Key Yoruba vowels, consonants, and tone patterns for accurate pronunciation. Front: the sound pattern or example word. Back: meaning plus a plain-English pronunciation note.
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- A
- Pronounced like "a" in "father."
- E
- A pure close-mid vowel, like "ay" in "day" without the y-glide.
- Ẹ
- An open-mid vowel, like "eh" in "bet." Written with a dot under the letter.
- I
- Pronounced like "ee" in "see."
- O
- A pure close-mid vowel, like "oh" in "go" without the w-glide.
- Ọ
- An open-mid vowel, like "aw" in "law." Written with a dot under the letter.
- U
- Pronounced like "oo" in "food."
- Gb sound
- A single co-articulated consonant made by closing the lips and the back of the tongue together, not "g" then "b." Example word: gbogbo (all).
- Ṣ sound
- Pronounced like English "sh" in "shoe," always written with an underdot. Example word: ṣe (to do).
- P sound
- Yoruba "p" is pronounced with the lips and the back of the tongue together, closer to "kp" than an English "p." Example word: pa (to kill, to hit).
- An (nasalized vowel)
- A vowel followed by "n" within a syllable is pronounced through the nose. Example word: kan (one, a certain).
- In (nasalized vowel)
- Pronounced through the nose. Example word: rin (to walk).
- High tone (á)
- Marked with an acute accent, pronounced with a rising, higher pitch. Example: bàbá (father) ends on a high tone.
- Low tone (à)
- Marked with a grave accent, pronounced with a lower, falling pitch. Example: the first syllable of àwọn (they) is low tone.
- Mid tone (unmarked)
- A vowel with no accent mark is pronounced at a level, middle pitch. Example: the first syllable of ilé (house) is mid tone.
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