Yoruba Pronouns and the Absence of Gender
The Yoruba personal pronouns, their short and long forms, and the fact that Yoruba does not distinguish he from she.
Yoruba pronouns are simple in one way: there is no he or she.
No gender in pronouns
The same word means "he", "she" and "it": ó or òun. Context shows who is meant.
Subject pronouns
| English | Short form | Long form |
|---|---|---|
| I | mo | èmi |
| you (one person, informal) | o | ìwọ |
| he, she, it | ó | òun |
| we | a | àwa |
| you (plural or respectful) | ẹ | ẹ̀yin |
| they | wọ́n | àwọn |
Short and long forms
- Short forms attach to the verb: Mo jẹun (I eat).
- Long forms are used for emphasis or on their own: Èmi ni (It is me).
Examples
- Mo fẹ́ omi. I want water.
- Ó wà nílé. He or she is at home.
- A ń lọ. We are going.
- Wọ́n dé. They have arrived.
Object pronouns
After a verb, the pronoun takes an object form, such as mi (me), wa (us), yín (you, plural) and wọ́n (them):
- Ó rí mi. He or she saw me.
- Ó rí wa. He or she saw us.
- Mo rí wọn. I saw them.
For "him" or "her", Yoruba usually repeats the final vowel of the verb, so Mo rí i means "I saw him, her or it".
Gendered words
When it matters, Yoruba adds a word:
- ọkùnrin (man) and obìnrin (woman)
- ọmọkùnrin (boy) and ọmọbìnrin (girl)
Tips
- Learn the short forms first.
- Remember there is no he/she distinction.
- Use the dictionary to check pronoun forms.
English Yoruba Dictionary
Offline English–Yoruba dictionary with clear, accurate meanings
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