Beauty & Grooming

1. Dama bëgg watu.

   I'd like a haircut.

   Usage

   Requesting a haircut at a salon

   Grammar Note

   "watu" is the intransitive verb "to get one's hair cut"; the noun for a haircut is "wateef" and hair is "karaw". "set" means "to be clean" and "reer" means "supper", so neither can stand for "hair" or "to cut"

2. Watal ma tuuti rekk — bu bari lool.

   Just a trim, please — don't cut too much.

   Usage

   Requesting only a small trim

   Grammar Note

   "wat" is "to cut (someone's) hair"; the benefactive imperative is "watal ma" ("cut it for me"). "tuuti" is "a little", "rekk" is "only", and "bu" is the negative subjunctive ("let it not be…"). Note: "reer" means "supper" and "ci kanam" means "in front / ahead" — neither can express "just a trim"

3. Dama bëgg tiimb sama karaw ak [rëdd].

   I'd like to dye my hair [color].

   Usage

   Requesting hair coloring

   Grammar Note

   "tiimb" = to dye. Replace [rëdd] with desired color

4. Mën naa xool album coifure bi?

   Can I look at a hairstyle book?

   Usage

   Requesting to see a hairstyle catalog

   Grammar Note

   "Mën naa ...?" = Can I ...?

5. Dama bëgg raxas sama karaw ak brushing.

   I'd like a shampoo and blow-dry.

   Usage

   Requesting shampoo and blow-dry service

   Grammar Note

   "raxas" = to wash. "brushing" is the French word for blow-dry, used as a loanword in Senegalese salons. "set" means "to be clean" and does not mean hair or washing

6. Am ngeen nail art?

   Do you offer nail art?

   Usage

   Asking if nail art services are available

   Grammar Note

   "Am ngeen ...?" = Do you have/offer ...? "nail art" is a loanword. "téere" means book and "rafetul" means not beautiful

7. Ñaata la?

   How much does this cost?

   Usage

   Asking the price of a beauty service

   Grammar Note

   "Ñaata la?" = How much is it? (the standard way to ask a price). "Nawa ne" and "farashi" are Hausa, not Wolof

8. Ñaata waxtu la di yàgg?

   How long will it take?

   Usage

   Asking how long a service will take

   Grammar Note

   "Ñaata waxtu la ... di yàgg?" = How many hours does it take? "fukk" means ten, so "fukki waxt" would be "ten hours"

9. Dama bëgg soin du visage.

   I'd like a facial / skin treatment.

   Usage

   Requesting facial treatment

   Grammar Note

   French loanword "soin du visage" = facial care

10. Sama karaw gi dafa buklé / jub / sew.

    My hair is curly / straight / fine.

    Usage

    Describing your hair type to a stylist

    Grammar Note

    Hair is "karaw" ("hair — single strand or head of hair"; noun class g, so the article is "gi"). Stative verbs form the predicate directly with "dafa". "buklé" means "to be curly (of hair, for instance)", "jub" is "to be straight", and "sew" is "to be thin" (example "ceeb bu sew"). Note: these are different words — "set" = "to be clean", "rëér (réér)" = "to get lost / to die", "jëm kanam" = "to progress / to develop", "tëj" = "to close", "sedd" = "to be cold".

11. Neex na ma lool, résultat bi. Jërëjëf.

    I'm very happy with the result — thank you.

    Usage

    Expressing satisfaction after the service

    Grammar Note

    "Neex na ma" = I like it / I am pleased. "Jërëjëf" = thank you in Wolof. "jàng" means to learn or read, not "satisfied"

12. Mën nga ma defal sama yéén?

    Can you shape / thread my eyebrows?

    Usage

    Requesting eyebrow shaping

    Grammar Note

    "defal" is the benefactive "to do for (someone)" and takes the object "ma" ("for me"). Eyebrow is "yéén". Do not use "xoox": it means "seed" and, in slang, "hard drugs"

13. Ndax war naa am rendez-vous balaa may ñëw?

    Do I need to make an appointment?

    Usage

    Asking if an advance appointment is required

    Grammar Note

    "Rendez-vous" is a French loanword for an appointment. "To have to" is the auxiliary "war", the same pattern as "Ndax war naa soppi kaar?". "Before" a future event is "balaa" plus the imperfective "di" (example: "Lekkal balaa ngay dem." = "Eat before you go."), and "ma" + "di" contracts to "may". Note: "ci kanam" means "later / in a while" — the opposite direction in time

14. Mën nga watal ma sama mbëy itam?

    Can you also trim my beard?

    Usage

    Requesting beard trimming in addition to haircut

    Grammar Note

    "watal ma" = cut for me. "itam" = also/too (additive adverb). "reer" means supper, not trim

15. Dama bëgg massage ci bopp bi.

    I'd like a scalp massage.

    Usage

    Requesting a scalp massage at the salon

    Grammar Note

    "bopp bi" = the head. "massage" = French loanword. "penc" means a public square (village meeting place), not scalp

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