Learn Yoruba for Beginners – Lesson 2 : How to greet someone in yoruba
Introduction How you greet someone may vary depending on the time of the day. Although the following is a list of the commonly known greeting phrases, one needs to add or remove certain pronouns depending on the other person listening to you. kúùrọ̀lẹ́ good evening káàárọ̀ good morning káàsán good afternoon […]
Introduction
How you greet someone may vary depending on the time of the day. Although the following is a list of the commonly known greeting phrases, one needs to add or remove certain pronouns depending on the other person listening to you.
kúùrọ̀lẹ́
good evening
káàárọ̀
good morning
káàsán
good afternoon
káalẹ́
dàárọ̀
good night/ late in the evening
Ó dàbọ̀
Good bye
Good morning
This form of expression should be used before 10AM.
Formal
Good morning ma.
Ẹ káàárọ̀ mà.
Good morning sir.
Ẹ káàárọ̀ sà.
Informal
Good morning.
Òo, Káàárọ̀.
Good afternoon
Based on experience, this expression may be used after lunch, so 12PM.
Good afternoon ma.
Ẹ káàsán mà.
Good afternoon sir.
Ẹ káàsán sà.
Informal
Good afternoon.
Káàsán.
Good evening / Good night
This gets a bit tricky. The “kúùrọ̀lẹ́ “ fits more between 4PM and 8PM but afterwards it would make more sense to use “káalẹ́ “. Don’t be afraid to mess it up, besides you are a beginner. It is okay.
Option 1
Good evening ma.
Ẹ kúùrọ̀lẹ́ mà.
Good evening sir.
Ẹ kúùrọ̀lẹ́ sà.
Informal
Good evening.
Òo, Kúùrọ̀lẹ́.
Option 2 ( Good night )
Good evening ma.
Ẹ káalẹ́ mà.
Good evening sir.
Ẹ káalẹ́ sà.
Informal
Good evening.
Òo, Káalẹ́.
Òo, dàárọ̀
Goodbye
Formal
Goodbye ma.
Ó dàbọ̀ mà.
Goodbye sir.
Ó dàbọ̀ sà.
Informal
Òo, dàbọ̀.
Editor notes
I am also a beginner in Yoruba, so please bear with me.
References
Colloquial Yoruba: The Complete Course for Beginners
