English→Wolof (Senegal)

Translate English to Wolof (Senegal) like a local.

Wolof (Senegal) sounds like itself through nanga def greetings, teranga courtesy such as baal ma, and French loans woven into Dakar’s casual speech.

474 local dialects

What locals actually say

Wait for me, I’m coming.

Attends ma, maa ngi ñëw.

Attends ma is a Dakar-style French-Wolof switch for an informal request, while maa ngi ñëw expresses that the speaker is on the way.

Text me when you get home.

Boo agsee kër gi, yónnee ma message.

The temporal frame boo agsee means “when you arrive,” and message is the everyday Dakar French loan used for a text.

Please, send me your location.

Baal ma, yónnee ma sa localisation.

Baal ma is the familiar Senegalese softener for a request, while localisation is the urban French loan used for a phone pin or live location.

How much is this?

Ñaata la lii?

Ñaata asks 'how much' or 'how many' in Wolof, while lii is the near demonstrative 'this', a natural market construction.

Where is the bus station?

Fu gare bi nekk?

Fu ... nekk is the Wolof construction for asking where something is located. Gare is a common French loan in urban Senegalese speech.

I’m very hungry.

Dama xiif lool.

Dama is a Wolof subject construction meaning 'I am' or 'I feel', xiif means 'hungry', and lool intensifies it to 'very'.

I have two younger brothers.

Am naa ñaari rakk yu góor.

Am naa means 'I have' in Wolof. Rakk specifically means a younger sibling, and ñaari marks two.

I’ll finish the work before lunch.

Dinaa jeexal liggéey bi bala añ.

Dinaa marks the first-person future, jeexal means 'finish something', and bala introduces the meaning 'before'.

Notes like these come with every AIRTranslate translation, so you learn why locals phrase it that way as you go.

Wolof (Dakar standard); nanga def greetings, teranga courtesy; French loanwords natural in urban casual register.

Every one of 474 dialects, with voice, camera, a keyboard for any app, and offline packs.