Looking for practical Kituba to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kituba 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: when a Yoruba phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Kituba wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Kituba 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.
Mbote
Bawo(bawoh)
Matondo
O seun(oh shayoon)
Mbote na ntanga
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Mbote na moke
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Mbote na nsuka
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Malamu na lola
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
Tala moke
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Kende malamu
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
Nani na yo?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Nani na ngai John
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
Oyo olingi?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Nionso na yo
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.
Oyo azali koloba Lingala?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Nani nazali koloba Hindi malamu te
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Nani nazali koyeba te
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
Soki, koloba na mbala moke
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
Okoki koloba yango lisusu?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Bato ya mbala eza wapi?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Nani nakoki kokende na centre ya ville?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Tika na ngonga ya mabele
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Tika na ngonga ya likolo
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Yaka na mbala moke
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
Mbongo ya nzela ezali boni?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Billet moko, s'il vous plaît
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
Eza mbali na awa?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Nani nazali na nzela te
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Nani nakoki kotonga SIM card wapi?
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.
Eee
Bẹẹni
Te
Rara
Pamba
Bóyá
Nani na yo
Mo gba
Nani te na yo
Mo kọ
Eza malamu
Iyẹn dára
Oyo olingi nini?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
Okanisa ngai?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
Nalingi lisungi
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Tika moke
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Nasalisa
Mo bínú
Te na mabe
Kò sí ìṣòro
Mbote na yo
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
Mbote na mokolo ya mbotama
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
Zala na nzela ya malamu
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Nani esika ya ndako ya treni?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
Nani esika ya ndako ya bisi?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
Nani esika ya platform?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
Nani ntango ebandaka?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
Nani nzela ya malamu?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
Eza na nsima
O sunmọ ibi yi(eza na nsima)
Eza na mbali
O jinna si ibi yi(eza na mbali)
Okoki na ngai na mape?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
Kanga awa, s'il vous plaît
Duro nibi, jọwọ(kanga awa, s'il vous plaît)
Nani ntango ebandaka?
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?(nani ntango ebandaka)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Mbuta nini?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
Eza mingi mbala
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
Oyo oza na ntina ya moke?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
Nakanisa na carte?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
Nalingi mesa ya mibale
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Bilanga, s'il vous plaît
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
Eza na mosala?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
Nani moke
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
Te mbongo ya mpasi, s'il vous plaît
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
Oyo eza malamu
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
Nakanisa menu?
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
Mokolo ya mai, s'il vous plaît
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tanga polisi
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
Tanga ambulance
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Nazali na nganga
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
Nazali na maladi
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Nayebi na maladi ya mbala
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Hospital ya libanda ezali wapi?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
Ezalaka na nzala awa
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Nasali pasi ya passport na ngai
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
Okoki kolinga hotel na ngai?
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
Lendaki!
I ranlọwọ!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nki na yo
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
Tondima kosala libanda
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade
Ntango nini eza malamu na yo?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?
Nakanisa lipanda lelo
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni
Tosala nzela lelo?
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?
Soki, tanga file oyo ekomi na likolo
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́
Mersi po na ntango na yo
O seun fun akoko rẹ
Nabondeli na kosala na yo
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ
Okoki kolakisa yango?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?
Nakanisa yo na nsima
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ
Tango ya nsuka eza na Mokolo ya zamba
Akoko ipari ni Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.