Weather & Climate

1. Tangoor la tey

   It's hot today, isn't it?

   Usage

   Common weather conversation opener in Senegal

   Grammar Note

   Wolof is Niger-Congo. "La" is a copula that forms predicative statements

2. Dafa mel ni dina taw

   It looks like it will rain

   Usage

   Used when rain seems likely

   Grammar Note

   "Dafa" is the predicate focus marker. "Mel ni" means "to look like / seem" (Bintë mungi mel ni yaayam = "Bineta is acting like her mother"). "Dina" is the third-person singular future marker. "Soxor" means "to be mean, cruel" and cannot be used for a weather forecast

3. Ngelaw lu mag mi ngi jegesi

   A storm is approaching

   Usage

   Warning when a storm is approaching

   Grammar Note

   "Ngelaw" is wind and "lu mag" is a relative clause meaning "big / strong". "Mi ngi …" marks the present progressive ("is …-ing") and "jegesi" is to come near. Note: "jëkkër" means "husband", not "storm"

4. Sedd na tey

   It's cool today, isn't it?

   Usage

   Used on cool days in Senegal

   Grammar Note

   "Sedd" means cool / cold (as in "ndox mu sedd" = cold water and "Dafa sedd lool" elsewhere in this repository). "Na" marks the state. "Tey" is today

5. Wax ma prévisyon meteo bi, su la neexee

   Please tell me the weather forecast

   Usage

   Ask about the weather forecast

   Grammar Note

   French loanwords "prévisyon" (forecast) and "meteo" (meteorology) are integrated into Wolof. "Wax ma …" = "tell me …" (same shape as "Wax ma ko" in the Basic Verbs category); politeness is added with "su la neexee". Note: "jëfandikoo" means "to use" and "ci kanam" means "ahead / in a while", so neither can mean "tell me the forecast"

6. Ndax soxlo naa crème solaire?

   Do I need sunscreen?

   Usage

   Ask before going out under Senegal's strong sun

   Grammar Note

   French "crème solaire" is used directly; Senegal is a French-speaking country. The verb "to need" is "soxlo" — not "soxor", which means "to be mean, cruel"

7. Ndax soxlo naa parapluie?

   Should I bring an umbrella?

   Usage

   Check whether to bring an umbrella during the rainy season

   Grammar Note

   "Parapluie" is a French loanword; Wolof has borrowed extensively from French. The verb "to need" is "soxlo" — not "soxor", which means "to be mean, cruel"

8. Kañ la saison sèche?

   When is the dry season?

   Usage

   Ask about Senegal's dry season (November–May)

   Grammar Note

   "Saison sèche" is the French expression for dry season used in Wolof contexts

9. Kañ la saison des pluies?

   When is the rainy season?

   Usage

   Ask about Senegal's rainy season (June–October)

   Grammar Note

   "Saison des pluies" is French for "rainy season" — code-switching is common in Wolof

10. Jant bi dafa tangoor lool tey

    The sun is really strong

    Usage

    Describe the intense Senegalese sun

    Grammar Note

    "Dafa" is an emphatic focus marker. "Lool" intensifies the degree of the adjective

11. Taw

    Rain

    Usage

    Point at it when discussing plans or roads; the rainy season (nawet) runs July to October

12. Ngelaw

    Wind

    Usage

    For checking boat crossings and beach plans

    Grammar Note

    The initial ng is a single prenasalised consonant

13. Jant

    Sun

    Usage

    For talking about strong sun or finding shade; it is the sun itself, not the word for "sunny"

14. Niir

    Cloud

    Usage

    Use it while pointing at the sky when talking about the weather

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