Looking for practical Swahili to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Swahili 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 Swahili 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.
Habari
Bawo(bawoh)
Asante
O seun(oh shayoon)
Habari ya asubuhi
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Habari ya mchana
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Habari ya jioni
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Usiku mwema
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
Tutaonana baadaye
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Kwaheri
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
Jina lako nani?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Jina langu ni John
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
Habari gani?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
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.
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Sielewi.
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
Unaweza kusema tena?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Choo kiko wapi?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Geuka kushoto.
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Geuka kulia.
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Nimepotea.
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM 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.
Ndio
Bẹẹni
Hapana
Rara
Pengine
Bóyá
Ninakubaliana
Mo gba
Sikubaliani
Mo kọ
Inasikika vizuri
Iyẹn dára
Unafikiriaje?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
Nahitaji msaada
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Subiri kidogo
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Ninasikitika
Mo bínú
Hakuna shida
Kò sí ìṣòro
Hongera
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
Safari njema
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
Ni jukwaa gani?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
Inatoka saa ngapi?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
Iko karibu hapa
O sunmọ ibi yi
Iko mbali na hapa
O jinna si ibi yi
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
Simama hapa, tafadhali
Duro nibi, jọwọ
Inachukua muda gani?
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
Hiyo ni ghali sana
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Tafadhali, bili
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
Mimi ni mboga
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
Hii ni tamu
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
Naweza kupata menyu?
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Piga simu polisi
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Nahitaji daktari
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Nina mzio wa karanga
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
Inaniuma hapa
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
Nisaidie!
I ranlọwọ!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
Tuweke mkutano
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?
Nitaituma ripoti leo
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́
Asante kwa muda wako
O seun fun akoko rẹ
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?
Nitarudi kwako
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa
Akoko ipari ni Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.