Describing words let you say more than just names of things. In Yoruba, the describing word usually comes after the noun, the opposite of English. This guide gives you the most useful adjectives with examples.
Common Yoruba adjectives
| English | Yoruba |
|---|---|
| Big | Ńlá |
| Small | Kékeré |
| Tall / high | Gíga |
| Short | Kúkúrú |
| Long | Gígùn |
| New | Tuntun |
| Old (things) | Àtijọ́ |
| Good | Dára |
| Bad | Burú |
| Sweet / pleasant | Dùn |
| Hot | Gbóná |
| Cold | Tutù |
| Heavy | Wúwo |
| Light (weight) | Fúyẹ́ |
Word order: noun first
| Yoruba | English |
|---|---|
| Ilé ńlá | A big house |
| Ọmọ kékeré | A small child |
| Aṣọ tuntun | New cloth |
| Omi tútù | Cold water |
Notice that some adjectives change their tone or form when attached to a noun, which is why tutù appears as tútù in ‘cold water’. This is a normal feature of the language; a native speaker or teacher can explain the pattern. Learn more in our guides to the Yoruba alphabet and tone marks and colours in Yoruba.
Practise
- Describe three things in your room, using the noun first.
- Combine with animal names, for example a big animal or a small animal.
- Test yourself with the Yoruba language quiz.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say big in Yoruba? Ńlá.
Does the adjective come before or after the noun? After the noun in most cases.
Photo: Unsplash contributor, a notebook and pencil, illustrative of study. Spellings and tone marks follow common usage; check with a native speaker for formal writing.
