ebi ń pa mí
ebi ń pa mí is the Yoruba phrase for "I am hungry".
This phrase is a statement used to express a physical need for food.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "hunger is killing me", where ebi means hunger, ń pa means is killing or striking and mí means me.
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the subject from "me" to "you", replace the object pronoun mí with ẹ (singular/informal) or yín (plural/formal). For example, ebi ń pa ẹ means "you are hungry".
Did you know?
- Yoruba shares the root kpa with the Igbo language, showing a prehistoric linguistic link between these two major Nigerian languages.
- In traditional Yoruba social etiquette, admitting you are hungry might be followed by a polite refusal of food if offered, depending on the social hierarchy.
- Because Yoruba is a tonal language, changing the pitch of the words in ebi ń pa mí can completely change the meaning of the sentence.
Examples in context
- Ebi ń pa mí.I am hungry.
- Ṣé o mọ̀ pé ebi ń pa mí?Do you know that I am hungry?
Example conversation
In the kitchen during lunchtime.
- OlumideYejide, ebi ń pa mí.Yejide, I am hungry.
- YejideOlumide, ṣé o fẹ́ jẹun báyìí?Olumide, do you want to eat now?
- OlumideBẹ́ẹ̀ ni, mo fẹ́ jẹun.Yes, I want to eat.
- YejideÓ dára, jẹ́ kí á ṣe oúnjẹ.Okay, let's prepare some food.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
