Language lesson
🇸🇳 Wolof
Wolof is the everyday language of Dakar and much of Senegal, spoken far beyond the Wolof ethnic group as a common tongue.
- Spoken in
- Senegal, Gambia, Mauritania
- Speakers
- About 12 million speakers
- Language family
- Niger-Congo · Senegambian branch
Lesson one
How it sounds.
Not tonal. Doubled consonants are held longer, and the letter x is a throaty sound like the ch in Scottish 'loch'.
Say it out loud
Seven phrases to start with.
- Salaam aleekumHello (peace be with you)say it: sa-LAAM a-LEH-koom
- Na nga def?How are you?say it: nan-ga DEF
- Maa ngi fiI am here / I'm finesay it: maa ngee FEE
- JërëjëfThank yousay it: JEH-reh-jef
- Baal maExcuse mesay it: baal MA
- Naka nga tudd?What is your name?say it: na-ka nga TOOD
- Ba beneenUntil next timesay it: ba beh-NEEN
Behind the words
Culture notes.
- Teranga — Senegalese hospitality — is a national value, not a slogan.
- Thieboudienne, rice with fish and vegetables, is the shared national dish and often eaten from one bowl.
- Sabar drumming and mbalax music set the pace of Dakar evenings.
Practise today: Open with 'Salaam aleekum', ask 'Na nga def?' and thank with 'Jërëjëf'.