Food & Drinks

1. Mo fẹ́ jẹun

   moh FEH jeh-OON

   I want to eat

   Usage

   Basic phrase for ordering or requesting a meal

   Grammar Note

   Yoruba follows SVO word order. "Fẹ́" is a modal-like verb meaning "want," followed by an infinitive verb.

2. Ẹ fún mi ní ẹ̀bà

   eh FOON mee nee EH-bah

   Please give me eba (cassava fufu)

   Usage

   "Ẹ̀bà" is a staple made from cassava flour and hot water, eaten with soups

   Grammar Note

   "Fún mi" is an indirect object construction. Yoruba uses "fún (give) + recipient + object" order.

3. Ọbẹ̀ ẹ̀gúsí dára

   oh-BEH eh-GOO-see DAH-rah

   Egusi soup is delicious

   Usage

   "Ọbẹ̀ ẹ̀gúsí", soup made from melon seeds, is a beloved Nigerian dish. "Dára" means good/tasty

   Grammar Note

   Yoruba adjectives follow the noun they modify. "Ọbẹ̀ dára" = "soup good." Note that "sùúrù" means "patience", not "soup".

4. Mo fẹ́ mu omi

   moh FEH moo OH-mee

   I want to drink water

   Usage

   Requesting a drink. Replace "omi" (water) with other beverages as needed

   Grammar Note

   "Mu" (no tone mark) means "to drink". The high-tone "mú" is a different verb meaning "to take/hold", so mind the tone.

5. Ó dára jù

   oh DAH-rah JOO

   It is very delicious

   Usage

   Complimenting food. "Jù" intensifies the adjective to mean "very" or "extremely"

   Grammar Note

   "Jù" is a comparative/intensive particle. "Dára jù" means "exceptionally good/delicious."

6. Ṣé epo pupa wà?

   SHEH EH-poh POO-pah WAH

   Is there palm oil?

   Usage

   Palm oil is essential in Yoruba cooking. Used when asking at restaurants or markets

   Grammar Note

   "Epo pupa" literally means "red oil" and is palm oil. "Ṣé" at the start forms a yes/no question, and "wà" asks about existence.

7. Ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀ dára fún jíjẹ

   OH-geh-deh DAH-rah foon JEE-jeh

   Plantain is good for eating

   Usage

   Plantain is a Nigerian staple eaten fried (dodo), boiled, or steamed in various dishes

   Grammar Note

   "Fún" is a preposition marking purpose. "Jíjẹ" is the nominalization of "jẹ" (to eat). Yoruba forms verbal nouns through reduplication patterns.

8. Àṣáró ni èyí

   ah-SHAH-roh nee eh-YEE

   This is yam porridge

   Usage

   "Àṣáró" is a porridge made from yam (iṣu), a sacred staple in Nigerian culture and traditionally the first crop of the harvest

   Grammar Note

   "Ni èyí" uses the demonstrative "èyí" (this) in an identificational sentence. "Ni" serves as a copula identifying the referent.

9. Ẹ jẹ ọbẹ̀ ewédú

   eh JEH oh-BEH eh-WEH-doo

   Please eat ewedú (jute leaf soup)

   Usage

   "Ewédú" is a thick soup made from jute leaves, typically eaten with eba or amala

   Grammar Note

   "Ọbẹ̀ ewédú" is a compound noun: "soup + ingredient." Yoruba compound nouns are formed by placing the modifier after the head noun.

10. Iyán dára jù

    ee-YAHN DAH-rah JOO

    Pounded yam is the best

    Usage

    "Iyán" (pounded yam) is a Yoruba culinary icon served at celebrations and everyday meals

    Grammar Note

    "Dára jù" expresses the superlative. "Jù" is a particle meaning "surpassing/more than" used for comparatives and superlatives in Yoruba.

11. Ìrẹsì

    Rice

    Usage

    Point at it when ordering or checking ingredients

12. Búrẹ́dì

    Bread

    Usage

    Point at it when buying or ordering bread

13. Iyọ̀

    Salt

    Usage

    Ask for salt, or ask for less of it

14. Ṣúgà

    Sugar

    Usage

    Ask for sugar, or ask for it to be left out

15. Ata dúdú

    Black pepper

    Usage

    Point at black pepper; ata alone means chilli

16. Ata

    Chilli pepper

    Usage

    Point at it to ask for less heat; ata is the base of most local dishes

17. Òróró

    Cooking oil

    Usage

    Point at it to ask for less oil

18. Ọtí kíkan

    Vinegar

    Usage

    Ask for vinegar (literally "sour drink")

19. Bọ́tà

    Butter

    Usage

    Ask for butter, or ask for it to be left out

20. Oyin

    Honey

    Usage

    Ask for honey

21. Ọbẹ̀

    Soup / stew

    Usage

    Central to Yoruba cooking; the tones differ from ọ̀bẹ (knife)

22. Èso

    Fruit

    Usage

    Point at it when looking for or ordering fruit

23. Àyù

    Garlic

    Usage

    Point at it to ask for or avoid garlic

24. Àlùbọ́sà

    Onion

    Usage

    Point at it to ask for the dish without onion

25. Atalẹ̀

    Ginger

    Usage

    Point at it to ask for or avoid ginger

26. Kò jinná

    It is not cooked through

    Usage

    Tell the kitchen the food is undercooked — to avoid food poisoning

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