Looking for practical Alur to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Alur 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 Alur 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.
Salam
Bawo(bawoh)
Matur nuwun
O seun(oh shayoon)
Selamat pagi
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Selamat sore
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Selamat malam
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Selamat bobo
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
Sampai jumpa
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Selamat tinggal
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
Sapa nama mu?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Nama ku John
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
Kabar apa?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Senang bertemu denganmu
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.
Nyo nyi ngana Inggris?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Nyo ngana Hindi badi.
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Nyo ngana nyo.
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
Tolong nyi lempang.
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
Nyo bisa nyi lagi?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Di mana kamar mandi?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Nyo nyi ka pusat kota?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Belok kiri.
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Belok kanan.
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Nyi terus.
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
Berapa harga tiket?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Satu tiket, tolong.
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
Apakah jauh dari sini?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Nyo hilang.
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Di mana bisa beli kartu SIM?
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.
Iyo
Bẹẹni
Ayi
Rara
Mungkin
Bóyá
Ngeye
Mo gba
Ayi ngeye
Mo kọ
Iya, enak
Iyẹn dára
Napa pendapatmu?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
Bisa bantu saya?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
Saya butuh bantuan
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Tunggu sebentar
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Saya minta maaf
Mo bínú
Tidak masalah
Kò sí ìṣòro
Selamat
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
Selamat ulang tahun
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
Semoga selamat dalam perjalanan
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Dika stasiun kereta?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
Dika halte bis?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
Platform mana?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
Jam berapa ia berangkat?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
Apa ini jalan yang benar?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
Iya dekat sini
O sunmọ ibi yi
Iya jauh dari sini
O jinna si ibi yi
Bisa tunjukkan di peta?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
Berhenti di sini, tolong
Duro nibi, jọwọ
Berapa lama waktu yang dibutuhkan?
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Berapa harga ini?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
Itu terlalu mahal.
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
Apakah ada yang lebih murah?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
Bisa bayar pakai kartu?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
Saya mau meja untuk dua.
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Tagihan, tolong.
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
Apakah layanan sudah termasuk?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
Saya vegetarian.
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
Tidak ada makanan pedas, tolong.
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
Ini enak.
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
Bisa minta menu?
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
Segelas air, tolong.
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bisa ngelap polisi
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
Bisa ngelap ambulans
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Aku butuh dokter
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
Aku merasa sakit
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Aku alergi kacang tanah
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Di mana rumah sakit terdekat?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
Sakit di sini
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Aku kehilangan paspor
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
Bisa telepon hotelku?
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
Tolong!
I ranlọwọ!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ngomong bareng kowe
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
Ayo kita atur rapat
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade
Jam pira sing cocog kanggo kowe?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?
Aku bakal ngirim laporan dina iki
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni
Apa kita bisa ngomong sesuk?
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?
Mangga deleng file sing dilampirake
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́
Matur nuwun kanggo wektu kowe
O seun fun akoko rẹ
Aku ngarep-arep bisa kerja bareng kowe
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ
Apa kowe bisa nerangake titik kuwi?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?
Ayo aku bali menyang kowe
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ
Wektu pungkasan yaiku Jumuah
Akoko ipari ni Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.