kò / kìí / má Contrast

Three Kinds of Negation

Level 2

Ordinary denial: kò. Negative habit: kìí. Negative instruction: má.

How It Works

Place kò before the predicate in an ordinary negative statement; context determines its time. Kìí, also written kì í in references, denies a habit or general practice. First-person singular before kò uses n rather than mo; third-person singular short ó is omitted before kò. These exceptions concern the specified construction, not every negative frame.

Má gives a negative instruction. A singular prohibition can begin with it; plural or respectful address uses ẹ má. The cards contrast a denied past event, a negative routine and a prohibition.

Identity denial uses separate kì í ṣe. Standard Yoruba also has medial ò as a variant of kò. Ẹ̀gbá continuing má belongs to the separately described regional system.

Examples (3)

  1. Tádé kò ṣí ilẹ̀kùn náà lánàá.

    Tádé did not open the door yesterday.

    Kò denies a particular event.

  2. Tádé kìí ṣí ilẹ̀kùn náà lálẹ́.

    Tádé does not open the door at night.

    Kìí denies a regular practice.

  3. Ẹ má ṣí ilẹ̀kùn náà.

    Do not open the door.

    The prohibition addresses several people or one person respectfully.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

kò / kìí / má ContrastLevel 2Three Kinds of Negation

Learn This First

Kò denies a situation, kìí a habit, and má gives a prohibition.