Yoruba verbs are remarkably economical in form. Most are monosyllabic, consisting of a consonant plus a vowel, and they encode an extraordinary amount of distinction through their three-tone system, their pattern of pre-verb tense and aspect markers, and the systematic use of serial verb constructions in which two or more verbs concatenate to express what English would render as a single verb plus a preposition. The Yoruba verb lọ (go), three letters and one syllable, anchors a vast network of verbal phrases: lọ wọlé ("go enter" = enter), lọ wá ("go come" = go and come back), lọ rí ("go see" = visit). Mastering Yoruba verbs requires not only memorizing root forms but understanding their tonal stability, their behavior under negation and aspect, and their tendency to combine.
This reference catalogues the 100 most frequent Yoruba verbs, organized by semantic field, with notes on tone, common collocations, and typical pre-verb markers. For grammatical depth, see the Yoruba verb tense and aspect markers reference and the Yoruba three tones reference. For pronoun forms used as verb subjects, see the Yoruba pronouns reference.
Existence, Possession, and Identity
| Yoruba | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wà | To be (located) | "Ó wà níbí" = "He/she is here" |
| Jẹ́ | To be (equational) | "Ó jẹ́ olùkọ́" = "He/she is a teacher" |
| Ní | To have / to possess | "Mo ní owó" = "I have money" |
| Kò sí | To not exist | "Owó kò sí" = "There is no money" |
| Ṣe | To be / to do (auxiliary) | Multipurpose; tone matters |
| Dà | To become | "Ó dà ńlá" = "It became big" |
| Yìí | To remain (poetic) | Stative form |
The verb jẹ́ (to be, equational) and wà (to be, locational) parallel Spanish ser and estar. Jẹ́ identifies what something is; wà identifies where it is.
"Ohun tí a bá fi pamọ́ lọ́dọ̀ ọmọdé, kò ní pẹ́ tí ò ní wà fún àgbà" — What we hide from a child will not long remain hidden from the elder. The verb wà in proverbial action.
Motion Verbs
| Yoruba | English |
|---|---|
| Lọ | To go |
| Wá | To come |
| Wọ | To enter |
| Jáde | To exit |
| Gòkè | To climb / go up |
| Sọ̀kalẹ̀ | To descend |
| Lọ́ọ̀dò | To approach |
| Sún | To shift / move |
| Pa dà | To return |
| Sá | To run / flee |
| Tẹ̀lé | To follow |
| Lépa | To pursue |
| Yan | To stride / walk grandly |
| Rìn | To walk |
The verb lọ (to go) appears in countless serial constructions. Lọ rí Délé = "go see Dele," compressing what English needs two verbs and a conjunction for.
Verbs of Speaking and Communication
| Yoruba | English |
|---|---|
| Sọ | To say / to tell |
| Wí | To say |
| Pè | To call |
| Béèrè | To ask |
| Dáhùn | To answer |
| Bú | To insult |
| Yìn | To praise |
| Kọ | To sing / to write |
| Kàá | To read |
| Júwe | To describe |
| Sọ̀rọ̀ | To converse |
| Bá... sọ̀rọ̀ | To talk to someone |
The verb kọ is interesting: with a high tone it means "to write," with a low tone "to refuse / to teach / to sing," and with a mid tone "to crow." This is one of the classic minimal sets used to demonstrate Yoruba tonal contrast. See the Yoruba three tones reference.
Perception Verbs
| Yoruba | English |
|---|---|
| Rí | To see |
| Wo | To look at |
| Gbọ́ | To hear / to understand |
| Tẹ́tí | To listen |
| Tọ́ | To taste |
| Súnnún | To smell |
| Fọwọ́kàn | To touch |
| Mọ̀ | To know |
The verb gbọ́ is doubly important: it means both "to hear" and "to understand." When a Yoruba speaker says Mi ò gbọ́ Yorùbá, it means "I do not hear Yoruba" / "I do not understand Yoruba." The expression covers comprehension generally.
Cognitive Verbs
| Yoruba | English |
|---|---|
| Mọ̀ | To know |
| Rò | To think |
| Gbàgbé | To forget |
| Rántí | To remember |
| Mọ́ọ̀nú | To know how |
| Gbàgbọ́ | To believe |
| Fẹ́ | To want / to love |
| Fẹ́ràn | To love (a person/thing) |
| Bẹ̀rù | To fear |
| Banújẹ́ | To be sad |
| Ní ìbànújẹ́ | To grieve |
| Ní ayọ̀ | To rejoice |
The verb fẹ́ is one of the most common in the language. It means "to want" and "to love" and is the root of countless idioms. Mo fẹ́ ẹ is "I want / love it / her/him."
Verbs of Eating, Drinking, and Cooking
| Yoruba | English |
|---|---|
| Jẹ | To eat |
| Mu | To drink |
| Sè | To cook |
| Sun | To roast |
| Dín | To fry |
| Bú | To boil |
| Yan | To grill |
| Pọ́n | To grind |
| Tà | To sell |
| Rà | To buy |
| Pèsè | To prepare / provide |
The verb jẹ with mid tone means "to eat." With other tones it means "to confess / to suffer / to win" (in different forms). The phrase jẹ orí ("eat the head") metaphorically means "to take the lead / win."
For the broader food and cooking context, see the Yoruba food vocabulary reference.
"Ẹní gbin ni yóò kórè" — He who plants will harvest. The Yoruba verb of action embedded in proverbial rhythm.
Action Verbs (Daily Life)
| Yoruba | English |
|---|---|
| Ṣe | To do / to make |
| Ṣiṣẹ́ | To work |
| Ṣòwò | To trade |
| Pa | To kill |
| Lù | To hit / beat |
| Ya | To tear / draw |
| Kọ́ | To build |
| Wẹ̀ | To bathe / wash |
| Fọ̀ | To wash (clothes) |
| Ka | To count |
| Sin | To bury / accompany |
| Sùn | To sleep |
| Jí | To wake up |
| Dúró | To stand / wait |
| Jókòó | To sit |
| Bẹ́rẹ̀ | To start |
| Parí | To finish |
Verbs of Giving, Taking, Making
| Yoruba | English |
|---|---|
| Fún | To give |
| Gbà | To take / receive |
| Mú | To take / hold |
| Gbà... fún | To accept... for |
| Yà | To divide / draw |
| Pin | To share / divide |
| Rán | To send |
| Gbé | To carry |
| Gbé... lé | To put on |
| Pèsè | To provide |
| Jí | To steal |
The serial construction Gbé... lé (literally "carry... place upon") is essential for "to put on / place upon." Yoruba builds many transitive operations from these two-verb sequences.
Verbs of Becoming and Change
| Yoruba | English |
|---|---|
| Dà | To become |
| Yí padà | To change |
| Dáàgbà | To grow up / age |
| Ku | To die |
| Bí | To give birth |
| Bó | To be ready / cooked / ripe |
| Wú | To swell |
| Tobi | To become big |
| Kéré | To become small |
Verbs with Pre-verb Markers
Yoruba expresses tense and aspect mainly through pre-verb markers placed before the verb. The verb itself does not change form.
| Marker | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ń | Progressive / habitual | Mò ń jẹ = "I am eating" |
| Ti | Perfect | Mo ti jẹ = "I have eaten" |
| Máa | Future | Mo máa jẹ = "I will eat" |
| Á | Future (alternative) | Mà á jẹ = "I will eat" |
| Yóò | Future (formal) | Yóò jẹ = "He/she will eat" |
| Tí... ti | Past perfect | Mo tí ti jẹ = "I had already eaten" |
| Máa ń | Habitual | Mo máa ń jẹ = "I usually eat" |
For the complete tense and aspect grammar, see the Yoruba verb tense and aspect markers reference.
Negation of Verbs
Yoruba negates verbs with kò (or ò in casual speech) placed before the verb.
| Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|
| Mo lọ | Mi ò lọ ("I did not go") |
| Mo ń lọ | Mi ò lọ / Mi ò ń lọ ("I am not going") |
| Mo ti lọ | Mi ò ì tí ì lọ ("I have not gone") |
| Mo máa lọ | Mi ò ní í lọ ("I will not go") |
Note that the first-person singular pronoun shifts from mo to mi in negation: Mo lọ (I went) becomes Mi ò lọ (I did not go).
Imperatives (Commands)
The simplest imperative is the bare verb: Lọ! = "Go!", Wá! = "Come!", Jókòó! = "Sit down!"
Polite imperatives use ẹ jọ̀ọ́ (please) and the plural respectful pronoun ẹ:
| English | Yoruba |
|---|---|
| Please come | Ẹ jọ̀ọ́, ẹ wá |
| Please sit | Ẹ jọ̀ọ́, ẹ jókòó |
| Don't go | Má lọ |
| Don't worry | Má jẹ́ kí o ṣàníyàn |
The negative imperative má is the prefix-like marker for "do not."
Serial Verb Constructions
One of the most distinctive features of Yoruba is the serial verb construction (SVC), where two or more verbs share a subject and form a single semantic unit.
| Yoruba | Literal | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Mu omi mu | Drink water drink | Drink water down |
| Lọ wá rà | Go come buy | Go and buy [it] |
| Mú wá | Take come | Bring |
| Mú lọ | Take go | Take away |
| Sá lọ | Run go | Run away |
| Gbé wá | Carry come | Bring |
The pattern mú wá (take + come) for "bring" and mú lọ (take + go) for "take away" replace what English handles with directional prefixes.
"A kì í gbé ọmọ ká fi tọ̀rọ̀ owó" — One does not carry a child to beg for money. Yoruba serial verb (gbé... fi) in proverb.
Common Verb Idioms
| Idiom | Literal | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Pa ọwọ́ pọ̀ | Strike hand together | Clap |
| Pa àwàdà | Strike a joke | Make a joke |
| Pa irọ́ | Strike a lie | Lie |
| Sọ asọ | Throw cloth | Wear cloth (formally) |
| Ṣe ìbéèrè | Make a question | Ask |
| Gbé orí sọ̀kalẹ̀ | Bring head down | Be humble |
| Pa ìfẹ́ run | Destroy love | End a relationship |
The verb pa ("to kill") frequently functions in idioms for performative actions, similar to English "make."
Common Mistakes Learners Make
Trying to conjugate verbs: Yoruba verbs do not conjugate. The same verb form serves all persons and numbers; tense and aspect come from pre-verb markers.
Ignoring tones on verbs: Many verbs differ only by tone. Kọ́ (to teach), kọ̀ (to refuse), kọ (to write) are all spelled the same without tone marks.
Using English word order in serial constructions: "Bring it" is mú wá (take + come), not "carry it here" reordered.
Forgetting the negation pronoun shift: First-person mo becomes mi in negation; second-person o becomes o but with the negative kò/ò.
Treating "to be" as one word: Yoruba has at least three "to be" verbs (wà, jẹ́, ṣe) covering location, identity, and copular functions respectively.
Quick Reference: Top 30 Most Frequent Verbs
| Rank | Yoruba | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wà | To be (located) |
| 2 | Jẹ́ | To be (equational) |
| 3 | Ní | To have |
| 4 | Lọ | To go |
| 5 | Wá | To come |
| 6 | Jẹ | To eat |
| 7 | Mu | To drink |
| 8 | Rí | To see |
| 9 | Gbọ́ | To hear |
| 10 | Sọ | To say |
| 11 | Mọ̀ | To know |
| 12 | Fẹ́ | To want / love |
| 13 | Ṣe | To do |
| 14 | Ṣiṣẹ́ | To work |
| 15 | Ní | To possess |
| 16 | Pa | To kill |
| 17 | Mú | To take |
| 18 | Fún | To give |
| 19 | Gbà | To receive |
| 20 | Bí | To give birth |
| 21 | Kú | To die |
| 22 | Sùn | To sleep |
| 23 | Jí | To wake up |
| 24 | Wẹ̀ | To bathe |
| 25 | Sè | To cook |
| 26 | Rà | To buy |
| 27 | Tà | To sell |
| 28 | Kọ | To write / sing / refuse |
| 29 | Kàá | To read |
| 30 | Yan | To choose |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Yoruba verbs change form for tense? No. Yoruba verbs are invariant. Tense and aspect are expressed by pre-verb markers (ti, ń, máa, etc.) placed before the verb root, while the verb itself never inflects.
Are tones really critical for verbs? Yes. Many verbs are minimal pairs differing only by tone. Kó (to gather), kọ (to write), kọ́ (to teach), kọ̀ (to refuse) are pronounced with different tones and mean entirely different things.
What is a serial verb construction? A sequence of two or more verbs sharing a subject and combining to express a single complex meaning. Common examples include mú wá ("bring" = take + come) and lọ rí ("go and see" = visit).
How do I form the imperative? The bare verb is the simplest command: Lọ! = "Go!" Polite versions use ẹ jọ̀ọ́ (please) and the plural respectful pronoun ẹ.
Why are some verbs followed by ní, fún, or sí? These are functional particles or postpositions that mark indirect objects, recipients, and directional goals. Fún marks beneficiary ("to / for"), sí marks goal ("to a place").
Can I memorize verbs without their tones? Not safely. The tone is part of the word. Romanizations without tones leave learners producing forms that may be wrong or unintelligible.
What is the most useful single verb to learn first? Wà ("to be located") and lọ ("to go") are foundational. Combined with the pre-verb markers, they generate hundreds of common sentences.
See Also
- Yoruba Verb Tense and Aspect Markers Reference
- Yoruba Three Tones Reference
- Yoruba Pronouns: Subject, Object, Possessive Reference
- Yoruba Common Phrases for Daily Conversation
- Yoruba Food Vocabulary and Cuisine
- Yoruba Noun System: No Plurals, No Gender
- Yoruba Proverbs and Wisdom Sayings
Author: Kalenux Team
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Yoruba verbs change form for tense?
No. Yoruba verbs are invariant. Tense and aspect are expressed by pre-verb markers like ti, n, and maa placed before the verb root, while the verb itself never inflects.
Are tones really critical for verbs?
Yes. Many verbs are minimal pairs differing only by tone. Ko meaning gather, ko meaning write, ko meaning teach, and ko meaning refuse are pronounced with different tones and mean entirely different things.
What is a serial verb construction?
A sequence of two or more verbs sharing a subject and combining to express a single complex meaning. Common examples include mu wa for bring (take plus come) and lo ri for visit (go plus see).
How do I form the imperative?
The bare verb is the simplest command: Lo means Go. Polite versions use e joo meaning please and the plural respectful pronoun e.
Why are some verbs followed by ni, fun, or si?
These are functional particles or postpositions that mark indirect objects, recipients, and directional goals. Fun marks beneficiary, and si marks goal or destination.
Can I memorize verbs without their tones?
Not safely. The tone is part of the word. Romanizations without tones leave learners producing forms that may be wrong or unintelligible to native speakers.
What is the most useful single verb to learn first?
Wa meaning to be located and lo meaning to go are foundational. Combined with the pre-verb markers, they generate hundreds of common sentences.
