Hello in Yoruba: How to Greet Correctly in Yoruba

Want to learn how to say hello in Yoruba? Then you’re just on the right page. Read on.

First, bear in mind that there is no single generally-agreed-upon translation for the word “hello” in Yoruba language. However, since the word “hello” is used as a form of greeting, I’ll teach you a number of different ways to greet people in Yoruba that have the same meaning as “hello”.

The following greetings can be used at any time of the day to greet someone “hello” in Yoruba language:

• E nle o. (To sound more respectful to elderly people, say “E nle ma” or “E nle sir” depending on the gender).
• E pele o. (For elderly people, say “E pele ma” or “E pele sir”).
• E rora o. (For elderly people, say “E rora ma” or “E rora sir”).
• E ku ishe o (most appropriate for greeting someone who is busy with something). To elders, say “E ku ishe ma” or “E ku ishe sir”.
• E ku ikale o (most appropriate for greeting someone who’s sitting down or relaxed). To elders, say “E ku ikale ma” or “E ku ikale sir”.

The following greetings are used specifically at certain times of the day to greet people in Yoruba language:

• E kaaro o — meaning good morning (Say “E kaaro ma/sir” to elders).
• E kaasan o — meaning good afternoon (Say “E kaasan ma” to elders).
• E ku irole o — meaning good evening — used between 4pm and 7pm (say “E ku irole ma/sir” to elders).
• E kaale o — meaning good evening — used at night time, after 7pm onwards (say “E kaale ma/sir” to elders).

I hope this helps. If you have any question or contributions, share your thoughts by leaving a comment.