Tag Archives: Pronunciation

Pronunciation Tips

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Note that these are just general tips and that these rules may not always apply as writers of Wolof sometimes use different spelling systems.

CONSONANTS:

j is pronounced as in jazz but with the tongue a bit nearer the top front teeth

c is pronounced as in church with the tongue a little nearer the top front teeth

ñ is pronounced as in the middle sound in canyon with the tongue tip just behind the front teeth

q is pronounced as a k pulled back into the throat

x is pronounced as in loch in Scottish English or bach in German, with the tongue pulled back in the throat

VOWELS:

a is pronounced as the u in butter not as in cat

à is pronounced as the ‘a’ sound in British English life

e is pronounced as in bed

é is pronounced like the French é, almost like the i in big

ë is pronounced as in Brithish English bird

i is pronounced as in beat

o is pronounced as in hot

ó is pronounced as in the French beau, it does not exist in English

u is pronounced a bit like book but with the lips more rounded

Let’s start with pronunciation…

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Since Wolof was not formally a written language there is no universal system for the spelling of Wolof words which often makes it difficult for the begining student to distinguish between similar sounding words when reading Wolof as opposed to actually being able to hear it.

There are also different dialects of Wolof such as Gambian & Senegalese, rural & urban and even traditional & modern. Although the differences are generally slight it can still be somewhat confusing for non-native speakers trying to learn the language.

The distinction between short and long vowels is very important, because it is sometimes the only way to distinguish pairs of words which have different meanings. Long vowels are generally doubled, while short vowels are not.

(Tip: Mouse over the Wolof words and see the definition, also mousing over some of the English words will give the Wolof equivalent.)

VOWELS

VOWEL NEAREST ENGLISH
EQUIVALENT		 WOLOF
EXAMPLES
a absorb banta, tapa, santa
aa far laaj, naaj, caabi
e get dem, lem, gerte
ee where seet, leel
é say bés
éé sane wéér, réér
ë bird kër, dëgër
i in, pit nit, simiis, timis
ii meet siis, lii, kii
o moment xob, romba
ó awe nób, sóf
oo door loo, soo
óó phone góór, fóót
u cook nuyu, ubi
uu moon tuuru, yuuxu

CONSONANTS

CONSONANT NEAREST
ENGLISH EQUIVALENT		 WOLOF
EXAMPLES
b boy bunta, ban
c church caabi, ceeb
d dog def, dara
f fire fas, fetel
g good dogal, duga
j job jambar, jox
k cool kaala, kumpa
l land loolu, laal
m moon meew, dem
n not nit, nax
ñ onion ñeebe, gaañu
p park pare, soopa
r rat raxas, réér
s sign siis, safara
t stamp tubaab, aate
w war waaw, rew
x (see note) * xale, xaalis
y your yaay, yuuxu

* 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

mbéy, mbam

nd

ndey, ndigga

nj, ng

ngor

mp

lampa

From time to time you may come across a Wolof word that uses an unsual letter that looks like this:

ŋ

This is called ‘velar nasal’. It is another prenasalized consonant that sounds similar to the ng sound in the English word ‘sing’. This is not to be confused with the consonant ‘ng’ in the table above which has a ‘j’ sound.

For more on Wolof pronunciation please click HERE .