Wolof phrasebook
Wolof is the main language of Senegal, and is also spoken in Gambia and Mauritania.
Pronunciation guide
Note: Wolof is primarily an oral not written language, so written spellings may vary considerably.
Consonants
hyrA
- C-
- is always pronounced "Ch" Words borrowed from French should use "S" instead of C but might not always be written that way.
- R-
- Should be rolled.
- After a double consonant,
- : repeat the vowel preceding vowel sound slightly. For example, Tudd (to call oneself) sounds almost like "tuddu" and jamm (peace) sounds like "Jamma" with a very soft a / e muet (if you speak French, for reference) at the end.
- Ng -
- Difficult for a non-speaker to replicate. Focus on the "g" sound and if possible add the n to the end of the preceding word. For example, Fan nga joge? (Where to you come from) sounds more like Fann ga joge?
Common diphthongs
goeses
Phrase list
Basics
- Hello.
- Salamalekum (This is Arabic) / Response: Malekum Salaam.
- Hello. (informal)
- . (Ça va)French
- How are you?
- Na'nga def? ( ?)
- Fine, thank you.
- Mangi fi rekk. ( jama rek or I'm in peace)
- Alhumdililay.
- Thanks be to God. (From Arabic.) May be used after 'jama rek' to express thanks.
- What is your name?
- Nanga tudd?
- My name is...
- Mangi tudd...
- Nice to meet you.
- . ( )
- Please
- (S'il vous plait )
- Thank you.
- Jere jef. ( )
- You're welcome.
- ñoku boku. ( )
- Yes.
- . (waaw )
- No.
- . (de det )
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- . (pardon )
- Excuse me. (begging pardon)
- . (baal ma )
- I'm sorry.
- . (maasa )
- Goodbye
- Be benen yoon. ( Means see you next time, or a la prochaine in French )
- See you very soon
- Leegi leegi.
- See you later
- Ba ci kanam.
- I'm going (informal)
- . (maangi dem)
- I can't speak Wolof [well].
- [ ]. ( [Man degguma ?????? ])
- Do you speak English?
- ? ( Degg nga anglais?)
- I speak some english
- ? (Degg naa tutti tutti anglais)
- Help!
- ! ( dembalema)
- Look out!
- ! ( me hole)
- How is the morning?
- Naka suba si?
- How is the evening?
- Naka si ngom si?
- Good night.
- Fanaanal ak jamm. Plural: Fanaaleen ak jamm. (NB: Slight "a" sound follows the double consonant.)
- Good night (to sleep)
- . (bon nuit )French
- I don't understand.
- . (je ne comprend pas )French (Degguma)
- Where is... ?
- ? ( Ana ...?)
- Where are you from?
- ( Fooy degga? ) or Fan nga joge?
Small talk
- How is your work?
- Naka liggeye bi? ( )
- How is your family?
- Naka wa kerr gi? ( ) or Ana wa ker ga?
- My house (family) is fine (here).
- Nyung fi rekk.
- How did you sleep?
- Nanga fananay?
- White person
- Toubab ( )
Numbers
- 0=dara/nayn (DA-ra/nayn)
- 1=benn (ben)
- 2=naar (nyaar)
- 3=nett (nyet)
- 4=nent (nyent)
- 5=juroom (JOO-room)
- 6=juroom benn (JOO-room ben)
- 7=juroom naar (JOO-room nyaar)
- 8=juroom nett (JOO-room nyet)
- 9=juroom nent (JOO-room nyent)
- 10=fukk (fook)
Time
- foor duckion
Duration
- Monday
- Altine
- Tuesday
- Taalata
- Wednesday
- Alarba
- Thursday
- Alxames
- Friday
- Ajjuma
- Saturday
- Gaaw
- Sunday
- Dibeer
Money
- How much is it?
- Ñaata la? ( )
- What does it cost?
- Nyata? ( )
Eating
- Breakfast
- ( Ndekki )
- Lunch
- ( An )
- Dinner
- ( Reer )
Shopping
- (Ci) Marse bi
- (at) the market
- Ñaata la?
- How much is it?
- ____ francs
- ____ CFA (NB: Numbers used for prices will usually be in French and in thousands with inflation.)
- Waxale
- to bargain
- Maangi waxale
- I bargain
- Cher na (torop)
- It's (very) expensive (Used to try to haggle the price down)
Authority
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