Language (speaking French)

In Senegal you’ll improve your French, but you’ll also learn some simple phrases and words in Wolof, one of six national languages and is understood by 90 percent of the Senegalese.

French has its roots in Latin and has the same alphabet as English. It differs from English in numerous ways, but two particular differences are the nasal sounds required to speak good French and the presence of silent letters in written form.

Wolof is very distinct from English and French. It is an alphabet consisting of 45 consonants and 18 vowels. It is written phonetically, with only a semi-official method for spelling. There is both a Roman and Arabic alphabet, however, most Senegalese understand the Arabic alphabet better.

Common Phrases

Salamalakoum—Traditional greeting for hello, the Wolof use some Arabic phrases, such as this one, which means “Are you at peace?” The response is always “Yes, I am at peace.”

Nga Deff—Traditional Wolof greeting for “How’s it going?”

C’est Pas Grave—French phrase for, “It’s alright.” For example you would use this phrase if you bumped into someone on the sidewalk and apologized, “excuse me.”