Language/Yoruba/Grammar/Pronouns
Hi Yoruba learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about pronouns in Yoruba grammar. Pronouns are an essential part of any language, and they can help you communicate more efficiently. In Yoruba, pronouns have different forms depending on various factors like gender and number. Let's explore the world of Yoruba pronouns!
Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns are used in place of a noun referring to a person or thing. It is one of the most commonly used pronouns in any language. In Yoruba, the pronouns for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person singular have different forms for males and females. Here's a table that illustrates the personal pronouns in Yoruba:
| Yoruba | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Mi | Mee | I/me |
| Mo | Mo | You |
| O/un | Oh/wun | He/she/it |
When addressing a group, the personal pronoun changes to the plural form:
| Yoruba | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| wa | Wah | We/us (male and/or mixed group) |
| yin | Yin | You (plural, male and/or mixed group) |
| won | Wun | They/them (male and/or mixed group) |
When addressing a group containing only females, the personal pronoun changes to the feminine form:
| Yoruba | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| awon | Ah-won | They/them (female group) |
| yin | Yin | You (plural, female group) |
| wa | Wah | We/us (female group) |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Mo fe ra e. (I want to see you)
- Person 2: Epele sir (Okay sir)
Possessive Pronouns
A possessive pronoun is one that shows ownership or possession of a noun. In Yoruba, the possessive pronouns agree with the gender of the owner. Here's a table that illustrates the possessive pronouns in Yoruba:
| Yoruba | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| mi | Mee | My (singular) |
| re | Reh | Your (singular) |
| e | Eh | His/hers/its (singular) |
| wa | Wah | Our (plural) |
| yin | Yin | Your (plural) |
| won | Wun | Their/theirs (plural) |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Awon omo mi (My children)
- Person 2: Olorun a fimo eyin won. (God will keep them for you)
Reflexive Pronouns
A reflexive pronoun is one that refers back to the subject of a sentence. In Yoruba, reflexive pronouns are formed by adding "n" to the end of the personal pronouns. Here's a table that illustrates the reflexive pronouns in Yoruba:
| Yoruba | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| min | Meen | Myself |
| mon | Moh-n | Yourself |
| re/ekeji/unkan | Reh/eh-keh-jee/oon-kahn | Himself/herself/itself |
| wa/nkan | Wah/oon-kahn | Ourselves/themselves |
| yin/nkan | Yin/oon-kahn | Yourselves/themselves |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Mon so pe o ti de (I'm saying that you've arrived)
- Person 2: Appreciate sir. Mo n'ife re e pelu awon ore mi (Appreciate sir. I want you to meet my friends)
Interrogative Pronouns
An interrogative pronoun is one that is used to ask questions. In Yoruba, the interrogative pronouns are the same as the demonstrative pronouns. Here's a table that illustrates the interrogative pronouns in Yoruba:
| Yoruba | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| tani | Tah-nee | Who |
| nibi | Nee-bee | Where |
| lo | Loh | What |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Tani omo yi? (Who is this child?)
- Person 2: Omo mi ni (He/she is my child)
Relative Pronouns
A relative pronoun is one that refers to a noun or pronoun in a sentence and connects clauses. In Yoruba, the relative pronoun is "ti". It can be used to refer to either persons or things.
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Mo fe ki on fi mi sibi ti o ba ti de (I want him to offer me a place to stay when he arrives)
- Person 2: Awon eniyan wa ni awa o gbe sile ti o ba ti de o (We have people whom we have left behind who will offer you a place to stay when they come)
Demonstrative Pronouns
A demonstrative pronoun is one that points to a specific person, place, thing or concept. In Yoruba, the demonstrative pronouns are "yi" and "ni". They are used to specify something that is near or far from the speaker. "Yi" is used to refer to something that is closer to the speaker, while "ni" is used to refer to something that is farther away from the speaker.
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Mo fe ra yi (I want to buy this one)
- Person 2: E wo ni? (Which one?)
- Person 1: Yi (This one)
Indefinite Pronouns
An indefinite pronoun is one that does not refer to any specific person, place, or thing. In Yoruba, the most common indefinite pronouns are "eni" which means "anyone", "eniti" which means "anyone who", and "eniyan" which means "someone".
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Emi ni eniyan ti e fe wo ni? (Who do you want to see in me?)
- Person 2: Mo fe wo eniyan ti o gba lati wa le ri mi (I want to see someone who can guide me)
To improve your Yoruba Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Sources
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Videos
Yoruba Verb (Ọ̀rọ̀ Ìṣe) 2: Eat | Pronoun-and-Tense-Focused ...