Rr
rá (i) to vanish: Ó rá ‘It vanished’ (ii) to
crawl: Ó rá ‘He crawled’ (iii) wind: Mo rá okùn wé e ‘I wound a rope round
it’.
ra ‘to rub’: Ó fi epo ra ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ ‘He rubbed
his leg with oil’.
rà (i) to be putrid: Ẹran yìí rà ‘This meat
is putrid’ (ii) to buy: Ó rà á ‘He bought it’ (iii) purchase: Ẹ̀jẹ̀ àwọn
ènìyàn ni a fi ra ìṣègùn náà ‘The victory was purchased with the
people’s blood’ (iv) get: Mo gbọ́dọ̀ ra ilé-ìtàwé ‘I must get a book from
the bookshop’ (v) deal: Ó ń ta kẹ̀kẹ́ tàbí ó ń ra kẹ̀kẹ́ ‘He deals in
bycicles’ (vi) decay: Eyín rẹ̀ ti rà ‘His teeth had decayed’ (vii) afford: Mo
lè ra káà ‘I can afford a car’.
rán (i) to sew: Ó rán aṣọ náà ‘He sewed the
cloth’ (ii) to send on an errand: Ó rán an níṣẹ́ ‘He sent him on an errand’
(iii) recurred illness: Ẹsẹ̀ mi ọdún tó kọjá ń rán mi ‘The pain I had in
my leg last year has reccured’ (iv) to be puny: Ọmọ yìí rán ‘This child is
puny’ (v) to preserve: Ó fàyà rán an ‘He preserved’ (vi) recite: Ó rán
Ifá ‘He recite Ifa verse’.
ran (i) to spin: Ó ran òwú ‘He did spinning’
(ii) to dance: Ó ń ran lójú agbo ‘He is dancing well in the gathering’.
ràn (i) to infect: Ó ti kó ikọ́ ràn mí ‘He
has infected me with his cough’ (ii) to help: Ó ràn mí lẹ́rù ‘He helped me
with the load’ (iii) to shine: Oòrùn ń ràn ‘The sun is shinning’ (iv) to
catch fire: Igi náà ti ràn ‘The wood has iginited’ (v) to spread: Àìsàn
yìí ti ń ràn ‘This disease has started spreading’ (vi) to crawl: Ìgbín
ràn ‘The snail crawled’ (vii) to be able to overpower: Ọwọ́ mi ràn án ‘I can
overpower him’ (viii) lit: Mo fi iná ìsáná ran sìgá ‘I lit the cigarette
with a match’ (ix) bright: Oòrùn ràn ‘The sun was bright’ (x) beam: Oòrùn
ràn gba inú kùrukùru kọjá ‘The sun beamed through the cloud’.
ré (i) to take down: Ó ré aṣọ náà lórí
ìkọ́ ‘He takes down the clothes from the peg’ (ii) to drop: Ọsàn náà ré
láti orí igi ‘The orange dropped from the tree’ (iii) to pare off surface: Ó
ré e lórí ‘He pared off its surface’ (iv) to skim off: Ó ré omi orí rẹ̀
‘He skimmed the water off it’ (v) to trim: Mo ré èékánná mi ‘I trimmed my
fingernails’ (vi) to curse: Ó fi í ré ‘He cursed him’ (vii) to close:
Tàkúté náà ré ‘The trap closed’ (viii) to transfer: Ikú ré lórí mi
‘Death has been transferred from my head’ (ix) spring: Ó ré tàkúté náà
‘He sprang the trap’ (x) topple: Olú kọ lu tábìlì ife sì ré bọ́ sílẹ̀
‘Olú knocked against the table and the glass toppled onto the floor’.
re (i) to lose: Igi náà re ewé ‘The tree
lost his leaves’ (ii) to be urbane: Ọmọbìnrin yìí ti re jù ‘This girl is
too urbane’ (iii) to pick: Ó ra ata ‘He picked pepper’.
rè (i) to go to: Nìbo lo rè? ‘where did you
go?’ (ii) here it is: Owó rè é ‘Here is the money’ (iii) to like: Ó rè mí
‘I like it’ (iv) to boil: Osun náà ti rè dáadáa ‘The mushroom is (already)
boiled well’
rẹ́ (i) to be friendly: Wọ́n rẹ́ ‘They are
friendly (ii) to cut: Wọ́n rẹ́ ẹran náà ‘They cut the meat’.
rẹ (i) to soak: Wọ́n rẹ aṣọ náà sí inú omi
‘They soak the clothes in water’ (ii) your: Ajá rẹ nìyí ‘This is your dog’.
rẹ̀ (i) to be tired: Ó rẹ̀ mí ‘I am tired’
(ii) to increase in number: Wọ́n bí sí i, Wọ́n rẹ̀ sí i. ‘They gave birth to
more children, they increased in number’ (iii) to drop: Ewé igi náà ti rẹ̀
‘The leaves of the tree have dropped’ (iv) to be red: Òdòdó náà rẹ̀ dòdò
‘The flower is bright red’ (v) his: Ajá rẹ̀ nìyí ‘This is his dog’. (v) her:
Ajá rẹ̀ nìyí ‘This is her dog’ (vii) its: Etí rẹ̀ nìyí ‘This is its ear’
(viii) weak: Ó rẹ̀ ẹ́ lẹ́yìn àárẹ̀ ẹ rẹ̀ ‘He was weak after his illness’
(ix) weaken: Àìsàn náà jẹ́ kí ó rẹ ọkàn rẹ̀ ‘The illness weaken his
heart’ (x) wear: Àwọn ọmọ aláriwo yẹn jẹ́ kí ó rẹ̀ mí ‘Those noisy
children do wear me down’ (xi) weary: Ó rẹ Ọlú lẹ́yìn iṣẹ́ ọjọ́ náà ‘Olu
was feeling very weary after the day’s work’ (xii) slack: Ó rẹ̀ ẹ́ láàárọ̀
yìí ‘She feels slack this morning’ (xiii) sick: Ó rẹ bàbá rẹ̀ ‘His father
was sick’ (xiv) ill: Ó rẹ̀ ẹ́ ‘He is ill’ (xv) exhaust: Ìrìnàjò náà jẹ́
kí ó rẹ̀ ẹ́ ‘The jouney exhausted him’.
rí (i) to see: Ó rí i ‘He saw him’ (ii) to
get: Ó rí èrè lórí ọjà rẹ̀ ‘He got profit on his wares’ (iii) to look:
Báwo lo ṣe rí? Ó rí kiribiti ‘How does it look like? It is round’ (iv)
previously: Ó lọ sí ibẹ̀ rí ‘He was there before’ (v) catch: Mo rí bọ́ọ̀lù
náà lórí igi ‘I caught sight of the ball on the tree’ (vi) discover: Ṣé o
rí ìwé rẹ? ‘Did you discover your book?’ (vii) ever: Ǹjẹ́ o wọ inú ẹropíléènì
rí? Have you ever entered an aeroplane?’ (viii) find: O lè rí ìlú rẹ
nínú átíláàsì ‘You can find your country in an atlas’ (ix) formerly:
Gold coast ni Ghana ń jẹ́ rí ‘Ghana was formerly called Gold Coast’ (x) make:
Ó ń rí owó púpọ̀ lọ́sẹ̀ ‘He makes a lot of money every week’ (xi) obtain:
Ǹjẹ́
o mọ ibi tí a ti lè rí i? ‘Do you know
where it can be obtained?’ (xii) caught sight: Mo rí ìjókòó tí kò sí
ènìyàn lórí rẹ̀ ‘I caught sight of an empty seat’ (xiii) spot: Ó rí ọ̀rẹ́
rẹ̀ láàárín èrò ‘He spotted his friend in a crowd’ (xiv) visible: A rí
èéfín iná rẹ̀ láti ojú títì ‘The smoke from her fire was visible from
the road’.
ri ‘to cave in: Ilẹ̀ náà ri ‘The ground caved
in’.
rì (i) to sink: Ọkọ̀ náà rì sínú odò ‘The
ship sank into the river’ (ii) go under: Ọkọ̀ náà rì ‘The boat went under’
(iii) stick: Táyà ọkọ̀ náà rì sínú àbàtà ‘The tyre of the car stick
in the mud’ (iv) drown: Má ṣeré léti omi kí o má baà subú sínú rẹ̀ kí
o sì rì ‘Don’t play by the river in case you fall in and drown’.
rín (i) to laugh: Ó rín (ẹ̀rín) ‘He laughed’
(ii) smile: Ó rín sí àwọn ọmọ náà ‘She smiles at the children’.
rin: (i) to be moist: Ó rin ‘It is moist’ (ii)
to be soggy: Òjò náà rin ilẹ̀ ‘The rain has made the ground soggy’ (iii)
grate: Ó rin gaàrí ‘He grated cassava’.
rìn (i) to walk: Ó rìn ‘He walked’ (ii) to
tickle: Ó rìn mí lábíyá ‘He tickled my armpit’ (iii) to press down: Ó
rìn ín mọ́lẹ̀ ‘He pressed it down’ (iv) to make one feel sick: Ó rìn mí
láyà ‘It makes me feel sick’ (v) travel: Báwo ni ó ṣe ń yára rìn
sí? ‘At what speed is he travelling?’
(vi) to go on foot: A gbà láti rìn ‘We decided to go on foot’ (vii) stroll:
A rìn yí abúlé náà ká ‘We stroll round the village’ (viii) take a turn:
Mà á kọ́kọ́ rìn yí ilé po ‘I will take a few turns round the house first’.
ró (i) to stand: Ó ró sí iwájú ọ̀gá rẹ̀
‘He stood in the front of his master’ (ii) to put on a wrapper (by a woman): Ó
ró aṣọ ‘She put on her wrapper’ (iii) to make a sound: Ó ró ‘It makes a
sound’ (iv) to wait: Ó ró dè mí ‘He waited for me’ (v) drape: Ó ró
ìlekè náà mọ́ èjìká ‘He wrapped a cloak round his shoulders’.
ro (i) to pain: Ẹsẹ̀ ń ro mí ‘My leg is
paining me’ (ii) to cut: Ó ro oko iwájú ilé rẹ̀ ‘He cut the bush in the
front of his house’ (iii) to drip: Omi yìí ń ro sí inú abọ́ ‘This water is
dripping into the plate’ (iv) to be difficult: Òní ro fún Ọlá ‘Today is
difficult for Ọlá’ (v) to feel absence of someone: Ojú ń ro ó nítorí Adé
‘I feel absence of Adé (vi) till: Ó ro ilẹ̀ ‘He tilled the land’ (vii)
pain: Ẹ̀yin ń ro ó ‘He has a pain in
his back’ (viii) mow: Àwọn ọkùnrin náà ń ro oko ‘The men are mowing the
grass’.
rò (i) to think: Ó ronú lé e lórí ‘He
thinks over it’ (ii) to stir: Ó ro ọbẹ̀ ní orí iná ‘He stirs the soup on
the fire’ (iii) to relate: Ó rò fún un ‘He related everything to him’ (iv)
prepare: Ó ro ẹ̀fọ́ ‘He prepared vegetables’ (v) add: Ó ro ẹẹ́ta mọ́ ẹẹ́rin
láti di eéje ‘He added three to four to make seven’ (vii) assume: Mo rò pé
àsìkò kan náà lo máa ń jí lójoojúmọ́ ‘I assumed you always woke up at
the same time everyday’ (viii) fancy: Mo rò pé mo gbọ́ tí ẹnìkan ń wọ inú
ilé náà ‘I fancied I heard someone entering the house’ (ix) feel: Ó rò pé
òun ìbá ti ṣe iṣẹ́ tí ó dára ju ìyẹn ‘He felt he could have done better
work’ (x) guage: Mo rò pé ìwé márùn-ún ni yóò wà lórí tábìlì yẹn
‘I gauged that there will be five books on that table’ (xi) hope: Mo rò pé ó
wà nílé báyìí ‘I hope he is at home now’ (xii) imagine: Ṣé o rò pé mo
máa dá eré yín dúró ni? ‘Do you imagine I am going to stop your game’?
(xiii) suppose: Mo rò pé ó ti lọ ‘I supposed that he had left’ (xiv)
suspect: Ó jọ òtòsì ṣùgbọ́n mo rò pé ó lówó gan-an ni ‘He seems poor,
but I suspect that he has quite a lot of money’.
rọ́ (i) to narrate: Ó rọ́ àlá ‘He narrated
his dream’ (ii) to sprain: Ó fi ẹsẹ̀ rọ́ ‘He sprained his leg’ (iii) to fire:
Ó rọ́ àgbá ‘He fired a canon’ (iv) to creak: Àga yìí ń rọ́ kẹ́kẹ́ ‘This
chair is creaking’ (v) to push: Ó rọ́ mọ́tò náà sí ojú ọ̀nà ‘He pushed
the vehicle on to the road’ (vi) to be tough: Okùn náà rọ́ ‘The rope won’t
break easily’ (vii) to show off: Ọmọkùnrin náà ń rọ́ ‘The boy is showing
off’ (viii) to be well pounded ‘Iyán náà rọ́ ‘The pounded yam is well
pounded’ (ix) to rush out in a great number: Wọ́n rọ́ lọ They rushed out’ (x)
wrench: Ó fi orókún rọ́ ‘He gave his ankle a wrench’ (xi) swarm: Àwọn ọmọ
náà rọ́ wọ inú kíláàsì ‘The children swarm into the classroom’ (xii)
swept: Àwọn èrò náà rọ́ wálẹ̀ láti òkè ‘The crowd swept down the hill’
(xiii) strain: Ó rọ́ lẹ́sẹ̀ ‘He strained his leg’.
rọ (i) to wither: Ewé náà rọ ‘The leaves
withered’ (ii) to be difficult: Ọ̀nà tí ó rọ ló gbà ‘He took a difficult
road’ (iii) to smith: Ó rọ ọkọ́ ‘He smiths a hoe’ (iv) to be limp: Ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀
kan rọ ‘One of his legs limps’ (v) to pour fluid into a container which has a
norrow neck: Ó rọ omi sí inú ìgò ‘He poured water into the bottle’ (vi)
droop: Àwọn àdòdó náà rọ ní kété tí a já wọn tán ‘The flowers
drooped soon after we picked them’ (viii) forge: Ó rọ ọkọ́ ‘He forged hoe’ (ix)
limp: Bí koríko bá fẹ́ kú, ewé wọn yóò rọ ‘When plants are dying, their
leaves become limp’.
rọ̀ (i) to rain: Òjò rọ̀ ‘It rained’ (ii) to
be soft: Ọsàn náà rọ̀ ‘The orange is soft’ (iii) to persuade: Ó rọ̀ ọ́ kó
máa ṣe iṣẹ́ náà ‘He persuaded him from doing the job’ (iv) to be tamed: Ojú
ajá náà rọ̀ ‘The dog is tamed’ (v) to be sober: Ojú rẹ̀ ti rọ̀ ‘He is now
sober’ (vii) not to be angry: Inú rẹ̀ ti rọ̀ ‘He is no more angry’ (viii)
towards evening: Ọjọ́ ti rọ̀ ‘It is towards evening’ (ix) to pick what ones
likes: Ó ń ṣà, ó ń rọ̀ ‘He is picking the ones he likes’ (x) subside:
Ìjì náà bẹ́rẹ̀ síí rọ̀ ‘The storm began to subside’ (xi) easy: Àwọn
ìbéèrè yẹn rọ̀ ‘Those question were easy’ (xiii) pour: Òjò rọ̀ sílẹ̀ ‘The
rain poured down’ (xiv) fall: Òjò ń rọ̀ láìmọ́wọ́ró ‘Rain was falling
steadily’ (xv) soften: Ilẹ̀ rọ̀ ‘The earth softened’ (xvi) soothe: Mo rọ ọmọ mi
nígbà tí ó ń sunkún ‘I soothed my son when he was crying’ (xvii) tender: Ẹran
náà rọ̀ ‘The meat is tender’ (xviii) urge: Ó rọ̀ ọ́ kó sinmi ‘He urged her
to rest’.
rú (i) to spring up: Ewé náà ti ń rú bọ̀
‘The leaves are springing up’ (ii) to stir up sediments in water: Ó rú omi
náà ‘He stirred up sediments in the water (iii) to stir up revolt: Ó rú
ìlú ‘He stirred up revolt in the town’ (iv) to break: Ó rú òfin ‘He broke
the law’ (v) to poke: Ó rú iná ‘He poked the fire’ (vi) to rise: Èéfín ń
rú ‘The smoke is rising’ (vii) to be rough: Odò yìí ń rú sókè ‘This river
is rough’ (viii) to offer: Ó rú ẹbọ ‘He offered a sacrifice’ (ix) to haft: Ó
rú ọkọ́ ‘He hafted a hoe’ (x) to put on: Ó rú sí aṣọ rẹ̀ ‘He puts on his
garment’ (xi) to drive out: ‘Ó ń rú igbó ‘He is driving out animals from
the bush’.
ru (i) to be boiling: Omi náà ń ru ‘The
water is boiling’ (ii) to be dark: Òrú ru ‘It is dark’ (iii) to be angry:
Inú rẹ̀ ru ‘He is angry’ (iv) froth: Itọ́ náà ń ru ‘The saliva is frothed’.
rù (i) to be lean: Ó rù ‘He is lean’ (ii) to
carry: Ó ru ẹrù ‘He carried a load’ (iii) thin: Ó rù ‘He is thin’.
rún (i) to reduce to pieces: Àwo náà rún
‘The plate is reduced to pieces’ (ii) to chew: Ó rún obì ‘He chewed kolanut’
(iii) to cure: Ó rún àwọ ‘He cured leather’ (iv) to turn over: Ó rún ara
lórí ẹní ‘He turned (his body) over in the bed’ (v) to occur: Rẹ́rẹ́ run
‘Disasters occurs’ (vi) crush: Àwọn aṣọ rẹ̀ rún gan-an ni ‘His dresses were
badly crushed’ (vii) tan: A rún awọ ẹran láti fi ṣe bàtà aláwọ ‘We tan
animal’s skin to make leather shoes’ (ix) crumble: Ó rún àkàrà náà fún
adìẹ ‘He crumbled the cake for the chicken’.
run (i) to ache: (as of stomach): Inú ń run
mí ‘I am having stomach ache’ (ii) to perish: Gbogbo ìdílé wọn ti run ‘The
whole family has perished’ (iii) to destroy: Ó run ìlú náà ‘He destroyed
the town’.
rùn (i) to smell: Ó ń rùn ‘It is smelling’
(ii) to dip a morsel of food in soup: Mo run ọbẹ̀ ‘I dipped a morsel of food in
soup’ (iii) to chew: Ó ń run pákò ‘He is chewing stick’ (iv) stink: Òkú ẹja
náà ń rùn ‘The dead fish stinks’.
Ss
sá (i) to dry: Ó sá aṣọ ‘He hanged the
clothes in the sun to dry’ (ii) to run: Ó sá lọ ‘He ran away’ (iii) fly: Ó
sá jáde kíá nínú ilé náà ‘She flew out of the house’ (iv) flash: Káà
náà sá kọjá ‘The car flashed past’ (v) air: Ó sá ẹní náà kí ó lè gbẹ
‘He aired the mat to dry’.
sà (i) to be called by one’s nickname: Wọ́n sà
á ‘They use his nickname(s) to call him’ (ii) to apply strength on: Ó sa
gbogbo agbára rẹ̀ láti ṣe é, ó sì ṣe é ‘He applied all his strength to do
it and he does it’ (iii) to use charms on: Ó sa oògùn sí i ‘He used charms
on him’ (iv) to make marks on: Mo sà á lámì ‘I made a mark on him’ (iv) to
baptise: Mo sà á lámì ‘I baptized him’ (vi) sir: Mo dúpẹ́, sà ‘I thank
you, sir’.
sán (i) to crack: Ògiri náà sán ‘The wall
cracked’ (ii) to thunder: Àrá sán ‘It thundered’ (iii) to ache: Orí ń sán
mi ‘I have a headache’ (iv) to tie round: Ó sán aṣọ mọ́ ìdí ‘He tied a
cloth round his waist’ (v) split: Igi tábìlì yìí sán ‘There is a split in
the wood of this table’.
san (i) to pay: Ó san owó rẹ̀ ‘He paid his
money’ (ii) to be heal: Egbò ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ ti san ‘The sore on his leg has been
healed’ (iii) to requite: Ó san oore ti ́ mo ṣe é padà ‘He showed kindness
for the services done him by me’ (iv) to be fat: Ó sán ara ‘He is fat’ (v)
share: Jẹ́ kí n lọ bá a san nínú owó bọ́ọ̀sì náà ‘Let me go and share
with you in the bus fare’ (vi) settle: San owó tí o jẹ ‘Settle your bill’
(vii) give: Èló lo san fún ìwé yẹn? ‘How much did you give for that book?’
(viii) foot: Àwọn òbí mi ni ó san owó gbogbo ohun tí a fi ṣe ìgbéyàwó
‘My parents footed the bill for the wedding’.
sàn (i) to be well: Ó ti sàn fún un báyìí
‘He is now well’ (ii) to be good: Ó sàn jù mí lọ ‘He is better than me’
(iii) to recover: Ó ń sàn lọ ‘He is gradually recovering his health’ (iv)
drain: Omi náà rọra ń sàn lọ ‘The water drained away slowly’ (v) thin: Ọbẹ̀
náà sàn ‘The soup is thin’ (vi) weak: Ọbẹ̀ yìí sàn ‘This soup is weak’.
sé (i) to block: Wọ́n sé fèrèsé náà ‘They
locked the window’ (ii) to miss: Òkúta tí ó jù sé ojú ihò náà ‘The
stone he threw missed the hole’.
sè (i) to cook: Ó se ọbẹ̀ ilá ‘He cooked okro
soup’ (ii) stew: Ó ṣe ẹran náà ‘He stewed the meat’.
sẹ́ (i) to deny: Ó sẹ́ mi lójú gbogbo ayé
‘He denied me in the presence of everybody’ (ii) to sift out: Ó sẹ́ ògì ‘He
sifted out starch from pounded corn’ (iii) definitely: Yóò wá sẹ́ ‘He will
definitely come’ (iv) slop: Tíì náà sẹ́ sí inú sọ́sà ‘The tea slopped
into the saucer’ (v) filter: Wọ́n sẹ́ omi náà kí wọ́n tó mu ún ‘They
filtered the water before they drink it’.
sẹ̀ (i) to gush out: Ẹ̀jẹ̀ rẹ̀ ń sẹ̀ ‘His blood
is gushing out’ (ii) happen: Ìsẹ̀lẹ̀ ńlá sẹ̀ ‘A sterling event happened’
(iii) to knock against: Ó sẹ orí mọ́ Adé ‘He knocked his head against Adé’.
sí (i) to/at: Ó lọ sí ọjà ‘He went to the
market’ (ii) to exist (used negatively): Kò sí ní ibẹ̀ ‘He is not there’
(iii) more: A nílò ìwé sí i ‘We need more books’.
sì (i) to be discoloured: Àwọ̀ aṣọ náà ti
sì ‘The clothes have been discoloured’ (ii) and: Ó rà á, a sì jẹ ẹ́ ‘He
bought and we ate it’.
sín (i) to
sneeze: Ó sín ‘He sneezed’ (ii) to crack (as of nuts): Ó sín ẹ̀kùrọ́ ‘He
cracks nuts’ (iii) to thread (as of beads): Ó fi òwú sín ìlẹ̀kẹ̀ ‘He
threads beads on the cotton’.
sin (i) to bury: Wọ́n sin ín ‘He was buried’
(ii) to be hidden: Ó fara sin ‘It is hidden’.
sìn (i) to worship: Wọ́n sin Olúwa ‘They
worshipped the Lord’ (ii) to accompany: Ó sìn ín lọ sí ibẹ̀ ‘He accompanied
him there’ (iii) to give in marriage: Ó sin ọmọ rẹ̀ ní ìyàwó ‘He gives his
daughter in marriage’ (iv) to keep (as of poultry): Ó ń sin adìẹ ‘He is
keeping poultry’ (v) to keep complaining about someone: Ẹnu kò sìn lára rẹ̀
‘There are constant complains against him’ (vi) to work for: Ó ń sìn ín ‘He
is working for him’ (vi)to demand for (as of money): Ó sìn ín lówó ‘ He
demands for her money from him’ (vii) breed: Wọ́n ń sin ẹwúrẹ́ ‘They were
breeding goat’ (ix) see off: Ó sin àlejò rẹ̀ lọ sí ìdíkọ̀ ‘He escorted his visitor to the
motor park’ (xi) serve: Ó ń sin ọkùnrin náà ‘She was serving the man’.
só ‘to break wind’: Ó só ‘He broke wind’.
so (i) to tie: Wọ́n so ó ‘They tied it’ (ii)
to fruit: Igi ọsàn yìí ti so ‘This orange tree has fruited’ (iii) to hang:
Ó so ‘He hanged’ (iv) to have spot on body: Ara rẹ̀ so ‘He has spots on his
body’ (v) to stand out: Àpa ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ so ‘The scar on his leg stands out’ (vi)
clip: Wọ́n fi kílíìpù so àwọn ìwé náà pọ̀ ‘The papers were clipped
together with a clip’ (vii) fit: Ó so tẹlifóònù sí inú ilé mi ‘He fitted
telephone in my house’ (viii) lash: A so ọkọ̀ ojú omi náà mọ́ igi ‘We lashed
the boat to the tree’ (ix) tether: Ó so ẹran rẹ̀ mọ́ òpó ‘He tethered his
goat to the post’.
sọ (i) to sprout: Igi náà sọ lẹ́gbẹ̀ẹ́ ‘The
tree sprouted leaves at the side’ (ii) to speak: Ó sọ ọ̀rọ̀ ‘He spoke’ (iii)
to peck: Ẹyẹ náà fi ẹnu sọ igi ‘The bird peck the tree’ (iv) to throw: Mo sọ ọ́
sí inú abọ́ ‘I threw it inside the plate’ (v) to sew together (as of broken
calabash): Ó sọ igbá ‘He sewed together the broken calabash (vi) to dig: Ó sọ
ilẹ̀ ‘He dug the ground’ (vii) break: Ariwo ńlá sọ ‘A loud noise broke out’
(viii) come: Èrò tuntun sọ sí mi lọ́kàn ‘A new idea comes to my mind’ (ix)
utter: Ó wò mí láìsọ nǹkan kan ‘He looked at me without uttering a word’
(x) tell: Sọ ohun tí ó sẹlẹ̀ ní òní fún mi ‘Tell me what happened today’
(xi) state: Ó sọ pé òhun ti ra ìwé náà ‘He stated that he had bought the
book’ (xii) speak: Ó lè sọ Yorùbá ‘He can speak Yorùbá’ (xiii) shoot: Bí
káà náà ti forí sọgi, ó sọ àwọn tí ó wà nínú rẹ̀ síta ‘As the car
hit the tree, the occupants were shot out’ (xiv) shrug: Ó sọ èjìká ‘She
shrugged her shoulder’ (xv) set: Sọ iná sí bébà yẹn ‘Set fire on that piece
of paper’ (xvi) run: Ọkọ̀ náà sọ mọ́ ògiri ‘The lorry ran into a wall’
(xvii) to mouth: Òṣèré náà sọ àwọn ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀ ‘The actor mouthed his
words’ (xviii) narrate: Ó sọ nípa ìrìnàjò rẹ̀ ní ìlú náà ‘He
narrated his adventures in the town’ (xix) comment: Ó sọ nípa àwọn ìwé tí
kò dára náà ‘He commented on the bad books’.
sọ̀ (i) to descend: Ó sọ̀ láti orí òkè ‘He
came down from the mountain’ (ii) to grumble: Àti àárọ̀ ló ti ń sọ̀ ‘He
has been grumbling since morning’ (iii) get: Sọ̀ kalẹ̀ ‘Get down’ (iv)
dismount: Ó sọ̀ lórí kẹ̀kẹ́ rẹ̀ ‘He dismounted from his bicycle’ (v) alight:
Mo sọ̀ láti inú ọkọ̀ ojú irin ‘I alighted from the train’ (vi) descend: Wọ́n
sọ̀ sí orí igi ‘They descended to the tree’.
sú (i) to sew seeds: Ó sú èso náà ‘He sew
the seeds’ (ii) to be tired: Ó sú mi ‘I am tired’ (iii) to sprout abundantly:
Ewé oko sú ‘The plants sprouted abundantly’ (iv) to have spots: Ara rẹ̀ sú
‘He has spots on his body’ (v) bore: Ó sú mi ‘I am bored’ (vi) weary: Kíkùn
tí ó ń kùn nígbà gbogbo ti sú mi ‘I am weary of his constant grumbling’.
sún (i) to shift: Ó sún fún un ‘He shifted
for him’ (ii) to prick: Ẹgún sún mi lọ́wọ́ ‘A thorn pricked my hand’ (iii)
move: Ó sún mọ́ mi ‘He moved near me’.
sun (i) to burn something: Ó sun ún ‘He burnt
it’ (ii) to ooze out: Omi sun jáde ‘Water oozes out’ (iii) alight: Ó sun àwọn
ewé gbígbẹ náà ‘He set the dry leaves alight’ (iv) to set fire to: Ó sun
gíráàsì gbígbẹ náà ‘He set fire to the dry garss’ (v) roast: Ó sun ẹran
náà ‘He roasted the meat’.
sùn (i) to sleep: Ó sùn ‘He slept’ (ii) to aim
at: Ó sùn ún ‘He aimed at it’ (iii) lie: Sùn sílẹ̀ ‘Lie down’ (iv) asleep:
Ó ti sùn ‘He is asleep’ (v) doze: Mo sùn fún wákàtí kan ‘I dozed for one
hour’ (vi) slumber: Wọ́n sùn lọ ní ọ̀sán ọjọ́ náà ‘They slumbered away
that afternoon’.
Ṣṣ
ṣá (i) to slash: Ó sá
a ‘He wounded him’ (ii) to make marks (i.e kẹ́kẹ́): Ó ṣá kẹ́kẹ́ ‘He made kẹ́kẹ́
marks on his cheeks’ (iii) to strike: (as of matches): Ó ṣá iná ‘He strikes
a matched’ (iv) fade: Aṣọ yìí ti ṣá ‘This cloth has faded’ (v) merely: Mo
fèsì kan ṣá ‘I merely gave a reply’ (vi) to be unproductive: Ilẹ̀ yìí tẹ́
‘This land is no more productive’ (vii) set: Ṣá ìṣáná sí bébà yẹn ‘Set a
match to that piece of paper’.
ṣà to pick up things: Mo ṣà wọ́n nílẹ̀ ‘I
picked them from ground’.
ṣán (i) to cut down (as of bush): Mo ṣán igbó
‘I cleared the bush’ (ii) to plaster: Ó fi símẹ́ńtì ṣán ògiri níbi tí
ó ti ya ‘He plastered the wall with cement where it was dilapidated (iii) to
swing: Ó ṣán apá ‘He swung his arms to and fro’ (iv) tó bite (as of snake):
Ejò ṣán an ‘He was bitten by the snake. (v) to eat food without the necessary
condiment such as soup: Ó ṣán ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀ ‘He ate his plaintain raw’ (vi) flung
against: Ó gbe
́ e ṣánlẹ̀
‘He flunged him against the ground’.
ṣàn (i) to flow: Omi náà ń ṣàn ‘The water
flows’ (ii) to wash without soap or to rinse: Ó ṣan ara ‘He washed his body
without soap’; Ó ṣan aṣọ ‘He rinsed the clothes’ (iii) to be watery: Ọbẹ̀
yìí ṣàn ‘This soup is watery’.
ṣé question maker: Ṣé o lọ? Did you go?’.
ṣe (i) to do something: Ó ṣe é ‘He did it’
(ii) to make into (as of law): Ò ṣe é ní òfin ‘He made it into law’ (iii)
that can be used for something: Awọ yìí ṣeé ṣe bàtà ‘This leather can be
made into footwear’ (iv) definitely: Ṣe ni mo jẹ ẹ́ ‘I certainly ate it’ (v) to
be: Ó ṣe wẹ́kú ‘It is exact’ (vi) to say: Ó ṣe é ní pẹ̀lẹ́ ‘He says hello
to him’ (vii) play: Wọ́n ṣe bojúbojú ‘They played hide and seek game’ (viii)
drive: Kí ni o fẹ́ ṣe? ‘What is he diving at?’ (ix) up to: Lọ wo ohun tí àwọn
ọmọ náà ń ṣe ‘Go and see what the children are up to’ (x) turn out: Ilé-iṣẹ́
náà ṣe péèlì oníke púpọ̀ ‘The factory is turning out large quantity of
polastic pails’ (xi) tan: A ṣe awọ ẹran láti fi ṣe bàtà aláwọ ‘We tan
animal skin to make leather shoes’ (xii) produce: Ilé-iṣẹ́ náà ń ṣe ọkọ̀ ayọ́kẹ́lẹ́
‘The factory produces cars’ (xiii) pose: Ó ṣe bí ọlọ́pàá ‘He posed as a
policeman’ (xiv) perform: Àwọn ọmọdé ṣe eré kan ‘The children performed a
play’ (xv) manufactured: A ń ṣe mọ́tò ayọ́kẹ́lẹ́ ní Ilé-iṣẹ́ yìí ‘Cars
are manufactured in this factory’ (xvi) hold: Wọn yóò ṣe patí lọ́sẹ̀ tó ń
bọ̀ ‘They are holding a party next week’ (xvii) do: Ó ti ṣe é ‘He has done
it’.
ṣẹ́ (i) to break/to sprain: Ó ṣẹ́ igi náà ‘He
broke the stick/Ó ṣẹ́ ní ẹsẹ̀ ‘He sprained his leg’ (ii) to fold: Mo ṣẹ́ aṣọ
náà sí méjì ọgbọọgba ‘I folded the cloth into two equal parts’ (iii) to
thatch: Ó ṣẹ́ ilé náà ‘He thatched the house’ (iv) to team out: Ikán ṣẹ́
láti ibẹ̀ ‘The termite teamed out of the place’ (v) to be poor: Ìṣẹ́ ṣẹ́ ẹ
‘He is very poor’.
ṣẹ ‘to come true: Ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀ ṣẹ ‘His words come
true’.
ṣẹ̀ (i) to commit an offence: Ó ṣẹ̀ mí ‘He
offended me’ (ii) to originate from: Ifẹ̀ ni àwọn ara Ẹ̀fọ̀n ti ṣẹ̀ ‘The
people of Ẹ̀fọ̀n originated from Ifẹ̀’ (iii) to suffer: (as bereavement): Ọ̀fọ̀
ṣẹ̀ ẹ́ ‘He suffered a bereavement’ (iv) break out: Iná ṣẹ̀ ‘A fire broke out’
(v) to carry: Ó fi orí ṣẹ ẹrù ‘He carried the load on his head’.
ṣí (i) to calculate: Ó ṣí owó ‘He calculated
the money’ (ii) to open: Ó ṣílẹ̀kùn ‘He opened the door’ (iii) to buy (as of
pounded yam): Ó ṣíyán ‘He bought pounded yam’ (iv) to set in motion: Ó ṣí ọkọ̀
‘He started up a motor-car’ (v) to set out (as of a journey: Ó lọ sí Èkó
‘He set out for Lagos’ (vi) to begin (as of war): Ó ṣígun ‘He began a war’
(vii) to move (as of a house): Ó ṣí ilé ‘He moved house’ (viii) to fire (as
of a gun): Ó ṣíná bò ó ‘He fired at him’ (ix) flake: Ọ̀dà náà ṣí
kúrò lára ògiri ‘T
he
paint flaked off the wall’ (x) sail: Ó ṣí ọkọ̀ ‘He sculed the boat’ (xi)
turn: Ó ń ṣí ojú-ìwé náà ‘He was turning the pages of the book’ (xii)
unlock: Ṣí ilẹ̀kùn yẹn ‘Unlock that door’ (xiii) unscrew: Ṣí ìdérí ìgò
yẹn ‘Unsrewed the lid of that bottle’ (xiv) open (fire): Wọ́n sí iná bò wọ́n
‘They opened fire on them’ (xv) peel off: Bébà ara ògiri náà ń ṣí ‘The
wall-paper is peeling off’.
ṣì (i) to make a mistake: Ó ṣì í ‘He made a
mistake’ (ii) still: Ó ṣì ń lọ sí ibẹ̀ ‘He is still going there (iii) to
fade: Aṣọ náà ti ṣì ‘The clothes have faded’ (iv) to look dull: Ojú rẹ̀ ṣì
‘He looks dull’ (v) wrong: O ṣi ọ̀rọ̀ náà kọ sílẹ̀ ‘You’ve spelt the word
wrongly’.
ṣò (i) to fit loosely: Ṣòkòtò yìí ṣò mí
‘My trousers fit me loosely (ii) loose: Bẹ́líìtì tí ó ṣò dára ju èyí
tí ó fún lọ ‘A loose belt is better than a tight one’.
ṣọ́ (i) guard: Ọlọ́dẹ ń ṣọ́ ilé náà ‘A
hunter is guarding the house’ (ii) kep eye on: Ó ń ṣọ́ àwọn ọmọ náà ‘He
kept eyes on the children’ (iii) take guard: Ajá náà ń ṣọ́ ilé náà ‘The
dog took guard of the house’ (iv) watch: Ṣé o ó bá mi ṣọ́ aṣọ mi? ‘Will you
watch over my clothes?’.
ṣú (i) to become dark: Ilẹ̀ ti ṣú ‘It has
become dark’ (ii) to prepare to rain: Òjò ti ṣú ‘It is going to rain’ (iii)
to repay: Ó fi ibi ṣú olóore ‘He repays good with evil’ (iv) to answer an
abuse with an abuse: Ó ṣú mi lóhùn ‘He answered an abuse with an abuse (v) ṣú
(as of marriage): Ó ṣú u lópó ‘He marries the wife of a dead relative’
ṣu ‘to empty bowel’: Ó lọ ṣu ‘He went to empty
his bowel’.
ṣù (i) to make ball of something: Ó ṣu ẹ̀bà
‘He made the cassava flour into a ball’ (ii) to wrap: Ó ń ṣu ẹ̀kọ ‘He is
wrapping ẹ̀kọ (a food made of maize)’ (iii) to be round: Ó ṣù ‘It is round’
(iv) to swarm: Àwọn oyin ṣù bò ó
‘The bees swarmed round him’.
Tt
ta (i) to protrude: Eyín rẹ̀ ta ‘His teeth protrude’
(ii) to sting: Oyin ta á ‘The bees stung him’ (iii) who?: Ta ni ‘Who is it?’
(iv) to shoot/fire: Ó ta ìbọn ‘He fired a gun’ (v) to kick: Ẹṣin ta á ní
ìpá ‘The horse kicked him’ (vi) to pierce: Mo ta ifọ̀n mi ‘I pricked my
pimples’ (vii) to spatter over: Epo ta sí mi lára ‘Oil spattered over me’
(viii) to stretch over a support: Ó ta okùn ‘He stretched out a rope’ (ix) to
tie: Ó ta aṣọ mọ́ igi ‘He tied the clothe round the tree’ (x) to dart forward:
Ó ta kéré ‘He darted forward’ (xi) to be startled: Ó ta gìrì ‘He was
startled’ (xii) to be hot: Ata ta mí lẹ́nu ‘The pepper tastes hot in my mouth’
(xiii) to play a game: Wọ́n ta ayò ‘They played the ayo game’ (xiv) to yield:
Iṣu náà ta ‘The yams yielded very well’ (xv) to smell fine: Ó ń ta sánsán
‘It smells nice’ (xvi) to make a noise: Òkìkí ta ‘There was a great noise’
(xvii) to appear (as of sun): Oòrun ta ‘The sun appears’ (xviii) to cackle:
Àgbàdo ta ‘The maize cackled’ (xix) to be destitute: Òṣí
ta á ‘He was destitute’ (xx) to pain: Orí ń
ta mí ‘I have a pain in my head’ (xxi) hang: Wọ́n ta àwọn fíláàgì fún ọbabìnrin
‘They hanged out the flags for the queen’ (xxii) whom: Ta ni o bá sọ̀rọ̀?
‘Whom did you speak to?’ (xxiii) whose: Bata ta nìyẹn? ‘Whose shoe is that?’
(xxiv) stitch: Ṣé o ti ta bọ́tìnnì rẹ mọ́ ṣáàtì rẹ? Have you stitched
your button onto your shirt?’ (xxv) spicy: Mo fẹ́ràn oúnjẹ tí ó bá ta ‘I
like spicy food’ (xxvi) splash: Omi ta
sí mi lẹ́sẹ̀ ‘Water splashed over my leg’ (xxvii) spring: Ẹ̀ka igi náà ta
padà ó sì bà mí ‘The branch sprang back and hit me’ (xxviii) smart:
Ayodáìn máa ń ta tí a bá fi sí egbò ‘Iodine smarts when it is put on a
cut’ (xxix) snap: Ó ta ìka sí i ‘He snapped his finger at him’ (xxx) shoot:
Ó ta ọfà ‘He shot the arrow’ (xxxi) sew: Ó ta bọ́tìnì ṣáàtì rẹ̀ ‘He
sewed the button of his shirt on’ (xxxii) pain: Orí ń ta á ‘He has a pain in
his head’ (xxxiii) bite: Kòkòrò ta mí ‘The insect bit me’.
tà (i) to sell: Ó ta ọjà rẹ̀ ‘She sells her
wares’ (ii) deal: Ó ń ta kẹ̀kẹ́ tàbí ó ń ra kẹ̀kẹ́ ‘He deals in bicycles’
(iii) hit: Orin yẹn tà ní èṣí ‘That song was a hit last year’ (iv) stock: Wọn
kì í ta iṣu, ráìsì nìkan ni ‘They do not stock yam, only rice’.
tán (i) to come to an end: Ó ti tán ‘It has
come to an end’ (ii) finish: Àkàrà náà ti tán ‘The cake has finished’
(iii) up: Ó jẹ oúnjẹ rẹ̀ tán ‘He ate up his food’ (iv) run out: Súgà wa ti
tán ‘We have ran out of sugar’ (v) entirely: Ó ti parí àkàrà náà tán
‘He has entirely finished the cake’.
tan ‘to be related’: Wọ́n tan ‘They are
related’.
tàn (i) to be stranded: Wọ́n ti tàn ‘They have
been stranded’ (ii) to put on the light: Iná ti tàn ‘The light has been put
on’ (iii) to deceive: Ó tàn mí ‘He deceived me’ (iv) bright: Ó wọ aṣọ tí
ó tàn ‘She wore a bright dress’ (v) emit: Oòrùn máa ń tan ìmọ́lẹ̀ ‘The
sun emits light’ (vi) fool: Mo ti tàn án láti jẹ́ kí ó rò pé n ó fún
un lówó náà ‘I fooled him into thinking that I will give him the money’
(vii) go on: Iná náà tàn ‘The light
went on’ (viii) glean: Òṣùpá tàn sí omi náà ‘The moon gleaned on the
river’ (ix) light: Tan iná náà ‘Light the fire’ (x) sparkle: Èkíkán omi
máa ń tàn nínú oòrùn ‘Drops of water sparkles in the sun’ (xi) trick: Ó
tàn mí mu oògùn náà ‘He tricked me into taking the medicine’ (xii) turn
on: Tan iná náà ‘Turn on the light’.
te ‘to pick in ones and twos’: Wọ́n te é jọ
‘They collected them in ones and twos’.
tẹ́ (i) to put to shame: Ó ti tẹ́ ‘He has been
put to shame’ (ii) spread out: Ó tẹ́ ẹní ‘He spread out the mat’ (iii) to be
tasteless: Oúnjẹ yìí ti tẹ́ ‘This food is tasteless’ (iv) to be flat: Ilẹ̀
náà tẹ́ ‘The land is flat’ (v) disgrace: Má tẹ́ ẹbí wa ‘Don’t disgrace our
family’ (vi) unfold: Ó tẹ́ kápẹ́ẹ̀tì náà ‘He unfolded the carpet’ (vii)
level: A nílò ilẹ̀ tí ó tẹ́ níbi tí a ti lè máa gbá bọ́ọ̀lù ‘We need
a level piece of ground to play football on’.
tẹ̀ (i) to bend: Ó tẹ̀ ẹ́ ‘He bends it’ (ii) to
bend over while pounding (as of pounded yam): Ó tẹ iyán ‘He bent over while
pounding the yam’ (iii) to confer: Wọ́n ń tẹ̀ ‘They are discussing’ (iv) to
print: Ó tẹ ìwé náà ‘He printed the book’ (v) to prepare (as of cassava
flour): Ó tẹ ẹ̀bà ‘He prepared cassava flour (ẹ̀bà)’ (vi) to catch: Ọwọ́ tẹ̀
ẹ́ ‘He has been caught’ (vii) to step on: Ó ń tẹ ilẹ̀ jẹ́jẹ́ ‘He is stepping
on the ground gently’ (viii) to dent: Abọ́ yìí ti tẹ̀ ‘This tin-bowl has been
dented’ (ix) to labour (as of a woman who wants to give birth to a baby): Obí
tẹ̀ ẹ́ ‘She is labouring to have a baby’ (x) to play on (as of an harmonium):
Ó ń tẹ dùùrù ‘He is playing on the harmonium’ (xi) press: Ó tẹ aago tó
wà lẹ́nu ọ̀nà ‘He pressed the doorbell’ (xii) tilt: Mo tẹ kọ́ọ̀bù náà kí
n lè mu omi láti inú rẹ̀ ‘I tilted the cup to drink out of it’ (xiii) tread:
Mo ṣèèṣì tẹ̀ ẹ́ lẹ́sẹ̀ ‘I trod on his
foot by accident’ (xiv) type: Tẹ lẹ́tà náà ‘Type the letter’ (xv) warp: Ilẹ̀kùn
náà kò tì nítorí igi rẹ̀ ti tẹ̀ ‘The door won’t shut because the wood has
warped’ (xvi) send: Ó tẹ wáyà ‘He sent a telegram’.
tí (i) to fade: Ó ti tí ‘It has faded’ (ii)
to hit: Ó tí mi ní igi ‘He hit me with a stick’ (iii) who/which/whose, etc: Ọmọ
tí ó sùn ‘The child who slept’ (iv) whom: Olúwọlé gan-an ni orúkọ ọmọkùnrin
tí à ń pè ní Olú ‘The boy whom we called Olú is really called Olúwọlé’
(v) why: N kò mọ ìdí tí o kò fi wá ‘I don’t know the reason why you
didn’t come’ (vi) that: Ó fẹ́ràn ìwé tí mo fún un ‘He liked the book that
I gave her’ (vii) provide: O lè lọ tí o bá ti máa dé kí ilẹ̀ tó ṣú ‘You
can go provided that you come home before dark’.
ti (i) to scratch/to strip (as of meat on a
bone): Ó fi èékánná ti í jẹ ‘He scratched it with his nails and ate it’
(ii) have/has/had: Ó ti lọ ‘He has gone’ (iii) a question maker: Tìrẹ ti jẹ́?
‘What’s your concern about this?’ (iv) Issue out from/come out of: Ó ti Èkó
lọ sí Ìbàdàn ‘He went to Ìbàdàn from Lagos’ (v) that of: Aṣọ ti èmi ‘My
cloth’ (vi) of: Mo fún ọ̀rẹ́ mi ní àwọn ìwé kan. Ọ̀kan ti bàbá rẹ̀ wà
níbẹ̀ ‘I gave my friend some books. One of his father’s was there’ (viii)
already: Òjò ti ń rọ̀ ‘It is already raining’.
tì (i) to be adjacent to: Ilé wa ti tirẹ̀ ‘Our
house is adjacent to his’ (ii) no: Ó tì o ‘No’ (iii) to push: Ó tì mí ‘He
pushed me’ (iv) to shut: Ó ti ilẹ̀kùn ‘He shut the door’ (v) to be ashamed:
Ojú tì í ‘He is ashamed’ (vi) against: Àga náà fi ara ti ògiri ‘The
chair is leaning against the wall’ (vii) beside: Jókòó tì mí ‘Sit beside
me’ (viii) budge: N kò lè ti òkúta yìí ‘I can’t budge this rock’ (ix) by:
Jòkòó tì mí lẹ́gbẹ̀ẹ́ ‘Sit by my side’ (x) close: Ó ti ìlẹ̀kùn ‘She
closed the door’ (xi) fasten: Ó ti ti ìlẹ̀kùn ‘She has fastened the door’
(xii) lock: Kọ́kọ́rọ́ ni a fi ń ti ilẹ̀kùn ‘You used a key to lock the door’
(xiii) next: Ilé bàbá mi ni ó ti tirẹ̀ ‘My father’s house is next to his’
(xiv) press: Àwọn ọmọdé náà ń ti ara wọn bí wọ́n ṣe ń gbìyànjú
àtitètè jáde ‘The children are pressing each other as they tried to get out
quickly’ (xv) drive: Ebi ló tì í jálè ‘He was driven by hunger to steal’
(xvi) slant: Wọ́n fi àbà náà ti ògiri ‘The ladder was slanted against the
wall’ (xvii) thrust: Ó ti ọwọ́ rẹ̀ bọ àpò rẹ̀ ‘He thrust his hand into his
pocket’ (xviii) wash down: Búrẹ́dì àti bọ́tà tí mo fi omi tì sí ìsàlẹ̀
ni oúnjẹ ọ̀sán mi ‘My lunch was bread and butter washed down with water’.
tin (i) to be thin: Ó tin lẹ́sẹ̀ ‘His legs are
thin’ (ii) slender: Apá rẹ̀ tin ‘He has a slender arm’ (iii) skinny: Ọkùnrin
náà tin lápá ‘The man has skinny arm’.
tó (i) to be sufficient: Ó tó ‘It is
suffiecint’ (ii) to amount to: Ó tó ọjọ́ mẹ́ta tí o ti wá ‘It is three days
since you’ve came’ (iii) to be worthy of: Aṣọ náà tó aṣọ ‘The cloth is
worthy of his name’ (iv) about: Ó tó mi ní títóbi ‘He is about my size’
(v) to emphasise: Ojú mi rí tó ‘Indeed, I saw a lot’ (vi) to reach: Ọwọ́ mi
tó orí tábìlì ‘My hands reach the top of the table’ (vii) worth: Èló ni
kẹ̀kẹ́ yìí tó? How much is this bicycle worth’ (viii) worthy: Aṣọ náà tó
aṣọ ‘The cloth is worthy of its price’ (ix) value: Ó ní góòlù náà tó ẹgbẹ̀rún
náírà ‘He valued the gold at N1,000’ (x) tune of: Fáìnì tí wọ́n ní kó
san tó ẹgbẹ̀rún náírà ‘He was fined to the tune of N1,000’
(xi)
satisfy: Ẹran náà tó mi ‘The meat satisfied me’ (xii) enough: Ìwé ibí
yìí tó ‘There is enough paper here’ (xiii) approximately: Ilé-ẹ̀kọ́ tí mo
ti lọ tó ogún ‘I have been to approximately twenty schools’ (xiv) adequate:
Ìwọ̀n oúnjẹ tí ó wà nílé tó ‘There is an adequate food at home’
tò (i) to be in a line: Wọ́n tò ‘They are in a
line’ (ii) to arrange: Ó tò wọ́n ‘He aaranged them’ (iii) classify: Ó to àwọn
ìwé náà: Gbogbo ìwé Yorùbá lókè ṣẹ́ẹ̀fù, gbogbo ìwé Òyìnbó sì
wà ní ìṣàlẹ̀ ‘He classified the books: All the Yorùbá books are on the
top of shelf and all the English books on the bottom’ (iv) file: Wọ́n tò wọ
inú kíláàsì ‘They field into the classroom’ (v) grade: A ti to àwọn ẹyin
yẹn sí oríṣìíríṣìí ìwọ̀n ‘We have graded those eggs into several sizes’
(vi) keep in order: To àwọn bébà yẹn ‘Keep those papers in order’.
tọ́ (i) to be durable: Ó tọ́ ‘It is durable’
(ii) to be straight: Ó tọ́ ‘It is straight’ (iii) to provoke: Ó tọ́ mi ‘He
provoked me’ (iv) to be correct: Ọ̀rọ̀ tí o sọ tọ́ ‘What you said is correct’
(v) to take care of/to train: Ó tọ́ mi ‘He took care of me’ (vi) to tease: Ó
tọ́ mi ‘He teased me’ (vii) to ladle out (as of soup): Ó tọ́ ọbẹ̀ ‘He ladled
out some soup’ (viii) to pick out leaves from vegetables one by one: Ó tọ́ ẹ̀fọ́
‘He pick out leaves from vegetables one by one’ (ix) to touch lightly: Ó tọ́
mi ‘He touched me lightly’ (x) to be entitled to: Ó tọ́ sí mi ‘I am entitled
to it’ (xi) trim: Ó tọ́ irun rẹ̀ ‘He trimmed his hair’ (xii) right: Ọ̀nà tí
ó tọ́ láti kọ lẹ́tà nìyí ‘This is the right way to write a letter’ (xiii)
proper: O kò wọ aṣọ tí ó tọ́ fún rírìn nínú òjò ‘You aren’t wearing
proper clothes for walking in the rain’ (xiv) orderly: Hùwà ní ọ̀nà tí ó
tọ́ ‘Behave in an orderly manner’ (xv) fair: Kò tọ́ kí ó ní máńgòrò
márùn-ún kí èmi ní mẹ́ta ‘It is not fair that he has five mangoes and I
have three’ (xvi) direct: Mo sọ ọ̀nà tí ó tọ́ jù láti dé ààfin fún un
‘I told him the direct way to get to the palace’ (xvii) bring up: Ó tọ́ ọ ‘He
brought her up’.
tọ (i) to jump: Ó tọ ‘He jumped’ (ii) to
afflict: Ìyà tọ lé e ‘He is afflicted with a trouble’ (iii) bounce: Bọ́ọ̀lù
náà tọ kúrò lára ògiri, ó sì bà mí ‘The ball bounced off the wall and
hit me’ (iv) bound: Àwọn ẹranko náà ń tọ kiri orí títì ‘The animals were
bounding about the street’.
tọ̀ (i) to follow: Ó tọ ọ̀nà yìí ‘He went by
this road’ (ii) to urinate: Ó tọ̀ ‘He urinated’.
tú (i) to untie: Ó tú u ‘He untied it’ (ii)
to pour out: Ó tú omi sí i ‘He poured water into it’ (iii) to disclose: Ó
tú àṣìírí mi ‘He disclosed my secret’ (iv) to leave (caused by fear): Ọjà
tú ‘Everybody left the market hurriedly’ (v) to burst (as of a boil): Eéwo
tú ‘The boil bursts’ (vi) to be good to eat (as of cooked yams from a pot): Ó
tú iṣu lórí iná ‘He removed cooked yams from the pot’ (viii) release: Wọ́n
tú u nínú ìgbèkùn ‘He was released from captivity’ (ix) unhook: Ó tú ṣáàtì rẹ̀ ‘He unhooked
his shirt’ (x) turn: Tú ajá náà sílẹ̀ ‘Turn the dog loose’ (xi) undone:
Okùn bàtà mi ti tú ‘My shoe-lace has come undone’ (xii) unfasten: Ó tú bẹ́líìtì
rẹ̀ ‘He unfastened his belt’ (xiii) unfold: Ó tú aṣọ náà ‘He unfolded the
cloth’ (xiv) unscrew: Tú awògbè náà kúrò lára ògiri ‘Unscrew the
mirror from the wall’ (xv) untie: Ó tú ẹrù igi náà ‘He untied the bunch of
wood’ (xvi) unwind: Òwú náà tú lára bọ́ọ̀lù náà ‘The thread unwinds
from the ball’.
tu (i) to hiss: Ejò tu ‘The snake hisses’ (ii)
to run: Ó tu ‘He ran off’ (iii) to pull out: Ó tu koríko ‘He pulled out the
grass’ (iv) to collect bit by bit: Ó tu wọ́n jọ ‘He collected them bit by bit’
(v) to spit out: Wọ́n tu itọ́ ‘They spit out saliva’ (vi) weed: Wọ́n ń tu
koríko ‘They were weeding the grass’ (vii) hoe: Ọkùnrin náà ń tu ilẹ̀ ibi
tí ó gbin ẹ̀wà náà sí ‘The man was hoeing the ground where he planted the
beans’.
tù (i) to propel: Ó tu ọkọ̀ ‘He propelled the
boat’ (ii) to calm down: Ó tù ú ‘He comforted him’ (iii) to feel better:
Ará tù mí ‘I felt better’ (iv) paddle: Tu ọkọ̀ rẹ ‘Paddle your canoe’ (v)
row: Wọ́n tu ọkọ̀ ‘They rowed a boat’ (vi) soothe: Mo tu ọkùnrin náà nígbà
tí ó ń bínú ‘I soothed the man when he was angry’.
tún (i) again: Ó tún un ṣe ‘He did it again’
(ii) also: Ó ń gbá bọ́ọ̀lù, Ó tún ń lúwẹ̀ẹ́ ‘He plays football, he also
swims’.
Uu
ú it/him/her: Ó rù ú ‘He carried hit’.
u it/him/her: Ó dú u ‘He slaughtered
it/him/her’.
ù used for emphasis: Ó rù ú ù ‘He surely
carried it’.
ún it/him/her:Ó dùn ún ‘It pained
it/him/her’.
un it/him/her: Ó mú un ‘He took it/him/her’.
ùn used for emphasis: Ó mú un ùn ‘He surely
took it’.
Ww
wá (i) to come: Ó wá ‘He came’ (ii) to look
for: Ó wá a ‘He looked for it’ (iii) to tremble: Ó ń wá rìrì ‘He his
trembling’ (iv) to prepare (as of food): Ó ń wá oúnjẹ ‘He is preparing
food’ (v) now/then: Ó wá yé mi ‘I now understand’; Ó wá jẹ́ pé ó ń bọ̀
‘Then it is that he is coming’ (vi) dip down: Ẹyẹ náà wá (sílẹ̀) sí orí
ewé ‘The bird dipped (down) to the surface of the leave’ (vii) drop: Màá wá
rí ọ bí mo bá ti ń ti ilé-ẹ̀kọ́ bọ̀ nílé ‘I am going to drop to see you
on my way home from school’ (viii) hunt: Mo wá ìwé mi nínú kíláàsì ‘I
hunted for my book in the classroom’ (ix) pay: Ó wá rí i ‘He paid him a visit’
(x) over: Ní kí ó wá ‘Ask him over’ (xi) present: Ọmọkùnrin mẹ́wàá
péré ló wá ‘There were only ten boys present’ (xii) search: Mo wá gbogbo
ibi fún ìwé mi ṣùgbọ́n n kò rí i ‘I searched everywhere for my book but I
could not find it’ (xiii) seek: Ó wá ìdáhùn sí àwọn ìbéèrè náà ‘He
sought answers to the questions’ (xiv) spring: Ilé ọba ni ó ti wá ‘He is
spring from royal family’ (xv) turn up: Kò wá sí ibi iṣẹ́ ní òní ‘He
didn’t turn up for work today’ (xvi) us: Ó nà wá ‘He hit us’ (xvii) want: Ọlọ́pàá
ń wá ọkùnrin náà ‘The man was wanted by the police’.
wa (i) us: Ó rí wa ‘He saw us’ (ii) our: A
kó àwọn ìwé náà sínú báàgì wa ‘We put the books in our bags’.
wà (i) to exist: Ó wà ‘It exists’ (ii) to
dig: Ó wa ilẹ̀ ‘He digs up some earth’ (iii) to drive: Ó wa ọkọ̀ ‘He drives a
car’ (iv) to take out of liquid: Mo wa ìrẹsì kúrò lórí iná ‘I took the
cooked rice out of water and left it to drain’ (v) to eat (as of cassava flour
(gaàrí) put in water): Mo wa gaàrí ‘I ate (drank) gaàrí’ (vi) stand: Ilé
náà wà ní orí òkè ‘The house stands at the top of the hill’ (vii) pedal:
Ọmọkùnrin náà wa kẹ̀kẹ́ rẹ̀ lọ ‘The boy pedalled away on his bicycle’ (viii)
navigate: Lékèe wí pé kùrukùru gba ojú ọjọ́, ó wa ọkọ̀ òfúrufú náà
gúnlẹ̀ ‘In spite of the cloud, he navigated the plane down onto the ground’
(ix) locate: Ilé náà wà ní ọjà ‘The house is located in the market’ (x)
intend: Ìwé yìí wà fún ọmọdé ‘This book is intended for children’ (xi)
available: Iṣu máa ń wà ní oṣù kẹjọ ọdún ‘Yams are available in August’
(xiv) base: Ìbàdàn ni ó wà báyìí ‘He is now based at Ìbàdàn’.
wé ‘to coil something round another’: Ó wé
gèlè rẹ̀ ‘She wound her head-kerchief round her head’.
wẹ́ (i) to be tiny: Ó wẹ́ ‘It is tiny’ (ii) to
pound into a preliminary lump: Ó wẹ́ erèé ‘He pounded the beans into
preliminary lumps’ (iii) to be beautiful: Àlàkẹ́ wẹ́ wù mí ‘Àlàkẹ́ is
slender and beautiful and I like her’ (iv) play with: Ó wẹ́ pẹ̀lú ìyàwó rẹ̀
‘He played with his wife’ (v) chat: Adé ń wẹ́ sí Olú ‘Adé is chatting with
Olú’.
wẹ used with ‘ilẹ̀’ (the ground) When something
unusual happens: Ilẹ̀ wẹ ‘Something unusual happens’.
wẹ̀ (i) to wash: Ó wẹ̀ ‘He washed himself’ (ii)
to swim: Ó mọ̀ ọ́n wẹ̀ ‘He knows how to swim’ (iii) used for exclamation: Èmi
wẹ̀! “Is it realy I!’ (iv) bath: Ó ń wẹ̀ fún ọmọ náà ‘She is giving the
baby a bath’ (v) bathing: Ó ń wẹ ọmọ náà ‘She is bathing the baby’.
wí (i) to say: Kí lo wí? What do you say?’
(ii) to contribute: Ó wí èésú ‘He contributed to an èésú (a daily,
weekly or monthly contribution)’ (iii) state: Ó wí pé òun ti ra ìwé náà
‘He stated that he had bought the book’.
wì to
sing (as of heating the goat-skin for loosening): Ó wì í ‘He singed it’.
wín to borrow/lend’: Ó
wín owó lọ́wọ́ mi ‘He borrowed money from me’; Mo wín in ní owó ‘I lent
him some money’.
wó (i) to collapse: Ó wó ‘It collapsed’ (ii)
to die: Erin wó ‘The Elephant died’ (iii) pull down: Wọ́n wó ilé náà ‘They
pulled down the house’ (iv) flop: Mo wó sí orí bẹ́ẹ̀dì ‘I flopped onto the
bed’ (v) demolish: Wọ́n wó àwọn ilé náà ‘The houses are been demolished’
(vi) blow: Wọ́n ń wó bíríìjì náà ‘They blew up the bridge’ (vii) drip:
Igi náà wó ‘The tree dripped’.
wo (i) to be stiff: Ó wo ‘It is stiff’ (ii) to
slumber: Adé kò sùn, kò wo ‘Adé neither slept nor slumbered’ (iii)
stiffen: Ẹ̀rù mú ẹranko kékeré náà wo nígbà tí ó rí kìnìún tí ó
ń bọ̀ ‘The small animal stiffened with fear as it saw the lion coming’.
wò (i) to look: Ó wò ó ‘He looked at it’
(ii) to be afraid: Ó ń wo ìhín wo ọ̀hún ‘He is looking here and there’
(iii) to be silent: Ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀ di wò mí n wò ọ́ ‘He became silent (iv) to
examine: Ó wò ó wò ‘He examined it’ (v) to take care of: Ó wò ó sàn ‘He
took care of him and healed him’ (vi) to consult/to cast: Ó wo Ifá sí orí ọ̀ràn
náà ‘He consulted Ifá on the matter/Ó wo iṣẹ́ fún mi ‘He cast my horoscope
for me’ (vii) to rear: Ó wo ọmọ rẹ̀ dàgbà ‘She rears her child until the
child grows old’ (viii) to preserve: Ọlọ́run wo ọmọ náà ‘God preserved the
child’ (ix) watch: A wo tẹlifísàn ‘We watched television’ (x) see: Wo ẹni tí
ó wà lẹ́nu ọ̀nà ‘See who is at the door’ (xi) observe: Ó wo ìràwọ̀ ‘He
observed the sky’ (xii) go through: Wo iṣẹ́ yìí ‘Go through this work’ (xiii)
glance: Ó wo ojú títì láti rí i bóyá ó wà níbẹ̀ ‘He glanced along
the road to see if he was there’ (xiv) examine: Mo wo kòkòrò náà kí n lè
mọ ohun tí ó jẹ́ ‘I examined the insect to see what it was’ (xv) consult: Ó
máa ń wo ìwé-atúmọ̀-èdè bí ọ̀rọ̀ kan kò bá yé e ‘He always consults
a dictionary if he doesn’t understand a word’ (xvi) check: Mà á wò ó bóyá
gbogbo ilẹ̀kùn ni wọ́n ti tì ‘I will check if all the doors are locked’.
wọ́ (i) to be crocked: Ó wọ́ ‘It is crooked’
(ii) to pull: Ó wọ́ ọ ‘He pulled him’ (iii) to crawl: Ó wọ́ sí igbó ‘It
crawled into the bush’ (iv) to wade through: Ó fẹsẹ̀ wọ́ omi kọjá ‘He waded
through the stream’ (v) to be many: Èrò ń wọ́ níbẹ̀ ‘Many people went
there’ (vi) to rub into (as of medicine): Ó fi oògùn wọ́ ọ ‘He rubbed it
with some medicine’ (vii) creep: Ajá náà wọ́ sí abẹ́ tábìlì ‘The dog
crept under the table’ (viii) flow: Àwọn èrò wọ́ wọ inú ilé ‘The crowd of
people flowed into the building; (ix) settle: Otútù ti wọ́ sí i láyà ‘The
cold has settled on his chest’ (x) wriggle: Ejò náà ń wọ́ lọ ní orí
títì ‘The snake wriggled along the road’.
wọ̀ (i) to be acceptable: Ó wọ̀ fún mí ‘It is
acceptable to me’ (ii) to enter: Ó wọ ilé ‘He entered the house’ (iii) to
fall off: Èso yìí wọ̀ (sílẹ̀) ‘The fruit fell off the tree’ (iv) to put on
clothing: Ó wọ ẹ̀wù rẹ̀ ‘He puts on his clothes’ (v) to lodge: Ó wọ̀ sílé
mi ‘He lodgeg in my house’ (vii) to roost: Adìẹ náà wọ̀ ‘The chickens went
to roost’ (viii) to set: Oòrùn ti wọ̀ ‘The sun has set’ (ix) to sell well:
Ajé wọ igbá rẹ̀ ‘She sold well today’ (x) to penetrate: Oorun-ún wọ̀ ọ́
lára ‘He slept well’ (xi) to be silent: Ó wọ̀ ṣin ‘He kept quiet’ (xii) to
feel the weight (as of load): Ọrùn wọ̀ ọ́ ‘He felt the weight of the load’
(xiii) to have an opportunity to succeed’ (xiv) wear: Ẹ̀wù màmá rẹ̀ ni ó wọ̀
‘She wearing her mother’s dress’ (xv) sink: Omi náà wọ inú ilẹ̀ ‘The water
sank into the ground’ (xvi) pull: Ó wọ ṣáàtì rẹ̀ titun ‘He pulled on his
new shirt’ (xvii) pierce: Ìtànṣán iná kan wọ inú òkùnkùn ‘A ray a light
pierce the darkness’ (xviii) in: Síkẹ́ẹ̀tì dúdú ni ó wọ̀’ ‘She was in a
black skirt’ (xix) catch: Mo wọ ọkọ̀ ojú irin lọ sí Òṣogbo ‘I caught the
train to Òṣogbo’ (xx) board: Wọ́n wọ takisí ‘They boarded a taxi’.
wọ́n (i) they: Wọ́n lọ ‘They went’ (ii) to be
scarce: Ó wọ́n ‘It is scarce’ (iii) to take off: Mo wọ́n aṣọ kúrò lára mi
‘I took off my clothes’ (iv) to burst open: Ó wọ́n ilẹ̀kùn ‘He burst the door
opxen’ (v) to sprinkle: Ó wọ́n omi sí ilẹ̀ ‘He sprinkled water on the ground’
(vi) to catch: Ó wọ́n bọ́ọ̀lù ‘He catches the ball’ (vii) to wean: Ọmọ náà
ti wọ́n ‘The child has been weaned’ (viii) to be expensive: Ó wọ́n ‘It is
expensive’ (ix) to sprain: Ẹsẹ̀ mi wọ́n ‘I sprained my leg’ (x) them: Ó nà wọ́n
‘He hit them’ (xi) cost: Ṣé iṣu wọ́n ju kókò lọ? Do yams cost more that
cocoyams?’ (xii) dear: Ọsàn wọ́n níbí ‘Oranges are dear here’ (xiv) smear: Wọ́n
wọ́n ṣokoléètì sí ọmọ náà lójú ‘They smeared the child’s face with
chocolate’ (xv) water: Wọ́n (omi sí) ewéko náà ‘Water the plant’.
wọn (i) to drizzle: Ó ń wọn ‘It is drizzling’
(ii) them: Ó rí wọn ‘He saw them’ (iii) they: Wọn kò rí mi ‘They do not see
me’ (iv) their: Mo rí ìwé wọn ‘I saw their book’.
wọ̀n (i) to weigh: Ó wọ̀n ọ́n ‘He weighed it’
(ii) to measure: Ó wọ̀n ọ́n ‘He measured it’ (iii) guage: Ó wọn iye epo pẹtiróò
tí ó wà nínú káà náà ‘He gauged the amount of petrol in the car
wú (i) to dig up: Ó wú ilẹ̀ ‘He dug up the
ground’ (ii) to swell: Ara rẹ̀ wú ‘His
body is swollen’ (iii) to feel like shedding tears: Orí rẹ̀ wú ‘He feel like
shedding tears’ (iv) to develop rapidly: Ó wú ‘He developed rapidly (v) to
cough: Ó wú ikọ́ ‘He coughed’ (vi) to pray: Ó wú ìre (wúre) fún un ‘He
prayed for him’ (vii) bulge: Nǹkan tí ó kó sínú báàgì rẹ̀ jẹ́ kí
báàgì náà wú ‘Her bag was bulging of things’.
wu to endanger: Ewu ń wu ú ‘He is been
endangered’.
wù (i) to please: Ó wù mí ‘It pleases me’ (ii) to rot: Ó fi igi náà
sílẹ̀ kí ó wù ‘He left the tree to rot’ (iii) to grow: Àgbàdo yìí ti
wù ‘This maize has grown’ (iv) appeal: Ìwé náà wu ọmọ ilé-ìwé náà
‘The book appeals to the student’ (v) attract: Ọmọkùnrin náà wu ọmọbìnrin
yìí ‘The boy was attracted to this girl’ (vi) charm: Ọmọbìnrin náà wu àwọn ọmọkùnrin yẹn ‘The
girl chammed those boys’ (vii) decay: Igi máa ń wù tí ó bá tutù ‘Wood
decays if it is wet’ (viii) fascinate: Ìlú náà wù ú ‘The town fascinates
him’ (ix) germinate: Irúgbìn ẹ̀wà náà wù ‘The bean seeds germinate’ (x)
germination: Irúgbìn nílò omi láti wù ‘Seeds need water for germination’
(xi) shoot: igbó àdòdó róòsì tún wù lẹ́yìn tí wọ́n ti gé e ‘Rose
bushes shot again after being cut’ (xii) spring: Igbó ń wù káàkiri gbogbo
ibi ‘Weeds were springing up everywhere’.
wùn ‘please’: Ó wùn mí ‘It pleases me’.
wun ‘knit’: Màmá mi wun ìbọ̀sẹ̀ mélòó kan
fún mi ‘My mother knits me some socks’.
Yy
yá (i) to be quick: Ó yá mi ‘I was quick’
(ii) to lend: Ó yá mi lówó ‘He lent me some money’ (iii) to borrow: Mo yá
owó lọ́wọ́ rẹ̀ ‘I borrowed some money from him’ (iv) it is time: Ó yá kí á
lọ ‘It is time for us to go’ (v) it is easy: Iṣẹ́ yìí yá ṣe ‘This work is
easy to do’ (vi) to be exposed to heat: Ó yá iná ‘He is warming himself by
the fire’ (vii) to court trouble: Ará ikú ń yá a ‘He is courting trouble
that may put an end to his life’ (viii) to be well: Ara mi yá ‘I am well’ (ix)
to be happy: Ara rẹ̀ yá gágá ‘He is extremely happy’ (x) ready: Ó yá mi
láti lọ ‘I am ready to go’ (xi) spare: Yá mi lówó rẹ ‘Spare me your money’
(xii) rapid: Ọ̀nà tí ó yá jù láti dé oko wa ni nípa wíwọ ọkọ̀ ‘The
most rapid way of getting to our village is by lorry’ (xiii) hire: Ó yá káà
kan ‘He hired a car’ (xiv) fast: Aago mi fi ogún ìṣẹ́jú yá ‘My watch was 20
minutes fast’ (xv) fit: Lẹ́yìn àìsàn tí ó ṣe é, ara rẹ̀ ti ń yá ‘He is
feeling fit again after his ilness’.
ya (i) to tear: Ó ya ìwé ‘He tore the paper’
(ii) to overflow: Odò náà ya ‘The stream overflows’ (iii) to avenge: Ó ya
oró lára rẹ̀ ‘He returns evil for evil’ (iv) claw: Ológbò náà fi
èékánná ya ìwé náà ‘The cat clawed the paper’ (v) crumble: Bèbè omi
ya sí inú odò ‘The river bank crumbled into the river’ (vi) rip: Ìṣó ya ṣáàtì
rẹ̀ ‘He ripped his shirt on a nail’ (vii) shred: Ajá náà ya bébà náà
‘The dog shredded the piece of paper’ (viii) flood: Odò náà kún ó sì ya wọ
orí pápá ‘The river rose and flooded the fields’.
yà (i) to turn off: Ó yà sí apá òsì ‘He
turned off to the left’ (ii) sketch: Ó ya àwòrán ‘He drew a picture’ (iii)
to show the sign of one’s quality: Ó ya ọ̀lẹ ‘He is so lazy’ (iv) to comb: Ó
ya irun rẹ̀ ‘He combed his hair’ (v) to overtake: Ó yà mí ‘He overtook me’
(vi) to separate: Wọ́n ti yà wọ́n ‘They have been separated’ (vii) open: Ó ya
ojú rẹ̀ ‘He opened his eyes’ (viii) snap: Ó yà mí (ní fọ́tò) ‘He snapped
me’ (ix) fork: Yà sí apá òsì tí o bá ti kọjá odò ‘Fork left after the river’
(x) draw: Ó yà àwòrán ‘He drew a picture’ (xi) branch: Ibí ni ọ̀nà náà
ti yà ‘The road branches off here’ (xii) apart: Ya àwọn ajá wọ̀nyẹn bí bẹ́ẹ̀
kọ́, wọn yóò jà ‘Keep the dogs apart or else they will fight’.
yán (i) to yawn: Ó yán ‘He yawned’ (ii) to
afflict with: Ó yán mi lọ́pàá ‘He afflicted me with a stick’ (iii) to wag:
Ajá náà yán ìrù ‘The dog wags its tail’ (iv) to be on tenterhooks with
eagerness: Ojú mi yán ‘I am on tenterhooks with eagerness’ (v) to bite (as of
snake): Ejò yán an ‘A snake bit him’ (vi) snap: Ajá náà yán an ṣùgbọ́n
kò bù ú jẹ ‘The dog snapped at him but did not bite him’ (vii) splash: Yán
omi sílẹ̀ ‘Splash water on the floor’.
yàn (i) to roast: Ó yan ẹran ‘He roasted some
meats’ (ii) to swagger along slowly: Ó ń yan ‘He is swaggering along slowly’
(iii) barbecue: Ó ti dá iná tí ó tó yan ewúrẹ́ ‘He has made a fire fit
to barbecue a goat’ (iv) march: Àwọn sọ́jà náà ń yan lórí títì ‘The
soldiers are marching along the street’.
yàn (i) to buy: Ó yan ẹ̀kọ ‘He bought ẹ̀kọ
(pap)’ (ii) to choose: Ó yàn mí ‘He choose me’ (iii) to be accepted: Obì
yàn ‘The kolanuts have been accepted by the diety’ (iv) appoint: A gbọ́dọ̀ yan
ìgbìmọ̀ kan ‘We must appoint a committee’ (v) set: Àwọn ìwé wo ni wọ́n ti
yàn fún ilé-ìwé náà What books have been set for the school?’ (vi)
shoot: Ó yan ìbọn ‘He shot the gun’ (vii) select: Wọ́n yàn mí mọ́ àwọn tí
ó ń gbá bọ́ọ̀lù fún ilé-ẹ̀kọ́ náà ‘I was selected for the school
football team’ (viii) elect: Wọ́n yan aṣojú wọn ‘They elected their
representative’ (ix) decide: N kò le yan èyí tí ó dára jù nínú aṣọ mẹ́tẹ̀ẹ̀ta
‘I could not decide which is the best of the three dresses’.
yé (i) to understand: Ó yé mi ‘I understand
it’ (ii) to lay (eggs): Adìẹ náà yé ẹyin ‘The hen lays eggs’ (iii) to
cease: Ó yé iṣẹ́ẹ́ ṣe ‘He stopped working’ (iv) please: Yé, bá mi ṣe é
‘Please do it for me’ (v) follow: Ohun tí olùkọ́ ń sọ kò yé e ‘He didn’t
follow what the teacher was saying’ (vi) grasp: Ohun tí olùkọ́ sọ fún mi kò
yé mi ‘I could not grasp what the teacher taught me’ (vii) make out: Ohun tí
ó ń sọ kò yé mi ‘I can’t make out what he is saying’ (viii) see: Ohun tí
ó ń sọ kò yé mi ‘I don’t see what you mean’.
yè ‘survive’: Ó yè ‘He survived’.
yẹ (i) befit: Ó yẹ ẹ́ ‘It befits him’ (ii)
right: Ọ̀nà tí ó yẹ láti kọ lẹ́tà nìyí ‘This is the right way to write a
letter’ (iii) appropriate: Yan ìwé tí ó yẹ fún kíláàsì rẹ ‘Choose the
book that is appropriate for your class’ (iv) fit: Oúnjẹ yìí kò yẹ mí
‘This food is not fit for me’ (v) ought: Ó yẹ kí ó tọ́jú àwọn ọmọ rẹ̀ ‘He
ought to take care of his children’ (vi) proper: O kò wọ aṣọ tí ó yẹ fún
rírìn lórí òkè ‘You aren’t wearing proper clothes for walking on
mountains’ (vii) suppose: Kí ni ó yẹ kí o máa ṣe ‘What are you supposed to
be doing?’ (viii) Ọ̀wọ̀ kò yẹ ọ̀lẹ ẹ̀dá ‘The lazy person is not worthy of
respect’.
yẹ̀ (i) to avoid: Ó yẹ̀ ẹ́ sílẹ̀ ‘He avoided
him’ (ii) dodge: Olú yẹ ìwé tí mo jù lù ú ‘Olú dodged the book that I
threw at him’.
yẹn ‘that’: Ìyá mi ni obìnrin yẹn ‘That woman
is my mother’.
yí (i) to rotate: Ó ń yí ‘It rotates’ (ii)
to role: Ó yí ‘It rolled’ (iii) to turn: Ó yí sí ọ̀hún ‘It turns in that
direction’ (iv) wind: Ó yí ọwọ́ ilẹ̀kùn ‘He wound the door handle’ (v) tune
in: Yí rédíò rẹ sí Rédíò Ògùn ‘Tune in (your redio) to Ògùn Radio’
(vi) tip over: Nígbà tí káà náà kọlu bọ́ọ̀sì kan, ó (káà náà) yí
dànù ‘When the car hit a bus, it tipped over’ (vii) translate: Ó yí èdè
Yorùbá sí èdè Gẹ̀ẹ́sì ‘He translated Yorùbá into English’ (viii) spin:
Àwọn táyà káà náà ń yí (po) ‘The tyres of the cars were spinning
(round)’ (ix) run round: Ògiri náà yí abúlé náà po ‘The wall runs round
the village’ (x) revolve: Ẹsẹ̀ káà náà ń yí ‘The car wheels revolve’ (xi)
roam around: A yí ìgboro ká ‘We roamed around the town’ (xii) put into: Yí
gbólóhùn yìí sí èdè Yorùbá ‘Put the sentence into Yorùbá’.
yi ‘to be tough’ Ó yi ‘It is tough’.
yín (i) to nibble: Ó ń yín oúnjẹ jẹ ‘He is
nibbling the food’ (ii) to tune: Ó yín rédíò rẹ̀ ‘He tuned his radio’
(iii) you: Ó rí i yín ‘He saw you’ (iv) to gouge off: Ó yín àgbàdo ‘He
gouged off the maize-grains from the cob one by one with the thumb’ (v) to
curl: Ó yín imú sí mi ‘He curled his lips in disbelief at my statement’.
yin (i) to cut: Ó fi ọ̀bẹ yin etí tábìlì
‘He cut the edge of the table with a knife’ (ii) to interrogate: Ó yin ọ̀rọ̀
gbọ́ lẹ́nu rẹ̀ ‘He interrogated him in order to hear the facts from him’
yìn (i) to praise: Ó yìn ín ‘He praised him’
(ii) to shoot: Ó yin ìbọn ‘He shot the gun’ (iii) pique: Ó yin ara rẹ̀ fún ṣiṣe
nǹkan lásìkò ‘He piqued himself on being punctual’ (iv) compliment: Ó yin Ṣọlá
fún oúnjẹ tí ó sè ‘He compliments Ṣolá on her cooking’.
yó (i) to become replete/to be drunk: Mo ti yó
‘My appetite is satisfied’, Ó ti yó ‘He is drunk’ (ii) satisfy: Oúnjẹ náà
yó mi ‘The food satisfies me’ (iii) full: Mo yó nígbà tí mo jẹ iyán náà
tán ‘I felt full after eating the pounded yam’ (iv) intoxicate: Ọkùnrin náà
ti yó ‘The man was intoxicated’.
yọ́ (i) to act stealthily: Ó ń yọ́ rìn ‘He walked
furtively on tiptoe’ (ii) to melt: Ó yọ́ ‘It melted’ (iii) stealth: Ó yọ́
rere ṣe ‘He did good by stealth’ (iv) dissolve: Súgà máa ń yọ́ nínú tíì
gbígbóná ‘Sugar dissolves in hot tea’ (v) skid: Káà náà yá lórí
adágún epo ‘The car skidded on a pool of oil’ (vi) thaw: Jẹ́ kí oúnjẹ tí
ó dì yọ́ kí o tó sè é ‘Leave frozen food to thaw before cooking it’ (vii)
to be kindly disposed towards: Inú rẹ̀ yọ́ sí mi ‘He is kindly disposed
towards me’.
yọ (i) to appear/to become: Ó yọ lókèèrè
‘He appears from afar’, Ẹ̀ṣín rẹ̀ yọ ‘He becomes a laughing-stock’ (ii) to
pull out: Ó yọ ọ́ síta ‘He pulled it out’ (iii) to sprout/to protrude: Iṣu
yìí ti yọ ‘This yam has sprouted’. Ikùn rẹ̀ yọ ‘He is pot-bellied’ (iv) to
escape: Ó yọ kúrò lọ́wọ́ ewu ‘He escaped from danger’ (v) to produce good
cobs: Àgbàdo yìí yọ ‘This maize produces very well’ (vi) to be dismissed: Wọ́n
yọ ọ́ níṣẹ́ ‘He was dismissed from work’ (vii) to bring out: Ó yọ igi ‘He
brought out a stick’ (viii) to appreciate: Iṣẹ́ rẹ̀ yọ ‘His work is
appreciated’ (ix) to be fed up: Ọ̀rọ̀ náà yọ ní ẹ̀mí mi ‘I am fed up with
the matter’ (x) rescue: A yọ ọmọkùnrin tí ó kó sí inú odò ‘We rescued
the boy who fell into the river’ (xi) hang: Ahọ́n ajá máa ń yọ jáde tí ó
bá ń yára sáré ‘A dog’s tongue hangs out when it runs fast’ (xii) wriggle:
Ó yọ kúrò nínú ìṣòro náà ‘He wriggled out of the difficulty’ (xiii)
substract: Mo ti yọ aárùn-ún fún àwọn ọ̀rọ̀ tí o sì kọ ‘I have
substracted five for your bad spelling’ (xiv) sprung: Níbo ni o ti dédé yọ?
Where have you sprung from suddenly?’ (xv) rise: Oòrun yọ ní aago méje ‘The
sun rose at seven o’clock’ (xvi) exclude: A yọ Ayọ̀ nínú ẹgbẹ́ wa nítorí
pé ó kéré jù ‘We excluded Ayọ fron our club because he was too young’
(xvii) eliminate: Wọ́n ti yọ ọ́ nínú eré sísá ọdún yìí ‘She has been
eliminated from this year’s athletic race’ (xviii) emerge: À ń tọ ẹ̀bá odò
lọ a sì yọ sínú ọgbà ilé-ẹ̀kọ́ ‘We went along the river and emerged in the
school compound’ (xix) disconnect: Mo yọ wáyà náà lára tẹlifísàn ‘I
disconnected the wire fron the telivision’ (xx) delete: Wọ́n ti yọ ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ọ̀rọ̀
‘Several words have been deleted’ (xxi) come off: Bàtà mi ti yọ ‘My shoes have
come off’.
yọ̀ (i) to jeer: Wọ́ṅ yọ̀ ọ́ ‘They jeered him’
(ii) to be happy: Wọ́n ń yọ̀ ‘They are happy’ (iii) to slip: Ó yọ̀ ṣubú ‘He
slipped and fell’ (iv) Ó yọ̀ fún un ‘He congratulated him’ (v) to gloat over
one’s misfortune: Ọ̀tá yọ̀ ọ́ ‘The enemies gloat over his misfortune’ (vi) to
be thick and sticky: Gọ́ọ̀mù náà ń yọ̀ ‘The gum is thick and sticky’ (vii) Ẹnu
rẹ̀ yọ̀ ‘He is very fluent’ (viii) rejoice: Wọ́n yọ̀ nígbà tí wọ́n jẹ tẹ́tẹ́
‘They rejoiced when they won a lottery’ (ix) glide: Ọkọ̀ náà ń yọ̀ lọ lórí
omi ‘The boat glides away on the river’ (x) slippery: Ilẹ̀ náà ń yọ̀ ‘The
floor is slippery’ (xi) strain: Ó ti yọ tíì náà, kò sí ewé tíì nínú
kọ́ọ̀bù ‘He has strained the tea, there are no tea leaves in the cup’.
yún (i) to go: Ó yún ibẹ̀ lẹ́ẹ̀mẹ́ta ‘He
went there thrice’ (ii) to be pregnant:
Obìnrin yìí ti yún ‘This woman is pregnant’ (iii) scratch: Ó yún ibi tí ẹ̀fọn
ti jẹ ẹ́ lẹ́sẹ̀ ‘He scratched the mosquito bite on his leg (iv) rub: Ó yún
ibi tí ẹ̀fọn ti jẹ ẹ́ ‘He rub the mosquito bite’ (v) itch: Gbogbo alẹ́ ni etí
rẹ̀ fi ń yún un ‘His ear itched all night’.
yùn (i) to saw: Wọ́n fi ayùn yun pákó ‘They
saw the plank with a saw’ (ii) cut Wọ́n fi ọ̀bẹ yun ọrùn ẹran náà ‘They cur
the animal’s neck with a knife’.
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