If you are planning to visit West Africa, specifically Nigeria, Benin, and Togo, you are likely to run into the Yoruba people, and you may need to know a few words in their language. Here are the top 101 words in Yoruba to help you out.
- Eyokan – one
- Meji – two
- Meta – three
- Merin – four
- Marun – five
- Mefa – six
- Meje – seven
- Mejo – eight
- Mesan – nine
- Mewa – ten
- Bawo ni – how are you?
- E se/O se – thank you
- En le – hello
- E jowo – excuse me
- Bee ni – yes
- Ra – no
- Duro – stop
- Oni – today
- Ale yi – tonight
- Ola – tomorrow
- Ana – yesterday
- Nisisiyi – now
- Re – his
- O si – he
- Ti won – they
- Ti o – you
- A – we
- Won – their
- Wa – us
- Re – your
- oun – him
- won – them
- tiwa – our
- Bi – as
- Ti – that
- Je – was
- Fun – for
- lori – on
- ni o wa – are
- pelu – with
- ni – at
- yi – this
- lati – from
- baba – father
- iya – mother
- baba-baba – grandfather
- iya-iya – Grandmother
- okunrin – man
- obinrin – woman
- arakunrin – brother
- arabirin – sister
- omukonrin –boy
- omobirin – girl
- awon okunrin – men
- eniyan – people
- ore – friend
- omo – son
- owo – hand
- oju – eyes
- atelese – feet
- enu – mouth
- irun – hair
- imu – nose
- ori – head
- sokoto – trousers
- ewu awoleke – coat
- bata – shoes
- ewu penpe – shirt
- ibose – socks
- awon eso – fruits
- ogede – bananas
- tomato – tomatoes
- ounje aaro – breakfast
- ounje osan – lunch
- ounje ale – dinner
- wara – milk
- omi – water
- buredi – bread
- ile – house
- ile-igbonse – toilet
- iyewu – bedroom
- ile-idana – kitchen
- tabili – table
- iyara – room
- ile-iwosan – hospital
- iwe-iwe – school
- akeko – student
- oluko – teacher
- kalamu – pen
- iwe – book
- olopa – police
- onisegun – doctor
- oko akero – bus
- oko ayokele – car
- eranko – animal
- ologbo – cat
- eye – bird
- aja – dog
- maalu – cow
- esin – horse
- ekute – mouse
Good luck as you learn the Yoruba language!