English–Wolof Dictionary

Browse common English words and their Wolof translations, with parts of speech and example sentences. Use this dictionary to look up everyday vocabulary or as a starting point for learning Wolof.

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Browse common Wolof vocabulary

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