Describing a Subject

Predicates such as ga, 'be tall', kúrú, 'be short', and tóbi, 'be big', follow their subject directly. In these patterns they take no person, number or gender endings.

• Igi yẹn ga. — That tree is tall.
• Àpò mi tóbi. — My bag is big.
• Àwọn ọmọ yìí kúrú. — These children are short.
• Yàrá yìí kò tóbi. — This room is not big.

Ordinary kò precedes the property to deny it, as in the fourth example. A plural subject does not trigger a plural ending on the property.

Learn predicate and modifier forms separately. Predicative ga contrasts with modifier gíga in a nominal description of a tall person. The textbook lists other established formations, including exceptional patterns; one copying rule cannot generate every modifier.

This direct frame covers many qualities, but some descriptions use a nominal expression with jẹ́ or ni, or another lexical construction. Learn the established Yoruba form for each description; English adjective categories do not supply a word-formation rule.