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<!DOCTYPE HTML> <html> <head> <title>Wolof alphabet, pronunciation and language</title> <meta name="description" content="Details of Wolof, a Niger-Congo language spoken mainly in Senegal, and also in a number of other countries in west Africa." />  <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-WB7PSHBG');</script>  <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.omniglot.com/images/logos/omniglot_thumbnail.jpg" /> <meta property="og:type" content="https://www.facebook.com/pg/Omniglot-100430558332117/posts/" /> <link href="/styles/style.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <script src="https://the.gatekeeperconsent.com/cmp.min.js" data-cfasync="false"></script> <script async src="//www.ezojs.com/ezoic/sa.min.js"></script> <script> window.ezstandalone = window.ezstandalone || {}; ezstandalone.cmd = ezstandalone.cmd || []; </script></head> <body> <div id="header">  <noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-WB7PSHBG" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <p><a href="/index.htm"><img src="/images/logos/header_omniglot.png" width="600" height="70" alt="Omniglot - the online encyclopedia of writing systems & languages" /></a></p> <ul> <li><a href="/index.htm">Home</a></li> <li><a href="/writing/index.htm">Alphabets</a></li> <li><a href="/conscripts/index.htm">Constructed scripts</a></li> <li><a href="/writing/languages.htm">Languages</a></li> <li><a href="/language/phrases/phraseindex.htm">Phrases</a></li> <li><a href="/language/numbers/index.htm">Numbers</a></li> <li><a href="/language/ml.htm">Multilingual Pages</a></li> <li><a href="/search.htm">Search</a></li> <li><a href="/news/index.htm">News</a></li> <li><a href="/about.htm">About</a></li> <li><a href="/contact.htm">Contact</a></li> </ul></div> <div id="bodybox"> <span style="text-align:center;"><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-162"></div> <script> ezstandalone.cmd.push(function() { ezstandalone.showAds(162); }); </script></span><div id="body"> <h1>Wolof (wolof)</h1> <p>Wolof is a member of the Senegambian branch of the Niger-Congo language family with about 7 million speakers in Senegal, France, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Mauritania. Wolof is one of the six national languages of Senegal (<em>Senegaal</em> / <span dir="rtl">سِنِڭَالْ</span>), along with Serer, Mandinka, Pulaar, Diola and Soninke. </p> <p>Wolof was first written with a version of the <a href="#wolofal">Arabic script</a> known as Wolofal, which is still used by many older men in Senegal. The Wolof orthography using the <a href="#latin">Latin alphabet</a> was standardised in 1974 and is the official script for Wolof in Senegal. </p> <p>Wolof is also sometimes written with the <a href="#wa">Garay alphabet</a> which was devised by Assane Faye, a Senegalese artist, in 1961. This alphabet is written from right to left and is modelled loosely on the Arabic script. </p> <a id="latin"></a> <h2>Latin alphabet for Wolof</h2> <h2>Wolof (Latin) alphabet</h2> <div id="alphabet"> <table> <th>A a</th> <th>B b</th> <th>C c</th> <th>D d</th> <th>E e </th> <th>Ë ë</th> <th>F f</th> <th>G g</th> <th>I i</th> </tr> <tr> <th>J j</th> <th>K k</th> <th>L l</th> <th>M m</th> <th>N n</th> <th>Ñ ñ</th> <th>Ŋ ŋ</th> <th>O o</th> <th>P p</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Q q</th> <th>R r</th> <th>S s</th> <th>T t</th> <th>U u</th> <th>W w</th> <th>X x</th> <th>Y y</th> <th> </th> </tr> </table> </div> <h2>Wolof pronunciation</h2> <p><img src="../images/writing/wolof.gif" width="596" height="594" alt="Wolof pronunciation" /> </p> <p>Doubled consonants are pronunced with long versions of the sounds above. </p> <a id="wolofal"></a> <h2 style="text-align:right;">Wolofal (Arabic script for Wolof)</h2> <p style="text-align:right;"><img src="../images/writing/wolofal.gif" width="543" height="871" alt="Wolofal (Arabic script for Wolof)" /> </p> <a id="wa"></a> <h2 style="text-align:right;">Garay alphabet</h2> <p style="text-align:right;"><img src="../images/writing/wolof_faye.gif" width="594" height="540" alt="Garay alphabet" /> </p> <p>The order of the letters and their transcription is based on the Wolof alphabet chart in <em>Afrikan Alphabets</em> by Saki Mafundikwa. Each consonant has two forms, though how these are used is not explained. </p> <h2>Sample text in the Latin alphabet</h2> <p>Doomi aadama yépp danuy juddu, yam ci tawfeex ci sag ak sañ-sañ. Nekk na it ku xam dëgg te ànd na ak xelam, te war naa jëflante ak nawleen, te teg ko ci wàllu mbokk. </p> <p><a href="../soundfiles/udhr/udhr_wo.mp3">A recording of this text by Wally Seye</a> </p> <p><audio controls> <source src="../soundfiles/udhr/udhr_wo.mp3" type="audio/mpeg"/> <embed height="50" width="100" src="../soundfiles/udhr/udhr_wo.mp3"/> </audio> </p> <h2 style="text-align:right;">Sample text in the Wolofal alphabet</h2> <p style="text-align:right;"><img src="../images/langsamples/udhr_wolofal.gif" width="600" height="71" alt="دٔومِ آدَمَ يٖپّ دَنُي جُدُّ، يَم ݖِ تَوفٕيخ ݖِ سَگ اَك سَݧ-سَݧ؞ نٕكّ نَ اِت كُ خَم دٞگّ تٕ ٚند نَ اَك خٕلَم، تٕ وَر نَا جٞفلَنتٕ اَك نَولٕين، تٕ تٕگ كٔ ݖِ وٚلُّ مبٔكّ؞" title="Sample text in the Wolofal alphabet" /> </p> <p><em>Michael Peter Füstumum provided the Wolofal sample text and corrections to the Wolofal chart</em> </p> <h2 style="text-align:right;">Sample text in the Garay alphabet</h2> <p style="text-align:right;"><img src="../images/langsamples/udhr_garay.gif" width="600" height="209" alt="Sample text in the Garay alphabet" /> </p> <p style="text-align:right;"><em>Source: <a href="http://www.skyknowledge.com/garay.htm">http://www.skyknowledge.com/garay.htm</a></em> </p> <h3>Translation</h3> <p>All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. <br /> <em>(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)</em> </p> <h2>Sample video in Wolof</h2> <div class="intrinsic-container intrinsic-container-16x9"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tkMujSf5Djo" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> <p class="info"><a href="/writing/wolof.htm">Information about Wolof</a> | <a href="/language/phrases/wolof.php">Phrases</a> | <a href="/language/numbers/wolof.htm">Numbers</a> | <a href="/babel/wolof.htm">Tower of Babel</a></p> <h2>Links</h2> <p>Information about the Wolof language and alphabets<br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolof_language">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolof_language</a><br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolofal_script">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolofal_script</a><br /> <a href="http://wolofresources.org/language/wolof_language_guide.htm">http://wolofresources.org/language/wolof_language_guide.htm</a><br /> <a href="http://paul-timothy.net/pages/">http://paul-timothy.net/pages/</a><br /> <a href="http://cvi2.org/paul-timothy/pages/ajamisenegal/wolofal_orthography_harmattan_26-aug-2015_a4.pdf">http://cvi2.org/paul-timothy/pages/ajamisenegal/wolofal_orthography_harmattan_26-aug-2015_a4.pdf</a><br /> <a href="http://cvi2.org/paul-timothy/pages/wolof/wolofal/primer/je_sais_le_wolofal_8-oct-2011_a4.pdf">http://cvi2.org/paul-timothy/pages/wolof/wolofal/primer/je_sais_le_wolofal_8-oct-2011_a4.pdf</a> </p> <p>The Wolof people of Senegal - includes information about Wolof culture and language: <a href="http://www.bcconline.org/wolof/">http://www.bcconline.org/wolof/</a> </p> <p>Online Wolof lessons<br /> <a href="http://www.wolofonline.com/">http://www.wolofonline.com</a><br /> <a href="http://www.chez.com/afroweb/wolo_frm.htm">http://www.chez.com/afroweb/wolo_frm.htm</a></p> <p>Wolof phrases<br /> <a href="http://jangawolof.wordpress.com/2007/12/30/some-essential-wolof-phrases/">http://jangawolof.wordpress.com/2007/12/30/some-essential-wolof-phrases/</a><br /> <a href="http://quizlet.com/1645140/wolof-greetings-phrases-flash-cards/">http://quizlet.com/1645140/wolof-greetings-phrases-flash-cards/</a><br /> <a href="http://www.accessgambia.com/information/traditional-phrases.html">http://www.accessgambia.com/information/traditional-phrases.html</a></p> <h2>Senegambian languages</h2> <p><a href="/writing/adamaua.htm">Adamaua Fulfulde</a>, <a href="/writing/bassari.htm">Bassari</a>, <a href="/writing/fula.htm">Fula(ni)</a>, <a href="/writing/menik.htm">Ménik</a>, <a href="/writing/serer.htm">Serer</a>, <a href="/writing/wolof.htm">Wolof</a></p> <p><a href="/writing/langalph.htm#latin">Languages written with the Latin alphabet</a> </p><p><em>Page last modified: 05.03.22</em> </p> <p class="right"><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cdnjs.buymeacoffee.com/1.0.0/button.prod.min.js" data-name="bmc-button" data-slug="omniglot" data-color="#FFDD00" data-emoji="" data-font="Cookie" data-text="Buy me a coffee" data-outline-color="#000000" data-font-color="#000000" data-coffee-color="#ffffff"></script> </p> <p class="right">[<a href="#top">top</a>] </p> <hr /> <div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-171"></div> <script> ezstandalone.cmd.push(function() { ezstandalone.showAds(171); }); </script> <p><a href="http://my.kualo.com/uk/go/00572"><img src="https://images.kualo.com/rewards/greenhosting-light.gif" width="162" height="62" class="rightfloat" alt="Green Web Hosting - Kualo"/></a> </p> <p>You can support this site by <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/omniglot">Buying Me A Coffee</a>, and if you like what you see on this page, you can use the buttons below to share it with people you know. </p>  <div class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 a2a_default_style"> <a class="a2a_dd" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share"></a> <a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a> <a class="a2a_button_bluesky"></a> <a class="a2a_button_threads"></a> <a class="a2a_button_mastodon"></a> <a class="a2a_button_copy_link"></a> </div> <script defer src="https://static.addtoany.com/menu/page.js"></script>  <p> </p> <a href="https://www.gymglish.com/partner/omniglot/61427" target="_blank"><img src="/images/banners/banner_gymglish.jpg" width="630" height="90" alt="Learn a Language with gymglish" /></a><p>If you like this site and find it useful, you can support it by making a donation via <a href="https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=7ZJDTZECMH3SJ">PayPal</a> or <a href="https://www.patreon.com/omniglot">Patreon</a>, or by <a href="/donations.htm">contributing in other ways</a>. 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