Emergency

1. Ẹ ran mí lọ́wọ́!

   eh RAHN mee LOH-woh

   Help me!

   Usage

   The most important phrase to call for help in an emergency

   Grammar Note

   "Ran lọ́wọ́" is an idiomatic expression literally meaning "extend a hand to help." The key emergency help phrase in Yoruba.

2. Pè Ọlọ́pàá!

   PEH oh-LOH-pah-ah

   Call the police!

   Usage

   Calling for police assistance. Nigeria's national emergency number is 112 (police, fire and ambulance; toll-free)

   Grammar Note

   "Ọlọ́pàá" is the Yoruba word for the police or a police officer. Nigeria’s single national emergency number is 112.

3. Mú mi lọ sí ilé ìwòsàn

   moo mee loh see ee-LEH ee-WOH-sahn

   Take me to the hospital

   Usage

   Used when urgent medical care is needed. "Ilé ìwòsàn" is Yoruba for "hospital"

   Grammar Note

   "Ilé ìwòsàn" is a compound noun: "house (ilé) + healing (ìwòsàn)." "Ìwòsàn" is the nominalization of "wòsàn" (to heal). Classic Yoruba compounding.

4. Mo ṣàìsàn

   moh SHAH-ee-sahn

   I am sick / I am ill

   Usage

   Expressing illness. "Àìsàn" means sickness or physical indisposition

   Grammar Note

   "Ṣàìsàn" = "ṣ" (do/become) + "àìsàn" (sickness). Yoruba uses "ṣ + state noun" to express becoming a state.

5. Ìrora wà níbí

   ee-ROH-rah WAH NEE-bee

   There is pain here / It hurts here

   Usage

   Point to the painful area while using this phrase. Used to communicate pain to doctors or paramedics

   Grammar Note

   "Ìrora" is the nominalization of "rora" (to ache/hurt). "Wà níbí" locates the pain. Yoruba expresses pain as an existential sentence: "pain is here."

6. Wọ́n ti jà mí lólè!

   WOHN tee JAH mee loh-LEH

   I have been robbed!

   Usage

   Emergency phrase for theft or robbery situations

   Grammar Note

   "Wọ́n ti jà mí lólè" is a passive-like perfective expression ("jà ... lólè" = rob someone). "Wọ́n" means "they" (unspecified plural) and serves as a passive subject in Yoruba.

7. Ẹ pè ọkọ̀ ìgbàlà

   eh PEH oh-KOH ee-GBAH-lah

   Call an ambulance

   Usage

   Requesting emergency medical services. Nigeria's emergency number is 112

   Grammar Note

   "Ọkọ̀ ìgbàlà" is a compound: "vehicle (ọkọ̀) + rescue (ìgbàlà)." Yoruba uses compound nouns to express modern concepts.

8. Mo nílò oògùn

   moh NEE-loh OH-oh-goon

   I need medicine

   Usage

   Requesting medication. Used at pharmacies or hospitals

   Grammar Note

   "Nílò" is the verb "to need." "Oògùn" is polysemous, meaning medicine, magic, or poison — context distinguishes the meaning.

9. Nǹkan búburú ṣẹlẹ̀

   nn-KAHN BOO-boo-roo SHEH-leh

   Something bad happened

   Usage

   Reporting an accident or emergency situation

   Grammar Note

   "Ṣẹlẹ̀" is the verb "to happen/occur." "Búburú" is an adjective meaning "bad/evil." Yoruba adjectives are postpositional.

10. Mú mi lọ sí ilé àṣẹ ọlọ́pàá

    moo mee loh see ee-LEH AH-sheh oh-LOH-pah-ah

    Take me to the police station

    Usage

    Requesting transport to the police station for safety or to file a report

    Grammar Note

    "Ilé àṣẹ" means "house of authority/command." "Ilé àṣẹ ọlọ́pàá" = "house of police authority" = police station.

11. Má ṣe é!

    Stop it!

    Usage

    To make someone stop; deliberately direct, not softened

12. Má fi ọwọ́ kàn mí!

    Do not touch me!

    Usage

    Show this without having to raise your voice

13. Ẹ fi mí sílẹ̀!

    Leave me alone!

    Usage

    When someone will not stop following or pestering you

14. Wọ́n jí ẹrù mi

    My luggage was stolen

    Usage

    Report a theft to the police or your accommodation

15. Iná

    Fire

    Usage

    To warn that something is on fire; the same word also means electric light, so point at what is burning

16. Olè

    Thief

    Usage

    To point out the person who stole from you; the same word also names the act of theft

17. Olè jíjà

    Robbery

    Usage

    To report being robbed by force; the wording used in Nigerian statutes and news reports

18. Ìjínigbé

    Kidnapping

    Usage

    To report that someone has been taken away

19. Ìpànìyàn

    Murder

    Usage

    To report that someone has been killed

20. Bọ́ǹbù

    Bomb

    Usage

    To warn that there is an explosive device; a transliteration of English "bomb"

21. Iná! Ẹ sá lọ!

    Fire! Run!

    Usage

    Shout this when you see a fire and need bystanders to get out

22. Olè! Ẹ mú un!

    Thief! Catch him!

    Usage

    Point at the person who stole from you and ask bystanders to hold them

23. Níbo ni ilé àṣẹ ọlọ́pàá wà?

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

    Ask where the police station is so you can file a report

24. Ṣé ẹni tó ń sọ èdè Japan wà níbí?

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Ask at a police station or hospital whether anyone speaks Japanese

25. Ó ti dákú.

    This person is unconscious

    Usage

    Point at a collapsed person and tell paramedics or bystanders they are unconscious

26. Ó ń rì sínú omi!

    Someone is drowning

    Usage

    Call for help when you see someone drowning

27. Wọ́n lù mí.

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Report to police or medical staff that you were assaulted

28. Wọ́n gún mi.

    I was stabbed

    Usage

    Report to police or medical staff that you were stabbed

29. Olè wọ yàrá mi.

    My room was broken into

    Usage

    Report that someone broke into your room or lodging while you were out

30. Ẹni náà ló ṣe é.

    That person is the culprit

    Usage

    Point out the offender to the police; literally "that person is the one who did it"

31. Wọ́n tàn mí jẹ.

    I was deceived

    Usage

    Report a scam or a rip-off

32. Wọ́n jí àpò owó mi.

    My wallet was stolen

    Usage

    Report to the police that your wallet was stolen

33. Mo ti gbàgbé nǹkan mi.

    I left it behind

    Usage

    Tell staff that you left your belongings behind

34. Ìjàmbá ọkọ̀ ṣẹlẹ̀.

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

    Report a road accident

35. Ó léwu!

    Watch out!

    Usage

    Warn the person in front of you about an immediate danger

36. Ẹ yára!

    Please hurry

    Usage

    Tell the person you called for help to hurry

37. Ẹ wá kíákíá.

    Please come right away

    Usage

    Tell someone on the phone or nearby to come immediately

38. Ó jẹ́ ọ̀rọ̀ pàjáwìrì.

    It's an emergency

    Usage

    Tell a desk or a call handler that this cannot wait

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