Here is how to count in Fula (Pulaar), from 1 to 1,000, with 24 numbers checked against reference sources (Pulaar of Fuuta Tooro (Senegal, Mauritania)). Learn the first ten first: almost all the others are built from them.
1
From 0 to 10
gooalso: goone
ɗiɗitwo
tatialso: tattithree
nayifour
joyialso: jowifive
jeegomalso: jegomsix
jeeɗiɗialso: jeɗiɗiseven
jeetatieight
jeenayialso: jenayinine
sappoalso: sapoten
2
From 11 to 19
sappo e gooeleven
sappo e ɗiɗitwelve
sappo e tatithirteen
sappo e nayifourteen
sappo e joyififteen
sappo e jeegomsixteen
sappo e jeeɗiɗiseventeen
sappo e jeetatieighteen
sappo e jeenayinineteen
3
Tens, hundreds, thousands
noogaasalso: noogastwenty
caapande tatti Gambiathirty
caapande nayi Gambiaforty
caapande jowi Gambiafifty
ujenere Gambiaalso: wulurethousand
Test yourself
1. What does “ɗiɗi” mean?
2. What does “jeetati” mean?
3. What does “sappo e nayi” mean?
4. What does “noogaas” mean?
Where do these words come from?
The words in this article come from: Peace Corps Mauritania Pulaar lessons, Peace Corps Gambia Pulaar course script (2013). They are copied with their exact spelling; when two sources disagree, the variant is shown. Do you speak this language and spot a mistake? Write to us.
The words in this article come from: Peace Corps Mauritania Pulaar lessons, Peace Corps Gambia Pulaar course script (2013). They are copied with their exact spelling; when two sources disagree, the variant is shown. Do you speak this language and spot a mistake? Write to us.