Yes and No

Wow, here's a few basic Wolof words:

yes


no

How are you?

Here's a few ice breaker phrases in Wolof:

How are you?


I'm fine.


And you?

It's all good

An earlier post gave the Wolof phrase for:

good night



Here's a few phrases that are similar

good morning


good afternoon


And here's the same speaker with:

good night

More Counting in Wolof

Here are a few more numbers in Wolof, courtesy of Abdoulaye via Jim. Can you see the pattern, and fill in other numbers?

eleven


twelve


twenty


thirty

Counting 6 to 10 in Wolof

Here are a few more numbers in Wolof:


six


seven


eight


nine


ten

Counting Up to 5 in Wolof

My friend Jim was kind enough to share some Wolof recordings with me. He had help from his friend Abdoulaye. Here are some numbers:

zero


one


two


three


four


five

More How Ya Doing?

Here are a couple more Wolof phrases for you:

I am too hot


I am happy

How are ya doing?

Here's a few more Wolof phrases, courtesy of Massamba:

I am tired


I am hungry

If you have a lot of friends

We've got a theme going here.... Say there's a party going on, but you've had it. You want to say good night to a lot of people in Wolof. Instead of the phrases we've already mentioned -- they apply if you're speaking to a small group -- use this instead:

Have a good sleep (to a lot of people)

Have a Good Sleep

Yesterday I started a discussion about sleeping. It's a topic that's sure to light up the blogrolls... Anyway, here are a few more Wolof phrases along those lines:

Have a good sleep


Have a good sleep too (response to "have a good sleep")

Good Night

I'm writing this in the morning, so it seems odd, but here's a useful Wolof phrase when the day is done:

I'm going to bed



That was Massamba's voice. Here's Abdou, with the same phrase:

Wolof and French

Say you're visiting, oh, a school in Senegal. You want to strike up a conversation with a student in Wolof.

You could say:

Which means "Show me your notebook and book."

Anyone familiar with French will recognize the words for "notebook" and "book." Mixing the two languages isn't unusual, especially in a school setting where the students learn French (Senegal is a former French colony). So if you're stuck for a Wolof word, and you know French, you could always try it.

Directions

Suppose you're walking around, and you need to figure out how to get somewhere. Below's how to ask to get to Sobobade, a wonderful place to stay, south of Dakar, on the coast. If you're not lucky enough to be headed there, just insert the correct destination:

How do you get to Sobobade?


Too much all at once? Maybe this slower version will help:


Still too fast? Try this even slower version:



Of course, knowing how to ask in Wolof and understanding the answer are two different things...

Ahhh

Rounding out the Wolof phrases helpful around mealtime, there's a phrase you can say after eating if you not only enjoyed the meal, but it makes you feel good.

Huh?

Abdou explained: You know the feeling you get, say, after a Thanksgiving dinner? You've stuffed yourself silly, and feel like you're only good for lying around on the couch. That's the OPPOSITE of what Abdou is talking about here. Instead, think about the feeling you get after eating a meal that just sits well with you. It makes you feel like you've got energy, and you know it'll digest well. There's actually a phrase for that in Wolof, and it is a great compliment to your host:


It means "My body feels good from that meal."

Interesting how the existence of such phrases casts a light on the culture, eh?

It's all good

Here's a few more Wolof phrases that are helpful when someone has prepared a good meal for you:

lunch is good
dinner is good, then thank you

Breakfast is good

I must be hungry when I write these posts. Here's Abdou with some food-related Wolof vocabulary:

breakfast

and

breakfast is good

Still hungry?

Following up on yesterday's post about the great eats in Senegal, you'll want to know how to ask for what is perhaps the national dish:

Fish and rice, I want fish and rice.

Please notice the "I want" portion of the phrase -- the subject of an earlier blog post.

Oh yeah, don't forget to say please and thank you.

Hungry?

If you go to Senegal, you'll soon find out there's some great eating there. Many meals are accompanied by rice, and you can't go wrong ordering a dish pronounced "che-bu-jen" -- rice and fish -- or "che-bu-gan-ar" -- rice and chicken (I've seen them spelled many different ways, so I'll just give you the phonetics here).

Here's how to say "I want some rice and chicken."

Meals there are an experience unto themselves. Often, a large tray -- similar to a large pizza pan -- is brought out with the food, and placed on a cloth on the ground. You and your friends gather around the dish in a circle, and dig in together, sans utensils. Word to the wise: It's polite to only use your right hand when eating.

Come here

Here's a trio in Wolof to start your Monday off:

Come
Come Here

And the related:

Let's Go

Time to go shopping

Shoppping is sure an experience in Senegal. From the vendors on Goree Island to the ladies selling clothing on the beach at Toubab Dialaw, it's an adventure. One thing to know: whatever price they ask at first, it's always a multiple of the price they actually want. Bargaining is a national sport.

Here's a few Wolof phrases, courtesy of Massamba, that'll help you play the game:

How much does it cost?
It's too expensive.
I don't have money.