₦airaland Forum

Animals in Yoruba language

Basic facts about animals and how they are characterized in Yoruba

1.Abìyẹ́ — Aves
2. Kòkòrò — Insects
3. Afàyàfà — Reptiles
4. Jomijòkè — Amphibians
5. Ẹranko — Mammals
6. Ẹja — Fish
7. Ẹiyẹ — Birds
8. Apes — Lángídò



Ajá — Dog

Kìnìún — Lion

Popular Proverb;

1. Kàkà kí kìnìún ṣe Akápò Ẹkùn,
Oníkálúkù A Dẹ Ọdẹ l'ọ́ọ̀tọ̀tọ̀

Erinmì — Hippotamus

Àgbánreré — Rhinoceros

Erin/Àjànàkú — Elephant

Ìmàdó — Warthog

Àfìrìmòjò — Aardvark

Ológbò/Ológìní — Cat

Àgùnfọ́n — Giraffe

Kẹtẹkẹtẹ — Donkey

Ẹshin — Horse

Kẹtẹkẹtẹ Abìlà — Zebra

Ọ̀nì — Crocodile

Ahọ́nríhọ́n — Alligator

Ẹfọ̀n — Buffalo

Ẹtà — Civet

Ògìdán — Tiger

I know there's a lot of controversy about Tigers not having a name in Yoruba, But we don't have to live in the past, There are tons of animals that don't have names in English too, But somehow, The English people have find a way to create new names for animals and newly discovered animals!

We can emulate the same thing too, Instead of just arguing every time about Tigers not being native to Yoruba land

So I've taken it upon myself and Have chosen to call Tiger, Ògìdán in Yoruba


Ògìdán — Tiger

Ràkúnmí/Ìbákasiẹ — Camel

Do you know that the actual name for Camel is actually Ìbákasiẹ? Ràkúnmí is a borrowed name from the hausas and overtime, it has been normalized as a Yoruba name for Camel, We have lost in touch with our culture so much

So many words has been forgotten, but I am bere to change that!, so next time you see a camel, Call it ìbákasíẹ


Ràkúnmí/Ìbákasiẹ — Camel

Màálù — Cow

Òbúkọ/Ewúré — Goat

Akọ — Òbúkọ
Abo — Ewúrẹ

Popular saying:
1. Òbúkọ dé, Òórùn dé

Àgbò — Ram

Popular Proverb:

1. Àgbò T'o Ta'dí M'ẹ́yìn, Agbára L'o Lọ Mú wá

Àgùntàn — Sheep

Kọ̀lọ̀kọ̀lọ̀ — Fox

ìkookò — Wolf

Akátá — Hyena

Àgbọ̀nrín — Deer

ìgalà —

Egbin — Antelope

Òòrẹ̀/Òjìgbọ́n — Porcupine

Ìjàkùmọ̀/Ajáko — Jakal

Popular Proverb:

1. Ìjàkùmọ̀ Kìí rìn òde ọ̀sán, Ẹni Tí A bí'ire kìí rìn òde òrú

Ehoro — Rabbit

Ọ̀kẹ́rẹ́ — Squirrel