Basic Nouns

1. Omi

   Water

   Usage

   Ask for drinking water; pair it with “bottle” if you want sealed water

2. Oúnjẹ

   Food

   Usage

   The general word for food; useful when hunting for somewhere to eat

3. Owó

   Money

   Usage

   The base word for paying and changing currency

4. Ilé ìgbọ̀nsẹ̀

   Toilet

   Usage

   Combine it with the “where” question

5. Tíṣù

   Tissue

   Usage

   Many toilets have no paper — use this word to buy some

   Grammar Note

   A loan from English "tissue."

6. Òògùn

   Medicine

   Usage

   At a pharmacy; combine it with gestures for your symptom

7. Ẹrù

   Luggage

   Usage

   For checking in, carrying on, or reporting lost bags

8. Kọ́kọ́rọ́

   Key

   Usage

   At hotel reception when collecting or returning it

9. Tíkẹ́ẹ̀tì

   Ticket

   Usage

   Covers both transport tickets and admission tickets

10. Ìwé ìrìnnà

    Passport

    Usage

    Comes up at check-in, currency exchange, and any police check

11. Fóònù

    Phone

    Usage

    When you need to borrow one or ask for a number

    Grammar Note

    A loan from English "phone." The native term is "ẹ̀rọ ìbánisọ̀rọ̀" (talking machine).

12. Ṣájà

    Charger

    Usage

    To borrow one at a hotel or café, or buy one in a shop

    Grammar Note

    A loan from English "charger."

13. Ibùdó

    Station

    Usage

    A landmark word when asking for directions

14. Ilé ìwòsàn

    Hospital

    Usage

    The first word you need if you fall ill

15. Ọlọ́pàá

    Police

    Usage

    For theft or accidents; combine it with “where?”

16. Ilé ìtajà

    Shop

    Usage

    When looking for somewhere to buy something

    Grammar Note

    "Ilé ìtajà" means "selling house"; the loanword "ṣọ́ọ̀bù" is also widespread.

17. Yàrá

    Room

    Usage

    Use it when asking a hotel about vacancies

18. Ọ̀nà

    Road

    Usage

    The base word when asking the way

19. Ìdílé

    Family

    Usage

    A guaranteed small-talk topic; showing photos goes a long way

20. Orúkọ

    Name

    Usage

    For introductions and for giving your name at a counter

21. Orí

    Head

    Usage

    Point at your own head to show where it hurts

22. Ojú

    Eye

    Usage

    For eye trouble; the same word can mean "face", so point while showing it

23. Eyín

    Tooth

    Usage

    For toothache. Distinct from ẹyin (egg) and ẹ̀yìn (back) — dots and tones matter

24. Ọ̀fun

    Throat

    Usage

    For a sore throat or trouble swallowing

25. Ikùn

    Stomach / belly

    Usage

    Point at where the stomach pain is

26. Ẹ̀yìn

    Back

    Usage

    For back pain; do not confuse with eyín (tooth)

27. Ẹsẹ̀

    Leg / foot

    Usage

    For leg or foot pain; the word covers both leg and foot

28. Ọwọ́

    Hand

    Usage

    For an injured or painful hand

29. Àyà

    Chest

    Usage

    For chest pain or tightness (the chest, not the breast)

30. Etí

    Ear

    Usage

    For earache or trouble hearing

31. Ọrùn

    Neck

    Usage

    For neck pain; distinct from ọ̀run (heaven) and oòrùn (sun)

32. Èjìká

    Shoulder

    Usage

    For shoulder pain

33. Orúnkún

    Knee

    Usage

    For knee pain or injury

34. Ìka ọwọ́

    Finger

    Usage

    For an injured finger; ìka alone can also mean toe

35. Awọ ara

    Skin

    Usage

    For itching or skin trouble; distinct from àwọ̀ (colour)

36. Apá

    Arm

    Usage

    For arm pain or injury

37. Imú

    Nose

    Usage

    For a blocked nose or nosebleed

38. Pápá ọkọ̀ òfuurufú

    Airport

    Usage

    Show a taxi driver where you are going

39. Ibùdó ọkọ̀

    Bus stop

    Usage

    Point at it when asking where the stop is

40. Ilé òògùn

    Pharmacy / chemist

    Usage

    When looking for somewhere to buy medicine; locally often called a "chemist"

41. Ibi ìpààrọ̀ owó

    Money exchange

    Usage

    When asking where you can change money

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