In Yoruba, you greet according to the time of day, and you show respect to elders with a small word, “ẹ”. Tones, marked by the accents, are part of the word: káàárọ̀ is not pronounced the way it would be written without them.

1

Greeting by time of day

Each part of the day has its own greeting.

káàárọ̀good morning
káàsángood afternoon
kúùrọ̀lẹ́good (early) evening
káalẹ́good evening
ó dàárọ̀good night
2

Greeting an elder

To an elder, you put “ẹ”, the respectful pronoun, before the greeting.

ẹ káàárọ̀good morning (respectful)
Good to know. “o ṣé” thanks one person casually; “ẹ ṣé” is for an elder or for several people. The same respectful “ẹ” appears in “ẹ káàárọ̀”.
3

Asking how people are

Then you ask whether all is well.

báwo ni?how are you?
↳ dáadáa niI am fine
ṣé àlàáfíà ni?are you well? (lit. is it peace?)
↳ àlàáfíà niI am fine (lit. it is peace)
ṣé o sùn dáadáa?did you sleep well?
↳ bẹ́ẹ̀ niyes
4

Welcoming and saying goodbye

You welcome whoever arrives, and part with “ó dàbọ̀”.

káàbọ̀welcome
ó dàbọ̀goodbye
5

Small words you will use all the time

Thank you, yes, no: casual or respectful.

o ṣéthank you (to one person, informal)
ẹ ṣéthank you (respectful or plural)
a dúpẹ́thank you; I'm fine, thanks
bẹ́ẹ̀ niyes
ráráno

In practice: Tunde runs into Bisi in the morning

Tundekáàárọ̀good morning
Bisikáàárọ̀good morning
Tundebáwo ni?how are you?
Bisidáadáa niI am fine
Tundeó dàbọ̀goodbye
Bisió dàbọ̀goodbye

Key points

  • káàárọ̀: good morning
  • ẹ káàárọ̀: good morning (respectful)
  • báwo ni? → dáadáa ni: how are you? / I am fine
  • ó dàbọ̀: goodbye

Test yourself

1. How do you say “good morning”?

2. To greet an elder in the morning, you say…

3. What does “ó dàbọ̀” mean?

4. “báwo ni?” — what do you answer if all is well?

Where do these words come from?
The phrases in this lesson come from the university textbook Yorùbá Yé Mi (F. Mosadomi, COERLL, University of Texas at Austin), cross-checked with Wiktionary. Standard Nigerian spelling, with tones and subdots (ẹ, ọ, ṣ). Do you speak this language and spot a mistake? Write to us.