Ìfẹ́ràn, Àyànfẹ́, àti Eré Ìnàjú
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Name common hobbies, entertainment activities, and everyday descriptive adjectives using fully marked Yorùbá vocabulary.
- Express liking or loving something using the new productive verb fẹ́ràn plus a noun.
- Distinguish general liking (fẹ́ràn) from wanting something specific or wanting to do something (fẹ́, reviewed from Chapters 7, 12, and 13).
- Express negative preferences using N kò fẹ́ràn and N kò fẹ́, developed from the negation pattern kò you have used since Chapter 2.
- Make a simple comparison between two things using the formulaic frame X dára ju Y lọ.
- Expand noun phrases by combining the plural marker àwọn (reviewed from Chapter 4) with a descriptive adjective placed after the noun.
- Recognize and produce appropriate intonation for preference statements and for contrast with ṣùgbọ́n.
- Discuss preferences in conversation and write a short recommendation expressing your preferences to a friend.
Communication Scenario
As promised at the end of Chapter 13, Kúnlé meets Dúpé the next day to help her with her mathematics homework. Once the homework is finished, the conversation turns to free time: what each of them likes to do, what they don't enjoy, and which activities they prefer. Dúpé also wants a recommendation for her cousin Bísí, who is arriving for the weekend and would like to watch a film. You will follow their conversation, then prepare to talk and write about your own likes, dislikes, and preferences in the same way.
- Before you open this chapter, think of two activities you enjoy, one activity you do not enjoy, and one thing you would recommend to a friend. You will need this same information in Yorùbá by the end of the chapter.
- Recall the negation particle kò, active since Chapter 2 and developed with lè in Chapter 13. This chapter applies the same particle to a new verb, fẹ́ràn.
- Recall the plural marker àwọn, first introduced in Chapter 4 for people and common nouns. This chapter develops àwọn further by combining it with a descriptive adjective.
Core Vocabulary
Eré Ìnàjú — Entertainment and hobbies
| Yorùbá | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| eré ìnàjú | entertainment, fun activity | lit. game/play of enjoyment |
| orin | music, song | |
| ijó | dance, dancing | |
| bọ́ọ̀lù | football | loanword |
| fiimu | film, movie | loanword |
| ìwé | book | reviewed from Ch. 4 and Ch. 13 |
| ìsinmi | rest, break, holiday | used for free time in general |
Àwọn Ìṣe Eré Ìnàjú — Hobby actions
| Yorùbá | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ṣeré | to play | used with a sport or game name |
| jó | to dance | verb form of ijó |
| kọrin | to sing | lit. write/compose + song |
| gbọ́ orin | to listen to music | gbọ́ = to hear, to listen |
| wo fiimu | to watch a film | wo = to watch, to look at |
| ka ìwé | to read (a book) | reviewed from Ch. 13 |
Àwọn Atóka — Descriptive adjectives
| Yorùbá | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| dára | good, nice | contrast with dáadáa (well, adverb), Ch. 13 |
| burú | bad | reduplicated form búburú also common as an intensified variant |
| dídùn | enjoyable, pleasant, sweet | nasal vowel in final syllable; see Pronunciation Focus 2 |
| tuntun | new | |
| kékeré | small | reviewed from Ch. 13 reading (ilé-ẹ̀kọ́ kékeré) |
Ìfẹ́ràn àti Àfiwé — Likes and comparison
| Yorùbá | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| fẹ́ràn | to like, to love | new productive verb; see Grammar 14.1 |
| fẹ́ | to want | reviewed from Ch. 7, Ch. 12, Ch. 13 |
| púpọ̀ | a lot, much | intensifier placed after the verb phrase |
| ju... lọ | more than... | formulaic comparison frame; see Grammar 14.3 |
| ṣùgbọ́n | but | reviewed from Ch. 13 dialogue |
fẹ́ràn and fẹ́ are a related but distinct pair: fẹ́ràn expresses a general, ongoing liking or love, while fẹ́ expresses wanting a specific thing or wanting to do something right now — see Grammar 14.2.
Pronunciation and Orthography Focus
Focus 1 — Intonation for preference and contrast
When a sentence contrasts a like with a dislike, or one preference with another, the pitch of the voice tends to rise slightly before ṣùgbọ́n and then settle into the tone pattern of the second clause. This is a feature of connected speech rather than a change to the tone of any individual word.
- Mo fẹ́ràn fiimu, ṣùgbọ́n n kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù. — I like films, but I don't like football.
Practice reading contrastive sentences aloud, keeping the tone of each word correct while letting the pitch rise slightly before ṣùgbọ́n to signal that a contrast is coming.
Focus 2 — Vowel clarity in adjectives
Descriptive adjectives are short, frequent words, which makes them easy to blur in fast speech. Keep the following distinctions clear:
- dára — the a vowels stay open and oral; do not shorten them into an English-style unstressed vowel.
- dídùn — the final syllable dùn carries a nasal vowel; do not pronounce it as an oral du followed by a separate n sound.
- kékeré — each e is a clear oral vowel; do not collapse the three syllables into two.
Say each adjective slowly, then at natural speed, checking that no vowel is dropped or reduced.
Focus 3 — Tone in hobby and preference words for practice
Say each word aloud and mark the tone pattern (H = high, M = mid, L = low) for each syllable.
- fẹ́ràn — to like/love (high–low)
- dídùn — enjoyable (high–low)
- kékeré — small (high–mid–high)
- ìsinmi — rest, holiday (low–mid–high)
- ṣùgbọ́n — but (low–high)
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
14.1 Expressing likes and loves: fẹ́ràn + noun
Purpose: say what you like or love using the new productive verb fẹ́ràn, followed directly by a noun.
fẹ́ràn is placed before the thing that is liked, with no additional marking. It behaves like an ordinary SVO verb, the pattern you have used since Chapter 1:
- Mo fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù. I + like/love + football I like football.
- Dúpé fẹ́ràn ìwé àti fiimu púpọ̀. Dúpé likes books and films a lot.
- A fẹ́ràn orin. We like music.
To say what you do not like, place the familiar negation particle kò immediately before fẹ́ràn, exactly as you placed it before lè in Chapter 13:
- N kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù rárá. I + not + like + football + at all I don't like football at all.
- Kò fẹ́ràn ijó. He/she doesn't like dancing.
fẹ́ràn is a new vocabulary item, but its grammar is not new: it is a simple SVO verb that takes a direct object, and it negates with kò exactly like every other verb you have negated since Chapter 2. Recognizing that only the vocabulary is new — not the sentence pattern — will help you use fẹ́ràn confidently right away.
14.2 Wanting versus liking: fẹ́ and fẹ́ràn
Purpose: distinguish a general, ongoing liking (fẹ́ràn) from wanting a specific thing or wanting to do something now (fẹ́, reviewed from Chapters 7, 12, and 13).
fẹ́ can be followed by a noun (wanting a thing) or by a bare verb (wanting to do something), exactly as you have already seen. fẹ́ràn is followed only by a noun, and expresses a lasting preference rather than an immediate want:
- Mo fẹ́ràn fiimu. I like films. (a general, lasting preference)
- Mo fẹ́ wo fiimu. I want to watch a film. (an immediate want, verb complement)
- Mo fẹ́ ìwé tuntun. I want a new book. (an immediate want, noun object)
A sentence like Mo fẹ́ràn fiimu tells someone about a lasting preference. A sentence like Mo fẹ́ wo fiimu tells someone what you want to do right now. Both are useful and both are correct — the choice between fẹ́ràn and fẹ́ depends on whether you are describing a preference or expressing a present want.
14.3 A simple comparison: X dára ju Y lọ
Purpose: compare two things using a single fixed frame, without a full comparative grammar system.
The frame X dára ju Y lọ means "X is better than Y." ju... lọ surrounds the thing being compared against; treat this frame as a fixed pattern to memorize rather than a rule to build from other parts:
- Bọ́ọ̀lù dára ju ijó lọ. football + good + more-than + dance + [frame] Football is better than dancing.
- Fiimu yìí dára ju fiimu yẹn lọ. This film is better than that film. (demonstratives yìí/yẹn reviewed from earlier chapters)
The adjective in the frame may be replaced with burú to reverse the comparison:
- Ijó burú ju bọ́ọ̀lù lọ fún mi. Dancing is worse than football, for me.
X dára ju Y lọ is introduced here as a fixed, memorized frame for simple comparisons. Deeper analysis of comparison — including comparisons of quantity, degree, and equality — is developed in a later volume. For now, use the frame exactly as shown, changing only X, Y, and the adjective.
14.4 Expanding noun phrases: àwọn + noun + adjective
Purpose: describe more than one thing by combining the plural marker àwọn (Chapter 4) with a descriptive adjective placed after the noun.
Yorùbá places a descriptive adjective directly after the noun it describes, a pattern you first saw with simple descriptions in Chapter 4. This chapter combines that word order with the plural marker àwọn:
- Àwọn fiimu tuntun dára. plural + film + new + [is] good New films are good.
- Mo fẹ́ràn àwọn ìwé dídùn. I like enjoyable books.
- Àwọn eré yẹn burú. Those games are bad.
This chapter's only genuinely new productive item is the verb fẹ́ràn — everything else recombines patterns you already control. Negation still works exactly as it has since Chapter 2. Noun-plus-adjective order and the plural marker àwọn were both already active from Chapter 4. Even the comparison frame is presented as a fixed, memorized pattern rather than a new grammatical system. Learning to like and dislike things in Yorùbá is mostly a matter of applying familiar tools to new vocabulary.
Practice — Expressing likes and dislikes
Complete each sentence to match the English prompt, using fẹ́ràn and, where needed, kò.
- I like music. → ___
- She doesn't like football at all. → ___
- We like new films. → ___
- They don't like dancing. → ___
Practice — fẹ́ràn or fẹ́?
Choose the correct verb, fẹ́ràn or fẹ́, for each sentence.
- Mo ___ ìwé púpọ̀. (I like books a lot — general preference.)
- Mo ___ ka ìwé yìí báyìí. (I want to read this book right now.)
- A ___ orin. (We like music — general preference.)
Practice — Simple comparisons
Build a comparison sentence using X dára ju Y lọ for each pair.
- orin / ijó (music / dance) → ___
- fiimu tuntun / fiimu àtijọ́ (new film / old film) → ___
- ìwé / eré fídíò (book / video game) → ___
Model Dialogue
Read the dialogue carefully. Notice how Dúpé and Kúnlé use fẹ́ràn to describe their preferences, how they negate preferences with kò fẹ́ràn, and how they compare two activities with ju... lọ. Comprehension questions follow.
Ipò: Ọjọ́ kejì ni. Kúnlé ti ràn Dúpé lọ́wọ́ pẹ̀lú iṣẹ́ ilé-ẹ̀kọ́ rẹ̀ ní ìṣirò, wọ́n sì ń sọ̀rọ̀ nípa ohun tí wọ́n fẹ́ràn ṣe ní ìsinmi.
Setting: It is the next day. Kúnlé has helped Dúpé with her math homework, and they are talking about what they like to do in their free time.
- Mo fẹ́ràn ìwé àti fiimu púpọ̀. — the new preference verb fẹ́ràn plus a noun.
- N kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù rárá. — negated preference with the familiar particle kò.
- Mo fẹ́ràn ijó ju bọ́ọ̀lù lọ. — the comparison frame X... ju Y lọ, this time with a verb of liking instead of an adjective.
Note that ju... lọ can attach either to an adjective (dára ju... lọ) or, informally, to a verb of preference, as Dúpé does above. Both patterns are acceptable at this stage; the adjective pattern in Grammar 14.3 remains the primary productive target.
Àwọn ìbéèrè nípa ọ̀rọ̀ àdáhùnṣe — Comprehension questions:
- Kí ni Dúpé fẹ́ràn ṣe ní ìsinmi? (What does Dúpé like to do in her free time?)
- Ǹjẹ́ Dúpé fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù? (Does Dúpé like football?)
- Kí ni Dúpé fẹ́ràn ju bọ́ọ̀lù lọ? (What does Dúpé prefer over football?)
- Ta ni yóò dé ní ìparí ọsẹ̀ yìí? (Who will arrive this weekend?)
- Wa gbolohùn kan nínú ìjíròrò tí ó lo ju... lọ. Kọ ọ̀ jáde, sọ ìtumọ̀ rẹ̀. (Find one sentence in the dialogue that uses ju... lọ. Write it out and give its meaning.)
Listening
Ask your instructor, a study partner, or a qualified Yorùbá speaker to read the following short exchanges at a natural pace. Listen twice. On the first listen, identify each speaker's main preference. On the second listen, complete the table below.
If no speaker is available, this is a Listening Script for Independent Use. Read each exchange aloud at a natural pace, then cover it and complete the tasks. Machine text-to-speech output must be checked by a qualified Yorùbá speaker before being used as a pronunciation model.
Ìjíròrò 1:
Àpín A: "Kí ni o fẹ́ràn ṣe ní ìsinmi?"
Àpín B: "Mo fẹ́ràn gbígbọ́ orin àti jíjó."
Àpín A: "Ǹjẹ́ o fẹ́ràn kíkà ìwé?"
Àpín B: "Rárá, n kò fẹ́ràn kíkà ìwé púpọ̀."
Ìjíròrò 2:
Àpín A: "Fiimu wo ni o fẹ́ràn?"
Àpín B: "Mo fẹ́ràn àwọn fiimu tuntun. Wọ́n dára ju àwọn fiimu àtijọ́ lọ, fún mi."
Àpín A: "Ǹjẹ́ o fẹ́ wo fiimu ní ìparí ọsẹ̀?"
Àpín B: "Bẹ́ẹ̀ni, mo fẹ́ pẹ̀lú."
Ìjíròrò 3:
Àpín A: "Ǹjẹ́ o fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù?"
Àpín B: "Bẹ́ẹ̀ni, mo fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù púpọ̀. Ó dára ju gbogbo eré yòókù lọ, fún mi."
Àpín A: "Ó yanu!"
| Ìjíròrò | Ohun tí ó fẹ́ràn (What is liked) | Ohun tí kò fẹ́ràn (What is disliked, if any) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ______ | ______ |
| 2 | ______ | ______ |
| 3 | ______ | ______ |
Ìbéèrè àfikún — Bonus questions:
- In Exchange 1, what two activities does Speaker B like, and what does Speaker B not like much?
- In Exchange 2, why does Speaker B prefer new films?
- In Exchange 3, how does Speaker B describe football compared to other games?
Reading
Read the two texts below. The first is a short note Dúpé wrote about her preferences. The second is a short recommendation she wrote to a friend. Both use Standard Yorùbá orthography with full tone marks and underdots.
Ohun tí Mo Fẹ́ràn — What I like
Orúkọ mi ni Dúpé. Mo fẹ́ràn ìwé àti fiimu púpọ̀, mo sì ń ka ìwé ní gbogbo ọjọ́. Mo fẹ́ràn ijó pẹ̀lú, ṣùgbọ́n n kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù rárá. Mo fẹ́ràn àwọn fiimu tuntun ju àwọn fiimu àtijọ́ lọ. Ní ìparí ọsẹ̀ yìí, mo fẹ́ wo fiimu tuntun kan pẹ̀lú Bísí, ẹ̀gbọ́n mi.
Ìwé Ìdábàá fún Ọ̀rẹ́ — Recommendation for a friend
Ọ̀rẹ́ mi, Bísí,
Bí o bá fẹ́ràn fiimu tuntun, mo ní ìdábàá kan fún ọ. Fiimu tuntun kan wà tí ó dára púpọ̀, ó sì dára ju fiimu àtijọ́ tí a ti wò lọ. Mo fẹ́ràn rẹ̀ púpọ̀, mo sì rò pé ìwọ náà yóò fẹ́ràn rẹ̀. Kò burú rárá!
Pẹ̀lú ìfẹ́,
Dúpé
Àwọn ìbéèrè nípa ọ̀rọ̀ àdáhùnṣe — Comprehension questions:
- Kí ni Dúpé fẹ́ràn ṣe ní gbogbo ọjọ́? (What does Dúpé like to do every day?)
- Ǹjẹ́ Dúpé fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù? (Does Dúpé like football?)
- Fiimu wo ni Dúpé fẹ́ràn jùlọ? (Which films does Dúpé like most?)
- Kí ni Dúpé fẹ́ ṣe ní ìparí ọsẹ̀ pẹ̀lú Bísí? (What does Dúpé want to do this weekend with Bísí?)
- Wa gbolohùn kan nínú ìwé ìdábàá tí ó lo dára ju... lọ. Kọ ọ̀ jáde. (Find one sentence in the recommendation letter that uses dára ju... lọ. Write it out.)
Writing Workshop
Chapter 14's writing product is a short recommendation to a friend, expressing your preferences. It must use Standard Yorùbá orthography with full tone marks and underdots.
Ìwé Ìdábàá fún Ọ̀rẹ́ — A recommendation for a friend
Write a short recommendation (50–70 words) to a friend about something you like — a film, a book, a game, or another hobby. Your recommendation must include:
- At least one preference statement using fẹ́ràn.
- At least one comparison using dára ju... lọ.
- At least one negative preference using N kò fẹ́ràn or kò burú.
- At least one expanded noun phrase using àwọn plus a descriptive adjective.
- List your preferences. Note two things you like, one thing you dislike, and the item you want to recommend.
- Draft each sentence. Write each fact as a separate short sentence using the correct pattern — fẹ́ràn for liking, kò fẹ́ràn for disliking, dára ju... lọ for comparison.
- Check tone consistency. Pay special attention to fẹ́ràn versus fẹ́, and to the nasal vowel in dídùn.
- Apply the editing checklist. Verify every tone mark, underdot, and pattern choice before submitting.
Àtúnṣe àtúnyẹ̀wò — Editing checklist:
- fẹ́ràn is followed directly by a noun, with no extra marking, exactly as shown in Grammar 14.1.
- fẹ́ràn (general liking) and fẹ́ (wanting) are used correctly and not interchanged.
- kò appears once, immediately before fẹ́ràn, when expressing a dislike.
- The comparison frame keeps its full shape: X dára ju Y lọ, not a shortened form.
- àwọn comes before the noun, and the descriptive adjective comes after the noun: àwọn ìwé dídùn, not *dídùn àwọn ìwé.
- Every ẹ, ọ, and ṣ carries its underdot.
- High and low tones are marked on every required syllable. Mid tones are left unmarked.
- Every sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with appropriate punctuation.
Speaking Practice
Àdáwọlé àkọ́kọ́ — Controlled practice: likes and dislikes
Working with a partner, take turns asking and answering about hobbies. Speaker A asks Kí ni o fẹ́ràn ṣe ní ìsinmi? (What do you like to do in your free time?). Speaker B answers with one liked activity and one disliked activity. Switch roles after five exchanges each.
Every exchange must include:
- An opening question using kí ni.
- A positive preference statement using fẹ́ràn.
- A negative preference statement using kò fẹ́ràn.
Àfiwé pẹ̀lú alábàápàdé — Comparison role-play
One partner names two hobbies or activities; the other compares them using X dára ju Y lọ and explains briefly why. Switch roles after three comparisons each. If no partner is available, perform both roles aloud, then create a new set of comparisons on your own.
- First speaker names two activities: Orin àti ijó.
- Second speaker compares them: Orin dára ju ijó lọ, fún mi.
Fún àwọn tí ń kọ́ nìkọ̀ọ̀kan — Solo alternative: recorded recommendation
Record yourself recommending a film, book, or hobby to a friend in one to two minutes of continuous Yorùbá. Include at least two preference statements with fẹ́ràn, one negative preference, and one comparison using dára ju... lọ. Listen back and check:
- Did you correctly distinguish fẹ́ràn from fẹ́?
- Did you place kò once, immediately before fẹ́ràn, in your negative preference?
- Did you keep the nasal vowel clear in dídùn?
- Did your comparison keep the full frame X dára ju Y lọ?
Culture and Communication
Recommending a film, a song, or an activity to a friend or family member, as Dúpé does for Bísí, is a common and welcome part of everyday conversation in many Yorùbá-speaking communities. Offering an opinion about what one likes is generally seen as friendly and helpful rather than intrusive, especially between people who already know each other well.
Music and dance hold an especially prominent place in many Yorùbá-speaking communities, appearing not only as personal hobbies but also as part of celebrations, worship, and community gatherings. When learners describe their preferences for orin and ijó, it can be useful to remember that these activities often carry social and communal significance beyond individual leisure.
Words for modern entertainment, such as fiimu (film) and bọ́ọ̀lù (football), are commonly adapted loanwords across most Yorùbá-speaking regions. Some speakers and formal contexts prefer alternative or more established Yorùbá terms for related concepts; these formal alternatives, along with broader regional vocabulary variation, are introduced in later volumes.
Common Mistakes
Error: Writing *Mo fẹ́ràn wo fiimu when you mean "I want to watch a film right now," using fẹ́ràn where a verb complement is needed.
Correction: Mo fẹ́ wo fiimu. — fẹ́ràn takes only a noun and expresses a lasting preference; fẹ́ is the verb that can be followed by another verb to express an immediate want.
Error: Writing *N kò kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù, placing a second negative marker before the verb.
Correction: N kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù. — kò appears once, immediately before fẹ́ràn, exactly as it appears once before lè in Chapter 13.
Error: Writing *dídùn àwọn ìwé when you mean "enjoyable books," placing the adjective before the noun in English word order.
Correction: àwọn ìwé dídùn — Yorùbá places the descriptive adjective after the noun. The plural marker àwọn comes first, then the noun, then the adjective.
Error: Writing *Bọ́ọ̀lù dára ju ijó, omitting lọ at the end of the comparison.
Correction: Bọ́ọ̀lù dára ju ijó lọ. — The frame ju... lọ requires both parts. Dropping lọ leaves the comparison incomplete.
Chapter Review
Apá A — Àwọn Ọ̀rọ̀ (Vocabulary)
1. Write the Yorùbá word for each of the following: music, dance, football, film, book, rest/free time.
2. Translate each expression into English: ṣeré · kọrin · gbọ́ orin · wo fiimu · ka ìwé.
3. Write a short phrase using each of the following: fẹ́ràn · kò fẹ́ràn · dára ju... lọ · àwọn... dídùn.
Apá B — Gírámà (Grammar)
1. Write a preference sentence and its negative for each: (a) music; (b) dancing; (c) football; (d) new films.
2. Write a comparison sentence for each pair, using dára ju... lọ: (a) orin / ijó; (b) ìwé / eré fídíò; (c) fiimu tuntun / fiimu àtijọ́.
3. Identify and correct the error in each sentence:
- *Mo fẹ́ràn wo fiimu. (meant as "I want to watch a film right now.")
- *N kò kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù.
- *Dídùn àwọn ìwé. (meant as "enjoyable books.")
4. Write a three-sentence self-report about your own preferences, using at least one preference statement with fẹ́ràn, one negative preference, and one comparison.
Apá C — Ìmọ̀ Ohùn àti Àkọ̀wé (Pronunciation and orthography)
1. The following words are written without tone marks or underdots. Restore all required diacritics: feran; didun; kekere; sugbon; isinmi.
2. Write the tone pattern (H = high, M = mid, L = low) for each syllable of: fẹ́ràn · dídùn · kékeré · ṣùgbọ́n.
3. Write two sentences that contrast a like with a dislike using ṣùgbọ́n, and mark where the pitch rises slightly before the contrast.
Apá D — Kíkọ (Writing)
1. Submit your completed recommendation letter from the Writing Workshop. Apply the editing checklist before submission.
2. Write two additional short preference statements about hobbies not mentioned in the chapter, following the patterns from Grammar 14.1 and 14.4.
Apá E — Ìbánisọ̀rọ̀ (Speaking)
1. Without notes, describe your hobbies and preferences in one to two minutes. Your account must include: two liked activities, one disliked activity, and one comparison.
2. Working with a partner or practicing solo, perform the comparison role-play from the Speaking Practice section, inventing new pairs of activities.
Ìfojúsí ẹkọ̀ tẹ́lẹ̀ — Cumulative review check
Before the Performance Task, confirm you can do the following using vocabulary and grammar from Chapters 1–14:
- Use kò from Chapter 2, already combined with lè in Chapter 13, now combined with fẹ́ràn.
- Use the plural marker àwọn from Chapter 4, now combined with a descriptive adjective.
- Use fẹ́ from Chapters 7, 12, and 13 to express an immediate want, distinguished from fẹ́ràn.
- Use demonstratives yìí and yẹn from earlier chapters inside a comparison.
- Use the identification pattern ni from Chapter 2 and Chapter 13 where useful in describing yourself.
- Use ṣùgbọ́n from Chapter 13 to connect a like and a dislike in one sentence.
Performance Task
Iṣẹ́ aṣeyọrí — Abala 14
Ìjíròrò àti ìwé ìdábàá nípa ìfẹ́ràn — A conversation and recommendation about preferences
The Chapter 14 Performance Task has two parts. All spoken and written Yorùbá must use full tone marks and underdots.
Part 1 — Oral conversation (1–2 minutes):
Discuss hobbies and preferences with a partner. Your conversation must include:
- At least two preference statements using fẹ́ràn.
- At least one negative preference using N kò fẹ́ràn.
- At least one comparison using dára ju... lọ.
- At least one expanded noun phrase using àwọn plus a descriptive adjective.
- Correct, clear tone throughout, including the fẹ́ràn/fẹ́ distinction.
Part 2 — Written recommendation (50–70 words):
Write a short recommendation to a friend expressing your preferences, following the model in the Reading section. Your recommendation must include at least one preference statement, one negative preference, and one comparison. Use fully marked Standard Yorùbá throughout.
Assessment note: The spoken task is evaluated on task completion, comprehensibility, correct use of the preference and comparison patterns, correct placement of kò before fẹ́ràn, and intelligible tone, including the fẹ́ràn/fẹ́ contrast. The written task is evaluated on accuracy of the preference, negation, and comparison patterns, correct noun-phrase word order, orthographic completeness (underdots and tone marks), and overall clarity.
Answer Key
Practice — Expressing likes and dislikes
- Mo fẹ́ràn orin.
- Kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù rárá.
- A fẹ́ràn àwọn fiimu tuntun.
- Wọn kò fẹ́ràn ijó.
Practice — fẹ́ràn or fẹ́?
- fẹ́ràn — Mo fẹ́ràn ìwé púpọ̀.
- fẹ́ — Mo fẹ́ ka ìwé yìí báyìí.
- fẹ́ràn — A fẹ́ràn orin.
Practice — Simple comparisons
- Orin dára ju ijó lọ. (accept the reverse, Ijó dára ju orin lọ, as an equally correct opinion)
- Fiimu tuntun dára ju fiimu àtijọ́ lọ.
- Ìwé dára ju eré fídíò lọ. (accept the reverse as an equally correct opinion)
Dialogue — Comprehension
- Ó fẹ́ràn ìwé àti fiimu púpọ̀. (She likes books and films a lot.)
- Rárá, n kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù rárá. (No, she doesn't like football at all.)
- Ó fẹ́ràn ijó ju bọ́ọ̀lù lọ. (She prefers dancing over football.)
- Bísí, ẹ̀gbọ́n Dúpé, ni yóò dé. (Bísí, Dúpé's older sibling, will arrive.)
- Accept any of: Mo fẹ́ràn ijó ju bọ́ọ̀lù lọ. or Bọ́ọ̀lù dára ju ijó lọ fún mi. — Meaning: "I like dancing more than football" / "Football is better than dancing, for me."
Listening — Comprehension table
- Exchange 1: Likes: listening to music and dancing; Dislikes: does not like reading books much.
- Exchange 2: Likes: new films, and wants to watch a film this weekend.
- Exchange 3: Likes: football, described as better than all other games, for this speaker.
Bonus: (1) Listening to music and dancing; does not like reading books much. (2) New films are better than old films, for this speaker. (3) Football is described as better than every other game, for this speaker.
Reading — Comprehension
- Ó ń ka ìwé ní gbogbo ọjọ́. (She reads books every day.)
- Rárá, n kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù rárá. (No, she doesn't like football at all.)
- Ó fẹ́ràn àwọn fiimu tuntun jùlọ. (She likes new films most.)
- Ó fẹ́ wo fiimu tuntun kan pẹ̀lú Bísí. (She wants to watch a new film with Bísí.)
- Accept: Ó dára púpọ̀, ó sì dára ju fiimu àtijọ́ tí a ti wò lọ. (It is very good, and it is better than the old film they had already watched.)
Chapter Review — Apá A
- orin; ijó; bọ́ọ̀lù; fiimu; ìwé; ìsinmi
- to play; to sing; to listen to music; to watch a film; to read (a book)
- Accept any natural, well-formed phrase using each item; examples: Mo fẹ́ràn orin. / N kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù. / Fiimu dára ju ìwé lọ. / Àwọn ìwé dídùn.
Chapter Review — Apá B
- (a) Mo fẹ́ràn orin. / N kò fẹ́ràn orin. (b) Mo fẹ́ràn ijó. / N kò fẹ́ràn ijó. (c) Mo fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù. / N kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù. (d) Mo fẹ́ràn àwọn fiimu tuntun. / N kò fẹ́ràn àwọn fiimu tuntun.
- (a) Orin dára ju ijó lọ. (b) Ìwé dára ju eré fídíò lọ. (c) Fiimu tuntun dára ju fiimu àtijọ́ lọ.
- Corrections: (i) Mo fẹ́ wo fiimu. — fẹ́ràn cannot take a following verb; fẹ́ is required for an immediate want. (ii) N kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù. — kò appears only once. (iii) Àwọn ìwé dídùn. — the adjective follows the noun in Yorùbá word order.
- Accept any three-sentence self-report that correctly uses a preference statement with fẹ́ràn, a negative preference, and a comparison. Example: Mo fẹ́ràn orin púpọ̀. N kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù rárá. Orin dára ju bọ́ọ̀lù lọ, fún mi.
Chapter Review — Apá C
- Correct forms: fẹ́ràn; dídùn; kékeré; ṣùgbọ́n; ìsinmi.
- Tone patterns (accept phonetically motivated alternatives; flag for human review): fẹ́ràn = H-L; dídùn = H-L; kékeré = H-M-H; ṣùgbọ́n = L-H.
- Accept any accurate contrastive sentence pair, such as: Mo fẹ́ràn fiimu, ṣùgbọ́n n kò fẹ́ràn bọ́ọ̀lù. (I like films, but I don't like football) — the pitch rises slightly on the syllable before ṣùgbọ́n.
Looking Ahead
Ohun tí o lè ṣe báyìí — What you can do now
You can name common hobbies, entertainment activities, and descriptive adjectives, express what you like and dislike using fẹ́ràn and N kò fẹ́ràn, distinguish liking from wanting, make a simple comparison with dára ju... lọ, and expand a noun phrase with àwọn and a descriptive adjective. You can also discuss your preferences in conversation and write a short recommendation to a friend.