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Spoken in Nigeria, Benin, Togo

Yoruba for kids. Ẹ káàbọ̀!

Rhythmic, musical and full of respect for elders. KidsLingua helps your child hear, say and love Yoruba through play, even if you never learnt to read it yourself.

Start learning Yoruba free
  • Get it on Google Play

First words

Your first Yoruba words.

Every word in the app is spoken by a native speaker, so kids hear exactly how it should sound.

  • Ẹ káàbọ̀

    Welcome

  • Báwo ni?

    How are you?

  • Ẹ ṣé

    Thank you

  • Ó dàbọ̀

    Goodbye

Everyday phrases

  • Ẹ káàárọ̀Good morning (respectful)
  • Ó dàárọ̀Good night
  • Ẹ ṣé gan-anThank you very much
  • Kò tọ́pẹ́You're welcome

Word of the day

Today's Yoruba word

A new word every day, spoken by a native speaker. Say it with your child at dinner tonight.

  • Picture for “Hair”

    Yoruba

    Irun

    “Hair”

    Syllables: I-run

    Aunty Bisi combed her irun (hair) before going to church.

Watch: Yoruba in action

Ola tells his mum he's hungry, in Yoruba

Ola tells his mum “ebi ń pa mí”: I'm hungry. Her answer? “Lọ se jollof”: go and make jollof rice! So off to the kitchen he goes.

  • MàmáMum
  • Ebi ń pa míI'm hungry
  • Lọ se jollofGo and make jollof rice
Read the transcript
  1. Ola: Màmá, ebi ń pa mí. (Mum, I'm hungry.)
  2. Mum: Lọ se jollof. (Go and make jollof rice.)
  3. Ola heads to the kitchen and starts cooking.
  4. KidsLingua: African languages made fun and easy. Available on the web at kidslingua.io, the App Store and Google Play.

What's inside

Serious learning, disguised as fun.

Every word is voiced by native speakers, so your child learns how people really talk at home.

Interactive lessons

From first words to full sentences. Kids hear a native speaker, repeat, and get instant feedback on their pronunciation.

KidsLingua pronunciation practice screen showing picture cards of animals and objects to say aloud

  • Games that teach

    Word puzzles, memory games and quick quizzes turn new vocabulary into a high score.

  • Storytime corner

    Folktales and modern stories narrated by native speakers, with read-along text.

  • Virtual adventures

    Visit markets, festivals and landmarks across Africa and learn the words you'd hear there.

  • Badges & progress

    Streaks, stars and badges keep kids motivated, and show parents exactly how far they've come.

The cat mascot next to a tablet and phone showing a live video lesson with a teacher

Live teachers

Ready to talk? Meet a native speaker.

The app is free to play and learn. When your child is ready for real conversation, book a paid live lesson with a teacher who grew up speaking the language.

  • One-on-one lessons with native-speaking educators
  • Real-time, kind feedback on speaking and listening
  • Customs, proverbs and etiquette, not just vocabulary
  • Flexible times that fit around school and family
Explore live lessons

FAQ

Yoruba for kids: questions parents ask

For parents

Teaching Yoruba at home

  • · 4 min read

    How to Read Yoruba: A Simple Guide for Parents and Kids

    Yoruba is easier to read than it looks. The 25-letter alphabet, the dots under ẹ, ọ and ṣ, the three tones, and a step-by-step way to teach your child to read Yoruba at home.

    • Yoruba
    • Reading
    • Tips for parents

  • · 3 min read

    Good Morning, Afternoon and Night in Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa

    Good morning is Ụtụtụ ọma in Igbo, Ẹ káàárọ̀ in Yoruba and Ina kwana in Hausa. A time-of-day greeting chart for all three languages, with the right replies and a family routine to practise.

    • Igbo
    • Yoruba
    • Hausa
    • First words

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