Bini phrasebook
Bini (Ẹ̀dó) is a language spoken by people in Edo State which also spread across the Delta, Ondo, and Rivers states of Nigeria. It is the primary language of the Benin Empire which came into existence around the 11th century AD.
Pronunciation guide[edit]
- Vowels (Ola)
A a - [a]
E e - [e]
Ẹ ẹ - [3]
I i - [i]
O o - [o]
Ọ ọ - [ɔ]
U u - [u]
- Consonant (ikpo)
B - [bi]
D - [di]
F - [fi]
G - [gi]
H - [hi]
K - [ke]
L - [le]
M - [mi]
N - [ni]
P - [pi]
R - [ri]
S - [si]
T - [ti]
V - [vi]
W - [wi]
Y - [yi]
Z - [zi]
- Other letters
GH - [ghi]
VB - [vbi]
RH - [rhi]
RR - [rri]
MW - [mwi]
KH - [khi]
KP - [kpi]
GB - [gbi]
Phrase list[edit]
Basics[edit]
- Thank you
- Obiluu(O-bi-lu).
- Hello
- Kọyọ (CORE-your), kọọ (core).
- How are you?
- Vbèè óye hé?
- Until tomorrow morning/good night
- Òkhíen òwie.
- Good morning
- Ọbowiẹ (OR-BOW-we-YEAH).
- Good afternoon
- Ọbavan (OR-BAR-van).
- Good evening
- Ọbota (OR-BOW-tar).
- Marriage
- Oronmwen.
- Complements of the seasons
- Ìsélógbé.
- Great
- Uzébu.
- Greetings accepted
- I horen.
- Welcome
- Obo kia.
- God blesses you all
- Osa no fangbe u wa hia
Problems[edit]
Numbers[edit]
- One
- owo/ọkpa
- Two
- eva
- Three
- eha
- Four
- enẹ
- Five
- isẹn
- Six
- ehan
- Seven
- ihinrọn
- Eight
- erẹnrẹn
- Nine
- ihinrin
- Ten
- igbe
- Eleven
- owọọrọ
- Twelve
- iweeva
- Thirteen
- iweeha
- Fourteen
- iweenẹ
- Fifteen
- ekesugie
- Sixteen
- ọkpa yan ekesugie
- Seventeen
- eva yan ekesugie
- Eighteen
- eha yan ekesugie
- Nineteen
- enẹ yan ekesugie
- Twenty
- ugie
- Thirty
- ọgban
- Fourty
- iyeva
- Fifty
- ekigbesiyeha
- Sixty
- iyeha
- Seventy
- ekigbesiyenẹ
- Seventy-five
- isẹn yan ekigbesiyenẹ
- Eighty
- iyenẹ
- Eighty-five
- isẹn yan iyenẹ
- Ninety
- ekigbesiyisẹn
- Ninety-five
- isẹn yan ekigbesiyisẹn
- 100
- iyisẹn
- 200
- uri
Time[edit]
Clock time[edit]
Duration[edit]
Days[edit]
- Sunday
- Uzóla-nokhua
- Monday
- Èdè okaro vbe Uzóla
- Tuesday
- Èdè ogieva vbe Uzóla
- Wednesday
- Èdè ogieha vbe Uzóla
- Thursday
- Ede ogiene vbe Uzóla
- Friday
- Ede ogisen Uzóla
- Saturday
- Uzóla-nekhere
Months[edit]
- January
- Uki Ague
- February
- Uki Ifie
- March
- Uki Egbo
- April
- Uki Ekhuen
- May
- Uki Egua
- June
- Uki Ikpesi
- July
- Uki Iviema
- August
- Uki Ohie
- September
- Uki Eho
- October
- Uki Emorho
- November
- Uki Ewe
- December
- Uki Igue
Seasons[edit]
- Dry season
- Uyunmwu
- Spring
- Ohonrre
- Rainy Season
- Orho
- Harvest Season
- Erho
Colors (Ikọlọ)[edit]
- White
- ọfasẹ
- Black
- nekhui, ọbishi
- Red
- ọlilẹ
- Green
- ọmebe
- Blue
- ọdane
- Yellow
- ọnivọ
- Purple
- ọbiebie
Transportation[edit]
Part of the body[edit]
- Head
- Uhun
- Ear
- Ehor
- Hair
- Eto
- Eyes
- Aro
- Nose
- Ihue
- Tongue
- Arramwen
- Lips
- Ukpunu
- Armpit
- Ihere
- Breast
- Ewęn
- Palm
- Atata obọ
- Thigh
- Ekuaowẹ
- Toes
- Ikpian’owẹ
- Fingers
- Ikpian’bọ
- Teeth
- Akọn
- Knee
- Igbọn
- Mouth
- Unu
- Foot
- Atata owẹ
- Face
- Ugb’aro
- Back
- Iyeke
- Belly
- Eko
- Shoulder
- Izabọ
Family[edit]
- Father
- Érhá.
- Mother
- Iye.
- Child
- Ovbi, Omo.
- Grandfather
- Erha nokhua.
Food[edit]
- Native puddy
- Akasan
- Beans fired cake
- Eka
- Plantain baked cake
- Imieki / emieki
- Corn or maize
- ọka
- Rice
- izẹ
- Beans
- erere
- Sweet potatoe
- iyenbo
- Buscuits
- Ekaebo
- Melon soup
- Ikpogi
- Ogbolor soup
- Uwonmwen ohere
- Pounded yam
- Ema
- Yam
- iýan
- Water yam
- iýan igiowa
- Coco yam
- akarha
- Purple coco yam
- akarha iyokho
- plantain
- ọghẹdẹ
- ogi
- mellon
- Cocoa
- ekoko
- Maize puddy
- ẹkọ
- starch
- Usi
- Ingredients
- Salt
- Umwen
- Maggi
- Emagi
- Palm oil
- ofigbon
- Tomatoes
- etomatosi
- Okro
- ikhiavbor
- Onion
- alubarra
- locust bean paste/maggi
- Evbarhie
- Fruit
- Orange
- alimo
- Grape
- alimo asidi
- lime
- alimo negiẹrẹ
- pepper fruit
- ako
- Banana
- ebanana
- Palm fruits
- ẹdin
- Pineapple
- edin-ebo
- Cashew
- ekasiu
- Tangerine
- etengari
- Cherry
- orruru
- Palm nut
- ikpẹdin
- Pawpaw
- uvbohoro
- Bush mango
- ogui
- Pear
- ohun