If you’re traveling around West Africa, especially in Nigeria, Benin, or Togo, you’ll probably meet a lot of people who speak the Yoruba language. After all, it’s spoken by around 50 million people! Like in any language, there are several basic greetings in Yoruba.
So, today we’ll be learning basic greetings in Yoruba that you can use in different contexts and at different times of day. After that, we’ll see a few more greetings and some cultural tips on how to use them.
Basic Yoruba Greetings
We’ll start with the standard ways to say “Good morning” - Ẹ káàárọ̀, “Good afternoon” - Ẹ káàsán, and “Good evening” - Ẹ káalẹ́. Then we’ll go over how to say “Hello” - Ẹ ǹlẹ́ o!
1. Good Morning: Ẹ káàárọ̀
To say “good morning” in Yoruba, you say Ẹ káàárọ̀. It’s a formal phrase, so you can use it to greet strangers, superiors, and elders.
2. Good Afternoon: Ẹ káàsán
The Yoruba greeting for “Good afternoon” is Ẹ káàsán. As you might have guessed, àsán means afternoon. You might be wondering why Yoruba people start saying Ẹ káàsán at 11 and not 12 PM. That’s because traditional timekeeping is based more on the sun’s position and daily activities. Morning runs into 11 as that’s when the sun is at its peak, and then evening starts at sunset.
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3. Good Evening: Ẹ kú ìrọ̀lẹ́
To greet people after sunset, Yoruba speakers say Ẹ kú ìrọ̀lẹ́. It’s good from around 6 PM until bedtime.
SokidzTV - HOW WE GREET (YORUBA)
4. Hello: Ẹ ǹlẹ́ o
If you need a Yoruba greeting that’s not tied to a time of day, you can say Ẹ ǹlẹ́ o. It’s a warm and respectful way to say hello. This greeting literally translates as “You are on the ground!” and is tied to Yoruba tradition, which involves prostrating (for men) or kneeling (for women) to greet elders.
5. How Are You?
It’s a common way to ask someone how they are, and you can use it in casual conversations with a friend or a younger person. However, if you’re talking to elders, use “Are you well” - Ṣe dáadáa ni? to show more respect instead.
Additional Yoruba Greetings
Want to learn even more Yoruba greetings? Here are several you can use in different contexts.
| English | Yoruba | Context / When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Hello (formal/informal) | Ẹ nlé / In lẹ́ | Universal greeting |
| Welcome! (formal/informal) | Ẹ káàbọ̀! / Káàbọ̀! | Greeting arrivals |
| Home greetings (formal/informal) | Ẹ kúulẹ̀! / Kúulẹ̀! | Entering someone’s home |
| Did you sleep well? | Ṣé o sun dáadáa? | Morning inquiry |
| Safe travels / Welcome from your journey | Ẹ kú irin ajò! | Wishing travelers well |
| Greetings for work (formal/informal) | Ẹ kú iṣẹ́! / Kú iṣẹ́! | Greeting and acknowledging someone who is working |
| Greetings for eating (formal/informal) | Ẹ kú ìjẹun! / Kú ìjẹun! | Greeting someone who is eating |
| Come and eat (formal/informal) | Ẹ wá jẹun / Wá jẹun | Greeting when eating |
| Greetings for resting (formal/informal) | Ẹ kú ìsinmi! |
Cultural Tips for Yoruba Greetings
Here are some cultural tips to make sure you’re always being polite and respectful when greeting someone.
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- Be mindful of the age difference. In Yoruba culture, elders are treated with more respect, so use informal greetings with children and peers, and formal ones with people who are older.
- Remember the Ẹ. It’s the polite plural form of the pronoun “you,” and it’s used to show respect. Since Yoruba culture greatly values respect, you should always use it with elders, authority figures, strangers, and religious leaders.
- Gestures matter. There are some gestures that accompany Yoruba greetings to show more respect. Traditionally, when meeting elders, men prostrate or bow slightly, and women kneel briefly or curtsy. When meeting peers, a handshake or a nod is enough.
- Always reciprocate greetings; it can be seen as rude if you don’t!
- Pronunciation is key. Finally, remember that Yoruba is a tonal language, so make sure to get your pronunciation right by listening to native speakers. If you’re not familiar with the Yoruba language at all, there’s something you need to know before you start greeting people: Yoruba is a tonal language. The good thing is that tones are clearly marked on words with diacritics (those little accents over the letters): ´ indicates a high tone, ` a low tone, and no diacritic means a mid-tone.
There’s no direct translation for “hi” in Yoruba, but you can use ‘Nlé!’ for a short, casual greeting among friends. It’s the short version of the more formal ‘Ẹ nlé,’ which means “greetings to you”. Several gestures are used when greeting someone in Yoruba culture. Traditionally, men prostrate (lie flat on the ground) or kneel when meeting elders, and women kneel or curtsy.
Goodbye! Well, you’re now ready for your trip to West Africa! Or at least to greet every Yoruba person you meet with warmth and respect. You know how to say “Good morning” - Ẹ káàárọ̀, “Good afternoon” - Ẹ káàsán, “Good evening” - Ẹ kú ìrọ̀lẹ́, “Hello” - In lẹ́ o! Plus, we saw some extra greetings for other contexts.
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