ó rẹ̀ mí
The phrase ó rẹ̀ mí is how to say 'I am tired' in Yoruba.
You can use it to describe both physical fatigue, such as after a long walk and mental exhaustion, such as after a long day of work.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'it tires me'. Here, ó means 'it', rẹ̀ means 'to tire' or 'to be heavy' and mí means 'me'.
Did you know?
- In Yoruba culture, expressing that you are tired using ó rẹ̀ mí can sometimes be a polite way to signal that you are overwhelmed by a task without directly refusing to do it.
- Because Yoruba is a tonal language, changing the pitch of the word rẹ̀ can completely change the meaning of the sentence to something unrelated to tiredness.
- In some contexts, saying ó rẹ̀ mí can be used metaphorically to express a lack of patience or a feeling of being 'fed up' with a person's behavior.
Examples in context
- Ó rẹ̀ mí gan-an.I am very tired.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are talking at home after a long day.
- BabatundeMorenike, ṣé ó rẹ̀ ẹ?Morenike, are you tired?
- MorenikeBẹ́ẹ̀ ni, ó rẹ̀ mí.Yes, I am tired.
- BabatundeJẹ́ kí n ràn ẹ lọ́wọ́.Let me help you.
- MorenikeO ṣe, Babatunde.Thank you, Babatunde.
