Language/Wolof/Grammar/Adjectives

Wolof Grammar - Adjectives

Hi Wolof learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on adjectives in Wolof. Adjectives are very important for describing things and enhancing your communication skills. Understanding the proper use of adjectives will help you express your ideas more effectively.

Take a moment to explore these relevant pages as you conclude this lesson: Static verbs, Conjugation, The possessive expressed by “U” & Word Order.

What are adjectives

Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns. They provide further information about the noun they are describing. In Wolof, adjectives are placed after the noun they are modifying.

For example:

Wolof	Pronunciation	English Translation
bëgg	bɛɡ	big
damay	da-maj	red
rap	rap	quick

Adjective agreement

In Wolof, adjectives agree with the noun they are describing in both number and gender. This means that the adjective must match the noun in terms of whether it is singular or plural, and whether the noun is masculine or feminine.

For example:

• In the singular masculine form, the adjective ends with "-u"
• In the singular feminine form, the adjective ends with "-i"
• In the plural form, the adjective ends with "-e"

Here are some examples:

Wolof	Pronunciation	English Translation
baaba sol naata (singular masculine)	baa-ba sol naa-ta	Baaba is a tall man
fatima leen (singular feminine)	fa-ti-ma leen	Fatima is beautiful
xale yi këru (plural)	xa-le yi ke-ru	The boys are smart

As you can see from the examples, the adjective changes based on the noun it's describing. Always make sure to match the adjective with the noun in terms of gender and number.

Degrees of comparison

Like in English, adjectives in Wolof have degrees of comparison. There are three degrees: positive, comparative and superlative.

The positive degree is the standard form of the adjective. It is used to simply describe something without making any comparisons.

The comparative degree is used to compare two nouns. In Wolof, to form the comparative degree, you add the word "ñu" before the adjective.

For example:

• Ndam ñu ci seet (Bread is hotter than tea)

The superlative degree is used to express the highest or lowest level of something. To form the superlative in Wolof, you can use "ñaa ngiy" before the adjective.

For example:

• Kabako ñaa ngiy ci lekk (Coffee is the hottest drink)

Examples in context

To better understand how adjectives are used in context, let's look at a dialogue:

• Person 1: Jàngal ci lumu tey, da fa nekk. (The forest is very big and beautiful)
• Person 2: Waaw, ba beneen jàngal! (Wow, it's a really big forest!)

As you can see, the adjective "beneen" agrees in number and gender with the noun "jàngal".

Final thoughts

Understanding adjectives is a key part of mastering the Wolof language. Make sure to pay attention to agreement and the degrees of comparison when using adjectives to describe things. With enough practice, you'll soon be able to express yourself accurately and fluently in Wolof.

To improve your Wolof Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Other Lessons

• Questions
• Plural Nouns — Definite articles
• Give your Opinion
• The possessive expressed by “U”
• How to Use Have
• Conjugation
• Possessive pronouns
• Pronouns
• Am (to have) in the present tense

Sources

• Wolof language - Wikipedia
• The Study of the Wolof Verbal System in Modern Grammar ...
• Wolof Language - Structure, Writing & Alphabet