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.
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Janga Wolof 