How to teach your child Yoruba at home even if you're not fluent
Use a little Yoruba every day inside routines your child already has: waking up, meals, bath time and bedtime. Start with greetings and praise, add songs and stories they enjoy, and give them a weekly class where they hear other children speak it. You don't need to be fluent: learning alongside your child works.
Start small, every day
Pick one routine
Greet your child in Yoruba every morning for two weeks before adding anything else. One habit that sticks beats ten that don't.
Praise in Yoruba
Short, happy words stick fastest. Say them every time, in the same way, and your child will start saying them back.
Sing it
Children remember songs long before grammar. Play one song on repeat for a week, in the car or at breakfast.
Tell Ìjàpá stories
Stories give words a reason to exist. Pause and ask “kí ni èyí?” (what is this?).
Add a weekly class
Hearing other children speak Yoruba shows yours that it isn't just their parents' language.
7 phrases to use this week
| When | Yorùbá | English |
|---|---|---|
| Waking up (to a grown-up) | Ẹ káàárọ̀ | Good morning |
| Waking up (to your child) | Káàárọ̀ | Good morning |
| Checking in | Báwo ni? | How are you? |
| Mealtime | Wá jẹun | Come and eat |
| Saying thanks | Ẹ ṣé | Thank you |
| Bedtime | Mo nífẹ̀ẹ́ rẹ | I love you |
| Leaving | Ó dàbọ̀ | Goodbye |
Notice the ẹ at the start of Ẹ káàárọ̀: Yoruba uses it to show respect, so children learn to use it with parents, grandparents and other elders.
Learn the greetings with a song
Our greetings song teaches good manners and how to greet elders. Play it at breakfast for a week and listen for your child singing along.
Common worries
I don't speak Yoruba well. Can I still teach my child?
Yes. Learn a few phrases a week alongside your child. Children copy confidence more than perfection, and a class fills in what you don't know.
What age should my child start?
Any age. Babies and toddlers soak up the sounds, and children aged 4 to 12 can start using everyday phrases within a few weeks of regular practice.
Will learning Yoruba confuse my child's English?
No. Children all over the world grow up with two or more languages. Hearing Yoruba at home adds a language; it doesn't take English away.
Why do tone marks matter?
Yoruba is a tonal language: the same letters can mean different things depending on how high or low you say them. Tone marks show you how to say each word correctly.
Want help? Learn it together with us.
A weekly live Yoruba class for children and the grown-ups who love them, plus Ìjàpá stories, printables and family quiz nights. Join by 31 January: $30/month.