Yoruba Phrases

Trying to find some Yoruba phrases? Below we have listed many useful expressions including: Greeting Phrases | Farewell Expressions | Holidays and Wishes | How to Introduce Yourself | Romance and Love Phrases | Solving a Misunderstanding | Asking for Directions | Emergency Survival Phrases | Hotel Restaurant Travel Phrases | Daily Expressions | Cuss Words (Polite) | Writing a Letter | Short Expressions and words

Also don't forget to check the rest of our other lessons listed on Learn Yoruba. Enjoy the rest of the lesson!

Yoruba Phrases

Enjoy these Yoruba expressions, but don't forget to bookmark this page for future reference.


English Yoruba Phrases
GreetingMo kiyin
Hi!Bawo
Good morning!Ek'aro
Good afternoon!Ek'asan
Good evening!Ek'ale
Welcome! (to greet someone)Ek'abo
Hello my friend!Bawoni Oremi
How are you? (friendly)Bawo lowa
How are you? (polite)Bawo lara
I'm fine, thank you!Mowa dada, Ese
And you? (friendly)Iwo na nko
And you? (polite)Iwo nko
GoodOda
Not so goodKofibe da
Long time no seeOpe ti mo ti rie
I missed youMos'aro e
What's new?Kini tuntun
Nothing newKosi tuntun
Thank you (very much)!Ese gan
You're welcome! (for "thank you")Ko t'ope
My pleasureInu midun
Come in! (or: enter!)Wole wa
Make yourself at home!Ef'okan bale,Ile lewa
Farewell Expressions
Have a nice day!Od'igba
Good night!Od'aro
Good night and sweet dreams!od'aro kosi la ala to da
See you later!mari e ni'gba mi
See you soon!mari e laipe
See you tomorrow!mari e lola
Good bye!Od'abo
Have a good trip!Irin ajo ada o
I have to goMoni lati malo
I will be right back!Mon padabo
Holidays and Wishes
Good luck!Pade orire
Happy birthday!Eku ojo ibi
Happy new year!Eku odun tuntun
Merry Christmas!Eku odun keresimesi
Ei del kabirEku odun Ileya
Independence dayEku odun ojo ominira
Congratulations!Eku ori ire
Enjoy! (or: bon appetit)Igba dun
Bless you (when sneezing)Epele
Best wishes!Nko rere fun e
Cheers! (or: to your health)Eku araya
Accept my best wishesGba nkan rere timo fefun e
How to Introduce Yourself
What's your name?Kini oruko e?
My name is (John Doe)Oruko mi ni (john Doe)
Nice to meet you!Inumidun lati ri e
Where are you from?Ilu wo loti wa?
I'm from (the U.S/ Nigeria)Mowa lati ilu (America/nigeria)
I'm (American/ Nigerian)Omo (America/Nigeria) nimi
Where do you live?Ibo l'ongbe?
I live in (the U.S/ Nigeria)Mongbe ni(America/ nigeria)
Do you like it here?S'o feran ibi?
Nigeria is a beautiful countryOrile ede to rewa ni nigeria
What do you do for a living?Ise wo lonse?
I'm a (teacher/ student/ engineer)(Oluko/akeko/ onimo ero) ni mi
Do you speak (English/ Yoruba)?S'ole so ede(geesi/ yoruba)?
Just a littleMole so die
I like YorubaMoferan yoruba
I'm trying to learn YorubaMongbiyanju lati ko ede yoruba
It's a hard languageEde t'ole ni
It's an easy languageEde ti kole ni
Oh! That's good!hehen, Iyen da
Can I practice with you?se mole ko pelu e?
I will try my best to learnMase iwon ti mole se lati ko
How old are you?Omo odun melo ni e?
I'm (twenty one, thirty two) years oldOmo (ogun odun lekan,ogun odun lemeji) ni mi
It was nice talking to you!Mogbadun bi mose nba e soro
It was nice meeting you!mogbadun bi mose pade e
Mr.../ Mrs. .../ Miss...Ogbeni…/ Iya afin…/ Omidan….
This is my wifeIyawo mi niyi
This is my husbandOko mi niyi
Say hi to Thomas for meBami ki Thomas
Romance and Love Phrases
Are you free tomorrow evening?S'o raye lati ola lo
I would like to invite you to dinnermo fe kajo jade fun ounje ale
You look beautiful! (to a woman)O rewa gan lobinrin
You have a beautiful nameOruko re rewa
Can you tell me more about you?Se ole so si fun mi nipa re?
Are you married?Se oti se igbeyawo?
I'm singleMosi da wa
I'm marriedMoti se igbeyawo
Can I have your phone number?Se mole gba nomba ero ibani soro re?
Can I have your email?Se mole gba iwe ateranse re?
Do you have any pictures of you?Se oni awon aworan re?
Do you have children?Se oni awon omo?
Would you like to go for a walk?Se ole jeka nase jade
I like youMoferan e
I love youMon'ife e!
You're very special!Eeyan pataki ni e!
You're very kind!Odaa gan!
I'm very happyInumi dun gan
Would you marry me?Se wa femi?
I'm just kiddingMon sere ni o
I'm seriousMi o selere rara
My heart speaks the language of loveOkan mi nso ede ife
Solving a Misunderstanding
Sorry! (or: I beg your pardon!)Ema binu
Sorry (for a mistake)Epele
No problem!Kosi'yonu
Can you repeat please?Se ole tunso jo?
Can you speak slowly?Se ole soro didie?
Can you write it down?Se ole koosile?
Did you understand what I said?Se nko ti mo so ye e?
I don't understand!Ko ye mi!
I don't know!Mi o mo!
What's that called in Yoruba?Kini won npe ni ede yoruba?
What does that word mean in English?Kini itumo oro yen ni ede geesi?
How do you say "thanks" in Yoruba?Bawo lese nso pe"Ese gan" ni ede yoruba?
What is this?Ki leleyi?
My Yoruba is badEde yoruba mi da
Don't worry!Mase iyonu!
I agree with youMo faramo nko to so
Is that right?Se iyen da?
Is that wrong?Se iyen o da?
What should I say?Kini kinso?
I just need to practicemoni lati ko gan
Your Yoruba is goodEde yoruba re da
I have an accentEde mi fihan pe mi owa lati ilu yi
You don't have an accentEde re dabi tiwa
Asking for Directions
Excuse me! (before asking someone)Ejo
I'm lostMi o mona
Can you help me?S'ele ran mi lowo?
Can I help you?Se mole ran e lowo?
I'm not from hereMio kinse ara ile yi
How can I get to (this place, this city)? Bawo ni mosele de adugbo yi?
Go straightMalo lookan
ThenTobaya
Turn leftYa si apa osi
Turn rightya si apa otun
Can you show me?S'ole fihan mi?
I can show you!Mole fihan e
Come with me!Telemi kalo!
How long does it take to get there?Ato igbawo k'atodebe?
Downtown (city center)Aarin ilu
Historic center (old city)Ilu atijo
It's near hereItosi ibi
It's far from hereOjina s'ibi
Is it within walking distance?Se molerin debe
I'm looking for Mr. SmithMon bere Ogbeni smith
One moment please!Jo funmi ni iseju kan!
Hold on please! (when on the phone)Ejo monbo
He is not hereIbi kis'ebi ( kosi nibi)
AirportPapako Ofurufu
Bus stationIbudoko
Train stationIbudoko oko ojurin
Taxitansi
NearSunmo
FarJina
Emergency Survival Phrases
Help!Egbawa o!
Stop!Oto!
Fire!Ina!
Thief!Ole!
Run!Sare!
Watch out! (or: be alert!)Egbara di
Call the police!Epe olopa!
Call a doctor!Epe dokita!
Call the ambulance!Epe oko tongbeyan lo si ile iwosan
Are you okay?S'owa daada!
I feel sickAra mi oya
I need a doctorMoferi dokita
AccidentIjamba
Food poisoningMajele ounje
Where is the closest pharmacy?Ibo ni ile oloogun oyinbo to sunmon ju?
It hurts hereEeyan nsese nibi?
It's urgent!Ogba kiakia!
Calm down!Fara bale!
You will be okay!Ara re aya!
Can you help me?Se ole ranmi lowo?
Can I help you?Se mole ran e lowo?
Hotel Restaurant Travel Phrases
I have a reservation (for a room)Motigba yara kan sile
Do you have rooms available?Se awon yara wanle?
With shower / With bathroomTo ni baluwe
I would like a non-smoking roomMofe yara ti won ti kin mu siga
What is the charge per night?Elo ni owo re fun ale kan?
I'm here on business /on vacationMo wasibi fun ise/ fun isinmi
DirtyIdoti
CleanMimo
Do you accept credit cards?S'e n gba owo ni ona kaadi
I'd like to rent a carMafe lati ya oko ayokele
How much will it cost?Elo lo ma na mi?
A table for (one / two) please!Ejo tabili fun eyan (kan/meji)!
Is this seat taken?Se wan ti gba aye yi ni?
I'm vegetarianOunje elewe lemi nje
I don't eat porkMio kin je elede
I don't drink alcoholMio kin mu oti
What's the name of this dish?Ki'loruko ounje yi?
Waiter / waitress!Adani loun!
Can we have the check please?S'ele fun mi ni iwe sowedowo na?
It is very delicious!Odun gan!
I don't like itMi o feran e
Shopping ExpressionsIse nibi nkan rira
How much is this?Elo leleyi?
I'm just lookingMo kan nwo ni
I don't have changeMio ni sanji
This is too expensiveEyi ti won ju
ExpensiveOwon
CheapKowon
Daily Expressions
What time is it?Ago melo lolu?
It's 3 o'clockAgo meta lolu
Give me this!Fun mi leleyi!
Are you sure?S'o da e loju?
Take this! (when giving something)Gba eleyi!
It's freezing (weather)Otutu gan nibi gan
It's cold (weather)Otutu nibi
It's hot (weather)Ogbona nibi
Do you like it?S'o feran e?
I really like it!Moferan gan!
I'm hungryEbi npa mi
I'm thirstyOrungbe ngbe mi
He is funnyApani lerin ni
In The Morningl'owuro
In the eveningN'irole
At NightL'ale
Hurry up!Se kia!
Cuss Words (polite)
This is nonsense! (or: this is craziness)Kantan kantan leyi!
My God! (to show amazement)Oluwa o!
Oh gosh! (when making a mistake)Mogbe!
It sucks! (or: this is not good)Eyi oda!
What's wrong with you?Kilo ndamu e?
Are you crazy?S'onsiere ni?
Get lost! (or: go away!)Kuroni'waju mi!
Leave me alone!Fimi sile!
I'm not interested!Ko wunmi!
Writing a Letter
Dear JohnJohn mi owan
My trip was very niceIrin ajo mi dara
The culture and people were very interestingAsa ati awon eyan yi daa gan ni
I had a good time with youMogbadun igba ti molo pelu e
I would love to visit your country againMafe lati wa si orile ede re si
Don't forget to write me back from time to timeMagbagbe lati mak'owe simi ni gbogbo igba
Short Expressions and words
GoodOda
BadKoda
So-so (or: not bad not good)Koda kobaje
BigNla
SmallKekere
TodayEni
Nowni'sin
TomorrowOla
YesterdayAna
YesBe'ni
NoBe'ko
Fastyara
SlowKoyara
HotGbona
ColdTutu
ThisEyi
ThatIyen
HereIbi
ThereIbe
Me (ie. Who did this? - Me)Emi
YouIwo
HimOwun (okunrin)
HerOwun (obinrin)
UsAwa
ThemAwon
Really?Looto?
Look!Woo!
What?Kini?
Where?Nibo?
Who?Tani?
How?Bawo?
When?Nigba wo?
Why?kilo fa?
ZeroOdo
OneEni
TwoEji
ThreeEta
FourErin
FiveArun
SixEfa
SevenEje
EightEjo
NineEsan
TenEwa

Phrases and daily expressions have a very important role in Yoruba. Once you're done with the Yoruba Phrases, you might want to check the rest of our Yoruba lessons here: Learn Yoruba. Don't forget to bookmark this page.

Menu:

Alphabet

Phrases

Adjectives

Yoruba Homepage

Numbers

Nouns

Vocabulary

Learn Yoruba

Plural

Videos

Practice

The links above are only a small sample of our lessons, please open the left side menu to see all links.

Copyright © 2019 MYLANGUAGES.ORG.