Massage & Spa

1. Bëgg naa massage complet

   I would like a full body massage

   Usage

   Used to request a full body massage at a spa or massage parlour

   Grammar Note

   "massage" is borrowed from French. Senegalese spas and shea butter treatments are popular for wellness.

2. Ñaata waxtu la massage bi di yàgg?

   How long will it take?

   Usage

   Used to ask the duration of a massage session

   Grammar Note

   "To last / to take a long time" is "yàgg", used of temporal length — "Ab diir bu yàgg" ("a long period"), "Bi yàgg a dem" ("long afterwards"), "Jamono ju yàgg ja" ("the ancient period"). "Ñaata" ("how many") is an interrogative, and the frame "ñaata + noun + la + subject + di + verb" matches "ñaata yoon la xew-xew bi di am" ("how many times does the event occur"). "Waxtu" means "moment, time; hour". Note: the similar-looking word "sore" means "far" and is a distance word, not a duration one; and "gannaaw" means "behind / after", not "period".

3. Dafa dëgër lool. Wàññil ko tuuti.

   It is too hard/strong. Please soften it a bit.

   Usage

   Used to tell the therapist the pressure is too strong during a massage

   Grammar Note

   "dëgër" means "hard / strong". "Wàññil ko" = "ease it / reduce it" and "tuuti" = "a little". Note: "tang" means "hot", not "hard / strong"

4. Dafa neex lool — maa ngi noppalu

   It feels very good — I am relaxing

   Usage

   Used to tell the therapist you are enjoying and relaxing

   Grammar Note

   "neex" is versatile meaning "tasty/good/pleasant". "noppalu" means "to rest".

5. Jërejëf — danga ligéey bu baax

   Thank you — you did excellent work

   Usage

   Used to thank the therapist after a massage session

   Grammar Note

   "ligéey" means "work/to work" in Wolof. "bu baax" is an adjective phrase meaning "good/excellent".

6. Am nga karit ci buri?

   Do you have shea butter?

   Usage

   Used to request shea butter, a traditional Senegalese massage and skincare product

   Grammar Note

   Shea butter (karite) is a West African moisturizer used widely in Senegalese traditional body care

7. Bëgg naa massage sama épaule yi

   Please massage my shoulders

   Usage

   Used to request a shoulder massage specifically

   Grammar Note

   "épaule" (shoulder) is a French loan. "sama" is the first person possessive "my". Note: "tëj" means "to close", not "massage"

8. Dafa sedd lool — tàngal ko, su la neexee

   It is very cold — please warm it up

   Usage

   Used to tell the therapist that the oil or massage tools feel too cold

   Grammar Note

   "Sedd" is the verb "to be cold" (Sedd bi dafa yàgg = "The cold has lasted a long time"). "Tàngal" is the causative of "tàng" ("to be hot") and means "to heat". The imperative takes "-al", followed by the object pronoun "ko" ("it")

9. Massage bi di yàgg ñaata simili?

   How many minutes does the session last?

   Usage

   Used to check the duration of a massage session in minutes

   Grammar Note

   "di yàgg" = "takes time", "simili" = "minute". "Ñaata" asks for a number. Note: "gannaaw" means "back / behind", not duration, and "fukk yoon" means "10 times", not "10 minutes"

10. Taxawal fii, su la neexee — maa ngi soppi

    Please stop here — I'm going to change

    Usage

    Used to signal the end of a massage and that you are getting dressed

    Grammar Note

    "Soppi" means "to change / to modify". "To stop" is "taxaw" ("Arrêter / Se tenir debout"), and its imperative adds -al, giving "taxawal" — the same formation as "Xaaral" and "Waxal"

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