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VOWELS
VOWEL | ENGLISH EQUIVALENT | WOLOF EXAMPLES |
a | absorb naan | sant last name |
aa | far sore | laaj question |
e | get jot | dem to go |
ee | where ana | seet examine |
é | say wax | bés day |
ée | sane regle | wéer lean against |
ë | bird picc | kër house |
i | pit leeñ | fit courage |
ii | meet daje | siis not wanting to share |
o | moment saa | fomp wipe clean |
ó | no déedéet | jóg get up |
oo | door bunt | loos neck |
óo | phone telefon | fóon to smell |
u | cook togg | ubbi to open |
uu | moon weer | juuyoo to miss each other |
CONSONANTS
CONSONANT | ENGLISH EQUIVALENT | WOLOF EXAMPLES |
b | boy bóoy | ban clay |
c | chat werante | ceeb rice |
d | dog xaj | dara nothing |
f | fire safara | fas tie |
g | good baax | agsi arrive |
j | job liggéey | jox give |
k | keep denc | kaani hot pepper |
l | land suuf | lakk burn |
m | mark màndarga | naam answer to name |
n | nice rafet | àdduna life here below |
ñ | genius xel | gaañ hurt |
p | paint pentuur | puso sewing needle |
r | rat janax | raxas cleanse |
s | soup supp | kawas sock |
t | take fab | tubaab westerner |
w | wait nég | kéwél red-fronted gazelle |
x | (see note) * | xaalis money |
y | yes waaw | yaa to be wide |
* There is no English equivalent for this sound, it is a slightly guttural sound that is between x and k. It may also be pronounced merely as h, especially among non-natives.
PRENASALIZED CONSONANTS
CONSONANT | WOLOF EXAMPLES |
mb | mbaa otherwise |
mp | dàmp massage |
nd | ndey expression of pity |
ng | ngan to be the guest of a host |
nj | njaay sale |
VELAR NASAL
ŋ | masoŋ builder |
Attribution for audio files: Mamadou Sy [CC BY 2.0 fr], via Wikimedia Commons
Basic layout for pronunciation guide adopted from the Peace Corps Wolof English dictionary.
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