What language is mostly spoken in Senegal?
French is the official language. Other languages spoken are Wolof, Pulaar, Serer, Diola and Mandingo.
How many languages do they speak in Senegal?
Languages of Senegal. Some 39 languages are spoken in Senegal, including French (the official language) and Arabic. Linguists divide the African languages spoken there into two families: Atlantic and Mande.
What is the first language of Senegal?
Although French is the official language, it is spoken by only about 37\% of the population, mostly as a second language. In contrast, 72\% use Wolof to communicate with speakers of other Senegalese languages.
Does Senegal speak Swahili?
The Wolof language belongs to the Niger-Congo language family, which also includes Swahili, Zulu and Lingala. The last two languages belong to the Bantu subgroup of languages. In Senegal 80\% of the population speak Wolof.
How do you say hello in Senegalese?
Greetings and essentials
- Salaam aleekum (Sa-laam-a-ley-kum): hello;
- Respond with malekum salaam (mal-ay-kum-sal-aam): hello to you.
- Na nga def (nan-ga-def): how are you?
- Respond with maa ngi fi (man-gi-fi): I’m fine, thanks.
- Jërejëf (je-re-jef): thank you.
- Waaw / déedéyt (wao / dey-dey): yes / no.
Is English widely spoken in Senegal?
Few locals speak English in Senegal. Instead, you’ll hear a mix of Wolof and French.
Is Senegal rich or poor?
Senegal – Poverty and wealth. Like many African countries, poverty is rampant in Senegal. Also, GDP per capita has actually declined over the past 25 years. The GDP per capita in 1975 was US$609 and by 1998 it had fallen to US$581 (at 1995 U.S. dollar exchange rates).
How do you say hello in Senegal?
Is Senegal French?
Senegal covers a land area of almost 197,000 square kilometres (76,000 sq mi) and has a population of around 16 million. The state was formed as part of the independence of French West Africa from French colonial rule. Because of this history, the official language is French.
Can you drink alcohol in Senegal?
Senegal doesn’t have a legal drinking/purchasing age of alcoholic beverages. However, because it’s a predominantly Muslim nation that respects Islamic law, people in general are expected not to drink.
Do they speak English in Senegal?
Is Senegal safe?
Senegal is known for being a safe country, and while visitors — especially female solo travelers — should take the typical precautions you would when traveling alone, visiting solo here shouldn’t present any big problems. The locals are friendly, and robberies and violent crime against tourists are pretty uncommon.
What is the main language spoken in Senegal?
Senegal is a multilingual country: Ethnologue lists 36 languages, Wolof being the most widely spoken language. French, which was inherited from the colonial era, is the official language of Senegal. It is used by the administration and understood by about 15–20\% of all males and about 1–2\% of all women.
What is the official language of the country?
Correct, Major. English is an official language of 48 countries, and is the sole official language of 32 of those countries. It is not the official language of either the U.S. or the U.K.
What language do they speak in Benin City?
French, a legacy of the French colonial rule in Benin, is the official language of Benin. The language is spoken by about 4 million people, constituting around 35\% of Benin’s population. Knowing French is a matter of prestige in Benin, and those seeking work in the cities of Benin are most often required to be conversant in French.