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| …am | his, her, its |
| a | it is (cf. la) |
| a | used with a variety of verbs |
| a | used to indicate repitition |
| –a | ending for the definite article, etc. which indicates distance from the speaker |
| à côté de (Fr.) | next to |
| a jaaraama (sg) (Fula) | thank you |
| à l’heure (Fr.) | on time |
| aa dom | oh, child |
| aa, aaa | an exclamation |
| aaba v. | to borrow, lend |
| aabakat n. | borrower, lender |
| aacha exp. | go ahead (used as a command) |
| aada | tradition |
| aada j (Ar.) | custom, tradition |
| Aadama (Ar.) | Adam. A name given to a twin, the other being Hawa (Eve) |
| aaduna n. | the world, generation, universe |
| Aaf-day (E.) | Half-Die (a district of Banjul) |
| aaga n. | to arrive (there), to reach (a stopping point) |
| aaga v. | to arrive at, to reach |
| aaga/eega v. | to arrive at, to reach |
| aagee v. | to deliver a message, to make reach |
| aagee/eegee v. | to deliver a message, to make reach |
| aa-haa | an exclamation: ‘that’s right’ |
| aajana n. | heaven, paradise |
| aajē v. | to bring down; to make fun of |
| aaji n. | female title after going to Mecca |
| aaji v. | to unhook, to hit a target, to bring down |
| aajo j (Ar.) | desire, need |
| aajo va. | to be respectful, need, anxiety |
| aajor b | inhabitant of Kayor |
| aajuma n. | Friday |
| Aajuma/gaaw n. | Friday |
| aaka n. | confrontation, attack verbally |
| aaka v. | confront |
| aakara n. | spicy bean cake |
| aala n. | the bush, forest |
| Aalarba/aaralba n. | Wednesday |
| –aale | a suffix indicating ‘somewhat’, with colors ‘…ish’ |
| –aale | a suffix indicating ‘with’ |
| aaluwa n. | a wooden writing tablet |
| aamé v. | to keep/to take care of, to be in possession of |
| aamēn n. | amen (in answer to prayer) |
| –aan | a suffix indicating habitual or professional action |
| aanda + ak | to accompany |
| aanda leen | you go together |
| aanda v. | to go well with (something); to accompany |
| aanda v. | to go together |
| aandandor n. | acquaintance, colleague, friend. (see ‘aanda’) |
| aankese sek bi an-ke-sey sek bee | cash a check |
| aankese traveler bi an-ke-sey tra-ve-ler bee | change a travellers cheque |
| aapa v. | to limit |
| aapal v. | to limit |
| aar n. | protection |
| aar v. | protect, to save |
| aar yaram wi | to protect the body |
| aarab v. | to drop |
| Aasaka n. | annual tithe given to the mosque or to the needy (one of the pillars of Islam) |
| –aat | a suffix indicating ‘again’ |
| aat b n. | an uncircumsized person |
| aate n. | to adjucate/to judge |
| aatee v. | to judge, seperate |
| aateekaay n. | courthouse |
| aateekat n. | magistrate |
| aawlu adj. | to have bad luck |
| aawo b n. | the first wife in a polygynous marriage |
| aaxa baaxut | it is not good to sin |
| aaxa n. | sin (see ‘aaka’); the debt you owe someone for having done something bad to them |
| aay | to be bad; to be strong at; to be good at |
| –aay | a suffix indicating abstraction |
| aay adj. | to be very good at something |
| aay gaaf | to bring bad luck to |
| aay v. (Sn.) | to be bad |
| aay va. | to be smart, ill-luck |
| aaya j | verse of the Koran |
| aaye | to prohibit |
| aayee v. | to deprive (someone) of (something); prohibit, forbid |
| aay-gaaf va. | to be ill-fated |
| aayoo | to quieten a child |
| ab (from –b-) | a form of the indefinite article. It precedes the noun |
| ab art. | a |
| ab tol | a garden, a farm |
| abada (Ar.) | for ever |
| abadan n. | forever/eternity |
| abal v. | to lend something (to someone) |
| abale/able v. | to borrow out, lend out |
| abba | to borrow |
| Abdu (Ar.) | a man’s name |
| Abdul (Ar.) | a man’s name |
| Abdulaay (Ar.) | a man’s name |
| Abisatu | a woman’s name |
| able v. | to lend (in a general sense), to lend out to someone |
| ablekat b | lender |
| Absa | a woman’s name |
| Abu | a man’s name |
| aca ex. | go (imperative), let’s do it, do it |
| aca int. | go on, go away (the meaning of this word is always explained by the context or situation) |
| aca n. | OK |
| aca xaj bi | go, dog! (do not use ‘aca’ on adults) |
| acca | go on! (Senegalese writers use ‘ayca’) |
| acca leen | let’s go (pl.) |
| acca! | used to drive animals away |
| accam! (Fula) | leave me alone! |
| achanam hakke (Fula) | sorry/pardon |
| Ada faama engale/faranse? (Fula) | Do you speak English/French? |
| adapter | adapter |
| adaptër a-dap-tuhr | adaptor |
| addina j/adduna j (Ar.) | the world |
| addu | to reply |
| adduna yëpp | the whole world |
| –adi | a suffix implying diminution |
| adina n. (aduna) | world, universe |
| adisiyon a-di-see-yon | check (bill) |
| adres ad-res | address |
| adresse (Fr.) | address |
| af | to gape, have the mouth wide open |
| Af-daay | Half-Die (a district of Banjul) |
| afeer b n. (Fr.) | affair, business (French: affaire) |
| afra n. | grilled meat, or grilled meat stall (Gambia); roasted meat |
| Afrig, Afirig, Afrik (Fr.) | Africa (French: Afrique) |
| Afrika (E.) | Africa |
| ag | a form of the indefinite article |
| ag gaal | a canoe |
| ag/ak conj. | and, with, by |
| agenda | agenda |
| agga | to arrive at |
| aggali | to welcome; welcoming gift |
| agrikolco (E.) | Agriculture, as in the Department of… |
| agsi | to arrive |
| agsi/egsi v. | to arrive |
| agsil/agsileen ak jaam (sg/pl) | you’re welcome |
| agugu | Aku masquerade |
| –agul | a suffix indicating ‘not yet’ |
| AIDS (Gm.) | AIDS |
| aifaare n. | pagan |
| aik v. | climb |
| aikerty v. | lift, elevate |
| ailake adv. | tomorrow |
| ailake-ce-baychak | tomorrow afternoon |
| ailake-ce-goudy | tomorrow night |
| ailake-ce-suba | tomorrow morning |
| ainay n. | wish |
| ainer n. | mold |
| air condition (Gm.) | air conditioning |
| air mail (Gm.) | air mail |
| airplane (Gm.) | airplane |
| airport (Gm.) | airport |
| airport tax/duty (Gm.) | airport tax |
| aj | to place high up, to hang up |
| aj gi | the pilgrimage |
| aj, aji | to go on a pilgrimage |
| ajaratu n. | female pilgrim, a woman who has been to Mecca, woman’s name, title given to a female pilgrim to Mecca |
| Aji | title given to a woman who has made the pilgrimage |
| aji Makka | to go to Mecca |
| aji v. | to go on pilgrimage |
| ajjana j (Ar.) | heaven, paradise |
| ajjeeku | to descend |
| ajji | to unhook, detach |
| ajji buy | to loosen baobab fruit from tree |
| ajjuma (Ar.) | Friday |
| àjjuma aj-ju-ma | Friday |
| ajjuma ci suuba | Friday morning |
| ajjuma jot | Friday came |
| aju adj. | to be hung up, caught on; to be stuck up (in a tree) |
| aju va. | to be hung |
| ajukaay mbubba b | hanger for garment |
| ak (ag) | and, with (used with nouns and pronouns), ‘and’ linking verbs and phrases is ‘te’. |
| ak conj. ak | and; with |
| ak jamma | with peace, in peace |
| ak kan? | and who? |
| ak meew ak meyw | with milk |
| akara b n. (Yoruba) | bean cake |
| aksi | to arrive |
| Aku b n. | Creole |
| –al | used with verb ending in a consonant to form imperative singular |
| –al | suffix indicating ‘doing for someone’ |
| –al | suffix which turns verb into an active form (causative suffix) |
| alaa (Fula) | no |
| alaafiya n. | chance, freedom |
| Alaaji n. | male pilgrim, a man who has been to Mecca, a man’s name, male pilgrim to Mecca (used as an honorific) |
| alaarba n. | Wednesday |
| alal j/alel j | property |
| alamaan b (Ar.) | a fine |
| alamaan n./v. | fine, ticket; to fine/to charge with |
| Alasaan | a man’s name |
| Albadaar | a village on the north bank (Albreda) |
| alcarly n. | village leader |
| alee, tyaaw (Fr.) | “allez, chiao” = goodbye |
| alel ju bari | wealth |
| alel n. | property, wealth |
| alersi a-ler-see | allergy |
| Alet/dimaas n. | Sunday |
| Alfa (Fula) (Ar.) | a high rank in the Muslim hierarchy. e.g. Alfa Yayaa. Also used as a personal name |
| alfun n. (Ar.) | a thousand; one million |
| Alham | white Mercades bus, also called N’Diaga N’Diaye in Dakar |
| alheames n. | Thursday |
| Ali (Ar.) | a man’s name |
| aliwa n. | wooden board to study/write the Koran on |
| Aliyu/Aliu (Ar.) | a man’s name |
| aljana (Ar.) | heaven, paradise |
| aljana/arjana n. | heaven |
| aljuma (Ar.) | Friday |
| Alkaali n. | head of the village |
| alkaati al-kaa-tee | the police |
| alkaati b (Ar.) | policeman |
| alkoraan n. | the Koran |
| alla b | the ‘bush’ |
| alla-akubaar (Ar.) | God is great |
| allaaxira j (Ar.) | the next world |
| allahu-akbar (Ar.) | God is great |
| allaji b (alxaaji) (Ar.) | title of a man who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca |
| allarba | Wednesday |
| àllarba al-lar-ba | Wednesday |
| allarba ci suuba | Wednesday morning |
| allarba j (Ar.) | Wednesday |
| alluwa j (Ar.) | wooden writing board |
| almaami (Ar.) | title of ruler of various Muslim states such as Fuuta, Bundu, etc. e.g. Almaama Samori (cf. elimaan) |
| Almaañ (Fr.) | Germany (French: Allemagne) |
| almanaak b (Ar.) | calendar |
| almet b (Fr.) al-met | match, matches (French: allumette) |
| almit n. | match |
| almódoo n. | Arabic student |
| almoor b n. (Fr.) | cupboard (French: armoire) |
| almorre n. | cupboard |
| almowal n. (Fr.) | clothing, closet |
| Almuudu n. | Arabic scholar |
| alon | beauty shop |
| aloom g | a tree |
| aloor (Fr.) | then (French: alors) |
| alteneh/londy | Monday |
| altine al-ti-ney | Monday |
| altiné j n. (Ar.) | Monday |
| Altine/Lundi n. | Monday |
| altineh n. | Monday |
| alxaaji j (Ar.) | pilgrim |
| alxamdulēaay n. | thanks to God/praise be to Allah (from Arabic ‘al hamdu lillah’) |
| alxamdulilaa ex. (Ar.) | praise be to God |
| alxamdulillaa(xi) (Ar.) | praise be to God |
| alxames al-kha-mes | Thursday |
| alxames j (Ar.) | Thursday |
| alxamis (Ar.) | Thursday |
| Alxemes n. (Ar.) | Thursday |
| alxuraan j (Ar.) | The Koran |
| am | or (used in double questions) |
| am | a form of the indefinite article |
| am | to have, possess |
| am | to exist |
| am alel | to have riches |
| am am | have |
| am doom | to have a child |
| Am na asiraans. am naa a-si-raans | I have insurance. |
| Am na jabar. am naa ja-bar | I’m married. |
| Am na jëkër. am naa juh-kuhr | I’m married. |
| am na… | there is, there are |
| am neñu ligeey | we have work |
| Am nga … ? | Do you have … ?, Do you have any … ? |
| am nga alaafiya | you have got freedom |
| Am nga badge? | Do you have any identifcation? |
| Am nga cigarette-american? | Do you have American cigarettes? |
| Am nga cigarette-arngaleh? | Do you have British cigarettes? |
| Am nga fahre? | Do you have a boyfriend? |
| Am nga guidebook? | Do you have a guidebook? |
| Am nga jangha? | Do you have a girlfriend? |
| Am nga match/lighter? | Do you have a match/lighter? |
| Am nga moto? | Do you have a car? |
| Am nga tarble? | Do you have a table? |
| Am nga telephone? | Do you have a telephone? |
| Am ngeen néeg … ? am ngeyn neyg … | Do you have a … room? |
| Am ngen lifegaurd? | Is there a lifegaurd? |
| am reew | a country |
| am sa weccit | here’s your change |
| am solo am so-lo | important |
| am v. | to have |
| am xaalis | to have money |
| am xar | a sheep |
| am xel adj. | to have intelligence; smart |
| am yaram adj. | fat, to be big, to be stout (lit. have body) |
| am, yow | here! take it! |
| am’am n. | wealth |
| amaana | perhaps |
| Amadu | a man’s name |
| amam b | fortune, possessions |
| am-am b | fortune, possessions |
| Amari | a man’s name |
| Amat | a man’s name |
| amati | to happen again |
| am-ati nga… | you still have… |
| amatul | no longer have; there no longer is |
| ambilaans bi am-bi-laans bee | an ambulance |
| am-di-jamma n. | acquaintance |
| ame | to hold, have with one; be concerned with |
| ame va. | to be in possession of something |
| amel v. | to owe to (someone) |
| amel va. | to be in debt (kind/cash), to owe |
| America | USA |
| Amerik (Fr.) | America (French: Amerique) |
| Amerik a-me-reek | the USA |
| Amerika (E.) | America |
| Amerikaan (E.) | American |
| Amerikeñ (Fr.) | American (French: Américain) |
| Amet n. | Moor |
| ami kole n. | nickname for a person called ‘Amie’ |
| Ami, Aminata | a woman’s name |
| amiin ex. (Ar.) | amen |
| Amina | the name of a woman’s magazine; a woman’s name |
| Ammoo neu … | We don’t have … |
| amna | there is, is there |
| Am-na … ? | Is there … ? |
| Am-na neu garneu! | There are people injured! |
| Am-nar dorm-bu-gegain. | I have a daughter. |
| Am-nar dorm-bu-gore. | I have a son. |
| Am-nar koui raicha! | Someone is drowning! |
| Am-nar lehtahre? | Is there any mail for me? |
| Am-nar payngu … | I have been vaccinated against … |
| Am-nar suma pouhrsa. | I have my own syringe/needle. |
| amoon na fi… | once upon a time (the introduction to a story) |
| amu ñu doom | they had no child |
| amul | he has not |
| amul boppa | he has not sense (lit. head) |
| amul fey a-mul fay | free (of charge) |
| amut sans n. | (of someone) they have bad luck |
| amxar n. | split open |
| am-xel va. | to be smart |
| am-yaram va. | to be fat, put on weight |
| an | to pick up what has been swept into heaps |
| añ | to eat lunch |
| añ any | lunch |
| añ bi | lunch (also ‘reward’) |
| añ bi paree | lunch is ready |
| añ n. | lunch |
| añ pare na | lunch is ready |
| añ v./n. | lunch |
| ana | where? how is/are? |
| ana adv. | where |
| ana caabi bi? | where is the key? |
| ana conj. | where is |
| ana Faatu? | where is Faatu? |
| ana mu? | where is it? where is he/she? |
| ana waa kër ga? | where (how) are the people of the compound? |
| Ana wanag wi? a-na wa-nak wee | Where are the toilets? |
| anaago n. | frock |
| añaan | to be jealous |
| añaan adj. | jealous, envious, selfish |
| añaan va. | to be envious, be jealous, be selfish |
| anaanas n. (Fr.) | pineapple |
| añaanee va. | to be jealous of |
| anal | to pick up (garbage) for |
| anam (Ar.) | page of a book |
| anam adv. (ana + mu) | where is it |
| anam n. | the manner/way to do something usssually right/holy manner/way |
| ananaas b | pineapple |
| anango laa sol | I’m wearing a frock |
| Anca | a woman’s name |
| and i cuuraay b | incense pot |
| anda | to accompany |
| anda + ak aa? | to go together |
| anda b n. | a perforated pot in which incense is burnt, incense burner (made of clay), censer |
| andaar j n. (Ar.) | a wooden bowl used as a measure; unit of measurment |
| andaar u dugub | a bowl of millet |
| andandoo | to go together with |
| andandoo n. | companion |
| and-andoo; …b | to go together, to agree; companion |
| –ande | a suffix indicating a quality |
| –andi | a suffix implying the idea of waiting |
| andikape an-dee-ka-pey | disabled (person) |
| –andoo | a suffix indicating ‘together’ |
| añee v. | to lunch at |
| –anga, ange, angi | indicator of present tense |
| angale an-ga-ley | English (language) |
| Angale lay laaka | he speaks English |
| Angale n. | English |
| Angalteer an-gla-teyr | the UK |
| Angalteer leñu jógéé | they come from England |
| Angalteer n. | England |
| angera n. | fertilizer (artificial) |
| añi | to go for lunch |
| aniin j | blue makeup for eyelids and lips |
| ankaay n. | of course/yes |
| anndah n. | incense burner |
| añsi | to come for lunch |
| Anta | a name |
| antal adj. | able |
| antan/antal va. | to be able to lift, bear, endure |
| antarē n. | interest |
| –ante | a suffix indicating reciprocity |
| antēn n. | antenna |
| antere (Fr.) | come in (French: entrez) |
| antere an-te-rey | the admission charge |
| anternet an-ter-net | Internet |
| –anti | reverse causative suffix. eg lijjanti |
| antianflamatwaar an-tee-an-fla-mat-waar | anti-inflammatories |
| antibiyotik an-tee-bee-yoh-teek | antibiotics |
| –antu | a suffix indicating ‘spend time at’, generally implying a lack of seriousness |
| anyi n. | some |
| aŋgale (Fr.) | English (French: anglais) |
| aŋgalteer (Fr.) | England (French: Angleterre) |
| aparante n. | apprentice |
| aparé n. (Fr.) | camera |
| apons n. | foam mattress |
| appa b | limit |
| apparanti n. | apprentice |
| apree (Fr.) | after (French: après) |
| apulu n. | pink eye; eye infection |
| Araab n. (E.) (Fr.) | Arab, Arabic (French: Arabe) |
| araam (Ar.) | abomination, taboo; to be abominable |
| araam n. | to be forbidden by Islamic law |
| araam v. | to be forbidden |
| arabiis n. | an infection between the toes |
| araf b (Ar.) | letter of the alphabet, script |
| araf i angale | European script |
| araf n. | letter/alphabet |
| araf u tubab bi | European script |
| Aram | a woman’s name |
| arankees n. | “iron case”, safe, money box |
| arar n. | bugs under peanut piles |
| arba v. | lend |
| arbalanteh n. | share |
| arbēt n. (Fr.) | referee |
| arbit bi jubut | the referee is not straight forward |
| arbit n. | referee |
| arca v. | confront |
| arch v. | hang |
| archa v. | proceed |
| arduna n. | globe; world; life |
| Arduna-nehh-na! | Life is good! |
| are kaar a-ree kaar | stop (bus) |
| aréén j, aaréen | groundnut, peanut |
| arete v. | to stop |
| arfehre n. | affair; business |
| arga v. | arrive |
| argne n. | lunch |
| ariste v. | to record |
| arjana n. (Ar.) | heaven, paradise |
| arjor adj. | polite |
| arju | hanging |
| arjuma n. (Ar.) | Friday |
| ark conj. | and; also; with |
| arla n. | forest, jungle |
| arlahrba n. | Wednesday |
| arlell | belonging |
| armeel w, armel (Ar.) | cemetary |
| armeh v. | possess, have |
| armell v. | owe |
| armin interj. | amen |
| armoor b (Fr.) | cupboard (French: armoire) |
| armooth v. | lack |
| arna | where is |
| arna … ? | where is/are … ? |
| Arna … be? | Where is the … ? |
| Arna essancesehre be? | Where is the nearest gas station? |
| Arna gaych-bu-mac be? | Where is the beach? |
| Arna lorpetarn be? | Where is the hospital? |
| Arna mahrseh be? | Where is the market? |
| Arna pharmacy be? | Where is the pharmacy? |
| Arna policeye? | Where are the police? |
| Arna telephone be? | Where is the telephone? |
| Arna wanackye? | Where are the toilets/bathrooms? |
| arnda v. | accompany |
| arndandohre n. | companion |
| arne n. | the strap under the horse |
| arngaleh n. | English |
| Arngaltehre | England |
| –arñi | a suffix indicating inversion, often indicating sudden or violent action as in ‘snatching away’ |
| arnyane adj. | envious |
| arpal v. | allow |
| arsaman n. | sky; cloud |
| arset n. | plate |
| arteh | to judge |
| arteh v. | settle |
| artehkat n. | judge |
| arterlay n. | workshop |
| artu | to warn |
| aryeah v. | deprive |
| as | a diminutive form of the indefinite article |
| as | to scoop up, bail out (a canoe, etc.) |
| as ndox | a small amount of water |
| asaka j (Ar.) | charity, alms |
| asamaan s (Ar.) | sky |
| asaman n. | sky |
| Asan (Ar.) | a man’s name |
| asansëër a-san-suuhr | elevator |
| asansu woyaas a-saan-su wo-yaas | travel agency |
| aseer j/aset j | Saturday |
| aset bi setut | the plate is not clean |
| aset n. | plate; Saturday |
| aset/aseet b (Fr.) | plate (French: assiette) |
| ashtray | ashtray |
| asiraans a-si-raans | insurance |
| askan w n. (Ar.) | lineage, origin; tribe |
| askan wi n. | the society |
| asma as-ma | asthma |
| aspiriin as-pee-reen | aspirin |
| aspuro | aspirin |
| astafurlaa n. (Ar.) | an exclamation of astonishment. “May God forgive”, “God help us”. |
| aste | rather than |
| –at | a suffix indicating intensity |
| at mi n. | year |
| ataaya bi safut | the tea is not tasty |
| ataaya n. | tea party, China green tea |
| ataliyé b (Fr.) | workshop (French: atelier) |
| ataliye n. | workshop |
| atan v. | to be able to carry, to be able to lift |
| –ati | a suffix indicating ‘again’, ‘still’ |
| att n. | age; year |
| attaaya j (Ar.) | tea (e.g. ‘Gunpowder tea’ served Mauritanian style) |
| attan | to be able to carry (a load), be capable of |
| àttaya at-tai-ya | Senegalese tea |
| atte | to judge |
| atte b | judgment |
| atte Yalla la | it is the judgment of God; it is fate |
| attekaay b | tribunal; courthouse |
| attekat b | the judge |
| –atu | suffix indicating ‘no longer’ |
| –atul | suffix indicating ‘no longer’ |
| au revoir/salut (Fr.) | goodbye |
| auberge | in France it’s a hostel, but in West Africa it’s used (occasionally) to mean any small hotel |
| auberge bi oh-beyrs bee | guesthouse |
| auberge de jeunesse (Fr.) oh-beyrs duh juh-nes | youth hostel |
| aw | form of the indefinite article |
| aw | negative of ‘am’ |
| aw | to follow along (a path, etc.), go by |
| aw fas | a horse |
| aw ma guru | I have no kola |
| aw v. | to take place, to replace work of someone, to pass through |
| aw yoon am | (he) goes on his way |
| awa | well then |
| Awa (Ar.) | Eve (a woman’s name) |
| awa n. | to relieve (allow each other resting time) |
| awa, ñu dem | well then, let’s go |
| awal yoon wi | follow the path |
| awans v. | to make a payment, to go further |
| awiyon a-wee-yong | plane |
| awma | I don’t have |
| Awma dorm. | I don’t have any children. |
| awokaa a-who-kaa | lawyer |
| awokaa n. (Fr.) | lawyer |
| ax | exclamation of pity |
| axaan | ahaa (exclamation) |
| axi v. | to arrive (here), reach, pin for watch |
| ay | some |
| ay | to be spoilt |
| ay adj. | some trouble |
| ay g | a turn (as in ‘wait for your turn’) |
| ay gaal | some canoes |
| ay nit | some people |
| ay u bes g | a week |
| ay v. | some |
| ay w | quarrel, fight |
| ay yéf | some things |
| ay yéré | some garments |
| Ayda | a woman’s name |
| aye | to be the turn of |
| aye n. | to take one’s rotation of a job |
| aye v. | to on duties |
| ayka | bull |
| ayon (E.) | iron (e.g. in medicine) |
| ayropoor ai-roh-powr | airport |
| Aysa | a woman’s name |
| Aysatu | a woman’s name |
| ayubés g | a week |
| aywa/awa | an exclamation of encouragement |
Janga Wolof 