ebi pa
The English word "hungry" is translated to Yoruba as ebi pa.
The phrase ebi pa mí is the standard way to express the state of being hungry in Yoruba.
Meaning: affected by hunger, desirous of food (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ebi pa is composed of ebi (hunger) and pa (to kill/strike), literally translating to "hunger kills" or "hunger strikes."
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'I am hungry' in a continuous sense (I am currently feeling the sensation of hunger), you use the progressive form ebi ń pa mí. When referring to the sensation of hunger, the pronoun ó (it) is often used as the subject of the verb pa (to kill) to say ó ń pa mí.
Did you know?
- In Yoruba, hunger is not a feeling you possess but an external force that acts upon you, as seen in the verb pa meaning 'to kill'.
- The word pa used in ebi pa is a versatile verb that can mean 'to kill', 'to destroy' or 'to extinguish'.
- The term pa is found in Igbo as kpa, suggesting a shared linguistic history between these two major Nigerian languages.
Examples in context
- Ebi pa mí.I am hungry.
- Ṣé ebi pa yín?Are you hungry?
- Wọ́n ní ebi pa wọn.They are hungry.
Example conversation
Olumide and Morenike are at home during lunchtime.
- OlumideMorenike, ṣé ebi pa ẹ?Morenike, are you hungry?
- MorenikeBẹ́ẹ̀ ni, ebi pa mí gan-an.Yes, I am very hungry.
- OlumideEbi pa mí náà.I am hungry too.
- MorenikeẸ jẹ́ kí á lọ jẹun.Let's go and eat.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hungry” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
