Ways to say it
| Yoruba | Note |
|---|---|
| ẹ káàárọ̀ | polite |
| káàárọ̀ |
This phrase is used when seeing someone for the first time in the morning. You may also see the formal version E ku aaro, or the version E ku aaro, o. which specifically means "Good morning, sir/madam."
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ẹ káàárọ̀ is a contraction of Ẹ kú àárọ̀. In this structure, ẹ is a polite or plural pronoun and àárọ̀ means morning, effectively meaning "you (plural/polite) greet the morning."
Which one should you use?
Use ẹ káàárọ̀ when addressing an elder, a stranger or a group of people. In contrast, use káàárọ̀ when addressing someone of the same age or younger than you.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ẹ káàárọ̀ is the polite form, while káàárọ̀ is the informal version. E ku aaro is also used as a formal way to say good morning.
How does it change in a sentence?
The polite form ẹ káàárọ̀ begins with the honorific pronoun ẹ.
When do people say it?
When someone greets you with a polite morning greeting, a common polite response is to repeat the greeting back, often preceded by Oò, as in Oò, ẹ káàárọ̀.
Did you know?
- The greeting ẹ káàárọ̀ is structurally a compliment to the person's survival through the night. The verb kú used in the full form literally means 'to die' or 'to experience', so you are essentially acknowledging that the person has successfully encountered the morning.
- When saying ẹ káàárọ̀ to an elder, it is common for the younger person to slightly bow their head or, in some traditional settings, perform a full prostration to show respect.
- In Yoruba culture, greeting is not just a politeness but a social requirement. Failing to use the polite ẹ when addressing an elder is often perceived as a significant sign of disrespect or poor upbringing.
Examples in context
- Ẹ káàárọ̀!Good morning!This sentence is useful for practicing the polite form ẹ káàárọ̀.Tatoeba #11207164 by janTuki, translation #329713 by YURY0608
- Ẹ káàárọ̀, ẹ kú iṣẹ́.Good morning, well done with your work.
- Ẹ káàárọ̀, ṣé ẹ jí dáadáa?Good morning, did you wake up well?
Example conversation
Morenike sees her neighbor Olumide at the market in the morning.
- MorenikeẸ káàárọ̀, Olumide.Good morning, Olumide.
- OlumideẸ káàárọ̀, Morenike. Ṣé ẹ jí dáadáa?Good morning, Morenike. Did you sleep well?
- MorenikeMo jí dáadáa, ẹ kú iṣẹ́.I slept well, well done with your work.
- OlumideOò, ẹ kú iṣẹ́.Thank you, well done.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good morning” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
