wèrè
The English phrase 'mad man' is translated into Yoruba as wèrè.
wèrè refers to a person who is mentally ill or behaves in an unstable way. While it literally describes mental illness, it is frequently used as a harsh insult to describe someone acting foolishly or irrationally.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word wèrè is gender-neutral and can refer to either a man or a woman who is mentally ill. To make the noun plural and refer to 'mad people', add the plural marker àwọn before the word to get àwọn wèrè.
Did you know?
- The term is so potent that in traditional settings, one might avoid saying it aloud to prevent 'attracting' bad energy or drawing attention to actual suffering, often using euphemisms instead.
- While wèrè is often used as a direct insult, in some street slang or very informal banter among friends, it can be used ironically to describe someone who has done something incredibly daring or 'crazy' in a positive way.
- In traditional Yoruba society, those described as wèrè were often attributed to spiritual imbalances or the influence of deities rather than just biological illness.
Examples in context
- Wèrè kan ń sọ̀rọ̀ lásán.A mad man is just talking nonsense.
- Ó dà bí ẹni pé wèrè ni.It is as if he is a mad man.
- Má ṣe jẹ́ kí wèrè rọ̀ ọ́.Do not let a mad man disturb you.
Example conversation
Yejide and Tunde are walking down a street and see someone acting erratically.
- YejideTunde, ṣọ́ra fún wèrè náà.Tunde, watch out for that mad man.
- TundeBẹ́ẹ̀ ni, ó ń sáré lọ.You are right, he is running away.
- YejideMá ṣe sún mọ́ ọn.Do not go near him.
- TundeMi ò ní ṣe bẹ́ẹ̀.I will not do that.
