The charts below show the way in which the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) represents Wolof pronunciations in Wikipedia articles.[1] For a guide to adding IPA characters to Wikipedia articles, see Template:IPA and Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Pronunciation § Entering IPA characters.
 | This is the pronunciation key for IPA transcriptions of Wolof on Wikipedia.It provides a set of symbols to represent the pronunciation of Wolof in Wikipedia articles, and example words that illustrate the sounds that correspond to them. Integrity must be maintained between the key and the transcriptions that link here; do not change any symbol or value without establishing consensus on the talk page first. | |
See Wolof phonology for a less thorough look at the sounds of Wolof.
More information Consonants, IPA ...
| Consonants |
|---|
| IPA |
Examples |
English approximation |
| b |
feebar |
beet |
| p̚ |
xob |
tub |
| bˑ |
jubbanti |
beet |
| bˑᵊ |
mbubb |
beet |
| c |
caabi |
chat |
| cˑʰ |
racctal |
chat |
| d̺ |
raadu |
duck |
| d̺ˑ |
kuddu |
duck |
| d̺ˑᵊ |
gudd |
duck |
| f |
fetal |
four |
| ɡ |
garab |
game |
| k̚ |
jasig |
bag |
| ɡˑ |
àggale |
game |
| ɡˑᵊ |
digg |
game |
| ɟ |
léjum |
jump |
| c̚ |
xaj |
badge |
| ɟˑʱ |
béjjén |
jump |
| k |
seku |
kick |
| kˑ |
bakkan |
kick |
| kˑʰ |
ëkk |
kick |
| l |
xaalis |
love |
| ɫ |
armeel |
ball |
| lː |
jullit |
love |
| ɫːᵊ |
sàll |
ball |
| m |
baaraam |
meet |
| mː |
bàmmeel |
meet |
| mːᵊ |
sàmm |
meet |
| ᵐb |
mboq |
similar to samba |
| ᵐbᵊ |
demb |
similar to samba |
| ᵐp |
dompat |
similar to pamper |
| ᵐpʰ |
samp |
similar to pamper |
| n̪̺ |
néeg |
not |
| n̪̺ˑ |
junni |
not |
| n̪̺ˑᵊ |
bënn |
not |
| ᶮc |
conco |
similar to bench |
| ᶮcʰ |
pénc |
similar to bench |
| ⁿd̺ |
ndaa |
similar to sand |
| ⁿd̺ᵊ |
pënd |
similar to sand |
| ᵑɡ |
jàngal |
long |
| ᵑɡᵊ |
song |
long |
| ᶮɟ |
junjuŋ |
similar to banjo |
| ᶮɟᵊ |
jànj |
similar to banjo |
| ᵑk |
ponkal |
similar to bank |
| ᵑkʰ |
tànk |
similar to bank |
| ᶰq |
sanqal |
similar to bank but harsher |
| ᶰqʰ |
janq |
similar to bank but harsher |
| ⁿt̺ |
santaane |
similar to banter |
| ⁿt̺ʰ |
bunt |
similar to banter |
| ɲ |
ñey |
similar to onion |
| ɲː |
wàññi |
similar to onion |
| ɲːᵊ |
waññ |
similar to onion |
| ŋ |
ŋëb |
long |
| ŋː |
waŋŋeetu |
long |
| ŋːᵊ |
doŋŋ |
long |
| p |
paaka |
pizza |
| pˑ |
koppin |
pizza |
| pˑʰ |
bopp |
pizza |
| qˑ |
bëqët |
cat but "harsher" |
| qˑʰ |
mboq |
back but "harsher" |
| ɾ |
reen |
GA better |
| r |
jérr |
rolled r |
| s |
sas |
sock |
| t̺ |
tànk |
tall |
| t̺ˑ |
butti |
tall |
| t̺ˑʰ |
matt |
tall |
| w |
wéer |
wait |
| wː |
tawwi |
wait |
| x |
xam[a] |
hat but "harsher" |
| j |
yaay |
you |
| jː |
guyy |
you |
| Marginal/Loaned sounds |
| ä̃ |
sãs[b] |
French sans |
| ɘː |
bëer[b] |
bird |
| h |
haj[c] |
hat |
| ʃ |
chuppome[d] |
ship |
| v |
vaniiy[c] |
vit |
| z |
zero[c] |
zip |
| ʒ |
jhilé[d] |
measure |
| Stress |
| ˈ |
TBA [ˈTBA]
TBA [ˈTBA] |
as in commandeer
/ˌkɒmənˈdiər/ |
| ˌ |
|
| Vowels |
|---|
| IPA |
Examples |
English approximation |
| Monophthongs |
| ɐ |
lal |
similar to cat |
| aː |
aada |
similar to father |
| a |
dàll[e] |
British cat; somewhat like cut in other dialects. |
| ä̃ |
see Marginal/Loaned sounds. |
French sans |
| ɛ |
dem |
met |
| ɛː |
reer |
similar to square |
| e |
dég |
similar to met |
| eː |
téeñ |
square |
| ɘ |
kër |
the |
| ɘː |
see Marginal/Loaned sounds. |
bird |
| i |
bukki |
similar to dip |
| iː |
biir |
deep |
| ɔ |
golo |
GA boy |
| ɔː |
woom |
for |
| o |
jóge |
story (short) |
| oː |
bóom |
story (long) |
| u |
ubbi |
similar to foot |
| uː |
buur |
cool |
|
Close
⟨x⟩ ([x]) can alternatively be pronounced [χ], and is even pronounced [ɣ] by some speakers in certain cituations. Found extremely rarely in few words.
Found in loans of various origins.
Found in various french loans in Urban Wolof
In most occurances, ⟨à⟩ [a] is simply an allophone of ⟨a⟩ [ɐ]. However, in few words there is a phonemic contrast. e.g.: ⟨and⟩ (incense pot) [ɐⁿd̺ᵊ] vs ⟨ànd⟩ (to accompany) [aⁿd̺ᵊ], or ⟨xamb⟩ (to poke a fire) [xɐᵐbᵊ] vs ⟨xàmb⟩ (spirit shrine) [xaᵐbᵊ].
