Yoruba Tongue Twisters
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Original:
Opo lopo opolo lo ni opolo lopo lopo.
English:
A lot of frogs have plenty of brains.
Original:
Opolopo Opolo ni ko mo pe opolopo Opolo lopo.
English:
Many frogs don't know that most frogs have a brain.
Original:
Obo n'gb'Obo g'ope, ko f'iru Obo bo Obo l'enu.
T'i ko ba tete gb'obo bo'gbe, Obo yio gbe o bo'gbe.
English:
A monkey carries another monkey up the palm tree, put the monkeys tail in the Monkeys mouth. If you do not quickly carry the Monkey into the forest, the Monkey will carry you into the forest.
Original:
Mo ra dodo n'ido, mo je dodo n'Ido.
Mo wa f'owo dodo p'a mo ni dodo n'idodo n'ido.
English:
I bought a fried plantain in Ido, I ate a fried plantain in Ido. I rubbed my oily hands on the navel of the (fried) plantain seller in Ido.
Original:
Bísí bá bàbá bo bàtà.
English:
Bísí helped the father take off his shoes.
by Dr. Fehintola Mosadomi, in the Yoruba grammar textbook "Yoruba Ye Mi", published by COERLL and the University of Texas at Austin (www.coerll.utexas.edu/yemi)"
Original:
Dàdá tutu bí eye àdàbà.
English:
Dàdá (name of a boy) is gentle like a dove.
by Dr. Fehintola Mosadomi, in the Yoruba grammar textbook "Yoruba Ye Mi", published by COERLL and the University of Texas at Austin (www.coerll.utexas.edu/yemi)"
Original:
Fêmí ferànan fìlà funfun.
English:
Fêmí(name of a person) likes white hats.
by Dr. Fehintola Mosadomi, in the Yoruba grammar textbook "Yoruba Ye Mi", published by COERLL and the University of Texas at Austin (www.coerll.utexas.edu/yemi)"
Original:
Gbénga gé igi gíga.
English:
Gbénga (name of a boy) cut down the tall tree.
by Dr. Fehintola Mosadomi, in the Yoruba grammar textbook "Yoruba Ye Mi", published by COERLL and the University of Texas at Austin (www.coerll.utexas.edu/yemi)"
Original:
Ojo kan ko ni mo ni mo ni mo ni
English:
The eye that sees everything can't see itself
Original:
Agbado yi o ni ojo oye ojo
English:
The tree's leaves cannot see the forest
Original:
Oore ofe ti n bimo, a o ni soro
English:
The farmer who does not plant has no news to tell
Original:
Eru ile ni mo fi ku lonje ran lonje ran lonje ran
English:
The sand in the house is not enough to fill a basket
Original:
Ile ni mo fi se ara re, a o ni soro
English:
The house that I'm building is not enough to tell a story
Original:
Eru ko le yi o ni ojo oye ojo
English:
Sand cannot see the forest
Original:
Abeta o ni mo ni mo ni mo ni
English:
The cat that can see everything can't see itself
Original:
Ojo kan ko ni mo ni mo ni mo ni
English:
The eye that sees everything can't see itself
Original:
Agbado yi o ni ojo oye ojo
English:
The tree's leaves cannot see the forest
Original:
Oore ofe ti n bimo, a o ni soro
English:
The farmer who does not plant has no news to tell