Language/Wolof/Vocabulary/Feelings-and-Emotions
Hi Wolof learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about feelings and emotions in Wolof. Understanding and being able to express ourselves emotionally is an important part of communication. It allows us to share and understand each other on a deeper level. Let's get started!
Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Common Dishes & Occupations.
Basic emotions[edit | edit source]
In Wolof, as in any language, there are words to express basic emotions. Familiarize yourself with the following vocabulary to build a strong foundation in expressing emotions in Wolof:
- Happiness: Jam (pronounced "jahm")
- Sadness: Ñàkk (pronounced "nyahk")
- Anger: Màk (pronounced "mahk")
- Fear: Ñàt (pronounced "nyat")
- Surprise: Ñàpp (pronounced "nyahp")
- Disgust: Góor (pronounced "goor")
Describing emotional intensity[edit | edit source]
When you want to express the intensity of an emotion, the following Wolof phrases will come in handy:
- Very happy: Jam bu baax (pronounced "jahm boo bahks")
- Very sad: Ñàkk bu baax (pronounced "nyahk boo bahks")
- Extremely angry: Màk bu sañ-sañ (pronounced "mahk boo sahn-sahn")
- Very afraid: Ñàt bu gàdd-gàdd (pronounced "nyat boo gahd-gahd")
Expressing emotional states[edit | edit source]
In addition to basic emotions, there are words and phrases to describe different emotional states in Wolof:
- Excited: Xam-xam (pronounced "ham-ham")
- Bored: Ñàtt (pronounced "nyatt")
- Tired: Ñàg (pronounced "nyag")
- Relaxed: Ñaar (pronounced "nyar")
- Stressed: Ñamm (pronounced "nyahm")
Asking about emotions[edit | edit source]
Asking about someone's emotions in Wolof is simple. You can use the following phrases to inquire about someone's feelings:
- How are you feeling? : Naka la jam? (pronounced "nah-kah lah jahm?")
- Are you happy? : Jam nga? (pronounced "jahm ngah?")
- Are you sad? : Ñàkk nga? (pronounced "nyahk ngah?")
Responding to emotions[edit | edit source]
Finally, it's essential to know how to respond appropriately when someone shares their emotions with you. Here are some helpful phrases:
- I am happy: Jam naa (pronounced "jahm nah")
- I am sad: Ñàkk naa (pronounced "nyahk nah")
- I am angry: Màk naa (pronounced "mahk nah")
- I am sorry: Mbooloomi (pronounced "mboo-loo-mee")
In this lesson, we learned vocabulary related to feelings and emotions in Wolof. We looked at how to express ourselves emotionally and how to ask others about their emotions. We also explored some idioms related to emotions. To improve your Wolof vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
➡ 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. 😎
Sources[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]