from a locally innovated Yoruboid root


eso

Proposed to have derived from Proto-Yoruboid *èʃo. Cognates include Igala ɛ̀ro. Equivalent to è- (“nominalizing prefix for verbs”) + so (“to bear fruit”), literally “That which is borne”


ike

Originally referring to elephant ivory, attested as celluloid in R.C. Abraham's 1958 dictionary, the semantic change was likely influenced by the production of celluloid, which was often made to resemble ivory.

àgbáǹréré wó wọ́n fìwo rẹ̀ kùn lósùn rúbú-rúbú

Báàgì tó o rà yìí, ike ni


ike

ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + ké (“to shout, to cry out”)


ata

From a- (“agent prefix”) + ta (“to be peppery, to be spicy”), literally “that which is peppery”, cognate with Igala áta

ita

Ìlàjẹ, Ìkálẹ̀, Ọ̀wọ̀


iru

Irú ẹja wo leléyìí?


iru

Cognate with Igala úlú, probably derived from Proto-Yoruboid *ú-lú


iru

→ English: iru

From Clipping of irúgbàá, ultimately from irú (“seed”) + ìgbá (“the tree Parkia biglobosa”), literally “seed of the Parkia biglobosa”.


iru

loyalty, allegiance; especially to a higher authority


pari

Ó párí bí ọkọ alámàlà.

He's bald like an àmàlà seller's husband.


ji

The name of the Latin-script letter J/j.


riba

From Hausa r̃ìba, or Hausa r̃ībā̀ ultimately from Arabic رِبًا (riban) or Arabic رِبْح (ribḥ).


dara

Kò dára kí a máa gbàgbé àṣà wa.

It's not good for us to forget our culture.


dara

From dá (“to create”) + àrà (“marvel; wonder”)

com

Tẹ́lẹ̀, mo máa ń dárà sí ilé.


oku

From ò- (“nominalizing prefix”) + kú (“to die”).


iwi

A form of Yoruba oral poetry, consisting of chanting and invocation performed by worshippers of the Egúngún


ole

Compare with Itsekiri olè, ultimately a Proto-Edekiri innovation, see Proto-Edekiri *o-lè, which likely displaced *ó-jí (“thief”)


ole

(Ekiti) the tree Canarium schweinfurthii


upe

From ù- (“nominalizing prefix”) + pè (“to call”)

(chiefly CY and SEY) pronunciation, calling

(chiefly CY and SEY) call, invitation, summon

(chiefly CY and SEY) traditional horn or trumpet


wa

our (first-person plural possessive pronoun)


wa

From Proto-Edekiri *wá compare with the Proto-Gbe *bá, Proto-Gbe *vá, Proto-Gbe *wá, or Proto-Gbe *ɓá. Cognates include Fon wá, Gun wá, Adja vá, Saxwe Gbe va, Ewe va from the Gbe languages, in addition to Akan bra, Akan ba, Nkonya ba

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - wáview map

gháABATTOIRUsẹnUsẹnwáABATTOIRÌtsẹkírìÌwẹrẹwáABATTOIROlùkùmiUgbódùwáABATTOIRProto-YorubaCentral YorubaÈkìtìÈkìtìÀdó ÈkìtìáABATTOIRÒdè ÈkìtìáABATTOIRAwó ÈkìtìáABATTOIRÌfàkì ÈkìtìáABATTOIRÀkúrẹ́Àkúrẹ́áABATTOIRMọ̀bàỌ̀tùn ÈkìtìgháABATTOIR

gháABATTOIRÌjẹ̀ṣàIléṣàáABATTOIRNorthwest YorubaÀwórìÈbúté Mẹ́tàwáABATTOIRẸ̀gbáAbẹ́òkútawáABATTOIRẸ̀gbádòÌjàkáwáABATTOIRÈkóÈkówáABATTOIRÌbàdànÌbàdànwáABATTOIRÌbàràpáIgbó ÒràwáABATTOIRÌbọ̀lọ́ÒṣogbowáABATTOIRÌgbómìnàÌlá Ọ̀ràngúnwáABATTOIRÌlọrinÌlọrinwáABATTOIROǹkóÒtùwáABATTOIRÌwéré IléwáABATTOIRÒkèhòwáABATTOIRÌsẹ́yìnwáABATTOIRṢakíwáABATTOIRTedéwáABATTOIRÌgbẹ́tìwáABATTOIRỌ̀yọ́Ọ̀yọ́wáABATTOIRStandard YorùbáNàìjíríàwáABATTOIRBɛ̀nɛ̀wáABATTOIRNortheast Yoruba/OkunÌyàgbàÌsánlú Ìtẹ̀dógháABATTOIROwéKabbagháABATTOIREde Languages/Southwest YorubaAnaSokodewáABATTOIRCábɛ̀ɛ́Cábɛ̀ɛ́wáABATTOIRTchaourouwáABATTOIRÌcàBantèwáABATTOIRÌdàácàBeninIgbó ÌdàácàwáABATTOIRỌ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí-ÌjèỌ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí/ÌjèÌkpòbɛ́wáABATTOIROnigbolowáABATTOIRKétu/ÀnàgóKétuwáABATTOIRIfɛ̀AkpáréwáABATTOIRAtakpamɛwáABATTOIRBokowáABATTOIRMoretanwáABATTOIRTchettiwáABATTOIRKuraAledjo-KourawáABATTOIRABATTOIRAwotébiwáABATTOIRABATTOIRPartagowáABATTOIRABATTOIRMɔ̄kɔ́léKandinàáABATTOIRABATTOIRNorthern NagoKambolewáABATTOIRABATTOIRManigriwáABATTOIRABATTOIROverseas YorubaLucumíHavanaguaABATTOIRNote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties


fuku

→ Ayere: ifùkù

Perhaps from Baatonum fukɔ or maybe of ideophonic origin

(zootomy) lungs, any soft internal organ like the lungs, spleen; especially the one of an animal


iku

i- (“non-gerundive nominalizer”) + kú (“to die”)

prefix

(euphemisms)


muso

hooray, an expression used to denote happiness or joy.


pana

From pa (“to extinguish, turn off”) + iná (“fire, light”).


iga

Cognate with Edo ùghà, Itsekiri ùghà, probably ultimately from Proto-Edekiri *ʊ̀-ɣà, but also possibly an Edo loan word. Also see Proto-Yoruba *ʊ̀-ɣà. The palace of the Oba of Lagos is known as ìgà, which may suggest this term is likely an Edo term, perhaps borrowed into Proto-Edekiri or a later stage of Yoruba.

Wọ́n ń bẹ ní ìgà

a courtyard, particularly one of a palace or royal compound.

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - ìgàview map

OkunOwéKabbaalẹ́deDENOTATIONNote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties


fura

fu (“to suspect”) + ara (“body, person”)

mo fura


fura

A boiled millet paste that can be crushed in water or milk and eaten like a pap or porridge, similar to ẹ̀kọ


epe

From è- (“nominalizing prefix”) + pè (“to call”)

af

àwòdì jẹun èpè sanra

the kite fattens itself with cursed food


kari

Possibly from kí (“let”) + à- (“nominalizing prefix”) + rí (“to see”), literally “let us see; let us know”. While it is an interrogative marker (see kàríbi (“where”) and kàrìgbì (“when”), it also may be used as a synonym to kàríbi or kàbí. Those in the current Nigerian state of Ekiti may use kàbí or ubi sí, in addition to kàríbi. In the Akure subdialect of Ekiti, they mainly use kàríbi, in addition to kàí or kàbí. All these terms are synonymous and can generally used by any Ekiti speaker regardless of subdialect. The term kàrí is also used in Ijesha.

compound

(Ekiti) Used to make an interrogative question regarding place or time.


kari

kàrí ọ

(interrogative, Ekiti) Alternative form of kàríbi (“where”)

kàrí ọ rán


igo

Àgbàdo inú ìgò, ó di àwòmọ́jú fún adìyẹ.

Corn inside a bottle is viewed with distain by the chicken.


ose

wọ́n gbé ẹbọ sí ìdí igi osè

They placed the sacrifice at the base of the baobab tree


bura

From bú (“to insult, to hurl invectives”) + ara (“body”), literally “to hurl invectives at one's self”.

(transitive) to swear, to take an oath, to forswear


pai

Uun jíjẹ tì paí.

(Ondo) Alternative form of parí (“to finish; to end”)


ida

From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + dá (“to divide, to split”).


ida

From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + dá (“to create, to make”).


ida

Adéṣidà

A Yoruba name meaning, "The crown has not behaved wickedly."


sare

From sá (“to run, flee”) + eré (“race”).

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - sáréview map

súréABANDONMENTNote: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties


apo

ikú ọdẹ ń bẹ nínú apó

What will be the death of the hunter is lurking inside the quiver

Aníkúlápó

A Yoruba name meaning, One who has death in their quiver


apo

The tree Cola acuminata, the kola nut comes from this plant


i-

abstract or instrument nominalizing prefix

ù- in Southeast Yorùbá and some Central Yorùbá dialects such as Èkìtì and Ìjẹ̀ṣà


i-

u- in Southeast Yorùbá and some Central Yorùbá dialects such as Èkìtì and Ìjẹ̀ṣà


ogu

Proposed to have derived from Proto-Yoruboid *ó-gwũ. Cognates include Ifè ogu, Yoruba ogun, Igala ógwu, and Olukumi ogun.


ogu

Cognates with Ifè ogú, Yoruba ogún, Igala ógwú


beru

From bà (“to fear”) + èrù (“fear”), literally “to fear fear”.

compound

(Ekiti, transitive) to fear, to be afraid


buka

→ English: buka

→ Nigerian Pidgin: buka

From Hausa bukkā̀ (“hut”), from Songhay language, ultimately from Mandingo bùgú.

A type of pepper stew made in búkà restaurants


ibu

Ẹjalónibúṣọlá

The fish comes from the deep; The fish comes from the deep and is honorable; Yoruba name meaning

(by extension) any deep body of water; sea, ocean


ibu

a fall; (especially) accidental; the act of accidentally falling


ibu

ìlà ìbú


ibu

From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + bú (“to insult, yell, roar”)

af

the act of roaring; (especially) of animals


ibu

From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + bù (“to scoop, to chip”)

the act of chipping of or from some substance


ibu

From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + bù (“to be dusty”)


kuro

Kúrò níwájú mi!

Màá mú un kúrò níbẹ̀.


buaya

owóo rẹ̀ẹ́ bùáyà

to be large, to be expensive, (in degree or quantity)