Greetings:
Salaam maaleekum - Peace Be With you
Maaleekum Salaam -Peace Return to you
Jàmm Nga am - Do you have peace
Jàmm rek
- Peace only
Na nga def - How are you
Nageen def (plural)
Maa ngi fi rekk -I am here only (I am fine)
General Useful Phrases
Degg nga Angele? - Do you speak English
Tutti Wolof rek la degg – I speak a little wolof
Loo wax? ngane? – What did you say?
Dégguma li nga wax - I don’t understand
Xam naa li nga wax. – I understand you.
Dégguma li nga wax franse – I don’t understand French
Yow nak? – and you?
Baax na – It’s Good
Neex na - It’s good / pleasant /spicy (can refer to food)
Safna sap – Everything tastes wonderful
Naka suba ngi – Good Morning
Naka ngoon ngi – Good Afternnon
Ñu fanaan ak jàmm – Good Evening
No (nga) sant? What is your last name?
Chow laa sant – My last name is Chow
Waaw - Yes
Deedeet - No
Kan moy sa Yaay – Who is your mother?
Kan moy sa Baay - Who is your father?
Jere-jef – Thank You
Sula Nexee – Please
Amul Solo – You are welcome
No (nga) tudd? (Naka nga tudd?) - What is your name
Andrew laa tudd – My name is Andrew
Naka yaram wi - Is your body in peace
Jamm rek – peace only
Naka waa ker gi – How is your family
Nu ngi fi. – They are fine.
Naka ligéey bi- How is the work
Maangi si kowarm ndanka, ndanka – I am on it slowly
Kontaan naa ci sa xamel. – I am glad to meat you
Abu kii mooy David – Abu, this is David
Nyatta at nga am? - How many years are you?
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Leaving:
Na la yalla aar – Take care of yourself
Jamm ak jamm – Peace and Peace
Ba Beenen – See you later
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Origins:
Fan nga jogée? – Where are you from (born)
America laa jogée. – I am from (born) America
San Francisco, California laa jogee ci America.
I am from SF, CA in America
Fan la dekka? - Where are you from (recently)?
Man jangakat laa – I am a student
Man Jangalekate laa – I am a teacher
Sama Famie – My familie
Sama Keur – My house
Toubab – Foreigner
Nikanuwal – Senegalese
Jeggel Ma – Excuse me
Baal Ma – I’m sorry
Naka – How
Kañ – When
Lan - What
Fan - Where
Fan la….nek? - Where is the….
Dama buga…. – I would like to….
Dama buga sangu - I would like to bathe
Nunyi waxee _____ chi Wolof? How do you say this in Wolof?
Man naa le photo – Can I take your photo
Baax na. Beneen yoon - Its good. But another time
May ma jamm – Leave me alone
Begg na (Dama begg) la photo – I want you to take a photo
Dama dem ekool bi – I am going to School
Naka suba ci - how is your morning? Jamm rek – peace only
Nga nelaw bu baax? - Did you sleep well? Jamm rek – peace only
Kaay fii-come here
Yaangi toog-you are sitting
kaay leeka-come eat
Li Lan la?-what is it?
Lu xew?-What happened?
Fooy dem-where are you going?
Looy def-what are you doing?
Maangéé dem-I’m going
loo buga-what do you want?
Baayi ma-leave me
Mey ma ndox-offer me water
lii lan la?-what is this
Maangi jangi-I’m going to learn
Doy na-enough
Ma gis-let me see
Danga dof?-you crazy?
Loo wax?-what did you say?
Lula jot?-what’s bothering you?
Mangi Santa Yalla – I thank God
Yalla na yalla ah – God Bless your endeavor
Jangelma – teach me
Buggen ga…… Do you like…..
Yow Lygeeil – We work together.
Namu Nala – Miss you
Malarox! – I miss you to!
Verbs:
Directions and Time:
Wax – to say
Def - to do
Waañi – to reduce the price
Lekk – to eat
Sangu – to wash
Naan – to drink
Mangi Nan – I drink
Dem – to go
Ñu Dem – Let’s go.
Dama dem Dakar – I’m going to Dakar
Egg - arrive
Dégg – understand
Meti – to hear
Jang – to learn
Noppelu – to rest
Xool – to look at something
Nelaw - to sleep
Munumaa nelew – I couldn’t sleep
Togu – to cook
Togal – to sit
Xam – to know
Baligay – to wrestle
Pulli – to pray
Xammuma – I don’t know
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Adjectives and Adverbs:
Feebar – sick
Sonn – tired
Gementu – Sleepy
Tanga – hot
Sedd – cold
Suur naa – full
Tutti – little/small amount
Amdolé – strong
Begga- happy
Teranga- hospitality
Dow – Fast
Mer - Angry
Metti - difficult
Xiif- hungry
Rafet na = it’s beautiful
Fex na = shady
Garab bi fex na = the tree is shady
Torob - very/a lot
Barri - alot
Dama Begga – I am happy
Yaxu – Broken
Boox be - Nex
Ana - Where
Ana ….wi? - Where is the….
Ana wanak wi? – Where is the toilet?
Ana Aziz? (Where is Aziz?)
Baal ma, dama réer – I’m sorry, I’m lost
Jaddal sa cammon – Turn Left
Jaddal sa ndeyjoor – Turn Right
Cha kanam – Straight ahead
Soo jàddee koñ bi – Around the Corner
Waxtu- time
Ban waxtu moo jot – What time is it?
Kañ ngay dem? – When are we going
Kañ la di door? - When will that start?
Leegi Leegi – Right Now
Bachikanum – Later on
Ban waxtu ubi? – What time is it open?
Taxsi – taxi
Fooy Dem? – Where are you going?
Tahawal fee – stop here
Dakar dafa sóri – Dakar is far from here
Dem nga lopitaan – Did you go to the hospital?
Dama dem tolbi – I’m going to the farm.
Food:
Yap – Meat
Duma Lekk Yap – I don’t eat meat.
Jen, Baax Na – Fish is OK.
Du lekk Yap – He/She doesn’t eat meat
Kaay Lekk – come eat
Kuddu – Spoon
tanga na – hot
Tanga na neex na – hot and delicious
Saf na sap – This is really tasty
Patas – Potato
Nyambi – Cassava / Manioc
Basante – Eggplant
Jen – Fish
Chebbu – Rice
Cheebu jen - Fish and Rice
Yax – Bone
Numbers
neex na - delicious
Various Nouns
Gor - Man
Bujigen - Woman
Yalla - God
Maye - Gift
Ndox - Water
Barndase - Bandage
Keur - House
Taaw – Rain
Jangalekate - Teacher
Dokteer - Doctor
ekool - School
Garub - Tree
Tolbí - Farm
Jdegani – Pillow
Baay - Father
Yaay – Mother
Rackk - Younger Brother
Mack - Older Brother
Rox - Sister
Xarit - Friend
Néné- Baby
Sochu – stick for toothbrush
Ginaar – Chicken
Golo – Monkey
Baum - Donkey
Baay - Goat
Fus - Horse
Dada - Fly
Pronouns with verbs of being:
Dama – I
Example: Dama suur naa = I’m full
Danga – You
Dafa – He/She/it
Dangeen – You (plural)
Danu – We
Danu – They
0
tus / neen / zéro [French]
/ sero / dara ["nothing"]
1
benn
2
ñaar / yaar
3
ñett / ñatt / yett / yatt
4
ñeent / ñenent
5
juróom
6
juróom-benn
7
juróom-ñaar
8
juróom-ñett
9
juróom-ñeent
10
fukk
11
fukk ak benn
12
fukk ak ñaar
13
fukk ak ñett
14
fukk ak ñeent
15
fukk ak juróom
16
fukk ak juróom-benn
17
fukk ak juróom-ñaar
18
fukk ak juróom-ñett
19
fukk ak juróom-ñeent
20
ñaar-fukk
26 ñaar-fukk ak juróom-benn
30
ñett-fukk / fanweer
40
ñeent-fukk
50
juróom-fukk
100
téeméer
101
téeméer ak benn
106 téeméer ak juróom-benn
110
téeméer ak fukk
200
ñaar téeméer
300
ñett téeméer
400
ñeent téeméer
500
juróom téeméer
600
juróom-benn téeméer
1000
junni / junne
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Bargaining:
Sayfa (CFA) – currency of Senegal
Ñaata la? – How much is it?
Seer na torob – it’s too much
Waañi – to reduce the price
Waanil ma- please reduce it for me
Lóólu dafa seer. Baalal ma waaňi ko
That is very expensive. Please reduce it for me
Xaalis –money
Xool dofé dara – Looking is free
Pronouns possessive:
Sama – My
Sama xarit - my friend
Sama Keur - my house
Sama jabar/jekar - my wife/husband