Weather & Climate

1. Ó gbóná lónìí, àbí bẹ́ẹ̀ kọ́?

   O gbona lonii, abi bee ko?

   It's hot today, isn't it?

   Usage

   Classic Yoruba weather conversation opener in southwestern Nigeria

   Grammar Note

   Yoruba is a tonal language — tone marks (acute, grave, macron) distinguish word meanings

2. Ó dàbí ọjọ́ òjò

   O dabi ojo ojo

   It looks like it will rain

   Usage

   Used when rain seems likely

   Grammar Note

   "Òjò" (rain) and "ọjọ́" (day) differ in both the vowel (o vs ọ) and the tone — easy to confuse, so mind the dot and tone marks

3. Ìjì ń bọ̀

   Iji n bo

   A storm is approaching

   Usage

   Warning when a storm is approaching

   Grammar Note

   "Ń bọ̀" is the Yoruba progressive — "ń" marks present/ongoing action

4. Ó tútù lónìí, àbí bẹ́ẹ̀ kọ́?

   O tutu lonii, abi bee ko?

   It's cool today, isn't it?

   Usage

   Used on cool days

   Grammar Note

   "Tútù" means "cool/cold" in Yoruba — a weather descriptor for comfortable temperature

5. Ẹ jọ̀wọ́, sọ àsọtẹ́lẹ̀ ojú ọjọ́ fún mi

   E jowo, so asotele oju ojo fun mi

   Please tell me the weather forecast

   Usage

   Politely ask about the weather forecast

   Grammar Note

   "Ojú ọjọ́" = "ojú" (face) + "ọjọ́" (day) — literally "face of the day" = weather

6. Ṣé mo nílò sunscreen?

   She mo nilo sunscreen?

   Do I need sunscreen?

   Usage

   Ask before going out under the strong sun

   Grammar Note

   Yoruba uses the English loanword "sunscreen" directly in this context

7. Ṣé ó yẹ kí n mú agbòòrùn lọ?

   She o ye ki n mu agboorun lo?

   Should I bring an umbrella?

   Usage

   Check whether to carry an umbrella

   Grammar Note

   "Ó yẹ kí n + verb" means "I should ..."; "agbòòrùn" is the umbrella

8. Àkókò gbígbẹ máa ń bẹ̀rẹ̀ nìgbà wo?

   Akoko gbigbe maa n bere nigba wo?

   When is the dry season?

   Usage

   Ask about the dry season when planning travel

   Grammar Note

   "Nìgbà wo?" is the Yoruba question phrase for "when?"

9. Àkókò òjò máa ń bẹ̀rẹ̀ nìgbà wo?

   Akoko ojo maa n bere nigba wo?

   When is the rainy season?

   Usage

   Ask about the rainy season when planning travel

   Grammar Note

   "Àkókò òjò" = "àkókò" (time/period) + "òjò" (rain) — "time of rain" = rainy season

10. Oòrùn gbóná gan-an lónìí

    Oorun gbona ganan lonii

    The sun is really strong

    Usage

    Describe the strong sunlight

    Grammar Note

    "Oòrùn" (sun) has tonal marking specific to Yoruba. "Gan-an" is an emphatic adverb

11. Òjò

    Rain

    Usage

    Ask about rain in the forecast or right now

12. Yìnyín

    Snow / ice

    Usage

    It does not snow in Nigeria, so in practice this means ice

13. Afẹ́fẹ́

    Wind

    Usage

    Talk about the wind; the same word also means air

14. Oòrùn ràn

    It is sunny

    Usage

    Say or check that the sun is out

15. Ojú ọ̀run ṣú

    It is cloudy

    Usage

    Say that the sky has clouded over

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