Yoruba for Academic Purpose: R-Y: Yoruba Monosyllabic Words (Yoruba-English)

rá (i) to crawl: Ó rá ‘He crawled’ (ii) 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 ìwé kan ní 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 ‘He is a puny (little) child’ (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 náà 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 out: 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 ló 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 sight ofd: Mo rí bọ́ọ̀lù náà lórí igi ‘I caught sight of the ball on the tree’ (vi) discover: Nígbà tí ó pẹ́ tí a ti ń wá a, a rí ìwé náà nínú àpótí ‘After a long search, we discovered the book in a box’ 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 of: 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 draped 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) 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 it is tough’ (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) to sweep: 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 pour fluid into a container which has a norrow neck: Ó rọ omi sí inú ìgò ‘He poured water into the bottle’ (v) droop: Àwọn àdòdó náà rọ ní kété tí a já wọn tán ‘The flowers drooped soon after we picked them’ (vi) forge: Ó rọ ọkọ́ ‘He forged hoe’

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 one 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 questions 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 ‘Disaster 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 ‘Their 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’.

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 give or do something in return: 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 ọ 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 blocked 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 se 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’ (vii) to demand for (as of money): Ó sìn ín lówó ‘ He demands for her money from him’ (viii) breed: Wọ́n ń sin ẹwúrẹ́ ‘They were breeding goats’ (ix) see off: Ó sin àlejò rẹ̀ lọ sí ìdíkọ̀ ‘He escorted his visitor to the motor park’ (x) serve: Ó ń sin ọkùnrin náà ‘She was serving the man’. (xi) walk: he walked me home (He walked with me to my house) ‘Ó sìn mí délé’

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 down: 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 ní ẹsẹ̀ ‘He slashed her leg’ (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 match’ (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 ṣá ‘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 to eat raw: 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) to drive at: Kí ni o fẹ́ ṣe? ‘What is he driving 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 plastic 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) manufacture: 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 of 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 sí 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 ‘The paint flaked off the wall’ (x) sail: Ó ṣí ọkọ̀ ‘He sailed 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) keep 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’.

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 cloth 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 discuss: 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 arms’.

tó (i) to be sufficient: Ó tó ‘It is suffiecint’ (ii) to amount to: Ó tó ọjọ́ mẹ́ta tí o ti dé ‘It is three days since you’ve arrived’ (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 hand reaches 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 arranged 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 the shelf and all the English books on the bottom’ (iv) file: Wọ́n tò wọ inú kíláàsì ‘They filed 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 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 tún ti tú ‘My shoe-lace has come undone again’ (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 náà ‘They rowed the 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’.

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’.

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 fi ṣe ibùjókòó 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 slender and 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 wó bíríìjì náà ‘They blew up the bridge’

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 be deep (as of sleep): 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: Ó ríbi bá wọ̀ ọ́ ‘He as got the opportunity to succeed’ (xiv) wear: Ẹ̀wù màmá rẹ̀ ni ó wọ̀ ‘She wears her mother’s dress’ (xv) sink: Omi náà wọ inú ilẹ̀ ‘The water sank into the ground’ (xvi) pull on: Ó wọ ṣáàtì rẹ̀ titun ‘He pulled on his new shirt’ (xvii) pierce: Ìtànṣán iná kan wọ inú òkùnkùn ‘A ray of 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 náà sí ‘He bursts the door open’ (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-ẹ̀kọ́ 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’.

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 twenty minutes fast’ (xv) fit: Lẹ́yìn àìsàn tí ó ṣe é, ara rẹ̀ ti ń yá ‘He is feeling fit again after his illness’.

ya (i) to tear: Ó ya ìwé náà ‘He tore the paper’ (ii) to overflow: Odò náà ya ‘The stream overflows’ (iii) to avenge: Ó fi oró ya oró ‘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 sketched 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) keep 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’.

yan (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 chose me’ (iii) to be accepted: Obì yàn ‘The kolanuts have been accepted by the deity’ (iv) appoint: A gbọ́dọ̀ yan ìgbìmọ̀ kan ‘We must appoint a committee’ (v) set: Àwọn ìwé wo ni wọ́n ti yàn fún ilé-ẹ̀kọ́ 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) 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 yọ́ 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 out: 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 from our club because he was too young’ (xvii) eliminate: Wọ́n ti yọ ọ́ nínú eré ìje 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 from 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 cut the animal’s neck with a knife’.

Yoruba for Academic Purpose

Wednesday, 3 June 2015

R-Y: Yoruba Monosyllabic Words (Yoruba-English)

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