Oto
Car
Usage
From French "auto" — any car
Taksi
Taxi
Usage
The yellow Dakar taxis — meters go unused, so agree the fare first
Kaar
Bus / coach
Usage
From French "car" — the intercity coaches
Car rapide
Car rapide (blue-and-yellow minibus)
Usage
The blue-and-yellow minibus that symbolised Dakar — not actually rapid. The conductor bangs the body to signal
Ndiaga Ndiaye
Ndiaga Ndiaye (white minibus)
Usage
The white mid-size minibus, named after the transporter who first brought them in — mostly intercity
Tata
Tata (blue city bus)
Usage
The blue city buses of Dakar, named after their Indian maker Tata — you pay on boarding
Dakar Dem Dikk
Dakar Dem Dikk (public bus)
Usage
The public bus company — Wolof for "Dakar, go and return". Fixed routes and stops make it the easy option
Sept-places
Sept-places (seven-seat bush taxi)
Usage
The intercity shared taxi — an old seven-seat Peugeot that leaves once full. This is the usual Senegalese name
Taxi-brousse
Taxi-brousse (bush taxi)
Usage
The general West African term for a rural shared vehicle — in Senegal "sept-places" is more usual
TER
TER (Dakar regional express train)
Usage
The regional express linking central Dakar with Diamniadio out towards the new airport — it beats the traffic
Moto Jakarta
Jakarta (motorcycle taxi)
Usage
The motorcycle taxi of regional towns, nicknamed "Jakarta" after the cheap Asian bikes used — not seen in central Dakar
Moto
Motorcycle
Usage
The machine itself — the taxi service is "moto Jakarta"
Welo
Bicycle
Usage
From French "vélo"
Sarret
Sarret (horse cart)
Usage
From French "charrette" — the horse or donkey cart still working in villages and town outskirts
Gaal
Pirogue (wooden boat)
Usage
The brightly painted wooden fishing boat lining the beaches at Saint-Louis and Joal — also used as a ferry
Chaloupe
Chaloupe (Gorée ferry)
Usage
The scheduled boat from Dakar port to Gorée Island — nearly every visitor takes it once
Awiyoŋ
Airplane
Usage
From French "avion" — it ends in ŋ (U+014B), a different letter from ñ
Kamiyoŋ
Truck
Usage
From French "camion" — it ends in ŋ (U+014B)
More Wolof phrases
- Basic Words
- Basic Nouns
- Basic Verbs
- Adjectives
- Question Words
- Greetings
- Food & Drinks
- Transportation
- Shopping
- Numbers
- Hotel
- Emergency
- Sightseeing
- Flirting
- Nightlife
- Massage & Spa
- Compliments
- Contacts & SNS
- Beach & Activities
- Places & Areas
- Useful Phrases
- Airport & Customs
- Weather & Climate
- Pharmacy & Health
- Directions
- Money & Exchange
- Health & Hospital
- Internet & WiFi
- Nature & Outdoors
- Religion & Temples
- Café & Drinks
- Schedule & Booking
- Culture & Etiquette
- Traveling with Kids
- Sports & Activities
- Public Transport
- Accommodation
- Banking & ATM
- Visa & Immigration
- Business & Work
- School & Education
- Cooking & Markets
- Music & Entertainment
- Art & Museums
- Festivals & Events
- Photography
- Laundry
- Post Office
- Language Learning
- Dating & Romance
- Dating Apps
- Volunteering
- Accessibility
- Sustainability & Eco
- Fruits
- Colors
- Dietary & Allergies
- Markets & Souvenirs
- Wine & Spirits
- Car Rental & Driving
- Time & Dates
- Hiking & Trekking
- Diving & Water Sports
- Skiing & Winter Sports
- Hot Springs & Baths
- Yoga & Wellness
- Casino & Gambling
- Beauty & Grooming
- Remote Work
- Fashion & Clothing
- Convenience Store
- Martial Arts
- Signs
- Body Parts
- Animals
- Electronics
- Feelings
- Slang
- Local Dishes
- Local Drinks
- Indulgences