Accessibility

1. Ndax mën naa dugg fii ak fauteuil roulant?

   Is this place wheelchair accessible?

   Usage

   Used to ask if a location can be accessed by wheelchair

   Grammar Note

   "Ndax" is the particle that introduces yes/no questions. "Dugg" is the verb "to enter" (Dugg na fa. = "He went in there"). Wolof has no native word for wheelchair, so the French term "fauteuil roulant" — the one actually used in Senegal — is kept. Note that "jabar" means "wife" and cannot mean wheelchair

2. Ndax lift am na fi?

   Do you have an elevator / lift?

   Usage

   Used when asking if an elevator is available

   Grammar Note

   "am na" is the Wolof expression for "there is/have"

3. Soxlo naa néeg. Ndax fauteuil roulant mën na fa dugg?

   I need a room with accessibility features.

   Usage

   Used when requesting an accessible room at a hotel

   Grammar Note

   "Soxlo" (variants soxla / soxle) is the verb "to need"; it must not be confused with "soxor" ("to be mean, cruel"). Two short sentences carry better than one long modifier chain. "Fa" is the far locative ("there")

4. Ndax ramp walla bunt bu amul paliye am na?

   Is there a ramp or step-free entrance?

   Usage

   Used when asking about ramp or barrier-free entry

   Grammar Note

   "walla" is the Wolof conjunction meaning "or"

5. Fan la wanag wi nekk? Ndax fauteuil roulant mën na fa dugg?

   Where is the accessible restroom?

   Usage

   Used when asking for the location of an accessible restroom

   Grammar Note

   The standard "where is …" frame is "Fan la … nekk?". The word for toilet is "wanag", a class-w noun, so it takes "wi" and not "bi". "Bantigal" is not a Wolof word

6. Gisuma bu baax — ndax mën nga ma dimbali?

   I am visually impaired — can you help me?

   Usage

   Used when disclosing visual impairment and requesting assistance

   Grammar Note

   "Gis" ("to see") plus the first-person singular negative suffix "-uma" gives "gisuma" ("I don't see"), the same pattern as "Laajuma la!" ("I didn't ask you"). "Bu baax" means "well". Note that "xam-xam" means "knowledge": describing a visual impairment as "little knowledge" is both wrong and offensive

7. Ndax am ngeen carte bu am araf yu mag?

   Do you have large-print menus?

   Usage

   Used when requesting a large-print menu for low vision

   Grammar Note

   "am ngeen" means "do you (pl.) have". "araf" means letter/character and "mag" means big

8. Ndax am na audio guide?

   Are there audio guides available?

   Usage

   Used when asking about audio guide availability at attractions

   Grammar Note

   "Ndax am na X?" means "Is there X?". "audio guide" is a loanword from French/English

9. Damay jëfandikoo appareil auditif — waxal bu leer, su la neexee.

   I use a hearing aid — please speak clearly.

   Usage

   Used to inform others of hearing aid use and request clear speech

   Grammar Note

   Wolof has no native term for a hearing aid; in Senegal the French "appareil auditif" is used. "Leer" means "bright, clear", and "bu leer" is formed like "bu baax" ("well"). Note that "set" means "to be clean", not "clearly". The polite "please" is "su la neexee"

10. Ndax mën naa dugg ak sama xaj buy ma dimbali?

    Can I bring my service/guide dog?

    Usage

    Used when asking permission to bring a service or guide dog

    Grammar Note

    A dog is "xaj". "Buy" is the class-b relative "bu" plus the imperfective "y", introducing a habitual relative clause — the same pattern as the "biir buy daw" ("a belly that runs", i.e. diarrhoea). Note that "jaay" means "to sell" and cannot mean a service dog. Senegal is predominantly Muslim and many premises do not admit dogs indoors, so always ask first

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