Language/Wolof/Grammar/Noun-Classes

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Wolof → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Nouns and Pronouns → Noun Classes

Wolof is a language spoken in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania. It is known for its complex noun system, which divides items into different categories depending on their characteristics. In this lesson, you will learn about the noun classes in Wolof and how they affect the grammar of a sentence.

Introduction

Every noun in Wolof belongs to one of ten different noun classes (also known as genders or noun categories). These classes are not based on biological gender (i.e., male or female) but instead on factors such as shape, size, and animacy. Understanding these classes is essential for speaking and writing in Wolof correctly.

For example, instead of simply saying "the cat," you would need to know the noun class of the word for "cat" and use the appropriate article and agreement markers to complete the sentence. Similarly, you would use a different article and agreement markers when talking about "the book" versus "the chair" because they belong to different noun classes.

After mastering this lesson, these related pages might interest you: Plural Nouns — Definite articles & Basic Sentence Structure.

Noun Classes

In Wolof, each noun belongs to one of the following ten noun classes:

Class 1: Singular mass nouns (e.g., "salt" or "water")
Class 2: Paired body parts (e.g., "eyes" or "ears")
Class 3: Singular animates (e.g., "person" or "animal")
Class 4: Groups of people (e.g., "team" or "family")
Class 5: Singular inanimates with a flat surface (e.g., "table" or "piece of paper")
Class 6: Singular inanimates with a curved surface (e.g., "bowl" or "ball")
Class 7: Abstract concepts (e.g., "love" or "peace")
Class 8: Liquids (e.g., "milk" or "juice")
Class 9: Long, thin objects (e.g., "rope" or "stick")
Class 10: Plural nouns (e.g., "books" or "chairs")

While some of the classes are straightforward, others are more complex and require memorization. It is crucial to recognize the noun class of a given word in order to use the correct article and agreement markers in sentences.

Article and Agreement Markers

In Wolof, the article and agreement markers are important components of a sentence. These markers are used to indicate the noun class of a word and to show the relationship between the various components of a sentence.

The article markers are different depending on the noun class the word belongs to. Here are the article markers for each noun class:

Class 1: bu / du
Class 2: yi
Class 3: bu / b
Class 4: jinéen
Class 5: ci
Class 6: ak
Class 7: yépp
Class 8: leen
Class 9: wu
Class 10: ji

The agreement markers are used to show the relationship between a subject noun and the verb in a sentence. These markers also depend on the noun class. Here are the agreement markers for each noun class:

Class 1: -u
Class 2: -i
Class 3: -e
Class 4: -ali
Class 5: -bi
Class 6: -ak
Class 7: -e
Class 8: -te
Class 9: -i
Class 10: -fi

When using an article or agreement marker, they must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case. Agreement markers are added to the verb stem, while article markers are placed before the noun in the sentence.

Here is an example of how the article and agreement markers work in sentences:

Wolof	Translation
bu ñuul	the salt
ñuul-u am	the salt is
yi njëww	the eyes
njëww-i jaam	the eyes see

In the first sentence, the noun class is Class 1 (singular mass noun), so the article marker is "bu." In the second sentence, the agreement marker (-u) agrees with the noun "salt" in gender, number, and case. In the third sentence, the noun class is Class 2 (paired body parts), so the article marker is "yi." In the fourth sentence, the agreement marker (-i) agrees with the noun "eyes" in gender, number, and case.

Special Noun Class Cases

While most nouns in Wolof belong to one of the ten noun classes listed above, there are some exceptions, as expected in any language. Some nouns can belong to more than one noun class depending on their meaning, and some may even switch noun classes depending on the context.

Additionally, some loanwords from other languages (such as French or Arabic) do not follow the Wolof noun class system, and instead take their own article and agreement markers. These cases require special attention and may take time to master.

Conclusion

Learning the noun classes in Wolof is an essential step toward speaking and writing accurately in the language. The nouns' classification is based on the words' characteristics, and each noun class comes with its own set of article and agreement markers. It is crucial to memorize these markers for each noun class to make sure that you are using the correct agreement markers and article markers in your sentences.

In the next lesson, we will delve into the different types of pronouns in Wolof, including personal, possessive, and demonstrative pronouns.

Well done on mastering this lesson! Don't miss these related pages to expand your knowledge: Give your Opinion & Enonciative pronouns.

Table of Contents - Wolof Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

Introduction to Wolof

Greetings and Introductions

Wolof Cultural Norms

Nouns and Pronouns

Noun Classes
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

Other Lessons

Sources

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