The street
Rue
Nanga def?
How are you?
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
Dakar
Senegal
Dakar stands on a peninsula, with a downtown plateau, a port, and Gorée island just offshore.
How the language is used
French is official in schools and offices. Wolof is the language many people use in markets, taxis, and greetings.
In this city
- Language
- French
- Also heard
- Mostly French
- A local word
- Nanga def? — How are you?
- Writing
- the Latin alphabet
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
Food
Marché
C'est combien ?
How much is it?
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The counter
Bureau
Bonjour.
Good morning.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
Getting around
Car rapide
Jërejëf.
Thank you.
You hear this when the doors close or the next stop is called. It is written down too, so a missed word does not end the ride.
The language through the day
French is official in schools and offices. In the market, Wolof is what many people speak.
Around Plateau, Médina, Almadies, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Dakar can run on four lines: “Nanga def?”, “C'est combien ?”, “Bonjour.”, and “Jërejëf.”. Each one is already a complete moment.
If you are new here
- Stops, prices, and shop signs are written in the Latin alphabet.
- Shops and offices often stay with vous. Tu is for people you know.
- If a spoken line goes past you, read the screen or the board. In Dakar, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: Nanga def?. It means How are you?.
Places you can see
- Gorée — A small island facing the city, tied to the Atlantic slave-trade history.
- African Renaissance Monument — A tall bronze statue on a headland outside the old centre.
- Plateau — The downtown headland of ministries, banks, and the old colonial grid.
Food
Thieboudienne, yassa, and café touba. Dish names are Wolof even on French menus.
Getting around
Painted shared buses called car rapides, and a ferry out to Gorée. Boards mix French and place nicknames.
Daily life
You may handle a form in French and the market in Wolof. Both belong to the same street.
A few everyday phrases
French
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello |
| Merci | Thank you |
| Bonjour | Good morning |
| Je m'appelle… | My name is… |
