Yoruba Idioms

Mọ ẹyẹ tó ṣu èyàn. / Know the bird that excretes someone. [Mọ àwọn òbí èyàn. / Know someone's parents.] e.g. "Ó tó gẹ́ẹ́! Mi ò kúkú mọ ẹyẹ tó ṣu ú." / "It's enough! I really didn't quite know his parents."

Ohun tó ńṣe epo ò ṣe ọ̀rá. /What bothers oil is of no concern to fat. [Kí nǹkan míràn se pọnpọn fún èyàn. / To have a more pressing priority.] e.g. "Ẹ̀bùn, kí nmá tàn ẹ́; ohun tó ńṣe epo ò ṣe ọ̀rá o." / "Ebun, if I won't fool you; I have a more pressing priority."

Na pápá bora. / Cover oneself with the grasses in a field. [Kí èyàn sálọ. / To run away or flee.] e.g. "Àwọ ọlọ́sà náà na pápâ bora." / "The thieves ran away." instagram.com/p/BkjPa_nBn27/…

Òkú tí ẹ sin, ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ ti yọ síta. / The feet of the corpse you buried is sticking out. ["Àṣírí yín ti tú." / "Your secret is out in the open."] e.g. "Yínká, ní ṣókí, òkú tẹ́ẹ sin, ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ ti yọ síta o." youtu.be/XJztSwefHew

Má làágùn jìnnà. / Don't sweat 'too far'. [Má da ara rẹ láàmú tàbí ṣe wàhálà tí kò yẹ. /Don't bother or unduly stress yourself.]  e.g. "Má làágùn jìnnà; ọ̀rọ̀ náà yé mi yékéyéké. " / "Don't stress yourself unduly; I understand the matter clearly." youtu.be/bvNDB03Kq0s

Kí èyàn wẹ̀ kó yán kàn-ìn-kàn-ìn. /To bathe and fling the sponge dry. [Ṣe àṣeyọrí tó dájú /Distinguish oneself in a task] e.g. "Lóòótọ́, "Super Eagles" ńgbá kísà! Wọ́n ti wẹ̀, wọ́n yán kàn-ìn-kàn-ìn."/ "Truly, the Super Eagles can play! They've distinguished themselves."

Yoruba Idioms (with audio) is now live on both Instagram and YouTube. Pls follow & subscribe. Instagram: instagram.com/akanloede YouTube: m.youtube.com/channel/UCk-qw… Ohun a ní là ńnáání; ẹ jẹ́ á gbé èdè Yorùbá lárugẹ.

Sún kan ògiri. / To get to the wall from shifting. [Dé òpin sùúrù tàbí ìfaradà. / To exhaust one's patience or be fed up.]   e.g. "Tolú, ṣé o fẹ́ òótọ́? Mo ti sún kan ògiri, báyìí." / "Tolu, do you want the truth? I'm fed up, right now."

Sún kan ògiri. / To get to the wall from shifting. [Dé òpin sùúrù tàbí ìfaradà. / To exhausts one's patience or to be fed up.]   e.g. "Tolú, ṣé o fẹ́ òótọ́? Mo ti sún kan ògiri, báyìí." / "Tolu, do you want the truth? I'm fed up, right now."

@allibaloo For clarity, both literal and figurative interpretations are provided, along with a usage example.

“Pa okuta si oro eyan.... “ why are you giving direct English interpretation?. x.com/akanloede/stat…

Pa òkúta sí ọ̀rọ̀ èyàn. / To cast stones into one's discussion. [Kí a dá ọ̀rọ̀ mọ́ èyàn lẹ́nu. / To interrupt someone, rather rudely.]  e.g. "Kúnlé, má pa òkúta sí ọ̀rọ̀ mi, jọ̀ọ́." / "Kunle, don't interrupt me, please."

@Adamsmuyiwa Amin o.

@AkanloEde Mo ki yin ooo, eku ise. Mo nko orishirishi eko nibi. Ese gan ni. Ki Oluwa ko ran wa lowo.

Wá wọ́rọ́kọ́ fi ṣe àdá. / Look for a crooked stick and use it as a cutlass. [Wá nǹkan míràn ṣe, bí kò tilẹ̀ dára tó. / Consider and adopt another alternative, even if less desirable.]   e.g. "Tádé, ni ibi táa dé yìì, wàá wá wọ́rọ́kọ́ fi ṣ'àdá, ni o."

Ra ẹ̀kọ ní ibi tí agbọ̀n ti ga. / Buy corn meals where the basket (container) is out of reach. [Ṣe àṣejù. / To dabble into what is beyond one's means] e.g. "Olú, mo ti wá ra ẹ̀kọ ní ibi agbọ̀n ti ga, wàyí." / "Olu, I've dabbled into what is beyond my means, right now."

@Ranmilowo5 @yoruba_proverbs Ẹ ṣeun ṣeun.

@AkanloEde @yoruba_proverbs E ku ise akoni..

Ní òkè míràn lẹ́hìn ọ̀run. / To have another high place beside the heavens. [Ní ìgbẹ́kẹ̀lè míràn. / To have another source of support.] e.g. "Akin, kò yé mi; ṣé o lókè míràn lẹ́hìn ọ̀run ni?" / "Akin, I dont understand; do you have another source of support?"

Kí èyàn fi orí ṣe kó fi ọrùn ṣe. / For someone to work with both the head and the neck. [Kí èyàn fi gbogbo ara se nnkan tabi se e takun takun. / To toil assiduosly at something.] e.g. "Ká sòótọ́, mo forí ṣe, mo fọrùn ṣe o." / "Truth be told, I toiled assiduously."

Má sọ pé ẹnu ẹnìkan ńrùn. / Not to say someone's mouth is smelling. [Máà kó ọ̀rọ̀ ẹnìkan dànù. / Not to discount what someone says or advices.] e.g. "Bọ́sẹ̀, má sọ pé ẹnu mi ńrùn." / "Bose, don't discount my words/advices."

Ọrọ̀ kò bá ikùn gbé. /Words that does not suit the stomach. [Ọ̀rọ̀ burúkú tó lè mú ìbínú tàbí ìbànújẹ́ wá / Unpleasant words that can annoy or sadden someone] e.g. "Ogbẹ́ni yẹn gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ kò bá'kùn gbé lọ́jọ́ yẹn." / "That man heard some unpleasant words, that day."

Kí èyàn fi orí gbálẹ̀ . / To knock or slam one's head on the ground. [Kí èyàn máa ṣe gán án gàn àn gán tàbí hu ìwà aṣiwèrè. / To act stupidly or as if one is insane.] e.g. "Dájúdájú, ọ̀gbẹ́ni náà ti fi orí gbálẹ̀." / "Certainly, the man is insane."