o ṣeun
/ō ʃē.ũ̄/informal
In Yoruba, 'thank you' is expressed as o ṣeun. Wiktionary also lists ẹ ṣé and ẹ ṣeun.
Meaning: an expression of gratitude (intj)
Ways to say it
| Yoruba | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| o ṣeun | /ō ʃē.ũ̄/ | informal |
| ẹ ṣé | formal | |
| ẹ ṣeun | /ɛ̄ ʃē.ũ̄/ | formal |
| o ṣé | informal |
The phrase is used as an expression of gratitude.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally built from the pronoun o (you) and the verb ṣe (to do/to make).
Which one should you use?
ẹ ṣé and ẹ ṣeun are used when speaking to an elder, a superior or a group of people, whereas o ṣé and o ṣeun are used for peers or younger people.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ẹ ṣé and ẹ ṣeun are formal. The forms o ṣé and o ṣeun are informal. An informal variation that adds emphasis is E se gan gan.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun ẹ is used instead of o to show respect to an elder or to address more than one person.
How do you pronounce it?
/ō ʃē.ũ̄/
Did you know?
- In many Yoruba communities, a verbal o ṣeun is often accompanied by a slight bow or a lowering of the gaze to physically demonstrate the respect the words convey.
- When you say ẹ ṣeun to an elder, you are literally telling them that they are 'commendable'.
- Yoruba is a tonal language, meaning the pitch used to say o ṣé can change the meaning of the word entirely if not pronounced correctly.
Examples in context
- O ṣeun fun ounjẹ.Thank you for the food.
- O ṣeun fun ìrànlọ́wọ́ rẹ.Thank you for your help.
- O ṣeun gan-an.Thank you very much.
Example conversation
Femi gives Morenike a book.
- MorenikeFemi, o ṣeun fun ìwé yìí.Femi, thank you for this book.
- FemiKò tọ́pẹ́, Morenike.No problem, Morenike.
- MorenikeInú mi dùn gan-an.I am very happy.
- FemiKò sí wàhálà.It's no trouble at all.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries o ṣeun, ẹ ṣeun, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries o, o ṣeun, ẹ ṣeun, CC BY-SA 4.0.
