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
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Pronounced like "a" in "father."- E
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A pure close-mid vowel, like "ay" in "day" without the y-glide.- Ẹ
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An open-mid vowel, like "eh" in "bet." Written with a dot under the letter.- I
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Pronounced like "ee" in "see."- O
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A pure close-mid vowel, like "oh" in "go" without the w-glide.- Ọ
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An open-mid vowel, like "aw" in "law." Written with a dot under the letter.- U
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Pronounced like "oo" in "food."- Gb sound
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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
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Pronounced like English "sh" in "shoe," always written with an underdot. Example word: ṣe (to do).- P sound
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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)
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A vowel followed by "n" within a syllable is pronounced through the nose. Example word: kan (one, a certain).- In (nasalized vowel)
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Pronounced through the nose. Example word: rin (to walk).- High tone (á)
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Marked with an acute accent, pronounced with a rising, higher pitch. Example: bàbá (father) ends on a high tone.- Low tone (à)
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Marked with a grave accent, pronounced with a lower, falling pitch. Example: the first syllable of àwọn (they) is low tone.- Mid tone (unmarked)
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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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