Language/Wolof/Grammar/Alphabet-and-Pronunciation

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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

Sources

Wolof language - Wikipedia

Table of Contents - Wolof Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

Introduction to Wolof

Greetings and Introductions

Wolof Cultural Norms

Nouns and Pronouns

Family and Relationships

Family and Social Structure

Verbs and Tenses

Food and Dining

Wolof Cuisine and Dining Etiquette

Adjectives and Adverbs

Travel and Transportation

Travel and Tourism in Wolof-Speaking Countries

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