What does "in" mean in Yoruba?
English "in" tells us where something is: inside a container, inside a building, in a town, in a period of time. Yoruba does this work with one small word, ní (high tone), the preposition of place and time. Ní is broader than "in". It covers English "in", "at" and often "on": Mo wà ní ọjà, "I am at the market"; Ó wà ní Ìbàdàn, "She is in Ibadan"; ní àárọ̀, "in the morning".
When English "in" means inside, within, Yoruba adds the noun inú, "the inside" (also "the belly, the interior"). Ní + inú fuse into nínú, "in, inside": Omi wà nínú ìkòkò, "There is water in the pot." You say literally "Water is at the pot's inside." This is the key to the whole lesson. Yoruba has almost no prepositions. It has ní for position and sí for movement (Lesson 6), and it gets all its finer spatial meanings from nouns for places: inú "inside", orí "top, head", abẹ́ "underside", iwájú "front", ẹ̀yìn "back". These place nouns take a possessor like any other noun, so nínú ilé is "at the inside of the house", and nínú rẹ̀ is "at its inside", that is, "in it".
Three things differ from English:
1. A location needs a verb. English can say "the book in the bag", but a Yoruba sentence of place needs the verb wà, "to be located, to exist": Ìwé wà nínú àpò, "The book is in the bag." In the negative, wà is replaced by kò sí: Ìwé kò sí nínú àpò, "The book is not in the bag." 2. Movement takes sí, not ní. "I put it in the bag" is movement into, so Yoruba uses sínú (sí + inú): Mo fi í sínú àpò. Nínú is for being in a place, sínú for going into one. 3. Ní contracts. Before a noun that begins with a vowel, ní fuses with it. Before i-, the vowel of ní drops and n joins the noun: ní + inú → nínú, ní + ibẹ̀ → níbẹ̀ "there", ní + ìta → níta "outside". Before any other vowel, ní becomes l- and the vowel takes the high tone of ní: ní + oko → lóko "at the farm", ní + ọwọ́ → lọ́wọ́ "in the hand", ní + ojú → lójú "on the face (of)", ní + ọ̀la → lọ́la "tomorrow". Written Yoruba uses both the full and the contracted forms. The Yoruba Bible writes ní orí and ní ojú in Psalm 23 but lójú omi, "upon the face of the water", in Genesis 1:2.
Several everyday words are ní in disguise, and you will meet them constantly: lónìí "today" (ní òní, "on this day"), lánàá "yesterday" (ní àná), lọ́la "tomorrow" (ní ọ̀la), níbí "here" (ní ibí), níbẹ̀ "there" (ní ibẹ̀), and the question word níbo? "where?" (ní ibo, "at which place?").
Ní has two lookalikes. Ni with mid tone is the focus marker, "it is… that" (Lesson 2). Ní as a verb means "to have": Mo ní owó, "I have money." The Bible's first verse of John puts the preposition and the focus marker side by side: Ní àtètèkọ́ṣe ni Ọ̀rọ̀ wà, "In the beginning was the Word" (Section F).
- ní (high tone) = in, at, on: the one Yoruba preposition of place and time - nínú (ní + inú "inside") = in, inside, within; inú is a noun, so nínú ilé is literally "at the inside of the house" - A sentence of place needs wà ("is located"), and its negative is kò sí: Ó wà nínú ilé / Kò sí nínú ilé - ní contracts before vowels: nínú, níbẹ̀, níta, but lóko, lọ́wọ́, lónìí, lánàá, lọ́la - For movement into, use sínú, not nínú: Mo fi í sínú àpò, "I put it in the bag"
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Yoruba has three level tones. The IPA in this lesson marks them as the spelling does: acute accent = high (á), grave accent = low (à), no mark = mid (a). Tone changes meaning: ní "in, at" (high) is a different word from ni "it is… that" (mid).
- ní /ní/: high tone; the n is a plain English n, and the vowel is like the ee of "see" but short, sung on a high pitch - inú /inú/: mid then high, "ee-NOO" with the second syllable higher, not louder - nínú /nínú/: both syllables high; vowels next to n are lightly nasalised, [nĩ́nṹ] - lóko /lóko/: high then mid; o unmarked is the close o of French eau - lọ́wọ́ /lɔ́wɔ́/: ọ (dot below) is the open o of British "hot", [ɔ] - ẹ (dot below) is the open e of "bed", [ɛ]; ṣ is English sh, [ʃ] - gb /ɡ͡b/ and p /k͡p/ are single sounds: g+b or k+p pronounced at the same moment, lips and back of the tongue closing together - j /ɟ/ is close to English j in "jam"; y is English y, /j/; r is a single tap, /ɾ/ - A vowel followed by n at the end of a syllable is a nasal vowel: wọ́n /wɔ̃́/ "they", ọ̀run /ɔ̀ɾũ/ "heaven", ìyìn /ìjĩ̀/ - ń, the progressive marker, is a syllable made only of a high-tone nasal, /ń/
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7.1a Ó he wà is nínú in ilé house
7.1b Ó /ó/ 3SG.SUBJ wà /wà/ be.located nínú /nínú/ at-inside ilé /ilé/ house
7.2a Omi water wà is nínú in ìkòkò pot
7.2b Omi /omi/ water wà /wà/ be.located nínú /nínú/ at-inside ìkòkò /ìkòkò/ pot
7.3a Mo I wà am ní at ọjà market
7.3b Mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ wà /wà/ be.located ní /ní/ at ọjà /ɔɟà/ market
7.4a Bàbá father wà is lóko at-farm
7.4b Bàbá /bàbá/ father wà /wà/ be.located lóko /lóko/ at-farm(ní+oko)
7.5a Ìwé book wà is nínú in àpò bag
7.5b Ìwé /ìwé/ book wà /wà/ be.located nínú /nínú/ at-inside àpò /àk͡pò/ bag
7.6a Àwọn the ọmọdé children ń are ṣeré playing nínú in ọgbà yard
7.6b Àwọn /àwɔ̃/ PL ọmọdé /ɔmɔdé/ child ń /ń/ PROG ṣeré /ʃeɾé/ play nínú /nínú/ at-inside ọgbà /ɔɡ͡bà/ yard
7.7a Màmá mother ń is se cooking ọbẹ̀ soup nínú in ilé house ìdáná cooking
7.7b Màmá /màmá/ mother ń /ń/ PROG se /se/ cook ọbẹ̀ /ɔbɛ̀/ soup nínú /nínú/ at-inside ilé /ilé/ house ìdáná /ìdáná/ NMLZ-make-fire
7.8a A one bí bore mi me ní in ìlú city Ìbàdàn Ibadan
7.8b A /a/ IMPERS.SUBJ bí /bí/ give.birth.to mi /mi/ 1SG.OBJ ní /ní/ at ìlú /ìlú/ city Ìbàdàn /ìbàdã̀/ Ibadan
7.9a Kò not sí there-is owó money nínú in àpótí box náà the
7.9b Kò /kò/ NEG sí /sí/ exist.NEG owó /owó/ money nínú /nínú/ at-inside àpótí /àk͡pótí/ box náà /náà/ DEF
7.10a Ẹja fish púpọ̀ many wà are nínú in odò river yìí this
7.10b Ẹja /ɛɟa/ fish púpọ̀ /k͡púk͡pɔ̀/ many wà /wà/ be.located nínú /nínú/ at-inside odò /odò/ river yìí /jìí/ DEM.PROX
7.11a Níbo where ni is-it o you wà are Mo I wà am nínú in yàrá room mi my
7.11b Níbo /níbo/ at-which.place(ní+ibo) ni /ni/ FOC o /o/ 2SG.SUBJ wà /wà/ be.located Mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ wà /wà/ be.located nínú /nínú/ at-inside yàrá /jàɾá/ room mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS
7.12a Wọ́n they ti have ń been gbé living ní in Èkó Lagos fún for ọdún years mẹ́wàá ten
7.12b Wọ́n /wɔ̃́/ 3PL.SUBJ ti /ti/ PERF ń /ń/ PROG gbé /ɡ͡bé/ live ní /ní/ at Èkó /èkó/ Lagos fún /fṹ/ for ọdún /ɔdṹ/ year mẹ́wàá /mɛ́wàá/ ten
7.13a Nínú in ọgbà yard ni it-is àwọn the ọmọdé children wà are
7.13b Nínú /nínú/ at-inside ọgbà /ɔɡ͡bà/ yard ni /ni/ FOC àwọn /àwɔ̃/ PL ọmọdé /ɔmɔdé/ child wà /wà/ be.located
7.14a Ní in àárọ̀ morning ni it-is mo I máa usually ń do ka read ìwé book
7.14b Ní /ní/ at àárọ̀ /àáɾɔ̀/ morning ni /ni/ FOC mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ máa /máa/ HAB ń /ń/ PROG ka /ka/ read ìwé /ìwé/ book
7.15a Ọlọ́run God ń does bẹ exist ní in ọ̀run heaven ṣùgbọ́n but ó he tún also wà is nínú in ọkàn heart wa our
7.15b Ọlọ́run /ɔlɔ́ɾũ/ God ń /ń/ PROG bẹ /bɛ/ exist ní /ní/ at ọ̀run /ɔ̀ɾũ/ heaven ṣùgbọ́n /ʃùɡ͡bɔ̃́/ but ó /ó/ 3SG.SUBJ tún /tṹ/ also wà /wà/ be.located nínú /nínú/ at-inside ọkàn /ɔkã̀/ heart wa /wa/ 1PL.POSS
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7.1 Ó wà nínú ilé. → "He is in the house." (Or "She is in the house": ó is both.)
7.2 Omi wà nínú ìkòkò. → "There is water in the pot."
7.3 Mo wà ní ọjà. → "I am at the market."
7.4 Bàbá wà lóko. → "Father is at the farm."
7.5 Ìwé wà nínú àpò. → "The book is in the bag."
7.6 Àwọn ọmọdé ń ṣeré nínú ọgbà. → "The children are playing in the yard."
7.7 Màmá ń se ọbẹ̀ nínú ilé ìdáná. → "Mother is cooking soup in the kitchen."
7.8 A bí mi ní ìlú Ìbàdàn. → "I was born in the city of Ibadan."
7.9 Kò sí owó nínú àpótí náà. → "There is no money in the box."
7.10 Ẹja púpọ̀ wà nínú odò yìí. → "There are many fish in this river."
7.11 Níbo ni o wà? Mo wà nínú yàrá mi. → "Where are you? I'm in my room."
7.12 Wọ́n ti ń gbé ní Èkó fún ọdún mẹ́wàá. → "They have been living in Lagos for ten years."
7.13 Nínú ọgbà ni àwọn ọmọdé wà. → "It's in the yard that the children are."
7.14 Ní àárọ̀ ni mo máa ń ka ìwé. → "It's in the morning that I usually read."
7.15 Ọlọ́run ń bẹ ní ọ̀run, ṣùgbọ́n ó tún wà nínú ọkàn wa. → "God is in heaven, but He is also in our hearts."
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7.1 Ó wà nínú ilé.
7.2 Omi wà nínú ìkòkò.
7.3 Mo wà ní ọjà.
7.4 Bàbá wà lóko.
7.5 Ìwé wà nínú àpò.
7.6 Àwọn ọmọdé ń ṣeré nínú ọgbà.
7.7 Màmá ń se ọbẹ̀ nínú ilé ìdáná.
7.8 A bí mi ní ìlú Ìbàdàn.
7.9 Kò sí owó nínú àpótí náà.
7.10 Ẹja púpọ̀ wà nínú odò yìí.
7.11 Níbo ni o wà? Mo wà nínú yàrá mi.
7.12 Wọ́n ti ń gbé ní Èkó fún ọdún mẹ́wàá.
7.13 Nínú ọgbà ni àwọn ọmọdé wà.
7.14 Ní àárọ̀ ni mo máa ń ka ìwé.
7.15 Ọlọ́run ń bẹ ní ọ̀run, ṣùgbọ́n ó tún wà nínú ọkàn wa.
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These are the grammar rules for ní and nínú in Yoruba:
1. Ní is the preposition of position. It stands before its noun and marks where or when something is. Its range covers English "in", "at" and "on".
- ní ọjà: at the market (7.3) - ní ìlú Ìbàdàn: in the city of Ibadan (7.8) - ní ọ̀run: in heaven (7.15) - ní àárọ̀: in the morning (7.14)
2. Nínú = ní + inú, "at the inside of". Use it when English "in" means inside, within. Inú is a noun, and whatever it is the inside of follows it as a possessor, just as in the genitive of Lesson 5 (possessed + possessor):
- nínú ilé: at [the] inside [of the] house = in the house (7.1) - nínú ìkòkò: in the pot (7.2) - nínú rẹ̀: at its inside = in it, in him (Section F) - nínú ọkàn wa: in our hearts (7.15)
Other place nouns work in the same way. They are for reference here and will have their own lessons: lórí (ní + orí "top") "on"; lábẹ́ (ní + abẹ́) "under"; níwájú (ní + iwájú) "in front of"; lẹ́yìn (ní + ẹ̀yìn) "behind, after".
3. The verb wà and its negative kò sí. A sentence that says where something is uses wà, "to be located":
- Subject + wà + ní/nínú + place: Ìwé wà nínú àpò (7.5) - Negative: Subject + kò sí + ní/nínú + place: Ìwé kò sí nínú àpò - "There is no…": Kò sí + noun + nínú + place: Kò sí owó nínú àpótí náà (7.9)
Of the three "be" words of Lesson 2 (jẹ́, wà, ni), only wà expresses location; jẹ́ and the focus marker ni never do. For "is in", always use wà. The elevated verb ń bẹ, "to exist", can replace wà, as in the Lord's Prayer, Baba wa tí ń bẹ ní ọ̀run (7.15).
4. Contraction of ní before vowels.
- Before i-: the vowel of ní drops: ní inú → nínú; ní ibo → níbo; ní ibẹ̀ → níbẹ̀; ní ìta → níta - Before any other vowel: ní → l-, and the vowel takes high tone: ní oko → lóko; ní ọwọ́ → lọ́wọ́; ní ojú → lójú; ní òní → lónìí; ní àná → lánàá; ní ọ̀la → lọ́la; ní ọ̀nà → lọ́nà
The full forms remain correct in writing, especially before names and in careful style: ní ọjà (7.3), ní Èkó (7.12), ní àárọ̀ (7.14).
5. Fronting a place. To stress where something is, move the whole ní-phrase to the front and follow it with the focus marker ni: Nínú ọgbà ni àwọn ọmọdé wà, "It's in the yard that the children are" (7.13). The question word níbo "where" works in the same way: Níbo ni o wà? (7.11). The Bible does the same: Nínú rẹ̀ ni ìyè wà, "In him was life" (John 1:4). Keep ní with its noun. Unlike English ("Where are you at?", "the house I live in"), Yoruba never leaves ní stranded at the end of a clause.
6. Time. Ní also marks time: ní àárọ̀ "in the morning", lónìí "today", lánàá "yesterday", lọ́la "tomorrow".
- Leaving out wà. Ó nínú ilé is wrong. Say Ó wà nínú ilé. - Using wà in the negative. Kò wà nínú ilé is wrong. Say Kò sí nínú ilé. - Using nínú for movement. "Put it in the bag" is movement into, so say Fi í sínú àpò, with sí. Nínú is for location. - Adding ní after verbs that already mean "go into". Wọ "enter" takes a direct object: Ó wọ inú ilé, "He went into the house", not Ó wọ nínú ilé. - Confusing the three ni's. ní (high) "in, at"; ni (mid) "it is… that"; ní (verb) "have" (Mo ní owó, "I have money"). Tone and position tell them apart. The preposition always has a noun right after it. - Using ní with jẹ́. Location is never jẹ́ ní. Use wà. - Dropping the tone mark. Writing ni for ní turns "in" into the focus marker. - Translating every English "in" with nínú. "In Lagos", "in the morning", "in the market" all take plain ní. Use nínú when the idea is inside something.
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Ní is one of the most frequent words in the language, because Yoruba routes so much through it: place, time, and a host of adverbs whose origin speakers no longer notice (lónìí, lánàá, lọ́la, níbí, níbẹ̀, níbo, níta). The name of the modern Yoruba Bible itself contains it: Bíbélì Mímọ́ ní Èdè Yorùbá Òde-Òní, "The Holy Bible in the Yoruba Language of Today". Ní èdè…, "in the language…", is how you say "in Yoruba", "in English": ní èdè Yorùbá, ní èdè Gẹ̀ẹ́sì.
Inú, the inside, is also the seat of feeling. The same noun that gives nínú its meaning of "within" is, in Yoruba thought, where emotions live. Inú mi dùn is literally "my inside is sweet": "I am happy". Inú bí mi is literally "my inside gave birth to me": "I am angry". So when a Yoruba speaker says something is nínú ọkàn or nínú a person, it reaches further than English "in". It is the interior where character and feeling are formed.
Register. Contracted forms (lóko, lọ́jà, lọ́wọ́) dominate speech and informal writing. Full forms (ní oko, ní ọjà, ní ọwọ́) are common in careful prose, in teaching materials, and before proper names. The Yoruba Bible itself uses both, sometimes in the same chapter. Spoken Yoruba also contracts across ni + pronoun (Níbo lo wà? for Níbo ni o wà?). Learners should recognise these forms but need not produce them at first.
Regional varieties. This course teaches Standard Yoruba, which is based largely on the Ọ̀yọ́ area. Regional varieties differ in vowels and in how readily they contract, but the ní + place-noun system is shared across the language.
Lọ́wọ́, "in the hand". Ní + ọwọ́ is how Yoruba says someone has something with them at this moment: Kọ́kọ́rọ́ wà lọ́wọ́ mi, "The key is in my hand = I have the key" (7.23). The phrase is heard all day in markets and homes.
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From the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 1, 4 and 5, in Bíbélì Mímọ́ ní Èdè Yorùbá Òde-Òní (the Yoruba Contemporary Bible, BMYO). The opening of John is one of the best-known passages in written Yoruba, and in a few lines it shows ní of time, nínú of place, and the focus marker ni.
F.1a Ní in àtètèkọ́ṣe beginning ni it-was Ọ̀rọ̀ Word wà existed
F.1b Ní /ní/ at àtètèkọ́ṣe /àtètèkɔ́ʃe/ NMLZ-early-first-do ni /ni/ FOC Ọ̀rọ̀ /ɔ̀ɾɔ̀/ word wà /wà/ exist
F.2a Ọ̀rọ̀ Word sì and wà was pẹ̀lú with Ọlọ́run God
F.2b Ọ̀rọ̀ /ɔ̀ɾɔ̀/ word sì /sì/ and.then wà /wà/ exist pẹ̀lú /k͡pɛ̀lú/ with Ọlọ́run /ɔlɔ́ɾũ/ God
F.3a Ọlọ́run God sì and ni was Ọ̀rọ̀ Word náà the
F.3b Ọlọ́run /ɔlɔ́ɾũ/ God sì /sì/ and.then ni /ni/ FOC.be Ọ̀rọ̀ /ɔ̀ɾɔ̀/ word náà /náà/ DEF
F.4a Nínú in rẹ̀ him ni it-was ìyè life wà existed
F.4b Nínú /nínú/ at-inside rẹ̀ /ɾɛ̀/ 3SG.POSS ni /ni/ FOC ìyè /ìjè/ life wà /wà/ exist
F.5a ìyè life yìí this náà same sì and ni was ìmọ́lẹ̀ light aráyé of-mankind
F.5b ìyè /ìjè/ life yìí /jìí/ DEM.PROX náà /náà/ DEF sì /sì/ and.then ni /ni/ FOC.be ìmọ́lẹ̀ /ìmɔ́lɛ̀/ light aráyé /aɾájé/ people-world(ará+ayé)
F.6a ìmọ́lẹ̀ light náà the sì and ń is mọ́lẹ̀ shining nínú in òkùnkùn darkness
F.6b ìmọ́lẹ̀ /ìmɔ́lɛ̀/ light náà /náà/ DEF sì /sì/ and.then ń /ń/ PROG mọ́lẹ̀ /mɔ́lɛ̀/ shine nínú /nínú/ at-inside òkùnkùn /òkũ̀kũ̀/ darkness
F.7a òkùnkùn darkness kò not sì and borí overcame rẹ̀ it
F.7b òkùnkùn /òkũ̀kũ̀/ darkness kò /kò/ NEG sì /sì/ and.then borí /boɾí/ overcome rẹ̀ /ɾɛ̀/ 3SG.OBJ
Ní àtètèkọ́ṣe ni Ọ̀rọ̀ wà, Ọ̀rọ̀ sì wà pẹ̀lú Ọlọ́run, Ọlọ́run sì ni Ọ̀rọ̀ náà. (…) Nínú rẹ̀ ni ìyè wà, ìyè yìí náà sì ni ìmọ́lẹ̀ aráyé, ìmọ́lẹ̀ náà sì ń mọ́lẹ̀ nínú òkùnkùn, òkùnkùn kò sì borí rẹ̀.
→ "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (…) In him was life, and that life was the light of mankind; and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
— Johanu 1:1, 4–5, Bíbélì Mímọ́ ní Èdè Yorùbá Òde-Òní (BMYO)
Ní àtètèkọ́ṣe ni Ọ̀rọ̀ wà, Ọ̀rọ̀ sì wà pẹ̀lú Ọlọ́run, Ọlọ́run sì ni Ọ̀rọ̀ náà. (…) Nínú rẹ̀ ni ìyè wà, ìyè yìí náà sì ni ìmọ́lẹ̀ aráyé, ìmọ́lẹ̀ náà sì ń mọ́lẹ̀ nínú òkùnkùn, òkùnkùn kò sì borí rẹ̀.
- Ní àtètèkọ́ṣe, "in the beginning": this is ní of time. Àtètèkọ́ṣe is a noun built from a verb phrase, "the very first doing": the prefix à- makes a noun, tètè means "early", kọ́ "first", and ṣe "do". Note the pair Ní… ni: the first is the high-tone preposition, the second the mid-tone focus marker. The whole time phrase has been fronted for emphasis: "It was in the beginning that the Word existed." - Nínú rẹ̀, "in him": this is nínú of place, and it shows plainly that inú is a noun. Rẹ̀ is the possessive "his, its", so the phrase is literally "at his inside". Again the phrase is fronted before ni, which is the pattern of example 7.13. - ń mọ́lẹ̀ nínú òkùnkùn, "shines in the darkness": an ordinary, unfronted nínú-phrase after the verb, the pattern of examples 7.1–7.10. The progressive ń gives the present "is shining", continuing through time. - wà is used both for "existed" (Ọ̀rọ̀ wà) and "was with" (wà pẹ̀lú). It is the same verb that says where things are in 7.1–7.12. Yoruba does not distinguish "to be somewhere" from "to exist". - Ọlọ́run sì ni Ọ̀rọ̀ náà: here ni alone serves as "is/was" in an identity sentence ("God was the Word"). This is the focus-copula of Lesson 2, and it is never the locative ní. - Literary effect: the translators keep the chain of clauses joined by sì, "and", which mirrors the Greek kai… kai…. Each phrase hands its last word to the next (Ọ̀rọ̀… Ọ̀rọ̀; ìyè… ìyè; ìmọ́lẹ̀… ìmọ́lẹ̀; òkùnkùn… òkùnkùn). This staircase suits Yoruba well, because oral poetry uses the same device.
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A family home, early morning. Túndé is late and cannot find the car key. His mother is in the kitchen; his father is in the next room.
7.16a Túndé: Màmá Mum níbo where ni is-it kọ́kọ́rọ́ key ọkọ̀ car wà is
7.16b Màmá /màmá/ mother níbo /níbo/ at-which.place ni /ni/ FOC kọ́kọ́rọ́ /kɔ́kɔ́ɾɔ́/ key ọkọ̀ /ɔkɔ̀/ vehicle wà /wà/ be.located
7.17a Màmá: Ṣé is-it-that kò not sí it-is nínú in àpò pocket ṣòkòtò trousers rẹ your
7.17b Ṣé /ʃé/ Q kò /kò/ NEG sí /sí/ exist.NEG nínú /nínú/ at-inside àpò /àk͡pò/ bag/pocket ṣòkòtò /ʃòkòtò/ trousers rẹ /ɾɛ/ 2SG.POSS
7.18a Túndé: Rárá no kò not sí it-is nínú in àpò pocket mi my
7.18b Rárá /ɾáɾá/ no kò /kò/ NEG sí /sí/ exist.NEG nínú /nínú/ at-inside àpò /àk͡pò/ pocket mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS
7.19a Màmá: Ó it lè may wà be nínú in àpò bag ìwé book rẹ your
7.19b Ó /ó/ 3SG.SUBJ lè /lè/ can/may wà /wà/ be.located nínú /nínú/ at-inside àpò /àk͡pò/ bag ìwé /ìwé/ book rẹ /ɾɛ/ 2SG.POSS
7.20a Túndé: Kò not sí it-is nínú in àpò bag ìwé book mi my náà either
7.20b Kò /kò/ NEG sí /sí/ exist.NEG nínú /nínú/ at-inside àpò /àk͡pò/ bag ìwé /ìwé/ book mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS náà /náà/ also
7.21a Màmá: Ṣé is-it-that o you fi left í it sílẹ̀ down nínú in ọkọ̀ car lánàá yesterday
7.21b Ṣé /ʃé/ Q o /o/ 2SG.SUBJ fi /fi/ put í /í/ 3SG.OBJ sílẹ̀ /sílɛ̀/ to-ground(sí+ilẹ̀) nínú /nínú/ at-inside ọkọ̀ /ɔkɔ̀/ vehicle lánàá /lánàá/ at-yesterday(ní+àná)
7.22a Túndé: Rárá no o indeed Ọkọ̀ car náà the wà is níta outside ilẹ̀kùn door rẹ̀ its sì and ti has tì shut
7.22b Rárá /ɾáɾá/ no o /o/ EMPH Ọkọ̀ /ɔkɔ̀/ vehicle náà /náà/ DEF wà /wà/ be.located níta /níta/ at-outside(ní+ìta) ilẹ̀kùn /ilɛ̀kũ̀/ door rẹ̀ /ɾɛ̀/ 3SG.POSS sì /sì/ and.then ti /ti/ PERF tì /tì/ shut
7.23a Bàbá: Ẹ you-all má don't wá seek a it mọ́ anymore Kọ́kọ́rọ́ key náà the wà is lọ́wọ́ in-hand mi my
7.23b Ẹ /ɛ/ 2PL.SUBJ má /má/ NEG.IMP wá /wá/ seek a /a/ 3SG.OBJ mọ́ /mɔ́/ anymore Kọ́kọ́rọ́ /kɔ́kɔ́ɾɔ́/ key náà /náà/ DEF wà /wà/ be.located lọ́wọ́ /lɔ́wɔ́/ at-hand(ní+ọwọ́) mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS
7.24a Màmá: Níbo where ni is-it o you wà are
7.24b Níbo /níbo/ at-which.place ni /ni/ FOC o /o/ 2SG.SUBJ wà /wà/ be.located
7.25a Bàbá: Mo I wà am nínú in yàrá room ìgbàlejò reception mo I ń am ka reading ìwé paper ìròyìn news
7.25b Mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ wà /wà/ be.located nínú /nínú/ at-inside yàrá /jàɾá/ room ìgbàlejò /ìɡ͡bàlejò/ NMLZ-receive-guest mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ ń /ń/ PROG ka /ka/ read ìwé /ìwé/ paper ìròyìn /ìɾòjĩ̀/ news
7.26a Bàbá: Mo I rí found i it nínú in ṣòkòtò trousers rẹ your nínú in yàrá room rẹ your
7.26b Mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ rí /ɾí/ see/find i /i/ 3SG.OBJ nínú /nínú/ at-inside ṣòkòtò /ʃòkòtò/ trousers rẹ /ɾɛ/ 2SG.POSS nínú /nínú/ at-inside yàrá /jàɾá/ room rẹ /ɾɛ/ 2SG.POSS
7.27a Túndé: Ẹ you ṣé thanks o indeed Bàbá Dad Mo I máa will fi put í it sínú into àpò pocket mi my báyìí now
7.27b Ẹ /ɛ/ 2PL.HON ṣé /ʃé/ thank o /o/ EMPH Bàbá /bàbá/ father Mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ máa /máa/ FUT fi /fi/ put í /í/ 3SG.OBJ sínú /sínú/ to-inside(sí+inú) àpò /àk͡pò/ pocket mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS báyìí /bájìí/ now
7.28a Màmá: Kí that o you sì also rí see i it dájú sure pé that ó it wà is níbẹ̀ there kí that o you tó before jáde go-out
7.28b Kí /kí/ SUBJUNCT o /o/ 2SG.SUBJ sì /sì/ and.then rí /ɾí/ see i /i/ 3SG.OBJ dájú /dáɟú/ certain pé /k͡pé/ COMP ó /ó/ 3SG.SUBJ wà /wà/ be.located níbẹ̀ /níbɛ̀/ at-there(ní+ibẹ̀) kí /kí/ SUBJUNCT o /o/ 2SG.SUBJ tó /tó/ before jáde /ɟáde/ go.out
7.29a Túndé: Bẹ́ẹ̀ so ni it-is Màmá Mum Kọ́kọ́rọ́ key wà is nínú in àpò pocket mi my owó money sì and wà is nínú in àpò pocket mi my kejì other
7.29b Bẹ́ẹ̀ /bɛ́ɛ̀/ so ni /ni/ FOC Màmá /màmá/ mother Kọ́kọ́rọ́ /kɔ́kɔ́ɾɔ́/ key wà /wà/ be.located nínú /nínú/ at-inside àpò /àk͡pò/ pocket mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS owó /owó/ money sì /sì/ and.then wà /wà/ be.located nínú /nínú/ at-inside àpò /àk͡pò/ pocket mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS kejì /keɟì/ second
7.30a Màmá: Ó it dáa is-good Ọlọ́run God á will wà be pẹ̀lú with rẹ you lọ́nà on-the-way
7.30b Ó /ó/ 3SG.SUBJ dáa /dáa/ be.good Ọlọ́run /ɔlɔ́ɾũ/ God á /á/ FUT wà /wà/ be pẹ̀lú /k͡pɛ̀lú/ with rẹ /ɾɛ/ 2SG.OBJ lọ́nà /lɔ́nà/ at-road(ní+ọ̀nà)
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7.16 Túndé: Màmá, níbo ni kọ́kọ́rọ́ ọkọ̀ wà? → "Mum, where's the car key?"
7.17 Màmá: Ṣé kò sí nínú àpò ṣòkòtò rẹ? → "Isn't it in your trouser pocket?"
7.18 Túndé: Rárá, kò sí nínú àpò mi. → "No, it's not in my pocket."
7.19 Màmá: Ó lè wà nínú àpò ìwé rẹ. → "It might be in your school bag."
7.20 Túndé: Kò sí nínú àpò ìwé mi náà. → "It's not in my school bag either."
7.21 Màmá: Ṣé o fi í sílẹ̀ nínú ọkọ̀ lánàá? → "Did you leave it in the car yesterday?"
7.22 Túndé: Rárá o! Ọkọ̀ náà wà níta, ilẹ̀kùn rẹ̀ sì ti tì. → "No! The car is outside, and its door is locked."
7.23 Bàbá: Ẹ má wá a mọ́! Kọ́kọ́rọ́ náà wà lọ́wọ́ mi. → "Stop looking for it! I've got the key right here in my hand."
7.24 Màmá: Níbo ni o wà? → "Where are you?"
7.25 Bàbá: Mo wà nínú yàrá ìgbàlejò, mo ń ka ìwé ìròyìn. → "I'm in the sitting room, reading the newspaper."
7.26 Bàbá: Mo rí i nínú ṣòkòtò rẹ, nínú yàrá rẹ. → "I found it in your trousers, in your room."
7.27 Túndé: Ẹ ṣé o, Bàbá! Mo máa fi í sínú àpò mi báyìí. → "Thank you, Dad! I'll put it in my pocket now."
7.28 Màmá: Kí o sì rí i dájú pé ó wà níbẹ̀ kí o tó jáde. → "And make sure it's there before you go out."
7.29 Túndé: Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni, Màmá. Kọ́kọ́rọ́ wà nínú àpò mi, owó sì wà nínú àpò mi kejì. → "Yes, Mum. The key is in my pocket, and the money is in my other pocket."
7.30 Màmá: Ó dáa. Ọlọ́run á wà pẹ̀lú rẹ lọ́nà. → "All right. God be with you on the way."
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7.16 Túndé: Màmá, níbo ni kọ́kọ́rọ́ ọkọ̀ wà?
7.17 Màmá: Ṣé kò sí nínú àpò ṣòkòtò rẹ?
7.18 Túndé: Rárá, kò sí nínú àpò mi.
7.19 Màmá: Ó lè wà nínú àpò ìwé rẹ.
7.20 Túndé: Kò sí nínú àpò ìwé mi náà.
7.21 Màmá: Ṣé o fi í sílẹ̀ nínú ọkọ̀ lánàá?
7.22 Túndé: Rárá o! Ọkọ̀ náà wà níta, ilẹ̀kùn rẹ̀ sì ti tì.
7.23 Bàbá: Ẹ má wá a mọ́! Kọ́kọ́rọ́ náà wà lọ́wọ́ mi.
7.24 Màmá: Níbo ni o wà?
7.25 Bàbá: Mo wà nínú yàrá ìgbàlejò, mo ń ka ìwé ìròyìn.
7.26 Bàbá: Mo rí i nínú ṣòkòtò rẹ, nínú yàrá rẹ.
7.27 Túndé: Ẹ ṣé o, Bàbá! Mo máa fi í sínú àpò mi báyìí.
7.28 Màmá: Kí o sì rí i dájú pé ó wà níbẹ̀ kí o tó jáde.
7.29 Túndé: Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni, Màmá. Kọ́kọ́rọ́ wà nínú àpò mi, owó sì wà nínú àpò mi kejì.
7.30 Màmá: Ó dáa. Ọlọ́run á wà pẹ̀lú rẹ lọ́nà.
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The dialogue is a search, so almost every line asks or answers where, and nearly every answer is a nínú-phrase.
- Location with wà, absence with kò sí. Compare Ó lè wà nínú àpò ìwé rẹ, "It may be in your school bag" (7.19), with Kò sí nínú àpò ìwé mi náà, "It isn't in my school bag either" (7.20). The negative replaces wà with kò sí every time (7.17, 7.18, 7.20). - Nínú stacked with possessors. nínú àpò ṣòkòtò rẹ (7.17) is "at [the] inside [of the] pocket [of the] trousers [of] you". Each noun possesses the next, and the chain can be as long as the sense requires. Two nínú-phrases in a row narrow the location step by step: nínú ṣòkòtò rẹ, nínú yàrá rẹ, "in your trousers, in your room" (7.26). - Contracted ní. lánàá "yesterday" (7.21), níta "outside" (7.22), lọ́wọ́ "in the hand" (7.23), níbẹ̀ "there" (7.28), lọ́nà "on the way" (7.30), and the question word níbo (7.16, 7.24). All six are ní plus a noun. Lọ́nà shows that ní also covers English "on". - Nínú versus sínú. Throughout the dialogue the key is somewhere (nínú). In 7.27 Túndé puts it somewhere: Mo máa fi í sínú àpò mi, "I'll put it into my pocket". Movement calls for sí + inú (Lesson 6). - Object pronoun copying the verb's vowel. The third-person object "it" copies the vowel of the verb before it. It takes a high tone after a mid- or low-tone verb and a mid tone after a high-tone verb: fi í "put it" (7.21, 7.27), but rí i "see it, find it" (7.26, 7.28) and wá a "look for it" (7.23).
Vocabulary:
- kọ́kọ́rọ́: key - ọkọ̀: vehicle, car (also boat) - àpò: bag, pocket; àpò ìwé: school bag ("book bag") - ṣòkòtò: trousers - ilẹ̀kùn: door - yàrá ìgbàlejò: sitting room ("room for receiving guests") - ìwé ìròyìn: newspaper ("paper of news") - fi… sílẹ̀: leave behind ("put… on the ground") - rí i dájú: make sure ("see it certain") - kí… tó: before (doing something) - Ẹ ṣé o: thank you (respectful plural ẹ to a parent)
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- Always mark the tone on ní. Unmarked ni is the focus marker. Ní àtètèkọ́ṣe ni Ọ̀rọ̀ wà needs both, correctly marked. - The high tone survives contraction. In lóko, lọ́wọ́, lánàá, lónìí, lọ́la, lọ́nà, the high tone on the first vowel is the tone of ní. The noun's own first tone (mid in oko, ọwọ́; low in àná, òní, ọ̀la, ọ̀nà) is replaced. The two day-words also lengthen their final vowel: àná → lánàá, òní → lónìí. Learn them as whole words. - Dots below are letters, not decoration. ọ and o, ẹ and e, ṣ and s are different sounds and make different words: oko "farm", ọkọ "husband", ọkọ̀ "vehicle" are three different words. Never drop the dots or the tone marks. - nínú is written as one word; ní inú in full is possible but rare. Nínú, níbo, níbẹ̀, níbí and níta are always written solid. - Nasal vowels. -n after a vowel at the end of a syllable is not a consonant: wọ́n /wɔ̃́/, ọ̀run /ɔ̀ɾũ/, òkùnkùn /òkũ̀kũ̀/. - Syllabic ń. The progressive marker ń is a whole syllable on a high tone: ń mọ́lẹ̀ /ń mɔ́lɛ̀/ "is shining". - Typing Yoruba on a Mac: the ABC Extended keyboard gives the underdot with Option+x, and tone marks with Option+e (acute) and Option+` (grave), which can be stacked: ọ́, ẹ̀.
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Course Index: [latinum.substack.com/p/index](https://latinum.substack.com/p/index)