NATION
How to pronounce
Senegal
sehn·ih·GAHL
American /ˌsɛn.ɪˈɡɑːl/
Sound by sound
3 little beats. BIG = the stressed part.
- sehn the ‘eh’ in bed
- ih the ‘ih’ in sit
- GAHL the ‘ah’ in father — say this beat loudest
Talking about Senegal
The words that trip people up — what to call the team, the people, and the language.
- One person
- a Senegalese person
- The people / the team
- the Senegalese (the team: the Lions of Teranga)
- As an adjective
- Senegalese
- The language
- French
Senegal’s official language is French, a legacy of colonial rule, while Wolof is the most widely spoken everyday language. The team is the Lions of Teranga — teranga is Wolof for hospitality.
Don’t say…
- SEH-nuh-gahl
- suh-NEE-guhl
- sehn-uh-GAL
- sehn·ih·GAHL — stress on GAHL
Where the name comes from
Senegal is named after the Senegal River along its northern border. The river’s name most likely comes from the Zenaga (Sanhaja), a Berber people of the region, as recorded by 15th-century Portuguese explorers. A popular local theory instead ties it to the Wolof phrase sunu gaal, “our canoe” — charming, though historians favor the Zenaga origin.
- Capital
- Dakar
- Confederation
- CAF
- World Cup best
- Quarterfinals, 2002
Hear it for real
Say it out loud — and check it.
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Practice in the appFAQ
How do you pronounce Senegal?
Senegal is pronounced sehn·ih·GAHL in American English — 3 beats, with the stress on GAHL.
Where does the name Senegal come from?
Senegal is named after the Senegal River along its northern border. The river’s name most likely comes from the <em>Zenaga</em> (Sanhaja), a Berber people of the region, as recorded by 15th-century Portuguese explorers. A popular local theory instead ties it to the Wolof phrase <em>sunu gaal</em>, “our canoe” — charming, though historians favor the Zenaga origin.
How do you pronounce Senegal in American English?
sehn-ih-GAHL — three even beats with the stress on the last syllable and a full “-gahl” ending, not “-guhl”.
What language do Senegalese players speak?
The official language is French, so it’s common to hear French in interviews; Wolof is the main language people speak day to day. There is no language called “Senegalese”.