Everything below is what a beginner actually needs first: greetings, polite words, numbers, family, food, time and getting around. Each entry shows the Fula spelling, the English meaning, and a respelling with the stressed syllable in capitals so you can say it out loud without guessing.
First words Greet someone and be polite
Jam waali Hello A jaaraama Thank you Jaɓɓaama Welcome En jaaraama Goodbye Eey Yes Alaa No Njaafo Please Yaafo mi Sorry Meeting people Introduce yourself and ask how someone is
Innde am Amara My name is Amara No innde maa woni? What is your name? No mbaɗɗaa? How are you? Jam tan I am fine Ndiyam Water Ñaamdu Food Giɗo Friend Suudu House Counting Numbers one to five and market basics
Gooto One Ɗiɗi Two Tati Three Nayi Four Joyi Five Luumo Market Ndiyam Water Ko foti? How much is it? Kaalis Money Questions people ask about Fula Is Fula hard to learn? More than twenty noun classes, which is a lot even for the region. Consonants at the start of words shift depending on the class. Regional varieties differ enough that learners usually pick one. Where is Fula spoken? Across the Sahel from Senegal to Sudan — around 35 million. Writing system: Latin alphabet (Adlam and Arabic script also in use).
Can I learn Fula for free? Yes. This phrasebook is free to read, and SemaSoma gives you the first three units of the course plus 15 translations a day before anything is paid.