Conversation begins with much more than individual vocabulary words. Greetings, responses, expressions of thanks, apologies, questions, and short conversational reactions make up a large part of everyday communication.
These expressions are particularly useful for beginning learners because many of them can be used independently, allowing you to participate in simple interactions even when your vocabulary is still limited.
Some of the expressions below have relatively direct English equivalents, while others are better understood as expressions that perform a particular function in conversation. The English translations should therefore be understood as explanations of their usual meaning and use, rather than necessarily as literal translations.
Wolof speakers may also use different expressions depending on the situation, the relationship between speakers, regional or community usage, and whether the setting is formal or informal. You may consequently encounter more than one Wolof expression corresponding to an English expression.
Greetings
Greetings are an important part of Wolof social interaction. A greeting will often precede a request or other conversation, rather than immediately getting to the subject of the conversation.
Common greetings
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hello / Peace be upon you | Salaam aleekum | Common greeting of Arabic origin |
| And peace be upon you | Maleekum salaam | Traditional response to Salaam aleekum |
| How are you? | Nanga def? | Common greeting to one person |
| How are you doing? | Naka nga def? | Alternative form |
| I am fine | Maa ngi fi rekk. | Common response to a greeting |
| I am fine / I am at peace | Maa ngi ci jàmm. | Literally associated with being in peace |
| And you? | Yow, naka nga def? | Asking the same question of the other person |
| How is the family? | Naka waakër gi? | Used when asking about the family |
| The family is fine | Waakër gi mangi fi rekk. | Response about the family |
| How is the morning? | Naka suba si? | Morning greeting/question |
| How was your night? | Jàmm nga fanaane? | Literally asks whether one spent the night in peace |
| How was your day? | Jàmm nga yendoo? | Literally asks whether one spent the day in peace |
| Peace only | Jàmm rekk. | Common response to greetings involving jàmm |
The expression jàmm is particularly important in Wolof greetings. Rather than assuming that English expressions such as “good morning” or “good afternoon” always have a single corresponding Wolof phrase, it is useful to become familiar with the various ways Wolof speakers actually greet one another.
Welcoming Someone
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome | Dalal ak jàmm. | Literally associated with welcoming someone in peace |
| Welcome! | Agsil! | Commonly listed as a welcome expression |
| Welcome, all of you | Dalaleen ak jàmm. | Plural form |
| Come in / Welcome | Dalal. | Context-dependent |
The exact form used for welcoming someone can depend on whether one person or several people are being addressed. Check the forms encountered in your own Wolof sources, particularly for regional or grammatical variants.
Thanking Someone
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Thank you | Jërëjëf. | Very common expression of thanks |
| Thank you very much | Jërëjëf bu baax. | Intensified expression |
| Many thanks | Jërëjëf yu bari. | Literally “many thanks” |
| I thank you | Maa ngi lay sant. | More explicitly expresses thanks |
| Thank God / I thank God | Maa ngi sant Yàlla. | Religious expression |
Jërëjëf is one of the most useful Wolof expressions for a learner to know. It is used frequently in everyday interaction and can stand by itself as a complete expression of gratitude.
Responding to Thanks
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| You’re welcome | Ñoo ko bokk. | Commonly given as a response to thanks |
| No problem | Amul solo. | Literally “it has no importance/problem” |
| It’s nothing / No problem | Amul solo. | Context-dependent |
Several English expressions such as “you’re welcome,” “no problem,” and “it’s nothing” can overlap in their conversational function. It is therefore useful to learn the Wolof expression in context rather than assuming that each English phrase requires a separate translation.
Please and Making Requests
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Please | Su la neexee. | Literally “if it pleases you” |
| Please | Bu la neexee. | Variant |
| Please / I ask you | Maa ngi lay ñaan. | Can be used when making a request |
| Please wait | Su la neexee, xaar. | “Please, wait” |
| Please wait for me | Su la neexee, xaar ma. | Request directed to another person |
| Please speak slowly | Waxal ndànk. | “Speak slowly” |
The expression su la neexee is particularly useful to recognize because it illustrates an important point about vocabulary: the natural meaning of a phrase is not always identical to the literal meaning of each individual word.
Apologies and Getting Someone’s Attention
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sorry | Baal ma. | Common apology |
| Excuse me | Baal ma. | Can also be used to get someone’s attention |
| Forgive me | Baal ma. | Context determines the most natural English translation |
| Excuse me / Pardon me | Jéggël ma. | Another expression associated with asking forgiveness |
| I apologize | Maa ngi jéggalu. | More explicitly expresses an apology |
Baal ma is especially useful because it can perform more than one conversational function. Depending on the situation, it may be translated as “sorry,” “excuse me,” or “pardon me.”
Yes, No, and Uncertainty
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Waaw. | Basic affirmative response |
| No | Déedéet. | Basic negative response |
| Maybe | Xejna. | Expression of uncertainty |
| Perhaps / Maybe | Mën na am. | Literally something like “it may be” |
| Of course | Waaw. | Context can make a simple waaw function as a stronger affirmative |
| Exactly | Waaw. | Context-dependent |
Some short responses can take on additional meanings depending on intonation and context. It is therefore better to learn these words through actual conversations rather than assuming that every possible English use represents a separate Wolof word.
Agreement and Disagreement
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Waaw. | Agreement or affirmation |
| That’s right | Waaw. | Context-dependent |
| That’s good | Baax na. | Literally “it is good” |
| That’s fine / It’s okay | Baax na. | Context-dependent |
| No | Déedéet. | Disagreement or negation |
| That’s not good | Baaxul. | Literally “it is not good” |
| No problem | Amul jafe-jafe. | Literally “there is no problem” |
Understanding and Not Understanding
These expressions are particularly valuable for learners because they allow you to keep a conversation going when you encounter unfamiliar vocabulary or speech that is too fast to follow.
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Do you understand? | Dégg nga? | Asking one person |
| I understand | Dégg naa. | |
| I don’t understand | Dégguma. | |
| Do you understand Wolof? | Dégg nga Wolof? | Context-dependent |
| Do you speak English? | Ndax dégg nga angale? | |
| I don’t understand what you’re saying | Xawma li nga bëgg wax. | Literally related to not knowing/understanding what someone is saying |
| What does that mean? | Lan la loolu di tekki? | Useful clarification question |
| What did you say? | Lan nga wax? | Literally “what did you say?” |
| Say it again | Waxaat ko. | |
| Please say it again | Waxaat ko, su la neexee. | Combines repetition request with politeness |
| Speak slowly | Waxal ndànk. | |
| Write it down | Bind ko. | |
| Can you…? | Ndax mën nga…? | Useful pattern for making requests |
The verb dégg is particularly useful here. In conversational contexts it can be associated with hearing, understanding, or comprehending, so learners should pay attention to how it is used rather than assuming that it corresponds exclusively to English “hear” or “understand.”
Asking Someone’s Name
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| What is your name? | Naka nga tudd? | Common form |
| What is your name? | Noo tudd? | Alternative form |
| My name is… | Maa ngi tudd… | Follow with the person’s name |
| What is your surname? | Naka nga sant? |
Introducing Yourself
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| My name is… | Maa ngi tudd… | |
| I am from… | Jóge naa ci… | |
| Where are you from? | Fan nga jóge? | |
| Where do you live? | Fan nga dëkk? | |
| I live in… | Dëkk naa ci… | |
| How old are you? | Ñaata at nga am? | Literally asks how many years one has |
| I am … years old | Am naa … at. | Insert age |
Getting Someone’s Attention
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Excuse me | Baal ma. | Polite way to get attention |
| Hey! | Wóoy! | Attention-getting expression |
| Wait! | Xaar! | Imperative |
| Please wait | Xaaral, su la neexee. | Polite request |
| Come! | Ñëwal! | Imperative |
| Look! | Xool! | Imperative |
| Listen! | Déglul! | Imperative |
Imperative forms can vary according to the grammatical construction and the relationship between speakers. The short forms above are therefore best regarded as useful vocabulary patterns rather than substitutes for learning Wolof grammar.
Common Conversational Reactions
Short reactions are useful because they allow you to respond naturally without having to construct a long sentence.
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Really? | Dëgg la? | Literally related to “is it true?” |
| Is that so? | Dëgg la? | Context-dependent |
| That’s true | Dëgg la. | |
| That’s good | Baax na. | |
| That’s fine | Baax na. | |
| That’s enough | Jot na. | |
| It’s enough | Jot na. | |
| It’s nothing | Amul solo. | |
| No problem | Amul solo. | |
| There’s no problem | Amul jafe-jafe. | |
| That’s not possible | Mënul. | Context-dependent |
| It’s possible | Mën na. | Context-dependent |
| I know | Xam naa. | |
| I don’t know | Xamuma. | |
| I want it | Bëgg naa ko. | |
| I don’t want it | Bëgguma ko. | |
| I like it | Neex na ma. | Literally “it pleases me” |
| I don’t like it | Neexul ma. | Literally “it does not please me” |
Encouragement and Reassurance
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Don’t worry | Bul jaaxle. | Useful reassurance |
| No problem | Amul jafe-jafe. | |
| It’s okay | Baax na. | Context-dependent |
| That’s fine | Baax na. | |
| Be patient | Muñal. | Imperative |
| Take it easy / Calm down | Dalal. |
Leaving and Saying Goodbye
Wolof has several ways to part from someone. As with greetings, these expressions are often better understood by their conversational function than by looking for a single English equivalent.
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Goodbye / Until next time | Ba beneen yoon. | Very common farewell |
| See you later | Ba ci kanam. | Literally “until later/ahead” |
| See you tomorrow | Ba suba. | |
| See you soon | Ba ci lu gaaw. | Literally “until something soon/quick” |
| I’m leaving | Maa ngi dem. | Common when announcing departure |
| Goodbye / I am going | Maa ngi dem. | Context-dependent |
| Until next time | Ba beneen yoon. | |
| Part in peace | Nuyoo ak jàmm. | Farewell expression |
| Good night / Spend the night in peace | Fanaanal ak jàmm. | Used when someone is going to sleep |
| Sleep well | Nelaw bu baax. |
Greetings and Time of Day
English divides greetings into categories such as “good morning,” “good afternoon,” and “good evening.” Wolof has a number of expressions associated with particular times of day, but these should not necessarily be thought of as exact equivalents of the English expressions.
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | Jàmm nga fanaane? | Literally asks whether one spent the night in peace |
| Good morning | Naka suba si? | “How is the morning?” |
| Good afternoon / How was your day? | Jàmm nga yendoo? | Associated with the day |
| Good evening | Jàmm nga yendoo? | Can be used toward the end of the day |
| Good night | Fanaanal ak jàmm. | Farewell/well-wishing before sleep |
| Peaceful morning | Suba ak jàmm. | Literally “morning with peace” |
| Peaceful afternoon | Ngoonu jàmm. | Literally “afternoon of peace” |
| Peaceful evening | Guddig jàmm. | Literally “evening/night of peace” |
Other Useful Short Expressions
| English | Wolof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Again | Waat | Often appears as part of a larger expression |
| Now | Léegi | |
| Later | Ci kanam | Context-dependent |
| Quickly | Gaaw | |
| Slowly | Ndànk | |
| Enough | Jot na | |
| Nothing | Dara | Often occurs in negative expressions |
| Something | Dara | Meaning depends on construction |
| Here | Fii | |
| There | Fale | |
| Where? | Fan? | |
| What? | Lan? | |
| Who? | Kan? | |
| Why? | Lu tax? | |
| How? | Naka? | |
| How many/how much? | Ñaata? | |
| Good | Baax | |
| Bad | Bon | |
| Big | Mag | Context-dependent |
| Small | Tuuti | |
| Much / many | Bari | |
| Little / few | Néew |
Putting Conversation Vocabulary Together
The most useful way to learn these expressions is not to memorize them as one enormous list. Instead, practice combining them into short exchanges.
For example:
Salaam aleekum.
Maleekum salaam.
Nanga def?
Maa ngi fi rekk, jërëjëf. Yow nag?
Maa ngi ci jàmm.
Or:
Baal ma.
Waaw?
Dégguma. Waxaat ko, su la neexee.
Waaw, baax na.
Once these short exchanges become familiar, individual vocabulary words can be substituted into them. This is an important step toward moving from memorizing vocabulary to actually using Wolof.
A Note About Variants and Sources
Wolof conversational expressions can appear with different spellings or slightly different forms in different resources. This is particularly noticeable when comparing Senegalese and Gambian writing conventions, informal writing, older materials, and resources influenced by French spelling conventions.
For this reason, encountering a different spelling does not automatically mean that one form is incorrect. When a word or expression has significant variation, it is useful to record the variants and, where possible, indicate differences in usage rather than silently treating one spelling as the only possible form.
The forms presented on this website should therefore be regarded as a practical reference rather than an attempt to eliminate variation from Wolof. Learners are encouraged to compare forms with dictionaries, native speakers, recordings, and actual contemporary Wolof usage.
As your vocabulary grows, the most valuable goal is not simply to recognize an increasing number of English-to-Wolof equivalents, but to become familiar with the ways Wolof speakers actually use those words and expressions in conversation.
