Below is a simplified table that outlines some of the fundamental sounds in Wolof, using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) for precise representation, along with English approximations to aid understanding.
Wolof Sound | IPA Notation | English Approximation |
---|---|---|
Consonants | ||
b | /b/ | As in “bed” |
d | /d/ | As in “dog” |
f | /f/ | As in “find” |
g | /ɡ/ | As in “go” |
j | /ʤ/ | As in “judge” |
k | /k/ | As in “cat” |
l | /l/ | As in “lip” |
m | /m/ | As in “man” |
n | /n/ | As in “now” |
ñ | /ɲ/ | As in “canyon” |
p | /p/ | As in “spot” (unaspirated) |
r | /r/ | Rolled as in Spanish “pero” |
s | /s/ | As in “snake” |
t | /t/ | As in “stop” (unaspirated) |
x | /x/ | As in Scottish “loch“ |
Vowels | ||
a | /a/ | As in “father” |
e | /e/ | As in “bed”; longer duration |
i | /i/ | As in “machine” |
o | /o/ | As in “more”; longer duration |
u | /u/ | As in “rule” |
é | /eɪ/ | As in “café“ |
ë | /ə/ | As in “sofa” (schwa) |
Note: The “p” and “t” sounds in Wolof are unaspirated, which means they are produced without the puff of air that accompanies these sounds in English. The Wolof “r” is a rolled or trilled sound, which can be a challenge for speakers of languages without this sound.