Explanation

Yoruba expresses time through aspect markers, not verb conjugation. “Ti” indicates completed action (past): “Mo ti lọ” (I have gone). “Yio/Maa” indicates future: “Mo yio lọ” (I will go).

Present/habitual uses unmarked verb: “Mo lọ” (I go/I am going). Continuous action: “n” prefix: “Mo n lọ” (I am going right now). Negative: “ko” replaces subject pronoun: “Ko lọ” (He did not go).

Time words clarify further: “lana” (yesterday), “lọla” (tomorrow), “loni” (today). Context matters more than English-style tense marking. Yoruba system focuses on action completion, not precise timing.