Yoruba Number Safari | Kàkàkí Kà Yorùbá https://cdn.tailwindcss.com body { font-family: ‘Inter’, sans-serif; scroll-behavior: smooth; } .number-card { display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; text-align: center; padding: 1.5rem; border-radius: 0.75rem; box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); background-color: #ffffff; } .number-display { font-size: 3rem; font-weight: bold; color: #DD8C43; margin-bottom: 0.5rem; } .yoruba-word { font-size: 1.5rem; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.25rem; } .pronunciation { font-size: 1rem; color: #6B7280; margin-bottom: 1rem; } .mnemonic { font-size: 0.9rem; font-style: italic; color: #795548; margin-bottom: 1rem; } .practice-sentence { font-size: 0.9rem; color: #5D4037; }

Yoruba Number Safari

Ẹ káàbọ̀! Welcome!

Explore the Yoruba numbers from 1 to 30. This guide provides an easy way to learn each number, its pronunciation, and how to use it in a sentence.

Start Exploring Numbers

The Trail Begins: Numbers 1-10

Here are the first ten numbers, along with how to say them and a little tip to help you remember.

1
Òkan
(Oh-kahn)
“Imagine: One big, brave lion!”
Mo rí òkan erin. (I see one elephant.)
2
Èjì
(Eh-jee)
“Imagine: Two playful monkeys swinging!”
Mo ní èjì bọ́ọ̀lù. (I have two balls.)
3
Ẹta
(Eh-tah)
“Imagine: Three happy birds singing!”
A jẹ ẹta iṣu. (We ate three yams.)
4
Ẹrin
(Eh-rin)
“Imagine: Four tall giraffes reaching for leaves!”
Mo rí ẹrin obìnrin. (I see four women.)
5
Àrún
(Ah-roon)
“Imagine: Five fast cheetahs running!”
Mo ní àrún ìka. (I have five fingers.)
6
Ẹfà
(Eh-fah)
“Imagine: Six buzzing bees around a hive!”
Ó ní ẹfà ṣokoto. (He has six trousers.)
7
Èje
(Eh-jeh)
“Imagine: Seven colourful butterflies dancing!”
Mo rí èje òyìnbó. (I see seven white people.)
8
Ẹjọ
(Eh-joh)
“Imagine: Eight busy ants marching!”
Mo ní ẹjọ ìwé. (I have eight books.)
9
Ẹsàn-án
(Eh-sahn-ahn)
“Imagine: Nine quick lizards basking in the sun!”
Ó jẹ ẹsàn-án àkàrà. (She ate nine bean cakes.)
10
Ẹwàá
(Eh-wah-ah)
“Imagine: Ten shiny beetles crawling!”
Mo ní ẹwàá owó. (I have ten units of currency.)

Deep in the Jungle: Numbers 11-20

These numbers are clever! They often count by adding to 10 or by subtracting from 20.

11
Mọ́kànlá
(Moh-kahn-lah)
“Eleven wise owls.”
Mo rí mọ́kànlá ọkùnrin. (I see eleven men.)
12
Mejìlá
(Meh-jee-lah)
“Twelve giggling hyenas!”
Ó ní mejìlá ìgba. (He has twelve calabashes.)
13
Mẹtálà
(Meh-tah-lah)
“Thirteen tall palm trees!”
A ní mẹtálà àgbò. (We have thirteen rams.)
14
Mẹ́rinlá
(Meh-rin-lah)
“Fourteen colourful parrots!”
Mo jẹ mẹ́rinlá oróró. (I ate fourteen oranges.)
15
Mẹ́ẹ̀dógún
(Meh-eh-doh-goon)
“Fifteen big, bouncy antelopes!”
Ó rà mẹ́ẹ̀dógún bàtà. (She bought fifteen shoes.)
16
Mẹ́rìndínlógún
(Meh-rin-dee-n-loh-goon)
“Sixteen sleek snakes!”
Mo ní mẹ́rìndínlógún àkùkọ. (I have sixteen roosters.)
17
Mẹ́tàdínlógún
(Meh-tah-dee-n-loh-goon)
“Seventeen speedy gazelles!”
A rí mẹ́tàdínlógún kọlọkọlọ. (We saw seventeen foxes.)
18
Méjìdínlógún
(Meh-jee-dee-n-loh-goon)
“Eighteen happy hippos!”
Ó ní méjìdínlógún àga. (He has eighteen chairs.)
19
Mọ́kàndínlógún
(Moh-kahn-dee-n-loh-goon)
“Nineteen grumpy warthogs!”
Mo jẹ mọ́kàndínlógún oróró. (I ate nineteen oranges.)
20
Ogún
(Oh-goon)
“Twenty powerful gorillas!”
Mo ní ogún bàtà tuntun. (I have twenty new shoes.)

The Savannah: Numbers 21-30

The final stretch! These numbers typically work by adding to 20 or subtracting from 30.

21
Mọ́kànlélógún
(Moh-kahn-leh-loh-goon)
“Twenty-one dancing fireflies!”
A ní mọ́kànlélógún ewúrẹ́. (We have twenty-one goats.)
22
Méjìlélógún
(Meh-jee-leh-loh-goon)
“Twenty-two busy bees!”
Mo rí méjìlélógún ọmọdé. (I see twenty-two children.)
23
Mẹtálélógún
(Meh-tah-leh-loh-goon)
“Twenty-three jumping kangaroos!”
Ó ra mẹtálélógún ẹja. (She bought twenty-three fish.)
24
Mẹ́rinlélógún
(Meh-rin-leh-loh-goon)
“Twenty-four peacocks!”
Mo ní mẹ́rinlélógún èṣò. (I have twenty-four ants.)
25
Mẹ́ẹ̀dọ́gbọ̀n
(Meh-eh-doh-gbon)
“Twenty-five playful pandas!”
A jẹ mẹ́ẹ̀dọ́gbọ̀n buredi. (We ate twenty-five loaves of bread.)
26
Mẹ́rìndínlọ́gbọ̀n
(Meh-rin-dee-n-loh-gbon)
“Twenty-six shy sloths!”
Ó ní mẹ́rìndínlọ́gbọ̀n àṣọ. (He has twenty-six clothes.)
27
Mẹ́tàdínlọ́gbọ̀n
(Meh-tah-dee-n-loh-gbon)
“Twenty-seven striped zebras!”
Mo rí mẹ́tàdínlọ́gbọ̀n adie. (I see twenty-seven chickens.)
28
Méjìdínlọ́gbọ̀n
(Meh-jee-dee-n-loh-gbon)
“Twenty-eight chattering monkeys!”
A ní méjìdínlọ́gbọ̀n kẹ́kẹ́. (We have twenty-eight bicycles.)
29
Mọ́kàndínlọ́gbọ̀n
(Moh-kahn-dee-n-loh-gbon)
“Twenty-nine busy beavers!”
Ó ra mọ́kàndínlọ́gbọ̀n ẹyin. (She bought twenty-nine eggs.)
30
Ọgbọ̀n
(Oh-gbon)
“Thirty strong buffaloes!”
Mo ní ọgbọ̀n ọ̀rẹ́. (I have thirty friends.)

Practice Stop: Sentences in Context

Review these sentences to see how Yoruba numbers are used with common words.

Mo rí **òkan** erin. (I see **one** elephant.)

Mo ní **èjì** bọ́ọ̀lù. (I have **two** balls.)

A jẹ **ẹta** iṣu. (We ate **three** yams.)

Mo rí **ẹrin** obìnrin. (I see **four** women.)

Mo ní **àrún** ìka. (I have **five** fingers.)

Ó ní **ẹfà** ṣokoto. (He has **six** trousers.)

Mo rí **èje** òyìnbó. (I see **seven** white people.)

Mo ní **ẹjọ** ìwé. (I have **eight** books.)

Ó jẹ **ẹsàn-án** àkàrà. (She ate **nine** bean cakes.)

Mo ní **ẹwàá** owó. (I have **ten** units of currency.)

Mo rí **mọ́kànlá** ọkùnrin. (I see **eleven** men.)

Ó ní **mejìlá** ìgba. (He has **twelve** calabashes.)

A ní **mẹtálà** àgbò. (We have **thirteen** rams.)

Mo jẹ **mẹ́rinlá** oróró. (I ate **fourteen** oranges.)

Ó rà **mẹ́ẹ̀dógún** bàtà. (She bought **fifteen** shoes.)

Mo ní **mẹ́rìndínlógún** àkùkọ. (I have **sixteen** roosters.)

A rí **mẹ́tàdínlógún** kọlọkọlọ. (We saw **seventeen** foxes.)

Ó ní **méjìdínlógún** àga. (He has **eighteen** chairs.)

Mo jẹ **mọ́kàndínlógún** oróró. (I ate **nineteen** oranges.)

Mo ní **ogún** bàtà tuntun. (I have **twenty** new shoes.)

A ní **mọ́kànlélógún** ewúrẹ́. (We have **twenty-one** goats.)

Mo rí **méjìlélógún** ọmọdé. (I see **twenty-two** children.)

Ó ra **mẹtálélógún** ẹja. (She bought **twenty-three** fish.)

Mo ní **mẹ́rinlélógún** èṣò. (I have **twenty-four** ants.)

A jẹ **mẹ́ẹ̀dọ́gbọ̀n** buredi. (We ate **twenty-five** loaves of bread.)

Ó ní **mẹ́rìndínlọ́gbọ̀n** àṣọ. (He has **twenty-six** clothes.)

Mo rí **mẹ́tàdínlọ́gbọ̀n** adie. (I see **twenty-seven** chickens.)

A ní **méjìdínlọ́gbọ̀n** kẹ́kẹ́. (We have **twenty-eight** bicycles.)

Ó ra **mọ́kàndínlọ́gbọ̀n** ẹyin. (She bought **twenty-nine** eggs.)

Mo ní **ọgbọ̀n** ọ̀rẹ́. (I have **thirty** friends.)

Safari Field Guide: Full Number Chart (1-30)

You’ve completed the safari! Here’s a quick reference of all the numbers you’ve learned.

Number Yoruba Word Pronunciation
1Òkan(Oh-kahn)
2Èjì(Eh-jee)
3Ẹta(Eh-tah)
4Ẹrin(Eh-rin)
5Àrún(Ah-roon)
6Ẹfà(Eh-fah)
7Èje(Eh-jeh)
8Ẹjọ(Eh-joh)
9Ẹsàn-án(Eh-sahn-ahn)
10Ẹwàá(Eh-wah-ah)
11Mọ́kànlá(Moh-kahn-lah)
12Mejìlá(Meh-jee-lah)
13Mẹtálà(Meh-tah-lah)
14Mẹ́rinlá(Meh-rin-lah)
15Mẹ́ẹ̀dógún(Meh-eh-doh-goon)
16Mẹ́rìndínlógún(Meh-rin-dee-n-loh-goon)
17Mẹ́tàdínlógún(Meh-tah-dee-n-loh-goon)
18Méjìdínlógún(Meh-jee-dee-n-loh-goon)
19Mọ́kàndínlógún(Moh-kahn-dee-n-loh-goon)
20Ogún(Oh-goon)
21Mọ́kànlélógún(Moh-kahn-leh-loh-goon)
22Méjìlélógún(Meh-jee-leh-loh-goon)
23Mẹtálélógún(Meh-tah-leh-loh-goon)
24Mẹ́rinlélógún(Meh-rin-leh-loh-goon)
25Mẹ́ẹ̀dọ́gbọ̀n(Meh-eh-doh-gbon)
26Mẹ́rìndínlọ́gbọ̀n(Meh-rin-dee-n-loh-gbon)
27Mẹ́tàdínlọ́gbọ̀n(Meh-tah-dee-n-loh-gbon)
28Méjìdínlọ́gbọ̀n(Meh-jee-dee-n-loh-gbon)
29Mọ́kàndínlọ́gbọ̀n(Moh-kahn-dee-n-loh-gbon)
30Ọgbọ̀n(Oh-gbon)