Yoruba - Tenses and Negative Tenses

Question 1

Simple present tense (many)

Answer 1

“I usually do something”, “I can do something”, “I want to do something” / “I want something” and “I have something” / Subject + máa ń/lè/fẹ́ + verb

Question 2

Present continuous tense

Answer 2

“I am doing something” / Subject + ń + verb

Question 3

Present perfect tense

Answer 3

“I have done something” / Subject + ti + verb

Question 4

Simple future tense

Answer 4

“I will do something” / Subject + máa + verb

Question 5

Simple present tense negation

Answer 5

“I don’t” / Subject + ò máa ń /lè /fẹ́ + verb
or: ò kí ń / lè / fẹ́ + verb
or: ò kí máa ń / lè /fẹ́ + verb
or: ò ń + verb

Question 6

I cannot (Simple present)

Answer 6

Mi ò lè

Question 7

I don’t want (Simple present)

Answer 7

Mi ò fẹ́

Question 8

I don’t have (Simple present)

Answer 8

Mi ò ní

Question 9

I am not (Simple present)

Answer 9

Mi ò

Question 10

I have not (Present Perfect)

Answer 10

the ti becomes ~tíì~
Mi ò tíì

Question 11

I will not have / do something

Answer 11

I don’t have something, ò ní is followed by a noun/pronoun. To say “I will not do something”, ò ní is followed by a verb

Question 12

Simple Present tense + and - Example

Answer 12

1) I usually …, I can …, I want …
Subject + máa ń/lè/fẹ́ + verb becomes Subject + ò + máa ń/lè/fẹ́ + verb
2) I have …
Subject + ní + noun becomes Subject + ò + ní + noun

Question 13

Present continuous tense + and - Example

Answer 13

Mi ò sùn - I am not sleeping
Mi ń sùn - I am sleeping

Subject + ń + verb becomes Subject + ò + verb

Question 14

Present perfect tense + and - Example

Answer 14

Subject + ti + verb becomes Subject + ò + tíì + verb

Question 15

Simple future tense + and - Example

Answer 15

Subject + máa + verb becomes Subject + ò + ní + verb