Wolof–English Dictionary

Look up Wolof words and get English translations, with parts of speech and example sentences. Browse the common-word table below or type a Wolof word into the lookup tool.

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Browse common Wolof vocabulary

Word	Part of speech	Translation	Example
maa	pronoun	I	Maa ngi fi léegi. I am here now.
yaa	pronoun	you	Yaa sama xarit. You are my friend.
moom	pronoun	he	Moom dafa gudd lool. He is very tall.
moom	pronoun	she	Moom mungi kër ga. She is at home.
nun	pronoun	we	Nun danuy liggéey bés bu nekk. We work every day.
ñoom	pronoun	they	Ñoom dinañu ñëw ëllëg. They are coming tomorrow.
lan	pronoun	what	Lan laa tudd? What is your name?
fan	adverb	where	Fan nga dëkk? Where do you live?
kañ	adverb	when	Kañ ngay ñëw? When will you come?
kan	pronoun	who	Kan moo ngi ci bunt bi? Who is at the door?
lu tax	adverb	why	Lu tax nga triste? Why are you sad?
nan	adverb	how	Nan nga ko xam? How do you know?
nekk	verb	to be	Ñoom nekk nañu bégg tey. They are very happy today.
def	verb	to do	Dama def sama liggéey bu baax. I do my work well.
dem	verb	to go	Nun danuy dem jàngu tey saa yi. We go to school early.
ñëw	verb	to come	Ñëwal fii léegi. Please come here now.
gis	verb	to see	Damaa gis weer wi ci guddi. I see the moon tonight.
xam	verb	to know	Ñoom xam nañu tont bi. They know the answer.
xalaat	verb	to think	Damaa xalaat sama njaboot. I think about my family.
bëgg	verb	to want	Moom dafa bëgg ndox. She wants some water.
soxla	verb	to need	Nun dañuy soxla waxtu wu gën. We need more time.
defar	verb	to make	Ñoom dañuy defar mburu mu bees bés bu nekk. They make fresh bread daily.
jël	verb	to take	Jël téere bi ak yaw. Take the book with you.
jox	verb	to give	Jox ma ndox. Give me some water.
wax	verb	to say	Waxal sa tur. Please say your name.
laaj	verb	to ask	Damaa laaj laaj bu yomb. I ask a simple question.
gis	verb	to find	Nun danuy gis caabi bu réer. We find the lost key.
xool	verb	to look	Xool asamaan si baxa. Look at the blue sky.
jëfandikoo	verb	to use	Damaa jëfandikoo siis sii bés bu nekk. I use this chair daily.
liggéey	verb	to work	Ñoom dañuy liggéey ci dëkk bi. They work in the city.
lekk	verb	to eat	Nun danuy lekk ceeb ci kër ga. We eat rice at home.
naan	verb	to drink	Naanal ndox mu sedd. Drink some cold water.
nelaw	verb	to sleep	Xale bi dafa nelaw gaaw. The child sleeps early.
dox	verb	to walk	Damaa dox dem jàngu bés bu nekk. I walk to school daily.
daw	verb	to run	Xale bu góor bi dafa daw lool. The boy runs very fast.
jàng	verb	to read	Moom dafa jàng téere bu bees. She reads a new book.
bind	verb	to write	Bindal sa tur fii. Write your name here.
wax	verb	to speak	Ñoom dañuy wax Wolof bu baax. They speak Wolof well.
déglu	verb	to listen	Déglul jàngalekat bi bu baax. Listen to the teacher carefully.
dégg	verb	to hear	Damaa dégg ngelaw li biti. I hear the wind outside.
jënd	verb	to buy	Nun danuy jënd jën tey. We buy fish today.
jaay	verb	to sell	Ñoom dañuy jaay meññ fii. They sell fruit here.
fey	verb	to pay	Damaa fey xaalis bi léegi. I pay the money now.
dimbali	verb	to help	Dimbalil sa yaay. Please help your mother.
bëgg	verb	to love	Damaa bëgg sama njaboot lool. I love my family deeply.
dëkk	verb	to live	Ñoom dañuy dëkk ci dëkk bii. They live in this city.
dee	verb	to die	Garab yu mag yi man naa dee. Old trees can die.
jàng	verb	to learn	Xale yi dañuy jàng gaaw lool. Children learn very quickly.
jàngal	verb	to teach	Moom dafa jàngal xale yu ndaw. She teaches young children.
ubbi	verb	to open	Ubbi bunt bi ndank. Open the door slowly.
téj	verb	to close	Téj palanteer bi léegi. Close the window now.
nit	noun	person	Bépp nit dafa soxla ndox. Every person needs water.
góor	noun	man	Góor gi dafa am doole lool. The man is very strong.
jigéen	noun	woman	Jigéen ji mooy sama jàngalekat. The woman is my teacher.
xale	noun	child	Xale bi mungi nelaw. The child is sleeping.
xale bu góor	noun	boy	Xale bu góor bi dafa jàng ci dal. The boy reads quietly.
xale bu jigéen	noun	girl	Xale bu jigéen bi dafa naan meew. The girl drinks milk.
njaboot	noun	family	Sama njaboot dëkk na fii. My family lives here.
yaay	noun	mother	Sama yaay dafa togg ceeb. My mother cooks rice.
baay	noun	father	Sama baay dafa liggéey bu metti. My father works hard.
xarit	noun	friend	Moom mooy sama xarit. She is my friend.
kër	noun	house	Kër gi dafa mag lool. The house is very big.
kër	noun	home	Nun danuy dem kër. We are going home.
jàngu	noun	school	Jàngu bi jege na. The school is nearby.
dëkk	noun	city	Dëkk bii dafa mag lool. This city is very large.
réew	noun	country	Sunu réew am na jàmm. Our country is peaceful.
àddina	noun	world	Àddina si dafay soppiku gaaw. The world is changing fast.
mbedd	noun	street	Mbedd mi dafa bari tey. The street is busy today.
néeg	noun	room	Néeg bi dafa tuuti. The room is small.
waxtu	noun	time	Waxtu dafay dem gaaw lool. Time goes very quickly.
bés	noun	day	Tey mooy bés bu baax. Today is a good day.
guddi	noun	night	Guddi gi dafa sedd. The night is cold.
suba	noun	morning	Damaa liggéey suba bu nekk. I work every morning.
ngoon	noun	evening	Nun danuy naan ataaya ngoon gu nekk. We drink tea every evening.
ayubés	noun	week	Benn ayubés weesu na. One week has passed.
weer	noun	month	Weer wii dafa gàtt. This month is short.
at	noun	year	At mii am na solo. This year is important.
tey	adverb	today	Damaa busy tey. I am busy today.
ëllëg	adverb	tomorrow	Nun dinañu tukki ëllëg. We will travel tomorrow.
démb	adverb	yesterday	Moom dafa ñëw démb. She came yesterday.
léegi	adverb	now	Ñëwal fii léegi. Come here now.
jant	noun	sun	Jant bi dafa tàng lool. The sun is very hot.
weer	noun	moon	Weer wi leeral na ci guddi. The moon is bright tonight.
biddéew	noun	star	Biddéew buy leer ci kaw. A star shines above.
asamaan	noun	sky	Asamaan si baxa na. The sky is blue.
suf	noun	earth	Suf si tooy na. The earth is wet.
safara	noun	fire	Safara si dafa tàng lool. The fire is very hot.
ndox	noun	water	Ndox mi dafa sedd. The water is cold.
taw	noun	rain	Taw bi dafay taw bu bare. The rain is falling hard.
ngelaw	noun	wind	Ngelaw li dafa am doole tey. The wind is strong today.
garab	noun	tree	Garab ga dafa gudd lool. That tree is very tall.
tóor-tóor	noun	flower	Tóor-tóor bii rafet na. This flower is beautiful.
tundu	noun	mountain	Tundu wi dafa kawe. The mountain is high.
dex	noun	river	Dex gi yaatu na. The river is wide.
géej	noun	sea	Géej gi dal na tey. The sea is calm today.
dund	noun	food	Dund gi jekk na. The food is ready.
mburu	noun	bread	Damaa lekk mburu suba bu nekk. I eat bread every morning.
ceeb	noun	rice	Ceeb bi dafa tàng. The rice is hot.
yàpp	noun	meat	Nun nuy togg yàpp. We are cooking meat.
jën	noun	fish	Jën wi sedd na. The fish is fresh.
nen	noun	egg	Damaa lekk benn nen. I ate one egg.
meew	noun	milk	Xale bi dafa naan meew. The child drinks milk.
meññ	noun	fruit	Meññ baax na ci wér-gu-yaram. Fruit is good for health.
ataaya	noun	tea	Nun danuy naan ataaya andandoo. We drink tea together.
kafe	noun	coffee	Moom dafa naan kafe bu tàng. He drinks hot coffee.
bopp	noun	head	Sama bopp metti na tey. My head hurts today.
bët	noun	eye	Bëtam bu xonq na. Her eye is red.
nopp	noun	ear	Sama nopp dégg na bu baax. My ear hears well.
gémmiñ	noun	mouth	Ubbi sa gémmiñ bu yaa. Open your mouth wide.
bakkañ	noun	nose	Sama bakkań dafa sedd. My nose is cold.
loxo	noun	hand	Raxasal sa loxo léegi. Wash your hand now.
tànk	noun	foot	Tànkam am na doole. His foot is strong.
xol	noun	heart	Sama xol dal na. My heart is calm.
tur	noun	name	Sa tur rafet na. Your name is beautiful.
téere	noun	book	Téere bii bees na. This book is new.
baat	noun	word	Baat boobu am na solo. That word is important.
làkk	noun	language	Wolof mooy làkk wu bari. Wolof is a rich language.
xaalis	noun	money	Damaa soxla xaalis wu gën. I need more money.
liggéey	noun	work	Liggéey bii dafa metti. This work is hard.
mbëggeel	noun	love	Mbëggeel am na solo lool. Love is very important.
misig	noun	music	Misig mi rafet na. The music is beautiful.
nettali	noun	story	Nettali bi neex na lool. The story is very interesting.
yoon	noun	way	Yoon wii gën na yomb. This way is easier.
mbir	noun	thing	Mbir moomu bees na. That thing is new.
dund	noun	life	Dund yombul. Life is not easy.
bunt	noun	door	Bunt bi ubbeeku na. The door is open.
taabal	noun	table	Taabal bi set na. The table is clean.
siis	noun	chair	Siis sii dafa tuuti. This chair is small.
oto	noun	car	Oto bi dafa gaaw. The car is fast.
baax	adjective	good	Dund bii baax na. This food is good.
bon	adjective	bad	Tont boobu bon na. That answer is bad.
mag	adjective	big	Kër gi mag na. The house is big.
tuuti	adjective	small	Néeg bi tuuti na. The room is small.
bees	adjective	new	Damaa jënd téere bu bees. I bought a new book.
mag	adjective	old	Kër googu mag na. That house is old.
gudd	adjective	long	Yoon wi gudd na. The road is long.
gàtt	adjective	short	Nettali bii gàtt na. This story is short.
kaw	adjective	high	Tundu wi dafa kaw. The mountain is high.
suuf	adjective	low	Taabal bi dafa suuf. The table is low.
tàng	adjective	hot	Ataaya bi dafa tàng. The tea is hot.
sedd	adjective	cold	Ndox mi dafa sedd. The water is cold.
bég	adjective	happy	Xale bi bég na. The child is happy.
triste	adjective	sad	Moom dafa triste tey. She is sad today.
rafet	adjective	beautiful	Tóor-tóor bi rafet na. The flower is beautiful.
yomb	adjective	easy	Liggéey bii yomb na. This work is easy.
metti	adjective	hard	Laaj bii metti na. This question is hard.
gaaw	adjective	fast	Oto boobu gaaw na. That car is fast.
ndank	adjective	slow	Mag gi dafa dox ndank. The old man walks slow.
jub	adjective	right	Sa tont jub na. Your answer is right.
juum	adjective	wrong	Tont boobu juum na. That answer is wrong.
am solo	adjective	important	Téere bii am na solo. This book is important.
dëgg	adjective	true	Nettali bii dëgg la. This story is true.
fees	adjective	full	Kaas bi fees na. The cup is full.
neen	adjective	empty	Néeg bi neen na. The room is empty.
ndaw	adjective	young	Moom ndaw na ba léegi. She is still young.
am doole	adjective	strong	Góor googu am na doole. That man is strong.
néew doole	adjective	weak	Xale bi néew doole na. The child is weak.
xonq	adjective	red	Tóor-tóor bi xonq na. The flower is red.
baxa	adjective	blue	Asamaan si baxa na. The sky is blue.
wert	adjective	green	Garab gi wert na. The tree is green.
mbook	adjective	yellow	Tóor-tóor bi mbook na. The flower is yellow.
ñuul	adjective	black	Oto bi ñuul na. The car is black.
weex	adjective	white	Meew mi weex na. The milk is white.
waaw	interjection	yes	Waaw, xam naa ko léegi. Yes, I understand now.
déedéet	interjection	no	Déedéet, manuma ñëw. No, I cannot come.
du	adverb	not	Lii du baax. This is not good.
ak	conjunction	and	Sama yaay ak sama baay ñëw nañu. My mother and father came.
wala	conjunction	or	Ataaya wala kafe baax na. Tea or coffee is fine.
waaye	conjunction	but	Damaa ñëw, waaye moom dem na. I came, but she left.
bu	conjunction	if	Bu ngee ñëw, woo ma. If you come, call me.
ndax	conjunction	because	Damaa des ndax taw na. I stayed because it rained.
ak	preposition	with	Damaa ñëw ak sama xarit. I came with my friend.
ci ludul	preposition	without	Moom dem na ci ludul xaalis. He left without money.
ngir	preposition	for	May bii ngir yaw la. This gift is for you.
ci	preposition	from	Moom dafa ñëw ci Ndakaaru. She came from Dakar.
ca	preposition	to	Nun dem nañu ca jàngu ba. We went to school.