Yoruba pronouns

Nominative — 1st singular — I

mo

Nominative — 2nd singular — you

o

Nominative — 3rd singular — he/she/it

ó

Nominative — 1st plural — we

a

Nominative — 2nd plural — you all

ẹ

Nominative — 3rd plural — they

wọ́n

Accusative — 1st singular — me

mi

Accusative — 2nd singular — you

ọ / ẹ

Accusative — 3rd singular — him/her/it

changes with the verb; often repeats the verb’s final vowel

Accusative — 1st plural — us

wa

Accusative — 2nd plural — you all

yín

Accusative — 3rd plural — them

wọn

Genitive — 1st singular — my

mi

Genitive — 2nd singular — your

rẹ

Genitive — 3rd singular — his/her/its

rẹ̀

Genitive — 1st plural — our

wa

Genitive — 2nd plural — your (plural)

yín

Genitive — 3rd plural — their

wọn

Basic nominative order

mo, o, ó, a, ẹ, wọ́n

Basic accusative order

mi, ọ/ẹ, verb-dependent, wa, yín, wọn

Basic genitive order

mi, rẹ, rẹ̀, wa, yín, wọn

Where does a subject pronoun usually go?

Before the verb

Where does an object pronoun usually go?

After the verb

Where does a possessive pronoun usually go?

After the noun

Example: I saw him/her

Mo rí i

Example: He/she saw me

Ó rí mi

Example: They are calling us

Wọ́n ń pè wa

Example: my name

orúkọ mi

Example: your name

orúkọ rẹ

Example: our house

ilé wa

Does Yoruba distinguish he vs she in pronouns?

No; the same 3rd-person form can mean he, she, or it

What does ń often mark?

An ongoing action: am/is/are doing

Main 2nd plural subject pronoun

ẹ

Main 2nd plural object/possessive form

yín

Main 3rd plural subject pronoun

wọ́n

Main 3rd plural object/possessive form

wọn