Animals appear everywhere in Yoruba speech: in proverbs, folktales, names and songs. Knowing the words for common animals is a quick way to widen your vocabulary and understand stories. Here are 28 animal names in Yoruba, grouped by where you are likely to meet them.
Farm and household animals
| English | Yoruba |
|---|---|
| dog | ajá |
| cat | ológbò |
| goat | ewúrẹ́ |
| sheep | àgùntàn |
| cow | màlúù |
| horse | ẹṣin |
| pig | ẹlẹ́dẹ̀ |
| chicken or hen | adìẹ |
| rooster | àkùkọ |
| duck | pẹ́pẹ́yẹ |
| pigeon or dove | ẹyẹlé |
Wild animals
| English | Yoruba |
|---|---|
| elephant | erin |
| lion | kìnnìún |
| leopard | ẹkùn |
| monkey | ọ̀bọ |
| buffalo | ẹfọ̀n |
| deer | àgbọ̀nrín |
| squirrel | ọ̀kẹ́rẹ́ |
| rat or mouse | eku |
| tortoise | ìjàpá |
| snake | ejò |
| frog | ọ̀pọ̀lọ́ |
Birds, fish and insects
| English | Yoruba |
|---|---|
| bird | ẹyẹ |
| fish | ẹja |
| snail | ìgbín |
| mosquito | ẹ̀fọn |
| fly | eṣinṣin |
| ant | èèrà |
Why ìjàpá matters
Of all these animals, the tortoise is the most famous in Yoruba stories, where he appears as a clever and greedy trickster. Read about him in our guide to Ìjàpá and Yoruba folktales.
Pronunciation tips
- ẹ is like the e in ‘bed’ and ọ is like the o in ‘more’.
- ṣ sounds like ‘sh’.
- Say each vowel clearly: ajá is a-ja, not a single blurred sound.
See our guide to the Yoruba alphabet and tone marks, then test yourself with the Yoruba language quiz.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say dog in Yoruba? Ajá.
How do you say cat in Yoruba? Ológbò.
Photo: two goats on a green field (Unsplash contributor), illustrative. Spellings and tone marks follow common usage; check with a native speaker for formal writing.
