Looking for practical Mam to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Mam 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 Mam 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.
Xo'j
Bawo(bawoh)
Tz'ik
O seun(oh shayoon)
Xo'j nax
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Xo'j q'ij
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Xo'j k'ux
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Xo'j k'ux nax
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
K'ux q'ij
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Xo'j k'ux
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
Ja' k'ux nax?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Ja' k'ux nax John
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
Jach' k'ux?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Nab' k'ux
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.
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
K'utun k'ux.
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
K'utun k'ux.
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
K'utun k'ux.
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun 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.
Juj
Bẹẹni(hoo)
Man
Rara(mah)
K'ux
Bóyá(k'ush)
Juj k'ux
Mo gba(hoo k'ush)
Man k'ux
Mo kọ(mah k'ush)
K'ux juj
Iyẹn dára(k'ush hoo)
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux k'ut
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀(k'ush k'ut)
Juj k'ux k'ut
Mo bínú(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Man k'ux k'ut
Kò sí ìṣòro(mah k'ush k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí(k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
Ri k'ut pa ri.
O sunmọ ibi yi
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
O jinna si ibi yi
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Duro nibi, jọwọ
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
K'ux k'ulub' ri'?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
K'ux ri' k'ulub'?
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Ri' k'ulub', por favor
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
K'uxik la policía
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
K'uxik un ambulancia
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Nek' a doctor
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
K'utun k'ax
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Nek' a k'uxi' ch'ich'
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Jach' k'uxik la hospital?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
K'utun k'uxi' aquí
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Nek' a k'uxik mi pasaporte
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
¿K'uxik a k'uxik mi hotel?
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
¡Ayuda!
I ranlọwọ!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Chik'oj ch'ab'ej
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ulb'al
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade(kah-hee k'ah-wik ree kool-bahl)
K'ut ri k'utal k'axik?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?(k'oot ree k'oo-tahl kah-hee)
In k'axik ri k'ik'oj ch'ich'
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni(een kah-hee ree kee-k'oh ch'eech')
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ik'oj k'ay?
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?(kah-hee ch'ah-wik ree kee-k'oh kahy)
Ch'awik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́(ch'ah-wik ree kool-bahl kah-hee)
Tz'ib'ej ri k'utal
O seun fun akoko rẹ(tzee-beh-eh ree k'oo-tahl)
In k'axik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ(een kah-hee ree kool-bahl kah-hee)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'utal?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?(kah-hee ch'ah-wik ree k'oo-tahl)
K'axik in k'axik ch'awik
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ(kah-hee een kah-hee ch'ah-wik)
Ri k'utal k'axik k'ay
Akoko ipari ni Friday(ree k'oo-tahl kah-hee kahy)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.