pẹ̀lú

With Someone or Something

Level 1

Use an action clause + pẹ̀lú + companion.

How It Works

Put pẹ̀lú before the accompanying noun phrase. It can identify a person, a group or another associated participant. The marker has no person or number agreement ending.

Compare Bísí ń lọ pẹ̀lú Tósìn with Bísí àti Tósìn ń lọ. The first presents Bísí as the subject and Tósìn as a companion; the second forms a coordinated subject. Both can describe shared movement.

Use this pattern for accompaniment and association. English ‘with’ also has instrumental uses that need their own construction. For explicit use of an item to perform an action, consult fi ... ṣe. Pronoun complements require attention to their construction rather than free substitution of short subject forms.

  • Bísí ń lọ sí ilé-ìwé pẹ̀lú Tósìn. — Bísí is going to school with Tósìn. Tósìn accompanies Bísí.
  • Mo yóò jẹun pẹ̀lú àwọn ọmọ. — I will eat with the children. The companion phrase names a group.
  • Wọ́n ń ṣeré pẹ̀lú ajá. — They are playing with a dog. The dog participates in the play.
  • Bísí àti Tósìn ń lọ sí ilé-ìwé. — Bísí and Tósìn are going to school. This contrast coordinates the subjects.

Examples (4)

  1. Bísí ń lọ sí ilé-ìwé pẹ̀lú Tósìn.

    Bísí is going to school with Tósìn.

    Pẹ̀lú introduces the companion in the movement event.

  2. Mo yóò jẹun pẹ̀lú àwọn ọmọ.

    I will eat with the children.

    The companion phrase can name several people.

  3. Wọ́n ń ṣeré pẹ̀lú ajá.

    They are playing with a dog.

    The phrase introduces a participant associated with the play.

  4. Bísí àti Tósìn ń lọ sí ilé-ìwé.

    Bísí and Tósìn are going to school.

    Àti coordinates the subject names, contrasting with a pẹ̀lú companion phrase.