Language/Wolof/Grammar/Indirect-Object-Pronouns
As a Wolof language teacher, I have been teaching Wolof for 20 years now. My aim is to teach you how to use indirect object pronouns in Wolof and where to place them in a sentence. This lesson is a part of the "Complete 0 to A1 Wolof Course". Whether you are planning to visit Senegal or you just want to learn a new language, this course will take you from a beginner to an A1 level in Wolof.
If you're new to Wolof, make sure to check out the previous lessons in the course outline to familiarize yourself with the Wolof alphabet, pronunciation, basic sentence structure, and other topics.
Let's dive in!
What are Indirect Object Pronouns?
In English, nouns and pronouns can be used as indirect objects. An indirect object is the receiver of the direct object, and it tells us to whom or for whom the action is performed.
For example:
- I gave the book to him. - She wrote the letter for her.
In these sentences, "him" and "her" are indirect objects. Similarly, in Wolof, we use indirect object pronouns to represent the indirect object in a sentence.
Here are the Wolof indirect object pronouns:
| Wolof | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| moo | mo(o) | me / to me |
| ju / jëf | ju(jëf) | you / to you (singular) |
| mu / ci / bi | moo / see / bee | him / her / it / to him / to her / to it |
| nu / nga | noo / ngaa | us / to us (inclusive) / to me and you (exclusive) |
| lu / léeg | loo / leeg | you all / to y'all (plural) |
| yi / yu | yi / yoo | them / to them |
In each sentence, we replace the indirect object with the appropriate indirect object pronoun. For example:
- I gave the book to him. → Mi dëgg na bu yëm moo. - She wrote the letter for her. → Bu xam la letëru bi jëf.
In the first example, "him" becomes "moo" in Wolof. In the second example, "her" becomes "jëf".
Let's look at each pronoun and see how it is used.
How to Use Indirect Object Pronouns
Personal Pronouns
In Wolof, the indirect object pronoun usually comes immediately before the verb. Here are some examples:
- Mu laaj la fontu ci joxe. (He showed the picture to her.) - Nga tax nga bone bi ju. (You gave the food to me.) - Lu nexul yërmande yi. (They told secrets to them.)
As you can see, the indirect object pronoun comes before the verb in each sentence.
If the verb has a subject prefix, the indirect object pronoun comes before the prefix:
- Jëf du ma la wer xarit ci takussaam. (You have to make tea for me in the morning.) - Mu jox ko, bëgg nga nexul lu ci pulaar. (When he comes, he wants you to speak to them in Pulaar.) - Yi la ndaw yi ànd ci biir. (They bought clothes for them in the market.)
In these examples, the indirect object pronoun comes before the subject prefix of the verb.
We can also use indirect object pronouns with prepositions. Here are some examples:
- Mu serigne la nekk léeg. (He's our teacher.) - Moo jox na laajitu. (The picture is for me.) - Nga bëgg wéér taamu jëf? (Do you want to taste it for me?)
In these examples, we use the preposition "nekk" (our), "na" (for), and "taamu" (taste) with the appropriate indirect object pronoun.
Imperative and Infinitive Constructions
When given a command or an order, the indirect object pronoun takes the form of a clitic (a word that combines with another word). For example:
- Dina laaj la fat bi yu. (Give the money to them.) - Yàlla nelaw ci jëf. (Pray for her.) - Moo tànn la noo kër gi. (1sg.GEN bring 2pl home DET.) (Bring us to my house.)
In the first two sentences, the indirect object "them" and "her" takes the form of a clitic "yu" and "jëf", respectively.
In the last sentence, we see an example of the indirect object pronoun used in a prepositional phrase following the verb phrase in an infinitive construction. The indirect object pronoun comes right before the object "kër gi" to show that the persons he talking to should bring us to his house. Here, the subject prefix "ta-"/"tànn" (bring) indicates the imperativeness of the sentence.
Combined Pronouns
Sometimes, direct object pronouns and indirect object pronouns can be combined within a sentence. In this case, the indirect object pronoun always comes before the direct object pronoun.
Here is a table of combined pronouns:
| Wolof | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| moo moo | moo moo | me / to me (with me) |
| ju moo / moo ju | ju moo / moo ju | you / to you (singular) / to me (to you with me) / to me (with you) |
| mu moo / mu ju / mu yi | moo moo / moo ju / moo yi | him / her / it / to him / to her / to it (with me) / to me (with him/her/it) |
| nu moo / nu ju / nu yi | moo noo / ju noo / yi noo | us / to us (inclusive) / to me and you (exclusive) (with me) / to me/to you (with us) |
| lu moo / lu ju / lu yi | moo loo / ju loo / yi loo | you all / to y'all (plural) (with me) / to me (with y'all) |
| yi moo / yi ju / yi yi | moo yi / ju yi / yi yi | them / to them (with me) / to me (with them) / to them (with them) |
Here are some examples:
- Mu bonn la ay xam leen ju. (He will buy the mango for you.) - Ji ngiy soppi makkaam wayéé moo. (I am looking for the car keys with me.) - Mu ko def la bind bi jëf. (He wants to show her the way.)
In the first example, the indirect object pronoun "ju" comes before the direct object pronoun "ay" (mango).
In the second example, the colloquial expression "soppi makkaam" (looking for the keys) can be combined with the indirect object pronoun-"moo" (with me).
In the third example, the indirect object "her" is represented by "jëf" comes before the direct object "bind bi" (the way).
Clitic pronouns will be covered in the next lesson.
In conclusion, learning how to use indirect object pronouns in Wolof and where to place them is essential to understanding Wolof grammar. With practice, you'll be able to use them naturally in your sentences.
Next time, we'll continue to study pronouns by delving into clitic pronouns. Stay tuned!
Related Lessons
- Word Order
- Enonciative pronouns
- Simple negation
- Irregular Verbs
- Intensifiers
- Negation
- Plural Nouns — Definite articles
- Notable characteristics
- The possessive expressed by “U”
- Future Tense
Sources
- Notes on Wolof Grammar by William A. Stewart
- The Study of the Wolof Verbal System in Modern Grammar ...
- Applicative Structure in Wolof