ᐈ Yoruba Dictionary 【Phrases, Sayings and MORE】

All languages ​​around the world contain a book in which all the words of the language are recorded. Hence The Yoruba in Africa are no exception.. These over time have created and perfected a dictionary where they keep the specific meanings of their language. If you are interested in knowing everything about this book then stay in this article.

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Yoruba Lucumi Dictionary

Languages ​​can be complex. Especially if they are of foreign origin such as the Yoruba or Lucumí as it is also known. This language has native and foreign speakers all over the world. Especially in Cuba (where Santeria predominates) and other places like Panama or the USA.

This bears a certain similarity with the Chinese for its tones and emphasis. They only use the accents so that non-speakers understand. In addition, it has a series of special characteristics such as the following:

The “y” has a pronunciation similar to the American “i” The “ñ” is hardly used, it is replaced by the “y” It has accents on the last and penultimate syllables of each word

The lucumí has ​​a fairly close relationship with the yorba. In fact, people who know lucumi can communicate with yoruba without any trouble. That is why it is quite common to find people in Africa who speak both languages.

The dictionary of the Yoruba and their words used in Santeria it is quite extensive. This has approximately nine thousand words. That is why it is impractical to display all the words. Instead, we will present the most prominent ones at the beginning of the dictionary. Here is a snippet from the book:

abbita: It means devil.
abeboadie: Refers to a big chicken
Abel: It is understood as “holy”
Aberinkulo: It translates as scare the dead
Abi hello: Represents the fortune of a place
Abiku: Specter that travels from different dimensions and causes infants to die suddenly
Abo: means moruero
bored: Blood brother
Abó faca: It is the famous hand of Orula that is granted when consecrated to this Orisha
Acarin: It is the Orisha of mirrors
ache de egun: It means to be blessed by the dead
Achelu: This is how detectives are known
Acheré: Head of different colors used in rituals or ceremonies. It refers to the saint that is consecrated
achupua: makes direct reference to the moon
Here: It is known as thank you, amen, or the power of something
Acokan: means myocardium
add: Refers to the crown worn by kings or queens
Addimu: It is an offering without many things to a saint
Addody: Is a person who is attracted to the same sex
bye shaba: The act of hatching a hen is known in this way
bye: It’s a cock (the one that lays eggs)
afocheché: It refers to when you have thrown evil dust at a person
Afoché: Powders for evil witchcraft
Agayu: It is the patron of the Orisha Shango
Agbani: it’s an antelope
Agbebe: It is known as the fan of female deities
Agbeyami: Refers to the peacock animal
added: How to ask permission to do something
Agguona: It’s a wooden puppet
Agguan: It is the purification of the soul. It also means saucer
agogo: It is the instrument that provides you with the time
Aguema akuá: It’s the animal chameleon
Aguema: It is understood as a small lizard
Agundan: Refers to a small bovine
agoutan: Ram that is offered to the Orisha Shango
agogono: It’s a rattlesnake
Aikordie: It’s a feather from the fur of a parrot
aiku: It is used to wish a person good health
AHA: Group of palm leaves used as a shaker during rituals
Akaro: Specter that does not belong to this plane and is shown as death
Akinrinfu: Cigarette smoking action
Akuaro: They are quail eggs
akuko kue: It refers to the couple of the hen
Akan: it’s a crustacean
Ala aroyé: He is a person who argues a lot
Alami: They are the propellers of a canoe
Alaroyé: Name of a kind of prayer to a saint
Aleyo: He who has not been initiated into Santeria
Amalaila: It is the special flour of Shango
Amala: It is a food made with corn and beef
Mooring: It is a spell so that a person you love does not abandon you
Buruku year: Spell to ward off diseases
Apetesbi: This is the name given to the female who assists the babalawos
He added: It’s a small tub
Ara kole: It is that person who has a blessed and special aura within Santeria
Arabba: It is a deity that lives inside the ceiba plant
Aroyé: It is a series of logical arguments or debate
Arubó: This is how people of advanced age are known.
Ashe of Orula: It is a blessing made for the holy Orula
orisha seat: This is how the act of welcoming the Orishas is known.
Asophacal: It is the blessing of Orula for the masculine
Atana: It’s a candle
I tied: It refers to the board that is used to talk with Orula.
Awo: This is how an expert santero of Ifá is known
Ayagguna: He is a person who is always in conflict
Ayanakún: It’s the elephant animal
Governess: It is known as the canine
Aye: it’s a snail
Ana: They are the drums used in ceremonies

drool me: Expression to say “My father”
Slime: means dad
babalawo: He is a priest with extensive experience in Ifá and Santeria
Babalocha: Godfather who advises a person initiated into the cult
Babalu Aye: Orisha of diseases and those who suffer from them
Go down to the saint: It is when a person will receive a visit from a deity
Bilomgo: Cult where a deity kills people
Bopa: Offering to the goddess of the seas
Horse: Intermediary between a saint and the person
Path of the saint: Facet different from the original of an Orisha
C.shipyard: Place where the receptacles of the gods are kept
Saint’s Charge: Powers of the deity contained in some particular object
Ocha Houses: Impersonal temple where the Orishas are worshiped or they are crowned
Chaba: Composite metal accessory used by some deities
Chamalongo: Coconut fragments used in rituals
Check: Drink made based on corn
Feeder: Vulgar word to refer to where the Orishas feed
Eat: It refers to feeding a particular saint
Crown: Object that gives rank to an Orisha
Crossed: It is when various deities intertwine despite being of different religions
Cue cue ye: It is the animal that is known as duck
Dakoduro: One of the most outstanding qualities of Yemaya
Deimon: It’s hell itself
Diloggun: It is a system to guess the destiny of a person by means of African snails.
Drume: It is the action of sleeping
dun dun: It refers to everything that is absent of light (black)
ebbo: The ebbó is a sacrifice that is made to a deity to satisfy it or ask for something
Echu added: It is what gives rank to the Orisha of Eleguá
Edé: means shrimp
effun: It’s the shell of an egg
egbado: People originating from an African tribe
Egbe: It is granting help to a person
eggun: They are the specters of death that have no life
Eiyele: It’s a pigeon bird
Eiyé: they are simple birds
ejoro: It refers to the animal known as a rabbit.
I swear: It is the animal called giraffe

Yoruba Phrases

Phrases are a typical quality of all the languages ​​of the world. Each of these seeks to generate a feeling in the people who listen to it. On the other hand, it is also sought to arrive at a moral and to leave a learning of vital importance in the life of that individual.

That is how the yoruba phrases they are so important within their religion. Furthermore, you can find many of these in the Lucumi dictionary, in various ancient writings or special books devoted entirely to this topic.

Almost all of these phrases They are spoken in their original language. That is, they are in Yoruba, however here we will show them in both. Both in their native language and translated into Spanish. Everything is so that you have the opportunity to understand what the phrase refers to and draw your own conclusions.

Die dé la njóórí ékú: Translates as “The rat eats part by part” ówó atí ése lo se pátákí fún árá: This phrase is understood as “Both hands and feet belong to our complete being.” Omi ní m’ be lábélé omi lo mokún ile: Translated from its original language we understand it as “The vital liquid of life is buried under the ground.” Ígí-Nlá fí lu ago-Nlá: The previous phrase is understood as “So that you can reach a big timbre, you need to have a trunk of the same size.” Wó tún wósí l’owó fi m’mo sáká: This famous phrase is understood as “Hands cannot be washed if one does not help the other.” Awon ti won According to ota ko shun ti yió fá iberu ota: Translated from Yoruba it begins as follows: “If you defeat your internal enemy, you should not fear those from the outside.” Iberú ie fá iku ara tabi ti emi: The phrase from the Yoruba dictionary it is understood as “The fear of the unknown leads to an early death.” Gbóngbo-Igi kí dájiji: The previous sentence professes the following in Spanish “The vine of the trees will never give you shade for your person.”

Yoruba Sayings

Sayings on the other hand are different than phrases. This is mainly because sayings are generally excerpts of text that have been passed down from generation to generation. That is to say that they are very traditional and become customary and typical with the passage of time.

The most well-known and used Yoruba sayings are the following:

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