wà

Put the person or thing before wà. A place phrase can begin with ní or a spatial form such as nínú or lábẹ́. The verb has no person, number or gender ending.

• Bísí wà ní ọjà. — Bísí is at the market.
• Àwọn ìwé wà nínú àpò. — The books are inside the bag.
• Ajá wà lábẹ́ tábìlì. — A dog is under the table.
• Wọ́n wà ní ilé-ìwé. — They are at school.

The last example has a plural reading here. In respectful reference, wọ́n can denote one respected person; wà does not change. In an appropriate conversational response, wà can occur without an explicit location and convey that someone is doing well.

Compare location with possession and classification: wà plus a place locates someone, verbal ní plus an item states possession, and jẹ́ plus a role states classification.

Use kò sí to deny presence or existence. Learn that negative frame separately. Other negative location expressions depend on their construction and context; this lesson practices kò sí for absence.