Difference between revisions of "Language/Wolof/Grammar/Tenses"
m (Quick edit) |
m (Quick edit) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
<span pgnav> | |||
{| class="wikitable pg_template_nav" | |||
|[[Language/Wolof/Grammar/Irregular-Verbs|◀️ Irregular Verbs — Previous Lesson]] | |||
|[[Language/Wolof/Vocabulary/Common-Foods|Next Lesson — Common Foods ▶️]] | |||
|} | |||
</span> | |||
{{Wolof-Page-Top}} | {{Wolof-Page-Top}} | ||
| Line 142: | Line 149: | ||
{{Wolof-Page-Bottom}} | {{Wolof-Page-Bottom}} | ||
<span links></span> | <span links></span> | ||
<span pgnav> | |||
{| class="wikitable pg_template_nav" | |||
|[[Language/Wolof/Grammar/Irregular-Verbs|◀️ Irregular Verbs — Previous Lesson]] | |||
|[[Language/Wolof/Vocabulary/Common-Foods|Next Lesson — Common Foods ▶️]] | |||
|} | |||
</span> | |||
Revision as of 22:14, 2 April 2023
| ◀️ Irregular Verbs — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Common Foods ▶️ |
Introduction
In this lesson, you will learn about the tenses in Wolof, including present, past, and future tenses, and how to use them in sentences. Understanding tenses is crucial for effective communication, so this lesson is an essential step in your journey towards becoming proficient in the Wolof language.
As a natural Wolof speaker and instructor with over 20 years of experience teaching the language, I'm excited to not only introduce you to Wolof tenses but also share cultural information and interesting facts related to the language. By doing so, you'll have a better understanding of the Wolof language and its context.
Let's get started!
Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Singular and Plural & Word Order.
Present tense
The present tense is used to describe actions that are currently happening. It's also used to describe habitual actions or events that frequently occur. For example:
| Wolof | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Maangi lekk | maŋgi lɛk | I eat rice |
| Ngir yallah ma boppam | ŋir jaʎa ma bɔpːam | I always wake up early |
As you can see, the present tense in Wolof is formed by using the subject followed by the verb. In the examples above, "maangi" means "I eat," and "ngir yallah" means "I always wake up."
Past tense
The past tense is used to describe actions that have already happened. For example:
| Wolof | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Maangi jëm | maŋgi dʒəm | I ate rice |
| Mën naa wone diine | mən na woːn diːnə | I saw her yesterday |
As you can see, the past tense in Wolof is formed by using the verb stem followed by the appropriate tense marker. In the examples above, "jëm" is the verb stem for "eat," and "wone" is the verb stem for "see."
Future tense
The future tense is used to describe actions that will happen in the future. For example:
| Wolof | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Maangi nuy | maŋgi nuj | I will eat rice |
| Yalla jot | jaʎa dʒot | They will wake up |
As you can see, the future tense in Wolof is formed by using the verb stem followed by the appropriate tense marker. In the examples above, "nuy" is the future tense marker for "eat," and "jot" is the future tense marker for "wake up."
Other verb forms and tenses
In addition to the present, past, and future tenses, Wolof also has other verb forms and tenses, including:
- Past progressive: Used to describe an action in progress in the past. For example: "Mën nit tey wëgëm" means "I was watching TV."
- Past perfect: Used to describe an action that was completed before another past action. For example: "Mi ban nitu topp" means "I had eaten before I watched TV."
- Future progressive: Used to describe an action that will be in progress in the future. For example: "Mën jëllo noon danga" means "I will be sleeping at this time tomorrow."
- Future perfect: Used to describe an action that will be completed before another future action. For example: "Maa ngi may sax" means "I will have finished my work by then."
Conclusion
By understanding the different tenses in Wolof, you'll be better equipped to speak the language effectively and communicate with native speakers. It's also important to note that language and culture are closely intertwined, so don't forget to continue learning about Wolof culture as you learn the language. Keep practicing, and soon you'll be well on your way to mastering the Wolof language!
Great work on completing this lesson! Take a moment to investigate these connected pages: Enonciative pronouns & Conditional.
Videos
The past tense in Wolof - YouTube
Other Lessons
- Conjugation
- The possessive expressed by “U”
- Nouns
- Static verbs
- Intensifiers
- Time and Dates
- Singular and Plural
- Basic Sentence Structure
- Comparatives
Sources
| ◀️ Irregular Verbs — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Common Foods ▶️ |