A-I: Yoruba Monosyllabic Words (YORÙBÁ-ENGLISH)

Aa

à     (i)    ‘Will/shall’: À á lọ ‘We shall go’ (ii) ‘it/her/him’: Mo   rà á ‘I bought it’ (iii) us: Ṣé o fẹ́ kí a ràn ẹ́ lọ́wọ́? ‘Do you want us to help you?’.

a     (i)    we: A lọ ‘We went’ (ii) used in the sense of ‘people’: A kì í dàgbà má láya ‘people don’t grow hold without getting married’ (iii) used as a prefix for deriving nouns from verbs and verb phrases: bẹ ‘to cut’, abẹ ‘razor’; dùn ‘be sweet’, adùn ‘sweet’; kọ ìwé ‘to write’, akọ̀wé ‘a writer/a clerk’ (iv) ‘it/her’him’: Mo gbá a ‘I swept it’ (v) one: A gbọ́dọ̀ máa gbìyànjú láti máa ran àwọn ènìyàn mìíràn lọ́wọ́ ‘one should try to help other people’ (vi) us: Ṣé o nílò pé kí a ràn ẹ́ lọ́wọ́? ‘Do you need us to help you?’.

à     (i)    used as a prefix to derive nouns from verbs and verb phrases: bọ̀ ‘to arrive’; àbọ̀ ‘arrival’ (ii) we: À á lọ ‘We wiil go’ (iii) negator: A à lọ ‘We did not go’ (iv) used for emphasis: Ó rà á à ‘He surely bought it’.

án          it/him/her: Ó tàn án ‘He deceived it/him/her’.

an          it/him/her: Ó kán an ‘He broke it’; Ó rán an                    ‘He sent        him/her’.

àn          used for emphasis: Ó kán an àn ‘He surely broke it’.

Bb

bá   (i)    to join in doing something: Ó bá mi lọ ‘He went      with me’ (ii) to help: Ó bá mi ṣe é ‘He help me to do it’ (iii) to meet/to find: Ó bára rẹ̀ ní iwájú mi       ‘He found himself in my presence’. (iv) want: Ẹni tó bá ń lọ kó lọ ‘Anybody who wants to go should go’ (v) to befall: Ibí bá wọn ‘Misfortune befell them’ (vi) happens to do something: Ẹni tó bá lọ, á jìyà ‘ Anybody who goes will be punished’ (vii) to have actually done something: Ni ó bá lọ sí ilé ‘Thus, he went home’ (viii) to overtake: Mo bá a ‘I overtook him’ (ix) accompany: Ó bá Olú lọ sọ́dọ̀ dókítà ‘He accompanied Olú to the doctor’ (x) hit: Òkúta náà bà mí ‘The stone hit me’ (xi) see: Bá mi dé lé ‘See me home’ (xii) catch up with: Mo bá a ní Ifẹ̀ ‘I caught up with him at Ifẹ̀’ (xiii) smear: Ẹ̀jẹ̀ bá a lọ́wọ́  ‘His hands were smeared with blood’ (xiv) with: Kò sí ẹni tí ó máa ń fẹ́ bá ọ̀rẹ́ rẹ̀ jà ‘No one likes to fight with a friend’.

ba ‘to hide’: Mo ba sí abẹ́ igi ‘I hid under the tree’.

bà (i) to ferment: Kòkó náà ti bà ‘The cocoa has fermented’ (ii) to perch: Ẹyẹ náà bà ‘The bird perched’ (iii) to foment: Mo ba egbò rẹ̀ ‘I fomented his ulcer’ (iv) to hit: Òkúta tí ó sọ bà mí  ‘The stone he threw hit me’ (v) to be afraid: Ẹ̀rù bà mí  ‘I was afraid’ (vi) perch: Àwọn ẹyẹ bà lé ẹ̀ka igi náà ‘Birds perched on the branch’ (vii) settle: Ẹyẹ náà bà sórí ẹ̀ka igi kan ‘The bird settled on a branch’.

bẹ́. (i) to burst: Ó bẹ́ pẹ̀ẹ́ ‘It bursts’ (ii) to cut off: Ó bẹ́ ẹ ní orí ‘He cut his head off (iii) to jump: Ọmọ náà bẹ́ ‘The child jumped’ (iv) to buy a little quantity of commodity: Ó bẹ́ tábà ‘He bought a little quantity of tobacco’  (vi) to crack: Orógbó náà bẹ́ ‘The bitter cola cracked when it was eaten’ (vii) to start: Ọ̀ràn ti bẹ́ ‘Trouble has started’ (viii) to puncture: Táyà náà bẹ́ ‘The tyre punctured’ (ix) to spat: Ọ́ bẹ́ itọ́ ‘He Spat’.

bẹ (i) to be bright: Ó bẹ ‘It is bright’ (ii) to peel: Ó bẹ iṣu náà ‘He peeled the yam’ (iii) to speak cheekily: Ó bẹ sí mi ‘He spoke cheekily to me’ ‘(iv) to exist: Ó ń bẹ ‘It exists’ (v) to be forward/to be screwed: Ọmọkùnrin yẹn bẹ ‘That boy is too forward’.

bẹ̀ (i) ‘beg’ Ó bẹ̀ mí ‘He begged me’ (ii) apologize: O ti ṣẹ Olú. Bẹ̀ ẹ́ ‘You have offended Olú. Apologize to him’ (iii) implore: Ó bẹ Olú náà kí ó máà kó gbogbo owó wọn lọ ‘He implored the robber not to take all their money’ (iv) to ask: Ó bẹ̀ wá lọ́wẹ̀ ‘He asked us for communal help’.

bí (i) to give birth to: Ó bímọ ‘She gave birth to a baby’ (ii) to be annoyed: Ó ń bínú ‘He is annoyed’ (iii) If: Bí o lù mi n ó lù ọ́ ‘If you hit me I will hit you’ (iv) Question maker: Ó lọ bí? ‘Did he go?’ (v) how: Ó kọ́ mi bí mo ti máa ṣe é ‘He taught me how to do it (vi) that: Ó ní àfi bí òun pa á ‘He says there is nothing but that he will kill him’ (vii) when/after: Bí ó ti rí mi, inú rẹ̀ dùn ‘When he saw me, he was happy’ (viii) like: Ó rí bí Olú ‘He is like Olú’ (ix) as: Ṣe bí mo ti wí ‘Do as I say’ (x) bear: obìnrin yẹn ti bí ọmọ mẹ́wàá ‘the woman has borne ten children’ (xi) born: Ọdún tí ó kọjá ni wọ́n bí Olú ‘Olú was born last year’ (xii) just: Adé wọlé bí mo ṣe jáde ‘Adé entered just as I left’ (xiii) more or less: Ènìyàn bí ọgbọ̀n ló wà nílé rẹ̀ ‘There were thirty people in his house, more or less’ (xiv) reproduce: Ológbò náà ń bí ní ẹ̀ẹ̀mejì lọ́dún ‘Cats reproduce twice a year’ (xv) such: Wọ́n ń fẹ́ èso tí ó kún fún omi bí i ọsàn ‘They want some juicy fruit such as orange’ (xvi) whether: N ò mọ̀ bí ó máa wá tàbí kò níí wá ‘I don’t know whether he will come or not’.

bí ‘to ask’: Ó bi í ní ìbéèrè’ He asked him questions’.

bì (i) to vomit: Ó bì ‘He vomited’ (ii) Ó bì mí ‘He pushed me’ (iii) to change colour: Aṣọ náà máa ń bì ‘The cloth always changes its colour(s)’

bó (i) tó peel off: Ó bó ọsàn náà ‘He peeled off the back of the orange’ (ii) to skin: Mo bó awọ ejò náà ‘I skinned the snake’ (iii) to become grazed: Araà mí bó ‘My skin is grazed’ (iv) bleach: Obìnrin náà bó àwọn aṣọ náà nígbà tí ó fọ̀ wọ́n ‘The woman bleached the cloths when she washed them’ (v) scrape: Ó ṣubú ó sì bó ní ẹsẹ̀ ‘He fell and scraped his leg’ (vi) run: Aṣọ mi tuntun bó ‘the colour in my new dress ran’ (vii) bruise: Ó fi ara bó ‘She bruised her body’.

bo ‘to hide’: Ó bo sí abẹ́ igi ‘He hid under the tree’.

bò (i) to cover: Ó bo abọ́ náà ‘He covered the plate’ (ii) to roof: A bo ilé wa ‘We roofed our house’ (iii) to have plenty of leaves: igi ìrókò náà bò ‘The ìrókò tree is dence with leaves’ (iv) smoother: Eruku bò mí  ‘I was smothered with dust’.

bọ́ (i) to drop/to slip: Ó bọ́ sílẹ̀ ‘It drops unto the ground’ (ii) to feed: Ó bọ́ ọmọ náà ‘He fed the child’ (iii) to wash: Ó bọ́ ojú ‘He washed his face’ (iv) to take off: Ó bọ́ ẹ̀wù ‘He took off his clothes’ (v) to beat (as of the earth-floor): Ó bọ́lẹ̀ ‘He beats the earth-floor’ (vi) to thatch: Mo bọ́ ilé ‘I thatched my roof (vii) to leave: Ó bọ́ sí ẹ̀yìnkùnlé ‘He left for the backyard’ (viii) to slough skin: Ejò náà bọ́ ìhọ ‘The snake sloughed its skin’ (ix) move: Ó bọ́ sí iwájú kíláàsì  ‘He moved to the front of the class’ (x) shed: Àwọn ènìyàn náà bọ́ aṣọ wọn ‘The people shed their clothes’ (xi) strip: Olú bọ́ ṣáàtì rẹ̀ ‘Olú striped his shirt’ (xii) take off: Ó bọ́ ẹ̀wù rẹ̀ sọnù ‘He took off his dress’ (xiv) pull off: Ó bọ́ ṣáàtì rẹ̀ ‘He pulled off his shirt’ (xv) slip: Ẹja náà bọ́ ní ọwọ́ rẹ̀ ‘The fish slipped out of his hand’ (xvi) slip: Ó bọ́ ẹ̀wù rẹ̀ ‘He slipped out of his dress’.

bọ ‘to worship’: Ó bọ òrìṣà ‘He worship the deity’.

bọ̀ (i) to be on one’s way: Ó ń bọ̀ ‘He is on his way’ (ii) to be half-cooked: Ẹran náà ti bọ̀ ‘The meat is half-cooked (iii) to thread a needle: Ó ń bọ abẹ́rẹ́ náà ‘He is threading the needle’ (iv) to put on: Adé bọ ẹ̀wù rẹ̀ ‘Ade put his garment on’ (v) to shake hand with: Ó bọ̀ ọ́ lọ́wọ́ ‘He shook hand with him’ (vi) come: Baba mi ń bọ̀ ‘My father is coming’ (vii) return: Mò ń bọ̀ nílé láti ilé-ẹ̀kọ́ ni mo rí i ‘I was returning home from school when I saw him’ (viii) stew: Ó bọ ẹran náà ‘She stewed the meat’ (ix) approach: Àwọn ọ̀tá sálọ bí a ti ń bọ̀. ‘The enemies run away at our approach’.

Bọn ‘not to be new’: Aṣọ rẹ̀ ti bọn ‘His cloth is no more new’.

Bú (i) to abuse: Ó bú mi ‘He abused me’ (ii) to crack: Ìkòkò náà bú ní ìdí ‘The pot cracked’ (iii) to roar: Kìnìún bú ‘The lion roared’.

Bu (i) to be mouldy: Ó ti bu ‘It is mouldy’ (ii) to cook: Ó bu iṣu nínú iná ‘He cook yams in embers’.

Bù (i) to cut: Ó ti fi  ọwọ́ bù ‘He has cut his finger’ (ii) to dip water out of: Ó bu omi nínú ìkòkò ‘He dipped water out of the pot’ (iii) to break off: Ó bu búrẹ́dì ‘He broke off a bit of loaf of bread’ (iv) to honour: Ó bu ọlá fún un ‘He honoured him’ (v) chip: Àwọn gíláàsì yìí tètè ń bù ‘These glasses chip easily’ (vi) pay: Ó ti wá láti bu ọ̀wọ̀ fún un ‘He has called to pay him his respect’.

Bùn to give: Ó bùn mí lówó ‘He gave me money’.

Dd

dá (i) to create: Ọlọ́run dá ènìyàn ‘God created human beings’ (ii) to act alone: Ó dá a ṣe ‘He did it alone’ (iii) to be well: Ara mi dá ‘I am well’ (iv) to cease: Òjòó ti dá ‘The rain has ceased’ (vi) to throw to the ground as in wrestling: Ó dá mi mọ́lẹ̀ nígbà tí a ń ja ìjàkadì ‘He threw me on the ground while we were wrestling’ (vii) to hit: Ó dá mi ní igi ’He hit me with a stick’ (viii) to snap: Mo dá igi náà sí méjì ‘I snap the stick into two’ (ix) to tap: Ó dá ọ̀pẹ ‘He tapped the palm tree’ (x) to give thanks: Ó dá ọpẹ́ (e.g. dúpẹ́) ‘He gives thanks’ (xi) not to have something: Ọ̀dá owó dá a ‘He has no money’ (xii) be empty: Ọjà dá  ‘The market is empty’ (xiii) To be down with a sore: Sòbìà ti dá a ‘He has got a guinea worm’ (xiv) a pity (an idiom): Igi dá ‘It is a pity’ (xv) to be sober: Ojú rẹ̀ ti dá ‘He has recovered from his drunkenness’ (He is sober) (xvi) alone: Ilé náà dá dúró ‘The house stands alone’ (xvii) donate: Mo dá owó púpọ̀ sí ilé-ìwòsàn náà ‘I donated a lot of money to the hospital’ (xviii) fracture: Ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ dá nínú ìjàm̀bá tí ó ṣẹlẹ̀ sí i ‘His leg was fractured in an accident’ (xix) Kindle: Iná igi tí ó bá tutù sòroó dá ‘It is difficult to kindle the fire if the wood is wet’ (xx) by myself: Àwọn ọ̀rẹ́ mi ti jáde, ṣe ni mo ń dá ṣeré ‘My friends were out, so, I played by myself (xxi) to make: Ó ti dá ihò sí ṣáàtì rẹ̀ ‘You (have made a hole in your shirt’.

dà (i) to pour: Ó da omi sí ìta ‘He poured water outside’ (ii) to become: Kí ló dà? ‘What has he become?’ (iii) where is?: Ìwé náà dà ‘Where is the book?’ (iv) to slew baby on the back: Wọ́n da àwọn ọmọ náà ‘They slew the babies on their backs round the front’ (v) to coil (as of ropes): Ó da àwọn okùn náà ‘He coiled up ropes’ (vi) to drive along: Ó ń da àwọn okùn mààlúù náà ‘He is driving the cows along’ (vii) to digest: Oúnjẹ mi ti dà ‘My food has digested’ (viii) to flock along: Wọ́n ń dà yọ̀yọ̀ lọ ‘They flocked past’ (ix) to be accepted: Ẹbọ yìí dà ‘This sacrifice is accepted’ (x) to betray: Ó dà mí ‘He betrayed me’ (xi) to have a squint: Ojú rẹ̀ dà ‘He has a squint’ (xii) to bring out the food taken (the term is used for a child): Ọmọ náà dà ‘The baby poured out some of the food he took’ (xiii) channel: Wọ́n da gbogbo owó rẹ̀ sí orí òwò wọn ‘They channeled all his money into their business’ (xiv) to order about: Má dà mí ká ‘Don’t order me about’ (xv) to pitch: Ọkùnrin náà da àwọn aṣọ rẹ̀ tí ó ti gbó sínú omi ‘The man pitched his hold clothes into the river’ (xvi) to spilt over: Omi dà sí ìwé mi ‘The water spilt over my book’ (xvii) sweep: Àwọn èrò náà dà wálẹ̀ láti òkè ‘The crowd swept down the hill’ (xviii) turn: Ó ti da ọmọ àádọ́ta ọdún ‘He has turned fifty’.

dán (i) ‘to be smooth’. Ó dán ‘It is smooth’ (ii) glitter: Òrùka náà ń dán ní ìka ọwọ́ rẹ̀ ‘The ring glitters on her finger’ (iii) sparkle: Dáyámọ́ǹdì náà ń dán bí iná tí ó mọ́lẹ̀ náà ṣe tàn sí i ‘The diamond sparkles in the bright light’.

dan question marker: Ó ti lọ dan? He has gone?’

dé   (i) to arrive: Ó ti dé ‘He has arrived’ (ii) to put a lid on: Ó dé abọ́ náà ‘He puts a lid on the plate’ (iii) to reach: Mo ti dé ibẹ̀ ‘I have reached the place’ (iv) to start: Òjò ti dé ‘It has started raining’ (v) to get: Owó ti dé sí i lọ́wọ́ ‘He is now rich (He has now got some money)’ (vi) to put on: Ó dé fìlà rẹ̀ ‘He puts on his cap’ (vii) back: Bàbá mi ti dé sí ilé ‘My father is back home’ (viii) cover: Ó dé apẹ náà ‘He covered the pot’ (ix) return: Ọmọ mi dé lánàá ‘My son returned yesterday’ (x) to: Wọ́n wọn ajá náà láti orí dé ìrù ‘They measured the dog from head to tail’ (xi) turn up: Kò tíì  dé ibi iṣẹ́ ni àárọ̀ yìí ‘He hasn’t turned up for work this morning’ (xii) wear: Ó dé fílà kan ‘He wore a hat’ (xiii) keep on: Dé fìlà rẹ ‘Keep your hat on’ (xiv) to set in: Àsìkò òjò ti dé ‘The rainy season has set in’.

dè (i) to tie: Ó dè é ‘He tied it’ (ii) to await: Ó jókòó dè mí ‘He sat waiting for me’ (iii) to truss up: Ọlọ́pàá fi okùn de olè náà ‘The policeman trussed up the robber with a rope’ (iv) tighten: De súkúrúù yìí ‘Tighten this screw’ (v) to hook up: Ó de aṣọ rẹ̀ ‘She hooked up her dress’ (vi) govern: Ọ̀rọ̀-atọ́kùn máa ń de ọ̀rọ̀-orúkọ nínú gbólóhùn ‘The preposition governs a noun in a sentence’ (vii) for: Ó múra sílẹ̀ de ọjọ́ náà ‘He made himself ready for the day’ (viii) fasten: Ó ti de kóòtù rẹ̀ ‘He has fastened his coat’ (ix) to  do up: De ṣáàtì rẹ ‘Do up your shirt’ (x) bind: Wọ́n fi okùn de olè náà ‘They bind the thief with a rope’ (xi) till: Jẹ́ kí á dúro de ìgbà tí òjò náà máa dá ‘Let’s wait till the rain will stop’.

dẹ   (i) to hunt for: Ó dẹ ìgbẹ́ ‘He hunted for animals in the bush’ (ii) to incite: Mo dẹ wọ́n sí i ‘I incited them against him’.

dẹ̀   (i) to have a stupid character: Ó dẹ̀ ‘He has a stupid character’ (ii) to be soft: Ọsàn náà dẹ̀ ‘The orange is soft’ (iii) to become reduced: Ikọ́ mi ti dẹ̀ ‘My cough has become reduced’ (iv) loose: Bẹ́líìtì yìí ti fún mi jù, mo gbọ̀dọ̀ dẹ̀ ẹ́ ‘I must loosen this belt, it is too tight’.

dín (i) to fry: Ó dín ẹran ‘He fried meat’ (ii) to reduce: Ó dín owó ọjà ‘He reduced the price of the good’ (iii) discount: A ó dín ó ní náírà mẹ́wàá ‘We shall give you a discount of ten naira’ (iv) decline: Iye ọmọ ilé-ìwé tí ó wà níbí ti dín ‘There had been a decline in the number of the students here’.

dó   (i) to settle: Ó dó sí Ìbàdàn ‘He settled at Ìbàdàn (ii) a vulgar language for ‘to have sexual intercourse with’ Ó dó o ‘He had sexual intercourse with her’.

dò   ‘something (always used in a negative sentence)’: Kò mọ dò  tàbí kò mọ dòò ‘He knows nothing’.

du   ‘to rush’: Ó du lọ ‘He rushed away.

dù   (i) to compete for/to scramble for: Wọ́n du ipò náà ‘They compete for the post’ (ii) to deny: Ó fi ipò mi dù mí ‘He denied me of my post’ (iii) to vie for: Wọ́n ń du ẹ̀bùn ipò kìíní  ‘They were vying for first prize’.

dún (i) ‘to give forth a sound’: Ó dún bí ìbọn ‘It sounds like a gun’: Ìbọn náà dún ‘The report of the gun was audible’ (ii) squeak: Ilẹ̀kùn náà dún nígbà tí mo ṣí i ‘The door squeaked when I opened it’ (iii) ring: Fóònù ń dún ‘The telephone is ringing’.

dùn (i) to pain: Ó dùn mí ‘It pained me’ (ii) to be sweet: Ó dùn ‘It is sweet’ (iii) to be moist: Òjò dun ilẹ̀ ‘Rain has moisten the ground’ (iv) delicious: Ọbẹ̀ yìí dùn ‘This soup is delicious’ (v) hurt: Ẹsẹ̀ mi ń dùn mi ‘My leg hurts’ (vi) pity: Ó dùn wá pé o ti yára tètè ń lọ  ‘It is a pity that you have to go so soon’ (vii) sad: Ó dùn mí láti gbọ́ pé bàbá rẹ ti kú  ‘I am very sad to hear that your father has died’ (viii) sadden: Ìròyìn ikú rẹ̀ dùn mí, n kò lè wá sí patí rẹ̀  ‘The news of his death saddens me, I can’t come to your party’ (x) tasty: Oúnjẹ yẹn dùn ‘That was a tasty meal’ (xi) pleasant: Oúnjẹ náà dùn lẹ́nu ‘The food was pleasant to the taste’.

Ee

é ‘her/him/it’: Mo pè é  ‘I called him’.

e (i) ‘her/him/it’: Mo gé e  ‘I cut it’ (ii) used as a prefix to form nouns from verbs and verb phrases: gbé. ‘to carry’, egbé ‘a charm that carries one from one place to another.

è (i) used as a prefix to form nouns from verbs and verb phrases: rò ‘to think’, èrò ‘thought’ (ii) used for emphasis: Mo ṣe é è  ‘I surely did it’.

Ẹẹ

ẹ́ (i) ‘her/him/it’: Mo bẹ̀ ẹ́ ‘I beg him’ (ii) will: Ẹ ẹ́ lọ ‘You will go’.

ẹ (i) you (plural): Ẹ jẹun ‘You (people) ate’ (ii) respectfully used when addressing one person: Ẹ wọlé ‘Please, come in’ (iii) your: Ọkọ ẹ ‘Your husband’ (vi) used as a prefix to form nouns from verbs and verb phrases: rù ‘to carry’, ẹrù ‘a load’ (v) ‘her/him/it’: Mo bẹ́ ẹ ‘I cut it’.

ẹ̀ (i) his/her: Aṣọ ẹ̀ ‘His clothes’ (ii) you (plural); it is also respectfully used to address one person: Ẹ̀ bá lọ ‘You should have gone’ (iii) used as a prefix to form nouns from verbs and verb phrases: sìn ‘to worship’, ẹ̀sìn ‘religion’: rí ‘to see; ẹ̀rí ‘evidence’ (iv) used for emphasis: Mo bẹ̀ẹ́ ẹ̀ ‘I surely begged him’.

Ff

fá (i) ‘to shave’: Ó fá irun rẹ̀  ‘He shaved his hair’. (ii) to scrapout: Ó fá ọbẹ̀ dànù ‘He scrapped out the remaining of the soup and threw it away’.

fà (i) to drag: Ó fà á jáde  ‘He dragged him out’ (ii) to crawl: Ọmọ náà ń fà  ‘The baby is crawling’ (iii) to inhale/to sniff: Ó fà á símú ‘He inhaled it’ (iv) to cause: Èyí ló fà á  ‘This is what caused it’ (v) to long for: Ọkàn-an rẹ̀ ń fà mí

 ‘I feel like see him’ (vi) to draw: Ó fa ìlà ‘He drew a line’ (vii) to conduct to a house: Wọ́n fa ìyàwó mi fún mi ‘They conducted my bride to my house’    (viii) to draw water. Ó fa omi láti inú kànga ‘He drew water from the well (ix) to have dried saliva on mouth: Ó fa lala  ‘He has dried saliva on his mouth’ (x) to desire one’s company: Ó fà mí, n kò sún mọ́ ọn ‘He desire my company but I kept aloof’ (xi) to be sluggish: Ó ń fà gọ̀lọ̀ ‘He is a sluggish person’ (xii) to be elastic: Ó ń fà bíi rọ́bà ‘It is elastic’ (xiii) to become smaller: Oówo rẹ̀ ti fà ‘The boil on his body has become smaller’ (xiv) to spread: Erèé yìí fà kálẹ̀ ‘These beans have spread’ (xv) to be out of sorts: Ara rẹ̀ fà ‘He is out of sorts’ (xvi) to pull: Ó fà á ‘He pulled it’ (xvii) to hold: Ó fà mí lọ́wọ́ ‘He held my hand’ (xviii) absorb: Aṣọ náà fa gbogbo omi inú abọ náà ‘The cloth absorb all the water in the bowl’ (xix) dull: Ó fà ‘He is dull; (xx) due: Oúnjẹ burúkú ni ó fa àìsàn rẹ̀ ‘His illness was due to bad food’ (xxi) puff: Ó fa sìgá rẹ̀ ‘He puffed his cigarette’ (xxii) root of: Kí ni ó fa wàhálà tí ó wà láàrín ìwọ àti Olú? ‘What is the root of the trouble between you and Olú?  (xxiii) rule: Ó fa ìlà sí abẹ́ orúkọ rẹ̀ ‘He ruled a line under his name’ (xxiv) scrambled up: Ọmọ náà fà gun òkè náà ‘The child scrambled up the hill’ (xxv) to set: Kí ni ó fà á tí ajá náà fi ń gbó? ‘What has set the dog barking?’ (xxvi) slow: Ó fà díẹ̀ ‘He is a bit slow’ (xxvii) strain on: Ó fa okùn náà ‘He strained on the rope’ (xxviii) stretch: Rọ́bà ń fà ‘Rubber stretches’ (xxix) stupid: Ó fà púpọ̀ ‘He is very stupid’ (xxx) tardy: Òfin máa ń sáábà fà láti ṣe nǹkan sí àwùjọ tí ó ń yí padà ‘The law is often tardy in reacting to the changing society’ (xxxi) to tug at: Ológbò náà ń fa okùn bàtà mi ‘The cat was tugging at my shoe-lace’ (xxxii) warrant: Kí ni ó fa irú àfojúdi bẹ́ẹ̀? ‘What warrants such insolence?’ (xxxiii) Whip: Ó fa ọ̀bẹ kan yọ ‘He whipped out a knife’ (xxxiv) wrench: Ó fa eyín náà ó sì yọ́ jáde  ‘He gave the tooth a wrench and it came out’ (xxxv) yank out: Ó fa eyín kan tu ‘He yanked a tooth’.

fẹ́ (i) to want: Ó fẹ́ owó ‘He wants money’ (ii) to love/to like: Ó fẹ́ mi ‘He loves me’ (iii) tó marry: ‘Ó fẹ́ ẹ ‘He married her’ (iv) about to: Ó fẹ́ rẹ̀ mi ‘I am about to become tired’ (v) wish: Mo fẹ́ rí màmá rẹ ‘I wish to see your mother’ (vi) settle: Kí ni o fẹ́ láti ṣe nípa rẹ̀? What have you settled to do about it?’ (vii) long: Mo fẹ́ rí màmá mi, ó ti pẹ́ tí ó ti lọ ‘I longed to see my mother, she as been away for a long time’ (viii) Keen: Ṣé o fẹ́ lúwẹ̀ẹ́? ‘Are you keen on swimming?’ (ix) intend: Ní òní, mo fẹ́ kọ lẹ́tà mi  ‘Today, I intend to write my letter’ (x) fond: Mo máa ń fẹ́ jẹ ẹran ‘I am fond of eating meat’ (xi) flow: Atẹ́gùn fẹ́ wọ inú yàrá náà nígbà tó ṣí fèrèṣé  ‘Air flowed into the room when he opened the window’ (xii) eager: Ó ń fẹ́ láti fi iṣẹ́ rẹ̀ hàn mí ‘He is eager to show me his work’ (xiii) blow: Afẹ́fẹ́ fẹ́ ní àná ‘The wind blew yesterday’ (xiv) desire: Ó fẹ́ owó  ‘He desired money’ (xv) dispose: Ṣé o fẹ́ bá mi kọ lẹ́tà yìí àbí kí n bẹ Olú?  ‘Are you dispose to help me write this letter, or shall I ask Olú?’.

fẹ̀    (i) to expand/to enlarge: Ó ń fẹ̀ ‘It is expanding; Ó fẹ ihò náà ‘He enlarged the hole’ (ii) to be extensive: Ó fẹ̀ ‘It is extensive (iii) to sit relaxedly: Ó fẹ̀ ‘He sat relaxedly’ (iv) broad: Èjìká rẹ̀ fẹ̀ ‘He has a broad shoulder’ (v) deep: Ohùn rẹ̀ fẹ̀ ‘He has a deep voice’.

fi     (i)    to take something to do another thing (to use): Ó fi ọ̀bẹ gé e ‘He uses a knife to cut it’ (ii) to swing: Ó fi okùn náà ‘He swings the rope’ (iii) to put: fi síbẹ̀ ‘Put it there’ (iv) apply: Dókítà fi oògùn sí egbò rẹ̀ ‘The doctor applied some medicine on his cut’ (v) laugh at: A fi ọmọkùnrin náà rẹ́rìn-ín ‘We laughed at the boy’ (vi) in: Pẹ́ńsù ni wọn fi kọ àwọn ọ̀rọ̀ náà ‘The words were written in pencil (vii) place: fi ìwé náà lé orí tábìlì ‘Place the book on the table’ (viii) place: Ó fi ìwé kan sí iwájú rẹ̀ ‘He placed a book in front of her’ (ix) wear: Ó fi àdòdó há ihò bọ́tìnnì rẹ̀ ‘He wore a flower in her button hole’ (x) spend: Ó fi gbogbo àkókò rẹ̀ kàwé ‘He spend all his time reading’ (xi) keep: Ó fi sọ́kàn ‘He kept it in mind (xii) ship: Ó fi náírà mẹ́wàá bọ̀ ọ́ lọ́wọ́ ‘He slipped ten naira into his hand’ Also, note the use of fi in the following sentences: (a) Ó fi aṣọ lẹ ẹ̀wù ‘He patched his cloth with cloth’ (b) Ó ń wá ọ̀nà tí yóò fi jáde ‘He is seeking some way out’ (c) Ó fi mí ní ẹ̀pà jẹ ‘He took away my groundnut and ate it’ (d) Nígbà tí ó fi ń ṣe tíṣà ni ‘It was at the time he was working as a teacher’ (e) Ó lù ú tó bẹ́ẹ̀ tí ó fi kú ‘He beat him so hard that he died’ (f) Hu ìwà tí wọ́n fi lè fẹ́ràn rẹ ‘Behave in a way whereby they can love you’ (g) Kí ló ṣe tí o fi yára bẹ́ẹ̀? Whatever has made you so fast?’ (h) Ó ro gbogbo ohun tó fi ṣe é fún mi ‘He grumbled to me about what he did to him’

fì     (i)    whirl something round: Mo fi apá mi ‘I swung my arm round and round’ (ii) to dangle: Ó ń fì dorodoro ‘He is dangling and oscillating to and fro’ (iii) to be too much: Náírà  kan fì í lọ́wọ́ láti ná fún mi ‘Even a naira is too much for him to spend for me’ (iv) wave: Ó fi agboòrùn rẹ̀ ‘He waved his umbrella’.

fín (i) Ó fi Sheltox fín yàrá náà ‘He sprays the room with Sheltox’ (ii) be accepted: Ẹbọ á fín ‘The sacrifice would be accepted by the deities, e.g. good-luck’ (iv) to cut patterns on something: Ó fín igbá náà ‘He carved patterns on the calabash’. (v) to blow: Ó fín iná náà ‘He blew the fire to make it burn up.

fó(i) to be clear: Ilẹ̀ ti fó ‘The ground is clear’ (ii) to float: Ó fó lórí omi ‘It floated on the river’.

fò(i) to jump: Ó fò ó ‘He jumped over it’ (ii) to fly: Ẹyẹ náà fò ‘The bird flew’ (iii) drift: Ìyẹ́ náà fò kọ́já nínú afẹ́fẹ́ ‘The feather drifted past in the wind’ (iv) leap: Ajá náà fo tábìlì náà kọjá ‘The dog leapt over the table’ (v) rise: Ẹyẹ náà fò sókè lójú  òfúrúfú ‘The bird rose high above the sky’ (iv) spring: Ó fò sókè ‘He sprang up’ (vii) vault: Ó fo fẹ́ǹsì náà ó sì sá lọ ‘He vaulted the fence and ran away’ (viii) clear: Ó fo ẹsẹ̀ bàtà mẹ́fà ‘He cleared six feet’.

fọ́ (i) to smash: Ó fọ́ àwo náà ‘He smashed the plate’ (ii) to ache: Orí ń fọ́ mi ‘I have headache’ (iii) to be blind: Ó fọ́ ní ojú ‘He is blind’ (iv) to spoil: Ó fọ́ iṣẹ́ mi pọ̀ ‘He spoiled my work’ (v) to fossick about: Ó ń fọ́ igbó kiri ‘He is fossicking about in the ‘bush’ (to find some useful items)’ (vi) to squash together to form a solid mass: Ó fọ́ wọn pọ̀ ‘He squashed them together to form a mass’ (vii) to shout out boastingly, Ó ń fọ́ táá  ‘He is shouting out boastingly’ (viii) to leak out secret: Sàǹgbá fọ́! The secret leaked out (e.g. the cat is out of the bag)’ (ix) squash: Àwọn tòmátò pípọ́n tí ó wà ní ìsàlẹ̀ àpótí náà ti fọ́ ‘The ripe tomatoes at the bottom of the box had been squashed’ (x) crash: Ìkòkò náà fọ́ mọ́lẹ̀ ‘The pot crashed to the floor’ (xi) broken: O gbọ́dọ̀ sanwó fèrèsé tí ó fọ́ ‘You have to pay for the broken windows’ (xii) break: Òkúta náà fọ́ fèrèsé náà ‘The stone broke the window’.

fọ̀    (i)    to wash: Ó fọ aṣọ náà ‘He washed the cloth’ (ii) Ó fọ̀ sí mi ‘He spoke to me’ (iii) bathe: Fọ egbò rẹ kí o tó dì í ‘Bathe your wound before you tie it up (iv) scrub: Fọ ilẹ̀ ‘Srub the floor’.

fọ́n (i) to scatter: Ó fọ́n erèé sí orí ilẹ̀ ‘He scattered the beans on the ground’ (ii) to boast: Ó ń fọ́n ẹnu ‘He is boasting’ (iii) to drizzle: Òjò ń fọ́n ‘it is drizzling’ (iv) to sprinkle: Mo fọ́n omi sí i ‘I sprinkle water on it’ (v) smear: Wọ́n fọ́n sokoléètì sí ọmọ náà lójú ‘They smeared the child’s face with a chocolate’.

fọn(i) to blow: Ó fọn fèrè náà ‘He blows the whistle’, (ii) to trumpet: Erín fọn ‘The Elephant trumpeted’ (iii) to become thin: Ó fọn ‘He is  (iv) play: Wọ́n fọn fèrè ‘They played a wood wind’.

fọ̀n(i) to collect: Ó fọn iná/iná ni ó fọ̀n ‘He took burning wood out of the fire (so as to ignite another fire)’ (ii) to run: Ó fọ̀n ọ́n ‘He took to his heels’.

fún (i) to squeeze: Ó fún mi lọ́wọ́ ‘He squeeze my hand’ (ii) to give: Ó fún ni lówó ‘He gave me money’ (iii) for: Mo dé fìlà fún un ‘I put on his cap for him/I put on a cap (on my head) for him (iv) to/for: Ó tà á fún mi ‘He sold it to me’ (v) against to: Ó ṣe ìjàm̀bá fún mi ‘He did some injury to me’ (vi) to be tight: Ó fún ‘It is tight’ (vii) on account of: Ó ń jìyà fún ẹ̀sẹ̀ rẹ̀ ‘He is being disciplined for his offences (viii) white: Ó fun bí ẹ̀gbọ̀n òwú ‘It is as white as a cotton carded ready for spinning’ (ix) submit: Mo fún Olùkọ́ náà ní ìwé mi ‘I submitted my paper to the teacher’ (x) squash up: Àwọn bàtà tuntun yìí fún mi lẹ́sẹ̀ ‘These new shoes squash my feet up’ (xii) return: Mo fún un ní gbogbo owó tí mo jẹ ẹ́ ‘I returned all the money I owed him’ (xiii) provide: A fún wọn ní oúnjẹ ‘We provided them with food’ (xiv) pinch: Àwọn bàtà yìí fún mi ‘These shoes pinch me’ (xv) jam: Mo fún gbogbo aṣọ mi mọ́ inú àpótí kékeré náà ‘I jammed all my clothes into the small box’ (xvi) issue: Ó fún àwọn ọmọ náà ní pẹ́ẹ̀nì ‘He issued pens to the children’ (xvii) help: Ó fún mi ní ráìsì díẹ̀ ‘He helped me to some rice’ (xviii) grant: Wọ́n fún àwọn ọmọ náà ní ìsinmi ‘The children were granted a holiday’ (xix) hand: fún mi ní ìwé yẹn ‘Hand me that book’ (xx) dispense: Nọ́ọ̀sì náà fún àwọn aláìsàn náà ní oògùn oníkóró ‘The nurse dispensed some pills to the ill people’ (xxi) crush: Ó fún ọsàn náà kí ó bàa le mu omi inú rẹ̀ ‘he crushed the orange so he could drink the juice’ (xxii) on behalf: Mo san owó náà fún ọ ‘I paid the money on your behalf (xxiii) transfer: Ó fún mi ní ohun ìní rẹ̀ ‘He transferred his property to me’.

fun (i) to blow: Ó fun fèrè ‘He blows the whislte’ (ii) to play: Wọ́n fun fèrè ‘They played a wood wind’.

Gg

gá ‘to be tired’: Ó gá mi (slang) ‘I am tired/I give up’.

ga (i) ‘to be high’: Ó ga ‘He is tall’ (ii) great: Patí yẹn ga ‘That party was great’ (iii) shoot: Olú tètè ń ga sí i ‘Olú is shooting up fast’ (iv) soar: Iye tí wọ́n ń ta àgbàdo ti ga nítorí ogun ‘The price of grain has soared because of war’ (v) tall: Olú ga ju Adé ‘Olú is taller than Adé’

gà ‘to open’: Ó ga agbòòrùn-un rẹ̀ ‘He opened his umbrella’.

gán (i) to cut: Ó gán an lórí ‘He cut off his head’ (ii) to use economically: Ó gán an lò ‘He used it economically’ (iii) to hit: Ó gán an ‘He hit him on the palm (with ‘òkòtó) (small snail-shell) (iv) to tack: Ó gán aṣọ náà ‘He tacked the clothes’.

gan (i) ‘to be hardened’. Búrẹ́dì náà ti gan ‘The loaf of bread has become hardened’ (ii) stale: Búrẹ́dì náà ti gan ‘The bread has gone stale’.

gàn (i) ‘to despise’: Ó gàn án ‘He despised him’ (ii) sneer: Ó gàn mí ‘He sneered on me’.

gé (i) to cut: Ó gé ẹran ‘He cut the meat’ (ii) to dribble: Mó gé e ní ègé ‘I dribble him’ (iii) mow: Àwọn ọkùnrin náà ń gé oko ‘The men are mowing the grass’ (iv) segment: Ó gé ọ̀rọ̀ náà sí ègé ‘He segmented the word into segments’ (v) sever: Ó gé orí ewúrẹ́ náà kúrò ni ara rẹ̀ ‘He severs the head of the goat from its body’ (iv) trim: Ó gé irun ara rẹ̀ ‘He trimmed her hair’.

gẹ̀ (i) tu cut: Ó gẹ irun ‘He cut his hair’ (ii) to pet: Ó gẹ gèlè ‘She puts on her head-kerchief in a jaunty way’.

gọ́ to be tired (slang): Ó gọ́ mi ‘I am tired’.

gọ to lurk in hiding: Ó gọ ‘He lurks in hiding

gọ̀ (i) to be stupid: Ó gọ̀ ‘He is stupid’ (ii) to release:Ó gọ̀ ìbọn rẹ̀ ‘He released the hammer of his gun’

gún (i) tó be straight: Ó gún ‘It is straight’ (ii) to pound: Ó gún iyán ‘He pouded yams’ (iii) to stab: Ó gún un lọ́bẹ ‘He stabbed him with a knife’ (iv) to fledge: Ẹyẹ náà gún ìyẹ́ ‘The bird is fledged’ (v) to prick: Ẹ̀gún gún un lẹ́sẹ̀ ‘A thorn pricked him in the leg’ (vi) jab: Nígbà tí mo ń rán aṣo, mo fi abẹ́rẹ́ gún ara mi níka’ When I was sewing, I jabbed my finger with a needle’ (vii) penetrate: Abẹ́rẹ́ gún un ní ìka ‘The needle penetrated the skin of her finger’ (viii) pierce: Ọfà gún un lápá “The arrow pierced his arm’ (ix) puncture: Abẹ́rẹ́ gún un lápá ‘The needle punctured her skin’ (x) shrug: Ó gún èjìká  ‘She shrugged her shoulder’ (xi) stick: Ó fi abẹ́rẹ́ gún ìka rẹ̀ ‘He sticks the needle through his finger’ (xii) thrust: Ó fi ọ̀bẹ gún ọ̀tá rẹ̀ ní ọkàn ‘He thrusts a knife into his enemy’s heart’.

gùn (i) to be long: Ó gùn ‘It is long’ (ii) to climb: Ó gun igi ‘He climbed the tree’ (iii) to copulate: Ó gun obìnrin rẹ̀ ‘He copulate with his wife’ (iv) to be installed: Ó gun orí oyè ‘He was installed a chief’ (v) to be pregnant: Ewúrẹ́ náà ti gùn ‘The goat is pregnant’ (vi) to accede: Ó gun orí ìtẹ́ ‘He acceded to the throne: (vii) mount: Ó gun ẹsin rẹ̀ ‘He mounted his horse’ (viii) ride: Ó gun kẹ̀kẹ́ ‘He rode a bicycle’.

GBgb

gbá (i) to fry: Ó gbá epo náà ‘He fried the red palm oil’ (ii) to kick: Ó gbá bọ́ọ̀lù ‘He kicked the ball’ (iii) to sweep: Ó gbá ilẹ̀ ‘He swept the floor’ (iv) to slap: Ó gbá mi létí ‘He slapped my ears’ (v) to run after: Ó gbá tì mí ‘He ran after me’ (vi) hit: Ó gbá mi lábàrá ‘He hit me with his hand’ (vii) smite: Àwọn orúnkún rẹ̀ ń gbá ara wọn ‘His knees smote together’ (viii) struck: Ó gbá mi lágbọ̀n ‘He struck me on the chin’ (ix) box: Ó gbá mi létí ‘He boxed my ears’.

gbà (i) to accept: Ó gba owó ‘He accepted the money’ (ii) to manage to do something: Ọ̀nà tí mo lè gbà ṣe é nìyẹn ‘That is the way I can manage to do it’ (iii) suit: Ilẹ̀ yìí gba àgbàdo ‘This soil suits maize’ (iv) accept: Mo gba àbá tí o dá ‘I accepted your proposal’ (v) to be indulgent to: Ó gbà fún mi ‘He was indulgent to me’ (vi) to help: Gbà mí ‘Help me/save me’ (vii) tó follow a road: Mo gba apá òṣì ‘I went to the left’ (viii) to envelope: Ìkuukùu gba ojú ọ̀run ‘The mist envelopes the sky’ (ix) to capture: Wọ́n gba ìlú wọn ‘They captured their town’ (x) worth: Kò gba náírà mẹ́wàá ‘It is worth more than Ten naira’ (xi) to/through: Ó gbé e gba inú ilé lọ ‘He took it to the house/He took it through the house’ (xii) hold: Ìgò mi lè gba omi yìí ‘My bottle can hold this water’ (xiii) to be deprived of something: Ó gbà á lọ́wọ́ mi ‘He took it from me’ (xiv) to require: Ó gba oṣù mẹ́rin láti parí rẹ̀ ‘Four months are required to complete it’ (xv) accommodate: Ilé wa lè gba ènìyàn mẹ́rin ‘Our house can accommodate four people’ (xvi) achieve: Ó gba máàkì tó ga nínú ìdánwò ‘He achieved high marks in the examination’ (xvii) acknmowledge: Ṣé o gbà pé o jẹ̀bi? ‘Do you acknowledge that you are wrong?’ (xviii) admit: Ó gbà pé òun lẹ ‘He admitted that he was lazy’ (xix) adopt: A gba àbá Òjó ‘We adopted Ojo’s plan’ (xx) chant: Ó gba àdúrà’ He chanted a prayer’ (xxii) conclude: Nígbà tí mo gbọ́ ìtàn tí ó sọ, mo gbà pé òtítọ́ ni ó sọ fún mi ‘When I had heard his story, I concluded that he had told me the truth’ (xxiii) consent: Mo bi bàbá mi bí mo le jáde, ó sì gbà ‘I asked my father if I could go out, and he consented’ (xxiv) dominate: Ilé-ìwé náà gba gbogbo títì ‘The school dominates the street’ (xxv) earn: Ó gba owó púpọ̀ nítorí pé ó ń ṣiṣẹ́ ní àárọ̀ ‘He earned a lot of money by working in the morning’ (xxvi) get: Mo gba lẹ́tà láti ọ̀dọ̀ Màríà ‘I got a letter from Mary” (xxvii) last: Ìsinmi wa gba ọjọ́ mẹ́wàá ‘Our holiday lasted ten days’ (xxviii) listen: Kò gba ìpẹ̀ tí a ṣe fún un ‘He does not listen to our advice’ (xxix) obtain: Mo ti gba ìwé náà ‘I have obtained the book’ (xxx) occupy: Tábìlì náà gba ìlàjì yàrá náà ‘The table occupies  half of the room’ (xxxi) offer: Ó gbà láti bá mi gbé péèlì náà ‘He offered to carry the pail for me’ (xxxii) pierce: Ariwo rẹ̀ gba inú afẹ́fẹ́ ‘Her shriek pierced the air’ (xxxiii) settle: Ọgọ́rùn-ún náírà ni mo fẹ́ ta ìwé náà ṣùgbọ́n mo wá gba ọgọ́rin náírà ‘I had hoped to get N100 for the book but I had to settle for N80’ (xxxiv) take: Mo gba oògùn náà ‘I took the medicine’ (xxxv) undertake: Ó gbà láti parí iṣẹ́ náà títí ọjọ́ Jímọ̀-ọ̀n ‘He undertook to finish the work by Friday’ (xxxvi) hoft: Ó gbá bọ́ọ̀lù náà kọjá orí rẹ̀ ‘He hofts the ball over his head’ (xxxvii) rescue: A gba ọkùnrin náà lọ́wọ́ àwọn olè náà ‘We rescue the man from the robbers’.

gbé (i) to be overcome by something: Wárápá gbé e ‘He had an epilepsy/Orun gbé wọn lọ ‘They fall asleep’ (ii) to carry: Ó gbé ẹrù náà ‘He carried the load’ (iii) a grammatical Item: Níbo lo gbé rí i?/Mo rí i níllé ‘Where did you see him?/I saw him at home’ (iv) to live: Ó ń gbé ní Ìbàdàn ‘He lives at Ibadan’ (v) to perish: Ó gbé sí ojú omi ‘He perished on the water’ (vi) to engage: Mo ń gbé yàrá kan ‘I engaged a room’ (vii) hand over to: Mo gbé e fún un ‘I handed it over to him’ (viii) to increase: Ó gbé pẹ́ẹ́ díẹ̀ sí i ‘It increased slightly’ (ix) to lift: Ó gbé e kúrò nílẹ̀ ‘He lifted it up’ (x) manage to do something: Níbo ni o gbé rí i? Where did you managed to get it? (xi) happened to: Ṣé o rí ibi tí a gbé ṣe àṣìṣe? ‘Did you see where we happened to make a mistake’? (xii) base: Gbé èrò rẹ̀ ka orí òtítọ́ ‘Base your opinion on facts’ (xiii) bear: Ẹṣin kékeré yẹn ò lè gbé ọ (nítorí pé o ti tóbi jù) ‘That small horse cannot bear your weight’ (xiv) board: Wọ́n ń gbé pẹ̀lú ẹ̀ ‘They are boarding with her’ (xv) get: Gbé àwọn ìwé yìí fún Olú ‘Get these books to Olú’ (xvi) hoist: Ó gbé àpò náà kọ́ apá ‘He hoisted a bag onto his shoulder’ (xvii) pick: Ó dá káà rẹ̀ dúró, ó sì gbé ọkùnrin kan ‘He stopped his car and picked up a boy’ (xviii) place: Ó gbé àpótí kan sí iwájú rẹ̀ ‘He placed a box in front of her’ (xix) put: Gbé àpótí náà sí orí tábìlì ‘Put the box on the table’ (xx) take: gbé ọjà tí o rà náà sí ilé ‘Take the shopping home’ (xxi) transport: Ọkọ̀ ojú irin ni wọ́n fi gbé àwọn ènìyàn náà ‘The people were transported by train’ (xxii) turn over: Ó ti gbé ilé-iṣẹ́ rẹ̀ fún àwọn ọmọ rẹ̀ ‘He has turned over his business to his children’ (xxiii) wash: Ìrú omi gbé igi náà lọ sí èbúté ‘The wood was washed up the shore by the waves’ (xxiv) hang out: Níbo lo ń gbé báyìí? ‘Where are you hanging out now?’ (xxv) inhabit: Wọ́n máa ń gbé ilé náà tẹ́lẹ̀ ‘They used to inhabit the house’ (xxvi) lean: Gbé ìgbọ̀nwọ́ lé orí tábìlì ‘Lean your elbow on the table’ (xxvii) lodge: Ó ń gbé yàrá kan nínú ilé wa ‘He lodges in a room in our house’.

gbè (i) to support: Ó gbè mí ‘He took my part’ (ii) to collect: Ó gbe omi òjò ‘He collected rain water’ (iii) profitable: Òwò náà gbe gbogbo wa ‘The business was profitable to all of us’ (iv) pay: Iṣẹ́ Olùkọ́ gbe àwọn ènìyàn kan ‘Teaching profession pays some people’.

gbẹ́ (i) to dig: Ó gbẹ́ ilẹ̀ ‘He dug the ground’ (ii) to sharpen’ Ó gbẹ́ lẹ́ẹ̀dì ‘He sharpened the pencil’ (iii) to carve: Ó gbẹ́ ọpọ́n ‘He carved the tray’ (iv) to cackle: Adìyẹ náà gbẹ́ ‘The hen cackled’ (v) to clear one’s throat: Ó gbẹ́ ikọ́ ‘He coughed’ (vi) chisel: Ọkùnrin náà fi igi gbẹ́ abọ́’ The man chiselled a bowl from a piece of wood’ (vii) drill: Ó gbẹ́ ihò sí ara ògiri ‘He drilled a hole in the wall (viii) gnaw: Eku náà gbẹ́ ihò sí ara igi náà ‘The rat gnaws a hole in the tree’ (ix) inscrible: Wọ́n gbẹ́ orúkọ rẹ̀ sí ara òkúta náà’ They inscribed his name on the stone’ (x) scrap out: Ó gbẹ́ ihò ‘He scraped out a hole’.

gbẹ (i) to be dry: Omi náà ti gbẹ ‘The river has dried up’ (ii) evaporate: Omi inú odò náà gbẹ ‘Water from the river evaporates’.

gbẹ̀ (i) to sow: (in ifẹ̀ dialect of Yorùbá)’. Ó gbẹ àgbàdo ‘He planted maize’.

gbìn (i) to plant: Ó gbin erèé ‘He planted beans’ (ii) cultivate: Àgbẹ̀ náà gbin àgbàdo ‘The farmer cultivated maize’ (iii) sow: Ó gbin ráìsì ‘He sowed rice’.

gbó (i) to bark: Ajá náà gbó ‘The dog barked’ (ii) to be old: Ó ti gbó ‘He is old’ (iii) to be ripe: Àgbàdo náà ti gbó ‘The maize has ripen’ (iv) age: Ó tètè gbo

́ ‘He aged fast’ (v) ancient-looking: Fìlà tí ó ti gbó ni ó mú dání ‘He is holding an ancient-looking hat’ (vi) wear-out: Àwọn bàtà mi ti gbó ‘My shoes are worn out’.

gbo (i) to shake: Ó gbo igi náà ‘He shook the tree’ (ii) to long for: Àìsí nílé mi gbò ó ‘My absence from home made him long for me’ (iii) to have an effect on/to be troubled: Àìsàn náà gbò ó ‘The sickness had an effect on him’.

gbọ́ (i) to hear: Ó gbọ́ ìpè mi ‘He heard my call’ (ii) to understand: Ó gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ mi ‘He understands me/He accepts what I say’ (iii) look after: Mo gbọ́ ti ara mi ‘I look after my affair’ (iv) to perceive: Ó gbọ́ òórùn ‘He perceives a smell’ (v) to obey: Mo gbọ́ tirẹ̀ ‘I obeyed him’ (vi) to know how to do something: Ó gbọ́ ifá ‘He knows how ti divine’ (vii) attend: Gbọ́ ti ara rẹ ‘Attend to your affair’ (viii) gather: Mo gbọ́ pé o nífẹ̀ẹ́ sí bọ́ọ̀lù ‘I gather that you are interested in football’.

gbọ̀ (i) to thrive: Ilẹ̀ ọlọ́ràá máa ń gbọ ẹ̀fọ́ ‘Vegetables thrive well on humus soil’ (ii) flourish: Ilẹ̀ yìí gbọ́ ẹ̀fọ́ ‘Vegetables flourish in this earth’.

gbọ́n (i) to be intelligent: Ọmọkùnrin náà gbọ́n ‘The boy is wise’ (ii) to scoop out: Ó gbọ́n omi kúrò nínú ìkòkò náà ‘He scooped water out of the pot’ (iii) prudent: Olùkọ́ náà gbọ́n ‘The teacher is prudent’ (iv) tactful: Ó gbọ́n púpọ̀ ‘She is very tactful’.

gbọ̀n: (i) to shiver: Ó ń gbọ̀n ‘He is sheivering’ (ii) to shake: Ó gbọn orí ‘He shook is head’ (iii) to beat a red-hot cutlass or hoe: Ó gbọn àdá ‘He beat a red-hot cutlass with a hammer so as to reshape it’ (iv) to spin: Ó ń gbọn òògo ‘He is spinning his top’ (v) to brush: Gbọn ẹ̀wù yìí fún mi ‘brush this clothes for me (vi) quake: Ìbẹ̀rù ń jẹ́ kí ó gbọ̀n ‘He was quaking with fear’ (vii) shudder: Ó ń gbọ̀n nígbà tí ó rí ejò náà ‘He shudders when he sees the snake’ (viii) tremble: Ẹ̀rù ń jẹ́ kí ó gbọ̀n ‘He trembled with fear’ (ix) whisk: Ó gbọn ìdọ̀tí náà kúrò ‘He whisked the dirt off’.

gbún (i) to trip: Ó gbún mi lẹ́sẹ ‘He tripped me’ (ii) to touch slightly: Ó gbún mi ‘He touched me slightly’.

gbun (i) to be curve: Ìlà náà gbun ‘The line is curve’ (ii) to be crooked” Ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ gbun ‘He has crooked legs’.

Hh

há (i) to narrow; Ó há ‘It is narrow’ (ii) to stuck in: Eegun há a lọ́nà ọ̀fun ‘A bone got stuck in his throat’ (iii) to divide amongst: Ó há ẹran fún wa ‘He divided the meat amongst us’ (iv) to wedge: Ó fi igi há ihò náà ‘He wedged a stick in between the hole’ (v) to be densely crowded: Ó há gágá ‘It is densely crowded’ (vi) jam: N kò lè ṣí fèrèsé náà, ó ti há ‘I can’t open the window, it is jammed’ (vii) to be narrow: Ọ̀nà náà há ‘The road is narrow’

ha (i) to graze: Igi náà ha mí lára ‘The three grazed my skin’ (ii) to clear: Ó ha ọ̀fun ‘He cleared his throat’ (iii) a question maker: Ìwọ ha ṣe é? Did you do it? (iv) used with a question marker for emphasis: Ìwọ ha ńkọ́ ‘What about you?’  (v) scrape: Fi ọ̀bẹ ha àbàtà ara bàtà rẹ̀ kúrò ‘Scrape the mud off your shoes with a knife’ (vi) file: Ó ń ha èékánná rẹ̀ ‘He is filing his nail’.

hán to catch: Ó hán owó tí ó jù sí i ‘He caught the money she threw to him’.

han ‘to scream/howl out’: Ó han ‘He sceamed’.

hàn (i) to be clear: Ó hàn pé kò fẹ́ràn rẹ ‘It is clear that he doesn’t like you’ (ii) to pick: Ó han ẹ̀fọ́ ‘He picked vegetables’ (iii) to be visible: Ó hàn ‘It is (clearly) visible’ (iv) to be evident: Ó hàn pé ó wá ‘It is evident that he came’ (v) apparent: Ó hàn pé kò mọ nǹkankan nípa ọ̀rọ̀ náà ‘It was apparent that he knew nothing about the case’ (vi) distinct: Òjìji rẹ hàn gan-an lára kádíbọ́ọ̀dù funfun yẹn ‘Your shadow is quite distinct on that white cardboard’ (vii) obvious: Ó hàn pé ó wà láàyè ‘It is obvious that he is alive’ (viii) show: Ó ti ya ẹ̀wù rẹ̀ ní abíyá ṣùgbọ́n kò hàn ‘She had torn her dress under the harm, but it didn’t show.

he ‘to pick’: Ó he é ‘He picked it’.

hè ‘to expand’: Ó hè é ‘He expands it’.

hẹ (i) to sit at the edge: Ò fìdí hẹ́ àga ‘He sat at the edge of the chair’ (ii) transition: Ìjọba fìdí hẹ ẹ́ ni ‘It is a government transition’.

hẹ̀ ‘to despise’: Ó ṣe  hẹ̀ mi ‘He despises me’.

hẹn ‘yes’: Mo bi í pé ṣé bẹ́ẹ̀ ni; ó ní hẹn ‘I asked him if it is so; he said yes’.

hó (i) to be noisy: Wọ́n ń hó hèè ‘They are making much noise’ (ii) to peel: Ó hó ọsàn ‘He peels oranges’ (iii) to boil: Omi ń hó ‘The water is boiling’ (iv) to swirl: Odò yìí ń hó ‘The river is swirling along’ (v) bubble: Ọṣẹ náà hó ‘The soap bubbles’.

họ́ (i) to be tight: Ó họ́ ‘It is tight’ (ii) jam: Ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ènìyàn ni ó wá sí ibi ìdánilẹ́kọ̀ọ́ náà tí ó fi jẹ́ pé ibẹ̀ họ́ ‘So many people came to the seminar that the place was jammed’ (iii) narrow: Ó họ́ ‘It is narrow’.

họ (i) to flee from fear: Ó họ ‘He fled from fear’ (ii) to gnaw: Ó fi eyín họ eegun ‘He gnawed a bone’ (iii) to scratch: Mo họ ara ‘I scratched where it itched me’

họ̀ (i) despise: Ó dá họ̀ mi ‘He despises me’ (ii) ‘to say shame on somebody: ‘Ó ṣe họ̀ rẹ̀ ‘He says shame on him’.

hú (i) to uproot: Ó hú igi ‘He uprooted the tree’ (ii) to dig up: Ó hú iṣu ‘He dug up yams’.

hu (i) to remove hair from: Ó hu awọ ‘He removed the hair from the hide’ (ii) to howl: Ó hu ‘He howled out’ (iii) whine: Ajá náà ń hu ní ìta ‘The dog was whining outside’.

hù (i) to sprout: Koríko náà hù ‘The grass sprouted’ (ii) germinate: Èso ẹ̀wà náà hù ‘The bean seed germinates’ (iii) shoot: Igbó àdòdó róòsì tún hù lẹ́yìn tí wọ́n ti gé e ‘Rose bushes shot again after being cut’.

hún (i) itch: gbogbo alẹ́ ni etí rẹ̀ fi ń hún un ‘His ear itched all night’ (ii) scratch: Ó hún ibi tí ẹ̀fọn ti jẹ ẹ́ lẹ́sẹ̀ ‘He scratched the mosquito bite on his leg’.

hun (i) to weave: Ó hun aṣọ ‘He weaves clothes’ (ii) yes: Ó sọ pé hun ‘He says yes’ (iii) to suffer the penalty: Ó hun ún ‘He suffered the penalty’ (iv) construct: Mo fi àpólà orúkọ àti àpólà ìṣe hun gbólóhùn ‘I constructed a sentence with a noun phrase and a verb phrase’ (v) knit: Màmá mi hun ìbọ̀sẹ̀ mélòó kan fún mi ‘My mother knits me some socks’.

hùn ‘to grunt’: Ó ṣe hùn ‘He grunted’.

Ii

í (i) habitual maker: Ilé la ti í rí i  ‘We always see him from home’ (ii) it/her/him: Mo dì í ‘I tied it’.

i (i) a prefix used to form nouns from verbs and verb phrases: kú ‘to die’, Ikú ‘death’ (ii) it/her/him: Mo rí i ‘I saw her’.

ì (i) has not yet: Kò ì wá ‘He has not yet come’ (ii) a prefix used to form nouns from verbs and verb phrases: bínú ‘to be angry’, ìbínú ‘anger’; gbálẹ̀ ‘to sweep the earth’, ìgbálẹ̀ ‘a broom’; gbẹ́jọ́ ‘to listen to cases’. ìgbẹ́jọ́ ‘a place where cases were heard’; dì ‘to bundle’, ìdì ‘a bundle’; ránṣẹ́ ‘to send on an errand’, ìránṣẹ́ ‘messenger’ (ii) used for emphasis: Mo rí iì ‘I surely saw him’.

ín ‘it/her/him’. Mo rìn ín ní ìgàkè ‘I ticked him in his armpit’.

in (i) ‘it/her/him’. Mo kín in lẹ́yìn ‘I support him’.

ìn (i) negator: Mi ìn rí i ‘I did not see him’ (ii) used for emphasis: Ó dín in ìn ‘He surely fried it’.