Example Phrases
This paragraph uses the exact orthography developed by the CLAD institute, which can be found in Arame Fal's dictionary (see bibliography below). For the literal translation, please note that Wolof does not have tenses in the sense of the Indo-European languages; rather, Wolof marks aspect and focus of an action. The literal translation given in the table below is an exact word-by-word translation in the original word order, where the meanings of the individual words are separated by dashes.
To listen to the pronunciation of some Wolof words, click here
| Wolof | English | Literal translation into English |
|---|---|---|
| (As)salaamaalekum ! Response: Maalekum salaam ! This greeting is not Wolof—it is Arabic (used by Arabic speakers), but is commonly used. |
Hello! Response: Hello! |
(Arabic) peace be with you Response: and with you be peace |
| Na nga def ? / Naka nga def ? / Noo def? Response: Maa ngi fi rekk |
How do you do? / How are you doing? Response: I am fine |
How - you (already) - do Response: I here - be - here - only |
| Naka mu ? Response: Maa ngi fi |
What's up? Response: I'm fine |
How is it? Response: I'm here |
| Numu demee? / Naka mu demee?/ Response: Nice / Mu ngi dox |
How's it going? Response: Fine / Nice / It's going |
How is it going? Response: Nice (from English) / It's walking (going) |
| Lu bees ? Response: Dara (beesul) |
What's new? Response: Nothing (is new) |
What is it that is new? Response: Nothing/something (is not new) |
| Ba beneen (yoon). | See you soon (next time) | Until - other - (time) |
| Jërëjëf | Thanks / Thank you | It was worth it |
| Waaw | Yes | Yes |
| Déedéet | No | No |
| Fan la ... am ? | Where is a ...? | Where - that which is - ... - existing/having |
| Fan la fajkat am ? | Where is a physician/doctor? | Where - the one who is - heal-maker - existing/having |
| Fan la ... nekk ? | Where is the ...? | Where - it which is - ... - found? |
| Ana ...? | Where is ...? | Where is ...? |
| Ana loppitaan bi? | Where is the hospital? | Where is - hospital - the? |
| Noo tudd(a)* ? / Naka nga tudd(a) ? Response: ... laa tudd(a) / Maa ngi tudd(a) ... (* Gambian Wolof has an after word-ending doubled consonants ) |
What is your name? Response: My name is .... |
What you (already) - being called? Response: ... I (objective) - called / I am called ... |
A few words are definitely borrowed and corrupted from the Fula language "Jërë" (Jërëjëf) and the word "loppitaan" is obviously borrowed from the French word "L’hôpital".
Read more about this topic: Wolof Language
Famous quotes containing the word phrases:
“I know those little phrases that seem so innocuous and, once you let them in, pollute the whole of speech. Nothing is more real than nothing. They rise up out of the pit and know no rest until they drag you down into its dark.”
—Samuel Beckett (1906–1989)
“And would you be a poet
Before you’ve been to school?
Ah, well! I hardly thought you
So absolute a fool.
First learn to be spasmodic—
A very simple rule.
For first you write a sentence,
And then you chop it small;
Then mix the bits, and sort them out
Just as they chance to fall:
The order of the phrases makes
No difference at all.”
—Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832–1898)