Sports & Activities

1. Foo nekk stade bi?

   Where is the stadium?

   Usage

   Asking for the location of the stadium

   Grammar Note

   "Foo nekk" is the basic expression for asking a location. "bi" is the definite article

2. Kañ lañuy jëf match bi tey?

   What time is today's match?

   Usage

   Asking what time the match starts today

   Grammar Note

   "Kañ" is the interrogative for time. "lañuy jëf" means "will take place"

3. Dama bëgg jënd tikë yi.

   I want to buy tickets.

   Usage

   Expressing the desire to buy tickets

   Grammar Note

   "Dama bëgg + verb" means "I want to". "yi" is the plural definite article

4. Ban ekip moo gëna am doole?

   Which team is the strongest?

   Usage

   Asking which team is the best/strongest

   Grammar Note

   The superlative is "gëna + predicate". "Gëna am doole" ("to have more strength") appears verbatim — "MPLA mooy pàrti bi gëna am doole" ("the MPLA is the most powerful party"). "Doole" = strength. "Which" is "ban" (example "Ban tali mooy dem … ?" = "Which road leads to …?"). "Moo" is the third-person subject focus. "Ekip" is the French loan "équipe"; the genitive appears as "ekipu gëstukat, ekonomist ak njiiti liggéey" ("a team of researchers, economists and work leaders"). Note: "Yàlla" does not mean "which" — it means "God".

5. Am na salle de sport fi?

   Is there a sports gym here?

   Usage

   Asking if there is a gym nearby

   Grammar Note

   "Am na" expresses existence. "fi" is a locative adverb meaning "here"

6. Nanu dem jëf football ak yow?

   Shall we play football together?

   Usage

   Inviting someone to play football together

   Grammar Note

   "Nanu dem + verb" is a suggestion meaning "let's go do something together"

7. Nanu dem feey.

   Let's go swimming.

   Usage

   Suggesting to go swimming together

   Grammar Note

   "To swim" is "feey" (glossed "Nager"). It is also used of floating in water — "ay gaal yu mag ñuy tëmb (feey) ci kaw géej" ("large ships float on the sea"), "weñ du feey" ("iron does not float"). "Nanu dem + verb" means "let's go and do it together".

8. Foo nekk yoon bu ñuy daw?

   Where is the running track?

   Usage

   Asking for the location of a running route

   Grammar Note

   "yoon" means "path/route", and "bu ñuy daw" is a relative clause "where people run" (same construction as "bu ñuy noyyi"). "Daw" is to run

9. Foo nekk boutik jumtukaay yi?

   Where is the sports equipment store?

   Usage

   Asking for directions to a sports store

   Grammar Note

   "jumtukaay" is the general Wolof word for tools / equipment. This sentence has no word for "sports"; that it is a sports shop comes from context

10. Ana xët bi match bi tey?

    What was the result of today's match?

    Usage

    Asking about the score or outcome of today's match

    Grammar Note

    "Ana" is a Wolof interrogative for asking about a result or piece of information

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