arẹwa
The English word 'handsome' can be expressed in Yoruba as arẹwa.
arẹwa is more frequently used to describe a woman's beauty.
Meaning: of man: attractive (adj)
Which one should you use?
In common usage, arẹwa is more frequently associated with describing a woman's beauty rather than a man's handsomeness.
How does it change in a sentence?
Grammatically, arẹwa is a noun meaning 'beauty' or 'a beautiful person', though it is used to mean 'handsome' in certain contexts.
Did you know?
- The concept of beauty in Yoruba is often linked to ìwà, which means 'character', suggesting that a person is only truly arẹwa if they possess a good heart.
- The word arẹwa is frequently used as a proper name for girls in Yoruba-speaking communities.
- When praising a person's beauty, Yoruba speakers may use specific poetic phrases known as oriki to elevate the description beyond a simple adjective like arẹwa.
Examples in context
- Ọkùnrin náà jẹ́ arẹwa.The man is handsome.
- Àwọn ọkùnrin arẹwa wà níbí.Handsome men are here.
Example conversation
Morenike is commenting on Babatunde's new outfit.
- MorenikeBabatunde, o jẹ arẹwa nínú aṣọ yìí.Babatunde, you look handsome in this outfit.
- BabatundeO ṣeun, Morenike.Thank you, Morenike.
- MorenikeAṣọ náà mú ẹ arẹwa sí i.The clothes make you even more handsome.
- BabatundeMo dúpẹ́ fún ìyìn rẹ.I appreciate your praise.
