Looking for practical Malagasy to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Malagasy 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: pick five Yoruba phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Malagasy 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.
Salama
Bawo(bawoh)
Misaotra
O seun(oh shayoon)
Salama maraina
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Salama tolakandro
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Salama hariva
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Alina tsara
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
Hizara indray
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Veloma
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
Inona no anaranao?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Ny anarako dia John
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
Inona ny vaovao?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Faly mihaona aminao
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.
Miteny anglisy ve ianao?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Tsy mahay tsara Hindi aho
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Tsy azoko
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
Azafady, miteny moramora
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
Azonao averina ve izany?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Aiza ny trano fidiovana?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Ahoana no ahatongavako any amin'ny foibe?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Mivadika ankavia
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Mivadika ankavanana
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Mandehana mivantana
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
Ohatrinona ny saran-dalana?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Tapakila iray, azafady
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
Lavitra ve izany avy eto?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Very very
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Aiza no ahafahako mividy SIM card?
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.
Eny
Bẹẹni
Tsia
Rara
Angamba
Bóyá
Manaiky aho
Mo gba
Tsy manaiky aho
Mo kọ
Tsara izany
Iyẹn dára
Inona ny hevitrao?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
Afaka manampy ahy ve ianao?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
Mila fanampiana aho
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Miandrasa kely
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Miala tsiny aho
Mo bínú
Tsy olana
Kò sí ìṣòro
Arahabaina
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
Tratry ny tsingerintaona nahaterahana
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
Mandehana soa aman-tsara
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Aiza ny gara?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
Aiza ny fiantsonan'ny bus?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
Iza ny sehatra?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
Amin'ny firy no miala izy?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
Ity ve ny làlana marina?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
Eto akaiky izy.
O sunmọ ibi yi
Lavitra eto izy.
O jinna si ibi yi
Afaka mampiseho ahy ve ianao amin'ny sarintany?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
Mijanona eto, azafady.
Duro nibi, jọwọ
Mandra-pahoviana no maharitra?
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ohatrinona ity?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
Maharitra be loatra izany
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
Manana zavatra mora ve ianao?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
Afaka mandoa amin'ny karatra ve aho?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
Te-hanana latabatra ho an'ny roa aho
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Ny faktiora, azafady
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
Misy ny serivisy ve?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
Vegetariana aho
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
Aza misy sakafo maharary, azafady
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
Tsara be ity
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
Afaka mahazo ny menu ve aho?
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
Rano iray vera, azafady
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Antsoy ny polisy
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
Antsoy ny ambulance
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Mila dokotera aho
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
Mahatsapa ho marary aho
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Misy allergie amin'ny voanjo aho
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Aiza ny hopitaly akaiky indrindra?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
Maharary eto
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Very ny pasipaoroko
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
Azonao atao ve ny miantso ny hotelyko?
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
Vonjeo!
I ranlọwọ!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Faly mihaona aminao
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
Andao handamina fivoriana
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade
Inona ny ora mety aminao?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?
Halehoko ny tatitra anio
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni
Afaka miresaka ve isika rahampitso?
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?
Azafady, jereo ny rakitra mifandray
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́
Misaotra anao noho ny fotoananao
O seun fun akoko rẹ
Manantena ny hiara-hiasa aminao
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ
Azonao hazavaina ve io teboka io?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?
Avelao aho hiverina aminao
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ
Ny daty farany dia ny zoma
Akoko ipari ni Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.