ku oriire
The Yoruba phrase for congratulations is ku oriire.
You can use ku oriire broadly to express approval for any positive achievement, such as a graduation, a wedding or a new job.
Meaning: expressing approbation (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, ku oriire translates to 'well done on the good head' or 'congratulations on the good luck'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form ku oriire implies that you are speaking as an individual. If you are speaking on behalf of a group using 'we', use A ku oriire. To be polite or to address more than one person, add the honorific pronoun 'E' to the beginning to get E ku oriire.
Did you know?
- The word ori in ku oriire means 'head' but also refers to a person's spiritual essence and destiny in Yoruba cosmology.
- The prefix ku is used in many different Yoruba greetings to acknowledge a specific state or time of day, not just for congratulations.
- Adding the honorific E to create E ku oriire is not optional when speaking to elders, as failing to do so can be seen as a sign of poor upbringing.
Examples in context
- E ku ori ire o.Congratulations on your good fortune.
- Ku oriire fun iṣẹ rere rẹ.Congratulations on your good work.
- Ku oriire fun ayẹyẹ yẹn.Congratulations on that celebration.
Example conversation
Olumide meets Yejide after she passed her exams.
- OlumideYejide, ku oriire fun ìdánwò rẹ!Yejide, congratulations on your exam!
- YejideEṣé pupọ, Olumide.Thank you very much, Olumide.
- OlumideÌdàgbàsókè rẹ dùn mọ́ mi.Your progress makes me happy.
- YejideO ṣeun fún ìṣírí rẹ.Thank you for your encouragement.
