Possession in Yoruba: Mi, Rẹ, Wa and the Word Ti
How to say my, your and our in Yoruba, where possessives go and how to use ti for 'belongs to'.
Yoruba possessive words come after the noun.
The possessive words
| English | Yoruba |
|---|---|
| my | mi |
| your (one person) | rẹ |
| his, her | rẹ̀ |
| our | wa |
| your (plural or respectful) | yín |
| their | wọn |
Examples
- ìwé mi, my book
- ilé rẹ, your house
- ọmọ rẹ̀, his or her child
- ọkọ̀ wa, our car
- orúkọ yín, your (respectful) name
- ilé wọn, their house
Tone matters
The words rẹ (your) and rẹ̀ (his, her) differ only in tone. The low tone on rẹ̀ marks the third person.
Using ti
Ti means "of" or "belonging to":
- ilé ti bàbá, father's house
- ìwé ti olùkọ́, the teacher's book
- Ti ta ni èyí? Whose is this?
- Ti èmi ni. It is mine.
Two nouns together
Yoruba often joins two nouns with the first as the owned thing:
- ilé bàbá, father's house (house of father)
- ọmọ olùkọ́, the teacher's child
Asking whose
- Ti ta ni? Whose is it?
Respect
Use yín instead of rẹ for someone you address respectfully.
Tips
- Possessives follow the noun.
- Listen for the tone on rẹ and rẹ̀.
- Use the dictionary to check forms.
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