Barking, Thunder and Rain: Animal and Nature Sounds in Yorùbá

The sounds of animals and nature are part of everyday life. Dogs bark, roosters crow, rain falls, and thunder rumbles.

Let us explore some useful Yorùbá expressions for describing these sounds.

Animal sounds

1. Ajá ń gbó

Ajá ń gbó.
The dog is barking.

The word gbó describes the sound a dog makes.

• Mo gbọ́ tí ajá ń gbó.
  I heard a dog barking.
• Kí ló dé tí ajá fi ń gbó?
  Why is the dog barking?
• Ajá náà ń gbó gan-an.
  The dog is barking loudly.

2. Ewúrẹ́ ń ké

Ewúrẹ́ ń ké.
The goat is bleating.

• Mo gbọ́ tí ewúrẹ́ ń ké.
  I heard a goat bleating.
• Ewúrẹ́ náà ń ké.
  The goat is bleating.

3. Àkùkọ ń kọ

Àkùkọ ń kọ.
The rooster is crowing.

• Mo gbọ́ tí àkùkọ ń kọ.
  I heard a rooster crowing.
• Àkùkọ ń kọ ní òwúrọ̀.
  The rooster crows in the morning.

4. Ẹyẹ ń kọrin

Ẹyẹ ń kọrin.
The bird is singing.

• Àwọn ẹyẹ ń kọrin.
  The birds are singing.
• Mo gbọ́ tí àwọn ẹyẹ ń kọrin.
  I heard the birds singing.

Sounds from nature

5. Àrá ń sán

Àrá ń sán.
Thunder is rumbling.

• Mo gbọ́ àrá.
  I heard thunder.
• Àrá ń sán gan-an.
  The thunder is very loud.

6. Òjò ń rọ̀

Òjò ń rọ̀.
It is raining.

• Mo gbọ́ ìró òjò.
  I heard the sound of rain.
• Òjò ń rọ̀ gan-an.
  It is raining heavily.

7. Afẹ́fẹ́ ń fẹ́

Afẹ́fẹ́ ń fẹ́.
The wind is blowing.

• Mo gbọ́ ìró afẹ́fẹ́.
  I heard the sound of the wind.
• Afẹ́fẹ́ ń fẹ́ kíkankíkan.
  The wind is blowing strongly.

Quick review

Yorùbá expression	English
Ajá ń gbó.	The dog is barking.
Ewúrẹ́ ń ké.	The goat is bleating.
Àkùkọ ń kọ.	The rooster is crowing.
Ẹyẹ ń kọrin.	The bird is singing.
Àrá ń sán.	Thunder is rumbling.
Òjò ń rọ̀.	It is raining.
Afẹ́fẹ́ ń fẹ́.	The wind is blowing.

Talking about what you hear

Use Mo gbọ́ when you want to say “I heard.”

• Mo gbọ́ tí ajá ń gbó.
  I heard a dog barking.
• Mo gbọ́ tí àkùkọ ń kọ.
  I heard a rooster crowing.
• Mo gbọ́ àrá.
  I heard thunder.
• Mo gbọ́ ìró òjò.
  I heard the sound of rain.

Quick practice

Match each Yorùbá expression to the correct meaning.

1. Ajá ń gbó.
2. Àkùkọ ń kọ.
3. Òjò ń rọ̀.
4. Àrá ń sán.
5. Afẹ́fẹ́ ń fẹ́.

Meanings

A. The wind is blowing.
B. Thunder is rumbling.
C. The rooster is crowing.
D. The dog is barking.
E. It is raining.

Answers

1. D
2. C
3. E
4. B
5. A

Final takeaway

Practise the expressions as complete sentences:

• Ajá ń gbó.
• Àkùkọ ń kọ.
• Àwọn ẹyẹ ń kọrin.
• Àrá ń sán.
• Òjò ń rọ̀.
• Afẹ́fẹ́ ń fẹ́.

When you hear animals or sounds from nature, try describing what you hear in Yorùbá.