Martial Arts

1. Fan la làmb bi di am tey?

   Where is the wrestling being held today?

   Usage

   Lamb, Senegalese wrestling, is the national sport and outdraws football. Big bouts take place at the Arène Nationale in Pikine outside Dakar or at Stade Demba Diop, usually on dry-season Sunday afternoons

   Grammar Note

   "Fan la ...?" is a focus construction: the question word comes first, followed by the copula "la". The auxiliary "di" marks future or ongoing action

2. Dama bëgg jënd tiket làmb bi.

   I want to buy a ticket for the wrestling

   Usage

   Tickets are usually bought on the day at the gate or from vendors outside. Prices range widely from cheap standing areas to seats near the ring, depending on how big the card is. Marquee bouts sell out early

   Grammar Note

   "Dama + verb" is the verb-focus construction meaning "what I do is ...". After "bëgg" (to want) the second verb simply follows in its bare form

3. Tiket bi ñaata la?

   How much is the ticket?

   Usage

   The currency is the CFA franc. A small provincial bout may cost a few thousand francs, while a headline fight in Dakar can run to tens of thousands. Cash only in most cases, so bring small notes

   Grammar Note

   "Bi" is a proximal definite article placed after the noun. Wolof articles vary with the noun class: bi, gi, ji, mi and so on

4. Kañ la làmb bi di tàmbali?

   What time does the wrestling start?

   Usage

   Events almost never start at the announced time. A long undercard of young wrestlers comes first and the main bout lands in the late afternoon or evening. Arriving an hour or two after the stated time is usually fine

   Grammar Note

   Like "fan", the question word "kañ" fronts and takes the copula "la". All Wolof wh-questions use this focus construction

5. Ñan mbër moo gën a am doole?

   Which wrestler is the strongest?

   Usage

   A wrestler is an "mbër", and the top names are national celebrities who appear in television advertising. Ask a local this and you will get an animated answer, which makes it a good icebreaker at the arena

   Grammar Note

   "Gën a + verb" forms comparatives and superlatives. "Am doole" literally means "to have strength" and is the fixed way of saying "to be strong"

6. Làmb ji ak lutte simple, lu leen wuute?

   What is the difference between lamb with strikes and plain wrestling?

   Usage

   Senegalese wrestling comes in two forms: "lamb ji" (lutte avec frappe), which allows bare-fist striking, and "lutte simple", pure grappling. The latter is the international competition form; the former is the crowd-pulling spectacle. A bout ends the moment an opponent's back, buttocks or both hands touch the ground

   Grammar Note

   "Lu" is the interrogative pronoun "what", "leen" the third-person plural object pronoun "them", and "wuute" the verb "to differ"

7. Man, dama bëgg jàng bëre.

   I would like to learn wrestling

   Usage

   "Bëre" is the verb "to wrestle". Dakar and Thiès have training stables known as "écuries", and their dawn sessions on the beach are open to onlookers. Foreigners rarely join as full members

   Grammar Note

   Fronting the independent pronoun "man" adds topical emphasis before the ordinary "dama ..." clause. Wolof verbs can also serve directly as nouns

8. Mën naa seetaan bu ñuy tàggat?

   May I watch the training session?

   Usage

   Wrestlers train at dawn on the beach with running, grappling in the sand and tyre-dragging. Watching is generally welcomed, but ask first. Photography needs separate permission and a small tip is sometimes expected

   Grammar Note

   "Mën naa" is the perfective of "to be able" and doubles as a way of asking permission. "Bu ñuy ..." introduces a subordinate clause meaning "while they are ..."

9. Musuma bëre.

   I have never wrestled

   Usage

   The line for declaring you are a beginner. Wrestling happens on sand so falls are soft, but a stronger opponent will put you down instantly. Saying this first means they will take it easy with you

   Grammar Note

   "Mus" means "to have ever done", and with the negative "-u" plus the first-person "-ma" it becomes "musuma" (I have never). The following verb attaches directly

10. Ndank ndank, su la neexee.

    Gently please, if you would

    Usage

    "Ndank ndank" means slowly, little by little, and is known from the proverb "Ndank ndank mooy japp golo ci ñaay" — step by step is how you catch the monkey in the bush. It carries a sense of patient steadiness

    Grammar Note

    Reduplication is a common Wolof device for emphasis or continuity. "Su la neexee" literally means "if it is pleasant to you" and is the standard polite request formula

11. Sama tànk dafa metti.

    My leg is hurting

    Usage

    Say this before training begins. Swap "tànk" (leg) for "loxo" (hand), "gannaaw" (back) or "bopp" (head). Training on sand is hard on ankles, so declare any old injury

    Grammar Note

    "Dafa" is the third-person singular verb-focus marker used for describing states or reasons. Possession is shown by placing "sama" (my) before the noun

12. Ñaata laa war a fey ci bés bu nekk?

    How much should I pay per day?

    Usage

    Modern boxing and judo gyms in Dakar normally charge monthly, but many will quote a daily rate for a visitor. Traditional écuries have no price list; contributions are usually made as a donation or towards food

    Grammar Note

    "War a + verb" expresses obligation. "Bu nekk" builds distributive expressions: "at bu nekk" (every year), "waxtu bu nekk" (every hour)

13. Am na fu ñuy sangoo fii?

    Is there somewhere to wash here?

    Usage

    After a beach session you will be covered in sand. Most people rinse off in the sea, and many venues have no indoor shower at all. Bring your own towel and change of clothes

    Grammar Note

    "Fu" is a locative relativiser introducing "the place where". "Am na" is the perfective existential; a question needs only rising intonation

14. Yëkkatil sa loxo yi, xool bëti sa noon!

    Get your hands up, look your opponent in the eyes!

    Usage

    Said by the coach. In striking-allowed lamb, reading the next move from your opponent's eyes matters greatly. Coaching comes as short imperatives with no rudeness implied

    Grammar Note

    Imperatives are formed by adding "-al" or "-il" to the verb (yëkkati becomes yëkkatil). The plural article "yi" gives "loxo yi", the hands, meaning both of them

15. Bul ragal! Dóoral ak sa doole bépp!

    Do not be afraid! Strike with all your strength!

    Usage

    Said by the coach. Before a lamb bout wrestlers undergo rituals overseen by a marabout — milk poured over the body, protective amulets bound to the arm — and the mental side is taken very seriously. The coach's shout belongs to that same tradition

    Grammar Note

    Prohibition uses "bul + verb". "Bépp" is a universal quantifier following the noun, and changes with noun class: bépp, gépp, jépp and so on

16. Noppaluleen juróomi simili, naanleen ndox.

    Rest for five minutes and drink water

    Usage

    Said by the coach. Dakar tops thirty degrees even in the dry season and beach training drains you fast. Bring your own water, or buy the sachets of drinking water sold from stalls

    Grammar Note

    Plural imperatives take the suffix "-leen". Wolof counts in fives: "juróom" (5) plus one gives "juróom-benn" (6), plus two "juróom-ñaar" (7)

17. Tey ba fii la. Def ngeen lu baax!

    That is it for today. You did well!

    Usage

    The coach's closing line. Sessions end with everyone forming a circle to greet one another, shaking hands starting with the eldest. Answer with "jërëjëf" (thank you)

    Grammar Note

    "Ba" is the preposition "until", combining with "fii" (here) to mean "up to this point". "Ngeen" is the second-person plural perfective subject pronoun

18. Jërëjëf, dinaa ñëw ëllëg.

    Thank you, I will come again tomorrow

    Usage

    The parting line. Extended greetings are the foundation of relationships in Senegal, and once they know your name the welcome changes completely on your next visit. The reply to "jërëjëf" is "ñoo ko bokk" (you are welcome)

    Grammar Note

    The future is carried by conjugated forms — "dinaa" (I), "dinga" (you), "dina" (he/she) — followed by the bare verb

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