According to my weak research, there are 25 characters/letters in the yoruba language ( please use the references below). Keep in mind that there are other letters/characters that are used but they are mostly pronounced exactly like in English. So I left them out here.
Letter
Tones
English Equivalent
A
á,ā,à
c(a)r, (a)h
E
é,ē,è
(a)te, m(ate, s(a)ve
Ẹ
ẹ́,ẹ̄,ẹ̀
cl(e)ar, d(a)re, (a)ir
I
í,ī,ì
s(e)e, s(e)a, m(e)
O
ó,ō,ò
c(o)al, s(o)ul, kn(o)w,sl(o)w
Ọ
ó̩,ọ̄,ọ̀
(o)r, c(o)re,f(o)r, m(o)re
S
s
(s)nake, (s)cream, (s)crape
Ṣ
ṣ
(s)he, (s)hort, mu(s)hroom
U
ú,ū,ù
y(ou), d(u)e, f(e)w
gb
gb
(b)ring –>imagine you were carrying something heavy and someone steps on your toes just as you were pronouncing the word “bring”🤣🤣😭.
P
p(kp)
*****–>imagine trying to pronounce a word starting with “pb”. Sorry I tried🤣🤣😭
Consonants
There are apparently 18 consonants in the yoruba language.
Letter
Tones
English Equivalent
B
(b)lue,(b)ag
D
(d)rug, (d)ie, (d)ame
F
(f)ry, (f)ame, (ph)one
G
(g)row, (g)ame, (g)rind
GB
(b)rought, (b)ring
H
(h)e, (h)air, (h)ome
J
(j)og, (j)ug, (g)eorge
K
(k)ey, (c)are, (c)orn
L
(l)ove, (l)ore, a(l)one
M
(m)ay, (m)ain
N
(n)o, (kn)ow
P
???
R
(r)ihanna, (r)ead
S
(s)ee, (s)now
Ṣ
(sh)e, (sh)ow
T
(t)ruck, mus(t)y
W
(w)e, (w)ar
Y
(y)our,(y)ield
Pure Vowels
There are apparently 9 vowels.
Letter
Tones
English Equivalent
A
c(a)r, (a)h
E
(a)te, m(ate, s(a)ve
Ẹ
cl(e)ar, d(a)re, (a)ir
I
s(e)e, s(e)a, m(e)
O
c(o)al, s(o)ul, kn(o)w,sl(o)w
Ọ
(o)r, c(o)re,f(o)r, m(o)re
U
y(ou), d(u)e, f(e)w
Diphthong/Nasal vowels
There are apparently 5 diphthongs. Finding the English equivalents for these vowels was really hard but I tried. So hopefully you give me a pass 🥰.
