Familiar Topics that Extend Beyond Daily Routines
Can Do Statement
- Expressing thoughts about what a person does, e.g., talking about a course/class, a visit.
- Talking about what you share in common with others
- Talking about an event to attend
- Talking about clothing for an event
Vocabulary List
Click the audio icon below to play the recorded pronunciation for each word. You can also open the list below in a new tab, which can be downloaded or printed.
Practice: Interpretive Communication
Presentational Communication
Context: Tolú is talking about her Yorùbá class.
Transcript:
Kíláàsì Yorùbá mi wà ní òkè ìkẹta ní ilé Van Hise. Mo máa ń lọ sí kíláàsì Yorùbá mi ní lójoojúmọ́. Àwọn akẹ́kọ̀ọ́ kíláàsì Yorùbá mi jẹ́ ọmọ orílẹ̀èdè Amẹ́ríkà, ọmọ orílẹ̀èdè China, àti ọmọ orílẹ̀èdè Nàìjíríà, gbogbo wọn sì jẹ́ akẹ́kọ̀ọ́ sáyẹ́ǹsì, àyàfi èmi tí mo jẹ́ akẹ́kọ̀ọ́ Lìǹgúísítíìkì. Wọ́n fẹ́ di Dókítà, àti apòògùn ní ọjọ́ iwájú. Èmi fẹ́ di ọ̀jọ̀gbọ́n ní yunifásítì ní ọjọ́ iwájú. Mo féràn láti sọ̀rọ̀ pẹ̀lú gbobo ọmọ kíláàsì Yorùbá mi gan an ni.
Practice: Presentational Communication
- Find few words of your choice from the vocabulary list and practice their pronunciation
- Read the definitions of the words in Yorùbá
- Using the transcript, talk about what you and your classmates have in common
Interpersonal Communication
Context:
Tolú met with Báyọ̀. They discussed their plans and reasons for choosing certain clothing.
Transcript:
Tolú: Káàárọ̀ Báyọ̀. Ó tọ́jọ́ mẹ́ta.
Báyọ̀: Bẹ́ẹ̀ni, ọjọ́ kan pẹ̀lú. Ṣé àláfíà ni o wà?
Tolú: Àláfíà ni. Níbo ni ò ń lọ tí o wọ àkún àti fìlà?
Báyọ̀: Òní ni ọjọ́ àṣà ní kíláàsì ìtàn tí m̀o ń ṣe.
Tolú: Ìyẹn ga o. Ṣé gbogbo ọmọ kíláàsì yín ló máa wọ aṣọ ìbílẹ̀ wọn?
Báyọ̀: Bẹ́ẹ̀ni, ṣùgbọ́n kò pan dandan.
Tolú: Hmm, kí ni ẹ máa ṣe ní kíláàsì tí gbogbo yín bá wọ aṣọ ìbílẹ̀ yín?
Báyọ̀: A máa sọ̀rọ̀ nípa àṣà ìbílẹ̀ tí a bá fẹ́. A lè ṣe àlàyé nípa aṣọ tí a wọ̀ tàbí nǹkan míràn.
T: Hùn hún ùn. Ṣé o fẹ́ràn kíláàsì ìtàn ẹ?
Báyọ̀: Bẹ́ẹ̀ni mo fẹ́ràn kíláàsì ìtàn mi gan an ni . Bóyá mo máa lọ sí orílẹ̀ èdè Cuba ní sọ́mà tí ó ń bọ̀ nítorí pé mo ti kọ́ ohun púpọ̀ nípa Cuba àti orílẹ̀ èdè míràn ní kiĺáàsì ìtàn mi.
Tolú: Ó dára.
Báyọ̀: O ṣeun.
Practice: Interpersonal Communication
- Find at least two vocabulary words about clothing from the list of words
- See the corresponding sample sentences for the words, and tell someone what you are wearing.
Grammar Notes
Affixes
In Yoruba, affixes are added to a root word to create a different meaning from the root word. Affixes may occur in the word-initial position or word-mid-position. Affixes occurring in the initial position are prefixes, while those in the mid-word position are infixes. Because most affixes are letters of the alphabet, or a combination of Yoruba sounds, they may not have complete meanings in some instances unless viewed in relation to the root words they are added to. Affixes with more than one letters usually have functional meaning even when they are not added to the root word.
Examples of single-letter prefixes occurring in word initial positions include: “ì,” “i,” “a,” “à.”
- Ì + Pín (divide) = Ìpín ” Portion or desitiny.”
- Mo ti gba ìpín tèmi nínú oúnjẹ náà. “I have received my portion of the food.”
- Ìpín rẹ̀ ni láti jẹ́ akọrin “It is his destiny (he is destined) to be a singer.”
2. à + bọ̀= àbọ̀ (come or return) “return”
- A rí Fúnmi lẹyìn àbọ̀ ìrìnajò rẹ̀. “We saw Funmi after the return from her journey.”
3. I + kú (die) “death
- Mo rò pé gbogbo ènìyàn bẹ̀rù ikú “I believe all human beings fear death”
4. a+ yọ̀ (happy) “joy”
- Ayọ̀ wà nínú ọkan mi. ” There is joy in my heart.”
*Note: Ayọ̀ “Joy” is also the name of a person.
Examples of affixes with more than one letter of the alphabet include ” “àì,” “aláì”
5. àì, a negation marker which implies “without” when affixed to a root word.
àì+kú (die) = “undying”.
*Note: Sunday is also called ọjọ́ aìkú.
- Aìkú ni ifẹ́ mi sí ẹ. “My love for you is undying.”
- Mo máa ń lọ sí ṣọ́ọ̀ṣì ní ọjọ́ àìkú. “I usually go to church on Sunday.”
Infixes
Examples:
6. Ọmọ (child) + kí (infix) +ọmọ (child) = ọmọkọ́mọ “Any child or bad child”
Note: The context of use determines the meaning of interpretation of “ọmọkọ́mọ” in a sentence. See examples 7 and 8 below:
7. Omọkọ́mọ ni ó jí owó olùkọ́ wa. “It is a bad kid that stole our teacher’s money”
8. N kò fẹ́ rí ọmọkọ́mọ níbí. “I do not want to see any child here.”