Language/Wolof/Grammar/Alphabet-and-Pronunciation

Wolof → Grammar → Alphabet and Pronunciation

As a Wolof language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I believe that the first step to mastering the Wolof language is to learn the alphabet and its pronunciation. In this lesson, we will cover the Wolof alphabet, its pronunciation, and special characters.

Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Noun Classes & Adjectives.

The Wolof Alphabet

The Wolof alphabet consists of 28 letters and 6 special characters. The Wolof language is written from left to right using the Latin script. The following table shows the Wolof alphabet, its pronunciation, and English translation:

Wolof	Pronunciation	English
A, a	[a]	as in "apple"
B, b	[be]	as in "bear"
C, c	[se]	as in "cent"
D, d	[de]	as in "dog"
E, e	[e]	as in "egg"
Ë, ë	[ə]	as in "awe"
F, f	[fe]	as in "four"
G, g	[ge]	as in "goat"
H, h	[he]	as in "hand"
I, i	[i]	as in "ink"
J, j	[ʒe]	as in "measure"
K, k	[ka]	as in "kite"
L, l	[el]	as in "light"
M, m	[em]	as in "man"
N, n	[en]	as in "nice"
Ñ, ñ	[ɲe]	as in "onion"
Ŋ, ŋ	[ŋe]	as in "wing"
O, o	[o]	as in "open"
Ó, ó	[o]	as in "no"
P, p	[pe]	as in "pen"
R, r	[er]	as in "red"
S, s	[ese]	as in "sun"
T, t	[te]	as in "tap"
U, u	[u]	as in "put"
W, w	[we]	as in "will"
X, x	[iks]	as in "box"
Y, y	[i]	as in "pity"
Z, z	[seta]	as in "zoo"
À, à	[a]	as in "far"
É, é	[e]	as in "bed"
È, è	[ɛ]	as in "get"
Ñ, ñ	[ɲe]	as in "onion"
Ø, ø	[ø]	as in "sir" (with rounded lips)
Ü, ü	[y]	as in "cue"
Ā, ā	[a]	as in "hard"
Ē, ē	[e]	as in "be"
Ī, ī	[i]	as in "ski"
Ō, ō	[o]	as in "boat"

Note that the special characters in Wolof are Ñ, ñ, Ø, ø, Ü, ü.

Pronunciation

Wolof pronunciation is fairly easy for an English speaker. The language is pronounced almost exactly as it is spelled. However, as with any language, there are a few sounds that may be difficult for a beginner to master. Here are some tips for mastering the Wolof pronunciation:

- Start by focusing on the basics: vowels and consonants. - Pay attention to the special characters, which have unique sounds. - Practice makes perfect! Keep practicing until you feel confident.

Conclusion

In this lesson, you have learned the Wolof alphabet, its pronunciation, and special characters. Remember to keep practicing until you feel comfortable with the sounds of the Wolof language. In the next lesson, we will cover the basic word order in Wolof sentences. Stay tuned!

With this lesson finished, you may want to explore these additional pages: Intensifiers & Plural Nouns — Definite articles.

Other Lessons

• Give your Opinion
• Plural Nouns — Definite articles
• Adjective Agreement
• Am (to have) in the present tense
• Question Formation
• Indirect Object Pronouns
• Pronouns and How to ask questions
• Questions
• Nouns
• Gender

Sources

• Wolof language - Wikipedia

Table of Contents - Wolof Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Introduction to Wolof

• Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Basic Sentence Structure

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Greetings and Introductions

• Common Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

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Wolof Cultural Norms

• Politeness and Respect
• Greetings and Social Etiquette

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Nouns and Pronouns

• Noun Classes
• Pronouns

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Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationship Terms

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Family and Social Structure

• Family Roles
• Social Hierarchy

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Verbs and Tenses

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs
• Tenses

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Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Eating and Drinking

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Wolof Cuisine and Dining Etiquette

• Traditional Dishes
• Dining Etiquette

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Describing People and Things
• Describing Actions

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Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Vocabulary

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Travel and Tourism in Wolof-Speaking Countries

• Popular Destinations
• Travel Tips