Visa & Immigration

1. Foo mën jënd visa bi?

   Where can I get a visa?

   Usage

   Asking where to obtain a visa

   Grammar Note

   "jënd" originally means "to buy" but is also broadly used to mean "to get/obtain"

2. Am na kayitu visa bi?

   Is there a visa application form?

   Usage

   Asking if there is a visa application form available

   Grammar Note

   "Paper / document" is "kayit" ("Le papier"). It covers both the material and documents — "koppar bu kayit" ("paper money"), "bindoon ciw kayit tur wi" ("he had written the name on paper"), "daa rekk lanu ci kayit" ("it is only on paper"). Noun-to-noun possession adds -u to the head noun, as in "Taariixu Aamerig" ("the history of America"), "Koom-koomu Afrig" ("the economy of Africa"), "ekipu gëstukat" ("a team of researchers"). Note: "dëkk" means "to live / village, town", not "to apply".

3. Dama soxlo visa turiste.

   I need a tourist visa.

   Usage

   Stating that a tourist visa is needed

   Grammar Note

   "Soxlo" (variants soxla / soxle) is the verb "to need" (Soxlo naa ko = "I need it"). "Soxor" is a different word meaning "to be mean, cruel". "Visa turiste" follows the French «visa touriste»

4. Mën naa yokk visa bi?

   Can I extend my visa?

   Usage

   Asking if visa extension is possible

   Grammar Note

   "Yokk" means "to add / increase"; adding to the length of stay is how "extend" is expressed. "Mën naa …?" = "can I …?"

5. Foo nekk contrôle bi ak pasepoor?

   Where is the passport control?

   Usage

   Asking where passport control is located

   Grammar Note

   Both "contrôle" and "pasepoor" are borrowed from French "contrôle" and "passeport"

6. Jox ma pasepoor bi.

   Please show me your passport.

   Usage

   Requesting to see a passport

   Grammar Note

   "jox" is a basic Wolof verb meaning "to give/hand over"

7. Dama ñëw ngir tourisme.

   My purpose of stay is tourism.

   Usage

   Declaring that the purpose of your stay is tourism

   Grammar Note

   "Ngir" is the preposition "for / in order to", so "ngir tourisme" = "for tourism". "Tourisme" is a French loanword. Note: "du" is the negative copula ("is not"), not a purpose marker

8. Dinaa dëkk fii ñaari ayu-bés.

   I will stay for two weeks.

   Usage

   Stating the intended length of stay

   Grammar Note

   "Ñaari ayu-bés" = "two weeks" (ñaari = two, ayu-bés = week). "Dinaa dëkk fii" = "I will stay here"

9. Ana kayitu déclarasiyoŋ bi?

   Where is the customs declaration form?

   Usage

   Asking where to find the customs declaration form

   Grammar Note

   "Kayit" is "Le papier" (paper, document), and is also used in the document sense; the genitive is the suffix -u, so "kayitu déclarasiyoŋ" is "the declaration paper". "Ana …?" asks where something is. "déclarasiyoŋ" is borrowed from French "déclaration"

10. Am naa tikë bu dellusi.

    I have a return ticket.

    Usage

    Showing proof of a return ticket

    Grammar Note

    "Dellusi" means "to come back" and "bu dellusi" is a relative clause "that returns". Note: "weeru" is the genitive of "weer" (moon / month), not "return"

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