Wolof Dictionary - Africanculture.dk

PRONOUNCIATION GUIDE
The wolof pronunciation system is relatively simple. Every symbol stands for only one sound, that is every symbol is
pronounced the same way in every word.
The distinction between short and long vowels is very important, because it is sometimes the only way to distinguish pairs of
words which have different meanings. Long vowels are always doubled, while short vowels are not.
There is a lot of prenalization in wolof. There usually occur with nasals such as m, n, etc...
VOWELS
As indicated, wolof vowels are either long or short. A long vowel is indicated a doubling of the symbol, and it must be
pronounced a little longer than a short vowel (which is not doubled). Long and short vowels can occur anywhere in the word.
Vowel Nearest English Equivalent Wolof Examples
a absorb banta, tapa, santa
aa far laaj, naaj, caabi
e get dem, lem, gerte
ee where seet, leel
é say bés
éé sane wéér, réér
ë bird kër, dëgër
i in, pit nit, simiis, timis
ii meet siis, lii, kii
o moment xob, romba
ó no nób, sóf
oo door loo, soo
óó phone góór, fóót
u cook nuyu, ubi
uu moon tuuru, yuuxu
CONSONANTS
E ER\ EXQWDEDQ
F FKLQFKXUFK FDDELFHHEFDDPRx
G GRJ GHIGDUD
I ILUH IDVIHWHOIRND
J JRRG GRJDOGXJJD
M MRE MDERRUHMR[
N FRRO NDDODNXPSD
O ODQG ORROXODDO
P PRRQ PHHZGHP
Q QRE QLWQD[
x RQLRQQ\ xHHEHJDDxX
KDQJ
PD
S SDUN SDUHVRRSD
U UDW UD[DVUHHU
V VLJQ VLLVVDIDUD
W VWDPS WXEDDEDDWH
Z ZDU ZDDZUHHZ
[ EHWZHHQKDQGN [DOH[DDOLV
\ \RXU \DD\\XX[X
PRENASALIZED CONSONANTS
PE
QG
QMQJ
PS
Ø
PEp\PEDDP
QGH\QGLJWH
QJRUQJD
ODPSD
WDØNDOXØND
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