Language/Wolof/Vocabulary/City-Places-and-Directions

Wolof → Vocabulary → City Places and Directions

As a Wolof language teacher with 20 years of experience, I am excited to help you learn how to ask for and give directions in Wolof. This lesson is part of the larger course "Complete 0 to A1 Wolof Course," designed for complete beginners who want to learn the language and reach an A1 level. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently navigate your way around a Wolof-speaking city and communicate your direction requests effectively.

After mastering this lesson, these related pages might interest you: Basic Greetings & City.

City Places

Let's start by learning the names of some common city places in Wolof:

Wolof	Pronunciation	English Translation
Daral	Dah-rahl	House
Tëras	Ter-ahs	Terrace
Tobab	Toe-bab	Gate
Xel	Khel	Street
Xarit	Khar-eet	Friend
Ngeen	Ngeyn	Shop
Kor	Kohr	Courtyard
Port	Pohrt	Port
Lekk	Lehk	Beach
Boppam	Bohp-pam	Police Station

Now, let's learn some prepositions and adverbs that are commonly used to give directions:

• **Goor**: right
• **Yi**: left
• **Làkk**: in front of
• **Te**: behind
• **Nëbb**: next to
• **Ndam**: between
• **Wu**: far
• **Jëm**: close

And here are some useful phrases to remember:

• **Sama laaj**: Excuse me
• **Nanga def?**: Where is...?
• **Nanga fa?**: Where are...?
• **Mangi nit yi**: I am going left
• **Mangi nit goor**: I am going right
• **Jàngalekat bi nga xarit?**: Do you know this area?

Now, let's put everything together and practice asking for directions and giving directions using the vocabulary and phrases we've just learned.

Dialogue

Here's an example dialogue between two people in a Wolof-speaking city:

Person 1: Sama laaj, nanga def Kor Ngeen? (Excuse me, where is the courtyard of the shop?)

Person 2: Lu yagg la. Kor Ngeen dina jangalë, nga tëye weesu. (It's over there. The courtyard of the shop is next to the market.)

Person 1: Jërëjëf. (Thank you.)

Person 2: Daf ma ngiy jàngalekat bi nga lekk. (If you want, I can show you around the beach.)

Person 1: Mangi nit yi. (I am going left.)

Practice

Now, it's your turn to practice asking for and giving directions! Using the vocabulary and phrases we've just learned, write a short dialogue between two people in a Wolof-speaking city. Don't forget to use prepositions and adverbs to give accurate directions, and to be polite by using "Sama laaj" when asking for assistance and "Jërëjëf" to show gratitude.

Conclusion

Congratulations on completing this lesson on Wolof vocabulary for city places and directions! By mastering these words and phrases, you can now confidently navigate your way around a Wolof-speaking city and communicate your direction requests effectively. Keep practicing and integrating this newfound knowledge into your daily routine, and you'll soon be speaking Wolof like a pro.

Great work on completing this lesson! Take a moment to investigate these connected pages: Common Greetings & Job Search.

Other Lessons

• Introducing Yourself
• Weather
• Geography
• Idiomatic Expressions
• Food
• Feelings and Emotions
• Family
• Job Search
• Useful Interjections
• Useful phrases for beginners

Sources

• 21 Essential Wolof Phrases You'll Need in Senegal
• NEW WOLOF BOOK