Tag Archives: Dialog

What’s Her/His name? Dialog with Breakdown

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Starsky: Kii naka la tudd?
Hutch: Kii Vera Green la tudd.
Hutch: Kii vera la tudd.
Starski: Kii naka la sant?
Hutch: Kii Green la sant. / Vera Green la sant.

Kii naka la tudd?

What’s his/her name?
(literally: This person here, how is he/she called?)

naka — the equivalent of “what” in this case
tudd — verb: to be called

This question is answered either by giving the person’s first name, or the person’s first and last names:

Kii Vera la tudd.
Her name is Vera.
(This person here Vera is called.)

Kii Vera Green la tudd.
Her name is Vera Green.

Kii naka la sant?
What’s his/her family name?

sant — verb: to be called (family name)

This question is answered by giving the person’s family name only:

Kii Green la sant.
Her family name is Green.
(lit.: This person here, Green is called.)

Do not use kii if you already know first name.
Ex. (Vera) naka la sant?

Who is This? Dialog with Breakdown

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Beavis: Kii kan la?
Butthead: Kii Tapha la.
Butthead: Kii Mel la.
Butthead: Kii Vera la.

(Kii) kan la?

Who is this person?
(literally: (This person) who is?)

kii — word usually accompanied by a gesture meaning this person (here)
kan? — who?

(Kii) Vera la.
This (person) is Vera.

I am = la — Croff la sant
you are = nga — Sarr nga sant
he/she is = le — Cole le sant

Simple Greeting Dialog with Breakdown

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Bert: Asalaa maalekum.
Ernie: Maalekum salaam.
Bert: Nanga def?
Ernie: Mangi fii rekk.
Bert: Ana waa ker ga?
Ernie: Nunga fa.
Bert: Alhamdulilaay!

Asalaa maalekum
Malekum salaam

Greetings / Hello

from Arabic: Peace to you, and to you peace.

USE when entering or arriving at a place or when approaching an already established group.

Naka nga def?
Na nga def?

How are you doing?
(literally: How you do?)

na = naka — how
nga — you
def — verb: to do

An informal greeting. DON’T USE to initiate greetings with a person to whom you want to show respect.

Maa ngi fi rekk.

I am fine
(lit: I am here only.)

maa ngi — here I am
maa — presentative pronoun first person singular
fi — here
rekk — only

Ana waa ker ga?

How’s the family?

ana — how is / how are / where is / where are

waa ker ga — the people of the house, “the family”
waa — the people of / the inhabitants of
ker — house
ker gi — this house
ker ga — the house (distance)

Nu nga fa.

They are fine.
(lit: They are there.)

nu nga — they are
fa — there

nu ngi fi — they are here
nu nga fa — they are there

Alhamdulilay.

Thank God.
(from Arabic)

General Greetings / Salutations Général (Dialog)

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Omar: Salaamaaleekum. Peace be upon you.
Moodu: Maaleekum salaam. Peace return to you.
Omar: Jaama ngaam? Do you have peace?
Moodu: Jaama rek. Peace only. (I’m fine.)
Omar: Naka nga def? How are you?
Moodu: Maangi fi rek. I am here only. (I’m fine.)
Omar: Sa yaram jaama? Is your body in peace? (How is your health?)
Moodu: Jaama rek. Peace only.
Omar: Ana waa ker gi? Where are the people of the house? (How is your family?)
Moodu: Nunga fa. They are there. (They’re fine.)
Omar: Mbaa defunu dara. I hope nothing is wrong with them.
Moodu: Deedeet, defunu dara. No, nothing is wrong with them.
Omar: Naka ligeey bi? How is the work? (How is work?)
Moodu: Maangi si kowam ndanka, ndanka. I am on it slowly, slowly. (I’m taking it easy.)

Sample Dialog

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Adopted from 101 Languages of the World. Please mouse over each word for a direct translation.

Mme Jóob: Naka suba ngi? Dégg nga Angale?
Good morning. Do you speak English?

M. Mbaye: Jéggël ma, déggu ma Angale.
I’m sorry, I do not speak English.

Mme Jóob: Lu ko yaq, tuuti Wolof rekk la dégg.
Unfortunately, I speak only a little Wolof.

M. Mbaye: Baax na. Xam naa li nga wax. Sa lammiñ setna lool.
That’s alright. I understand you. You speak very well.

Mme Jóob: Jëre-jëf.
Thank you.

M. Mbaye: Yendul ak jamm!
Have a nice day!

A note on the usage of ‘Mme’ and ‘M.’, Mme is the French abbreviation for Madame the English equivalent being Mrs., it is not followed by a period. M., is the French abbreviation for Monsieur the English equivalent being Mr., it is always followed by a period. Although I did not do it here last names usually have every letter capitalized when in print in Senegal. Although Mme/Madame and M./Monsieur is very common in Senegal you may want to use the Wolof equivalents which are Soxna si and Góor gi respectively.