Language/Wolof/Grammar/Basic-Sentence-Structure
In this lesson, we will cover the basic sentence structure in Wolof. Understanding sentence structure is crucial in any language because it allows learners to form coherent thoughts and convey them effectively. As a complete beginner, you will learn simple phrases and the subject-verb-object order in Wolof sentences. By the end of this lesson, you will have a good grasp of the foundation of the Wolof language.
Subject-Verb-Object Order
The most common sentence structure in Wolof is subject-verb-object (SVO) order. This means that, like in English, the subject of the sentence comes first, followed by the verb, and then the object. For example:
| Wolof | Pronunciation | English | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ndëpp | n-depp | I eat | Ndëpp bu fukk | n-depp boo fook | I eat rice | Ci mbir mi | si m-beer mee | He drinks water |
As you can see from the above examples, the personal pronoun for "I" is "Ndëpp" and "bu fukk" means "rice." "Ci" means "he" and "mbir" means "water." Also, Wolof stresses on the first syllable of the word.
Simple Phrases
Wolof phrases often compose of a standalone verb or the SVO order of a verb and object. Here are some examples of simple phrases in Wolof:
| Wolof | Pronunciation | English | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jàng ci yàlla | jang si yah-la | He prays to God | Sa yaram bi dëgg | sa ya-ram bee dekk | Your beauty is admirable | Dogal gëm ci xët | doh-gal gem si khett | The book is on the table |
In the sentence "Sa yaram bi dëgg," "Sa" means "your," "yaram" means "beauty," "bi" means "is," and "dëgg" means "admirable." "Dogal" means "book," "gëm" means "is," and "xët" means "table."
Negation
In Wolof, negation is created by placing the word "dina" in front of the verb. For example:
| Wolof | Pronunciation | English | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maangi dina fékk | maa-ngi deenah fek | I do not understand | Bu dina noppi | boo deenah nop-pee | You do not sleep | Ñuul dina noppale | nool deenah nop-pa-leh | They do not sit |
"Maangi" means "I," "fékk" means "understand," "bu" means "you," "noppi" means "sleep," "ñuul" means "they," and "noppale" means "sit."
Interrogation
To ask a yes/no question, raise the voice at the end of the sentence or add "waa?" For example:
| Wolof | Pronunciation | English | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gana wër gi? | gana weer gee? | Are you coming? | Màgg nga tollu? | maa-ng nga tollu? | Do you speak Wolof? | Dem nga def? | demm nga def? | Are you okay? |
To ask a question that requires a more detailed response, use the following phrase:
| Wolof | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Bu wóor yomb ku baax? | boo wo-ohr yohmb ku baa-kh? | What is your name? |
In this example, "bu" means "you," "wóor" means "name," "yomb" means "what," "ku" means "is," and "baax" means "your."
Conclusion
In this lesson, you have learned the basic sentence structure in Wolof. We covered the SVO order, simple phrases, negation, and interrogation, which are essential to building sentences in Wolof. As you expand your vocabulary and learn new verb conjugations, you will be able to form more complex sentences. Keep practicing and don't be discouraged if you don't get everything right away. With time and dedication, you will get better at Wolof.
Related Lessons
- Conditional
- Describing People and Things
- Questions
- Describing Actions
- Clitic Pronouns
- Give your Opinion
- Noun Classes
- How to Use Be
- Regular Verbs
- Word Order
Sources