Learn Yoruba for Beginners – Unit 1/Lesson 0 :  50 Most Common verbs in Yoruba
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Learn Yoruba for Beginners – Unit 1/Lesson 0 : 50 Most Common verbs in Yoruba

Introduction

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on some of the most common Yoruba verbs! Whether you’re a beginner learning Yoruba or someone looking to deepen your understanding of this rich and vibrant language, knowing the basic verbs is essential for effective communication. Yoruba, a language spoken by over 20 million people primarily in Nigeria, is known for its musicality and tonal quality. Mastering these verbs will not only help you form basic sentences but also allow you to express a wide range of actions and emotions.

In this post, we’ve compiled a list of 50 common Yoruba verbs along with their English translations and example usages. This list covers everyday actions and interactions, making it a practical resource for anyone looking to enhance their conversational skills in Yoruba. Each verb is presented with an example sentence to help you understand how it is used in context, providing you with a clear and practical understanding of the language.

So, whether you’re planning a trip to a Yoruba-speaking region, reconnecting with your heritage, or simply expanding your linguistic horizons, this guide is a great starting point. Dive in and start exploring the beauty of Yoruba verbs!

 

50 most common verbs

Yoruba VerbEnglish TranslationExample Usage
jẹ́EatMo fẹ́ jẹun (I want to eat)
muDrinkMo fẹ́ mu omi (I want to drink water)
lọGoMo lọ sí ilé (I am going home)
ComeWá síbi (Come here)
fẹ́WantMo fẹ́ràn rẹ (I like you)
sùnSleepO fẹ́ sùn (He/She wants to sleep)
SeeMo rí ẹ (I see you)
gbọ́HearMo gbọ́ ohun rẹ (I hear your voice)
ránSendMo rán èrò (I sent a message)
kọ́WriteMo fẹ́ kọ́wé (I want to write)
ReadMo n kàwé (I am reading)
sọSay/TellMo sọ pé (I said that)
SpeakÓ wí ní èdè Yorùbá (He/She speaks Yoruba)
gbéCarryGbẹ̀rù náà (Carry that load)
rìnWalkJẹ́ ká rìn (Let’s walk)
máaWill/ShallMo máa lọ (I will go)
tiHaveMo ti ṣe é (I have done it)
mọ́KnowMo mọ̀ ọ (I know him/her)
gbaReceiveMo gba ìwé náà (I received the book)
ṣíOpenṢí ilékun náà (Open the door)
paClose/KillPa ilékun náà (Close the door)
fọWashFọ aṣọ náà (Wash the clothes)
bẹ̀rẹ̀StartMo bẹ̀rẹ̀ iṣẹ́ (I started the work)
paríFinishMo parí iṣẹ́ (I finished the work)
rọ́CryỌmọ náà n rọ́ (The child is crying)
rẹ́rìnLaughÓ rẹ́rìn-in (He/She laughed)
sunMoveSun sílẹ̀ (Move aside)
gbaTakeGba èyí (Take this)
ṣẹ̀ṣẹ̀Sitṣẹ̀ṣẹ̀ s’lẹ (Sit down)
dùnSweetÀmàlà náà dùn (The amala is sweet)
SellWọ́n tà àwùjọ (They sold the goods)
raBuyMo ra oúnjẹ (I bought food)
kọ́LearnMo fẹ́ kọ́ èdè Yorùbá (I want to learn Yoruba)
kaCountKa owó náà (Count the money)
fiUseFi èyí (Use this)
gùnClimbGùn òpó (Climb the pole)
bẹ̀BegÓ bẹ̀ mí (He/She begged me)
Wake upJí s’árọ̀ (Wake up early)
MeetMo bá ọ̀rẹ́ mi (I met my friend)
yanChooseYan ọkan (Choose one)
kúròLeaveKúrò n’íbè (Leave there)
fojúLookFojú sókè (Look up)
Use/SpendMo lò owó (I spent money)
Look/WatchWò yíyàn (Watch the match)
foJumpFo lókè (Jump up)
Answer/CreateDá mi lóhùn (Answer me)
DivideYà ewé náà (Divide the leaf)
ṣeDo/MakeṢe iṣẹ́ rẹ (Do your work)
gbàAcceptÓ gbà ìdáhùn mi (He/She accepted my answer)