an auxiliary verb denoting imminence of the action expressed by the main verb;

“going to”, “about to”;

ɔɽasu‿ɛe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ \ ] he is going to accompany him;

ɔteɽasu‿ɛe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ \ ] he was going to accompany him (but it did not happen).

(1) or;

mɛ ɽa‿iɽ̃ɛ̃-ɽ-ɔɣayo [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] “I or he (it is who) must go”.

(2) particle indicating a question: t-uxiã ɽa [ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ] are you going?

to go;

iɣiɽae [ / ˥ (4-1) ] I am not going again;

ɔɽae [ ˩ / ] he is gone (same as ɔrie [ ˩ / ]);

cf. ɽa [ ˥ ].

light (of the sky);

blue;

ɔye ɽaɣoɽaɣo [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˦ ˦ ] it is blue.

(1) to eat;

in front of vowels, ɽe becomes ri-.

This occurs in the following combinations: ri‿abe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to be, become guilty (in a lawsuit);

ɔri‿abe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] he is guilty (he has lost the lawsuit).

ri‿aɽa [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to be bitter.

ri-arha [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to be accepted in ɛɽ̃iʋ̃i [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ], of a dead man.

ri‿ase [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to be, become innocent (especially in court);

n-ɔri‿ase [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] innocent.

ri‿egie [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] to obtain a title.

ri‿eɽe [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] to make a profit.

ri‿eʋ-aɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “to eat food”, to eat something.

ri‿ɛbɔ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] “to eat juju”;

to swear a false oath;

to violate a promise given on oath (e.g. of a woman who has committed adultery; women must swear that they will be faithful to their husbands; if they break the oath, the jujus and ancestral spirits by which the oath was sworn must be pacified (v. zɔ 2 [ / ]))+.

ri‿ok-odɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] “to eat the parcel of the way”: to embezzle;

Ozo ri‿ok-odɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˧ ˨ ] Ojo has embezzled (sc. money).

ri [ ˥ ] osa [ ˩ ˥ ] to owe a debt;

v. ʋ̃ɛ [ / ], ɽu [ ˥ ].

ri‿ovã [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to take, have a nickname or praise-name.

ri‿oya [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] to suffer misfortune or disgrace.

ri‿ɔba [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] to be Ɔba;

to reign as Ɔba;

ɔri‿ɔba n-ɛkp-ugie [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] he reigned (as Ɔba) for twenty years.

ri‿uxu [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] to inherit something.

(2) to wear out through long use, e.g. knife, axe, shoes;

but v. also nwiɛ [ / ].

(3) to cheat, in idiom. ɔri‿ɔɽ-obɔ ri‿ɔɽ-owɛ kpɛɽɛkpɛtɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] lit. “he ate his hand ate his leg entirely”: he cheated him properly (the usual term is mu [ ˥ ] ɽu [ ˥ ]);

v. do 3 [ ˥ ].

to be, with a noun predicate;

Ozo ɽ-akɔwe [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ / ] Ojo is a clerk;

ɛɽe [ / ˩ ] ― ɛɽe [ / ˩ ] neither ― nor;

cf. ɔɽe 1 [ ˩ ˥ ], (eɽe, ɛɽe).

(1) to hide (something);

ɽ-egbe [ ˩ ˥ ] na [ ˥ ] to hide oneself from something or somebody.

(2) to bury;

ɔɣaɽ-oɽ̃iʋ̃i ʋ-is-eʋa [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ] “he was burying a dead man when I arrived (sɛ [ ˥ ]) there”;

cf. uɽeʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ], iɽoɽ̃iʋ̃i [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

(or ɽeɣee [ ˦ ˦ ]) loud (of shouting);

ɔda tu ɽeɣee [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˧ ] he shouted aloud;

v. rhãrhaãrhã [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ].

(ɽeɽe o [ ˥ ˦ ˧ ]) welcome;

v. ɔb-oxiã [ ˥ ˥ ˦ ].

pink;

used with the verb ba 1 [ / ].

to deceive;

cf. eɽɛɽɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ].

(1) to overflow;

to inundate;

ɛzɛ na ɽo [ ˩ / ˩ \ ] this river has overflowed;

ɛki ɽo [ ˩ ˩ \ ] the market is full (all the traders have come).

(2) to be cheap;

ɔɽo [ ˩ \ ] it is cheap;

ɔɽo [ ˩ ˥ ] it is (always) cheap.

(3) to discharge pus, matter (of a boil).

to think;

iɽo ʋ-eriɔ [ ˩ ˩ \ / ] I think so;

ɽo‿iɣo [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] to add up (e.g. prices of goods bought or sold);

cf. Yor. ro [ ˩ ];

cf. ɽoɽo [ ˩ ˥ ], iɽo [ ˩ ˩ ];

v. mu [ ˥ ] ɽo [ / ].

to be watery, soft, e.g. of fufu, gari;

cf. oɽoɣo [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

(1) to think;

ɔɣ-ũʋ̃ɛ‿ĩɽoɽo [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “it is of my own (e.g. money) that I am thinking”.

(2) to calculate;

iɣo n-aɽoɽo [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] money calculation.

(3) to add, in ɽoɽo [ ˩ ˥ ] ku [ ˥ ] gbe [ ˥ ];

eʋ̃i n-aɽoɽo ku gbe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] “things that are added together”: addition;

cf. ɽo [ / ].

(1) to be ripe (and soft; highest stage of maturity; for ripe fruits that are still hard v. ʋo 2 [ / ]);

uhoɽo na ɽɔxɔe [ ˥ ˥ / ˩ ˩ \ ] this pawpaw is ripe.

(2) to be cheap (v. ɽo [ ˥ ]);

eʋ̃i n-idɛ-ʋ-ɛki-ɽɛ ɽɔxɔe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ / ˩ ˩ \ ] the things I bought in the market to-day are cheap.

(3) to be easy, in: ɔɽɔxɔ ʋ̃-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] I have an easy life, i.e. I have all I want;

cf. egbeɽɔxɔʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ \ ˩ ];

v. fu [ ˥ ] egbe [ ˩ ˥ ].

(1) to do;

ɔɽu‿ɛe fo [ ˩ ˥ ˦ / ] he finished doing it.

ɽu [ ˥ ] dɔɣɔrɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] to let the lip hang down.

ɽu [ ˥ ] xɔ [ / ] to ill-treat.

Combinations with nouns: ɽu‿egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] (a) to drag one another;

(b) to kick.

ɽu ekɛ̃ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] to collect and mix mud for house building (v. hɔ [ / ]).

Idiom.: ɽu eʋ̃i n-egb-ɛɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] “to do the things of his body”: to bury him (Ɔxw. song 7).

ɽu‿ɛse [ ˩ ˩ \ ] to be kind (in the meaning: “to bestow favours”, i.e. to give “dashes”);

ɔɽu‿ɛse mɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ˥ ] he always favours me (viz. with presents).

ɽu‿iko [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to hold a meeting.

ɽu‿ohuɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to hunt.

ɽu [ ˥ ] osa [ ˩ ˥ ] to owe a debt (v. ɽe 1 [ ˥ ], ʋ̃ɛ [ / ]);

n-aɽu‿ɛɽ-osa [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] “to whom people owe a debt”: creditor.

ɽu‿ɔbafi [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to hunt (also ri-ɔbafi [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ], v. rie [ / ]).

ɽu [ ˥ ] uhe [ ˩ ˥ ] to cohabit with (direct object) (indecent, worse than ho [ / ]; for decent expressions v. (gu [ ˥ ] “with”) ku [ / ]).

(2) to offer a sacrifice (to ancestors, the guardian spirit, and deities).

ɽu‿ehɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to make the annual ancestral festival (including the sacrifice);

also ri‿ehɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] (ɽe 1 [ ˥ ]).

ɽu‿erha [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] to sacrifice to one’s father.

ɽu‿ɛbɔ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] to offer a sacrifice to a deity.

ɽu ɛhi [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] to sacrifice to one’s guardian spirit.

ɽu‿ɛɽiʋ̃i [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to sacrifice to the dead people (used of sacrifices to the deities as well).

ɽu‿uhuʋ̃u [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to make a sacrifice to one’s head, when advised to do so by the oracle (ogwɛga [ ˩ \ ˩ ]);

(gwɛ [ / ] means: to sacrifice to one’s head at the igwɛ [ ˩ ˩ ] day).

ɽu can further be used with the name of the particular deity to whom one offers the sacrifice, e.g. ɽu ɔxwahɛ [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ ] to offer a sacrifice to Ɔxwahɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ];

v. rhi-eɣo [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] and mi-eɣo [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ], y-eʋ̃i [ ˩ \ ] na [ ˥ ], zɛ [ ˥ ] na [ ˥ ], wa [ / ] na [ ˥ ], mu [ ˥ ] ze [ ˥ ] na [ ˥ ], gwɛ [ / ], rhɔ [ / ].

(3) to become, be, of a certain quality which is indicated by a reduplicated collective noun;

corresponds to English constructions like “to be sandy, watery”, etc.;

ɔɽu‿exexae (exae [ ˥ ˩ ]) [ ˩ ˥ ˥ / ˩ ] it is becoming sandy (e.g. a path that is frequently used).

ɔɽu‿amaamɛ (amɛ [ ˩ ˩ ]) [ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ˥ ] it is becoming watery (of soup);

ɔɽu‿amaamɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] it is watery.

second part of verbal combinations which seems to intensify the meaning of the first part in some way, or, to indicate that the action implied by the first part is carried out to its utmost limit, e.g. gbe [ ˥ ] “to hit”, gbe [ ˥ ] ɽua [ ˥ ] “to kill”, z-iɣo [ ˥ ˥ ] and z-iɣo [ ˥ ˥ ] ɽua [ ˥ ] “to squander money”, rhi-a [ ˥ / ] “to be spoilt (entirely)”.

After nasalised vowels the word occurs in a nasalised form: ɽ̃uã [ ˥ ], and shortened forms are frequent: -ua, -a [ ˥ ] (-uã, -ã).

entirely round (like a ball; used with the verb ye [ ˥ ]).

to be jealous (of women).

to shake;

ɔɽueɣ-erhã ni [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ / ] he shook that tree;

v. xue [ / ] (to move, or shake, faintly).

very small;

of things only;

used with the verb ye [ ˥ ];

v. ɽ̃uɛĩɽ̃uɛĩɽ̃uɛĩ [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ].

possessive pronoun of the 2nd pers. sgl. “your”: ebe ɽuɛ [ ˩ ˩ / ] your book.

After nasalised vowels, ɽ̃uɛ̃: agbɔ̃ ɽ̃uɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ / ] your life;

short forms are -uɛ, uɛ̃ [ / ], -a [ / ].

(1) to learn;

also ɽuɛ‿ebe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] lit. “to learn book”;

ɔɽu-ɔɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] he is learning it.

(2) to teach;

also: ɽuɛ [ / ] ebe [ ˩ ˥ ] “to teach book”;

ɔɽuɛ ʋ̃-ebe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] he is teaching me;

ɔɽu-ɔɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ] he is teaching him (implying “it” as well);

cf. iɽuɛʋ̃i [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], uɽuɛʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ].

to have a good effect;

of a sacrifice;

(only used of ese [ ˩ ˩ ]);

to be accepted.

ɽuɛ [ / ] na [ ˥ ] to have a good effect in somebody’s favour, e.g. ese n-izɔɽe ɽuɛ mɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ / ˦ ] the sacrifice I performed had an effect that was favourable for me.

faintly burning, used with the verb ba [ / ];

v. riɛriɛriɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

describes a pregnant woman;

also used to describe swellings caused by elephantiasis (eve [ ˩ ˩ ]), and pregnancy in cows or pigs;

used with the verb ye [ ˥ ].