Looking for practical Afar to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Afar phrase first, then the Yoruba translation (Yoruba) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Yoruba.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Yoruba-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Afar to Yoruba translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Nagaad
Bawo(bawoh)
Galatooma
O seun(oh shayoon)
Bariis
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Galab
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Haal
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Haalka habeen
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
Ilaa mar kale
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Nagaad
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
Maa magacaa?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Magacaygu waa John
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
Iska waran?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Aad baan ku faraxsanahay
Inu mi dun lati pade e(ee-noo mee doon lah-tee pah-deh eh)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Inni ingiriisi maahaa?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Hindi maahaa hinjiru
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Ani hinfahmi
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
Fadlan si maahaa siib
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
Maahaa inna marra?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Maalin baadhu?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Akkam an magaalatti gahu?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Boodha kaaf
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Boodha mirga
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Si qodhi
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
Maalin abaal?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Tiket tokkon, fadlan
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
Maalin faga?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Ani dhumtu
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?
Nibo ni mo ti le ra kaadi SIM?(Nee-boh nee moh tee leh rah kah-dee SIM)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eeyy
Bẹẹni(ee-yee)
Maya
Rara(mah-yah)
Gara
Bóyá(gah-rah)
Anigu waaq
Mo gba(ah-nee-goo wahk)
Anigu ma waaq
Mo kọ(ah-nee-goo mah wahk)
Tani waa'ee
Iyẹn dára(tah-nee wah-ee)
Ilaa ma waaq?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?(ee-lah mah wahk)
Ilaa naxar?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?(ee-lah nah-khar)
Naxar aniga
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́(nah-khar ah-nee-gah)
Soo'aa
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀(soo-ah)
Waa'ee aniga
Mo bínú(wah-ee ah-nee-gah)
Maya dhib
Kò sí ìṣòro(mah-yah dheeb)
Hambalyo
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí(ham-bahl-yo)
Bariis gadhay
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi(bah-rees gah-thai)
Safar amni
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò(sah-far am-nee)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eeyyoo taayka daab?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
Eeyyoo gaari daab?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
Keenya kaafaa?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
Waqti maayti?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
Maayta kaan?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
Ittaa hara
O sunmọ ibi yi(ittaa hara)
Ittaa faar
O jinna si ibi yi(ittaa faar)
Maafaa naafaa?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
Hara dhaaf, fadlan
Duro nibi, jọwọ(hara dhaaf, fadlan)
Waqti mee?
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?(waqti mee)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iyayka mi'aa?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
Iyayka xayl
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
Ma'ayka hara gabbir?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
Karta ka'ayka?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
Mi'ayka mi'ida laba
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Xisaab, fadlan
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
Adeegku ma ku jira?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
Anigu waxaan ahay khudradeed
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
Cunto kulul ma jirto, fadlan
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
Tani waa macaan
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
Mi'ayka liiska?
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
Dharbaaxda biyo, fadlan
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Waaqa booliisi
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
Waaqa ambulaansii
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Dooktar naaf barbaachisa
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
Naanu dhukkuba qaba
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Qoricha fooniif dhukkuba qaba
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Hospitaala dhihoo eessa?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
Asitti dhukkuba qaba
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Paaspoortii koo dhabe
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
Hoteela koo waaqa?
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
Gargaarsa!
I ranlọwọ!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nagaad waayi
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
Nagaad kaabirna waayi
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade(na-gaad kaa-bir-na waa-yi)
Waqti mee waayi?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?(waq-ti mee waa-yi)
Warqad kaan diraya harra
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni(war-qad kaan di-ra-ya har-ra)
Maanta waayi hadalnaa?
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?(maan-ta waa-yi ha-dal-naa)
Faylka ku lifaaqan fadlan
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́(fayl-ka ku li-faa-qan fad-lan)
Mahadsanid waqtigaaga
O seun fun akoko rẹ(ma-had-sa-nid waq-ti-ga-a-ga)
Waxaan rajeynayaa inaan la shaqeeyo
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ(wax-aan ra-jeen-yaa-in aan la sha-qee-yo)
Ma cadayn kartaa dhibicdaas?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?(ma ca-dayn kar-taa dhi-bi-cda-as)
Iga raadi dib
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ(i-ga raa-di dib)
Waqtiga kama dambaysta waa Jimco
Akoko ipari ni Friday(waq-ti-ga ka-ma dam-bay-sta waa jim-co)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.