Seereer
Serer
Niger-Congo
Serer (Seereer) is a major language of Senegal's Atlantic Senegambian branch, part of the Fula–Serer subgroup. Spoken by ~1.4 million Serer in the historic Sine-Saloum kingdom region (south-central coastal Senegal) and the Petite Côte (between Dakar and the Gambian border). Serer is the language of the Sine-Saloum and Joal-Fadiouth Serer royalty and remains tied to traditional Serer religion alongside Islam (the majority practice). Linguistically, Serer has classic Atlantic features: tonal (high/low), 12+ noun class system with consonant alternations, and verb-initial and verb-medial syntax.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Serer
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Niger-Congo
| Meaning | Serer | Fula | Wolof | Makhuwa | Breton | Koyraboro Senni | Dagbani |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | foofi /foːfi/ | ndiyam /ndijam/ | ndox /ndɔx/ | maasi /maːsi/ | dour /duːɾ/ | hari /hari/ | kom /kom/ |
| Fire | fiɗel /fiɗel/ | yiite /jiːte/ | safara /safaɾa/ | moro /moɾo/ | tan /tɑ̃ːn/ | nuune /nuːne/ | buɣim /buɣim/ |
| Sun | — /—/ | naange /naːŋɡe/ | jant /dʒant/ | nsuwa /nsuwa/ | heol /heːɔl/ | wayna /wajna/ | wuntaŋa /wuntaŋa/ |
| Moon | nqool /ŋɢoːl/ | lewru /lewɾu/ | weer /wɛːɾ/ | mweeri /mweːɾi/ | loar /lwaːɾ/ | handu /handu/ | goli /ɡoli/ |
| Star | xoor /xoːɾ/ | hoodere /hoːdeɾe/ | biddiw /biddiw/ | enettha /enetʰːa/ | steredenn /steˈreːdɛn/ | handaray /handaraj/ | saŋmariga /saŋmariɡa/ |
| Night | yeng /jeŋ/ | jemma /dʒemːa/ | guddi /ɡudːi/ | ohiyu /ohiju/ | noz /noːs/ | cijin /tʃidʒin/ | yuŋ /juŋ/ |
| Rain | teɓ /teɓ/ | toɓo /ˈtoɓo/ | taw /taw/ | epula /epula/ | glav /ɡlɑːw/ | ncirɲi /ntʃirɲi/ | saa /saː/ |
| Wind | nqeñ /ŋɢeɲ/ | henndu /hendu/ | ngelaw /ŋɡelaw/ | epheyo /epʰejo/ | avel /ˈavɛl/ | hew /hew/ | pɔhim /pɔhim/ |
| Earth | lanq /laŋɢ/ | leydi /lejdi/ | suuf /suːf/ | etthaya /etʰːaja/ | douar /ˈduːar/ | labu /labu/ | tiŋa /tiŋa/ |
| Stone | ɓil /ɓil/ | haayre /ˈhaːjre/ | doj /doːj/ | nluku /nluku/ | maen /mɛːn/ | tondi /tondi/ | kuɣili /kuɣili/ |
| Mountain | pimb /pimb/ | fello /fello/ | tangor /taŋɡor/ | mwaako /mwaːko/ | menez /ˈmeːnɛs/ | tondi hondu /tondi hondu/ | zoli /zoli/ |
| Sea | maag /maːɡ/ | geec /ɡeːtʃ/ | géej /ɡeːj/ | ephareya /epʰaɾeja/ | mor /moːr/ | teeku /teːku/ | teeku /teːku/ |
| Mother | yaay /jaːj/ | yumma /jumːa/ | yaay /jaːj/ | maama /maːma/ | mamm /mɑ̃m/ | ɲaa /ɲaː/ | ma /ma/ |
| Father | faap /faːp/ | baaba /baːba/ | baay /baːj/ | paapa /paːpa/ | tad /taːd/ | baaba /baːba/ | ba /ba/ |
| I | mi /mi/ | miin /miːn/ | man /man/ | miyo /mijo/ | me /me/ | ay /aj/ | mani /mani/ |
| You | wo /wo/ | aan /aːn/ | yow /jow/ | weyo /wejo/ | te /te/ | ni /ni/ | nyini /ɲini/ |
| We | in /in/ | enen / minen /enen / minen/ | nun /nun/ | hiyo /hijo/ | ni /ni/ | iri /iri/ | tinima /tinima/ |
| Name | gon /ɡon/ | innde /inːde/ | tur /tur/ | nsina /nsina/ | anv /ˈãːno/ | maa /maː/ | yuli /juli/ |
| Person | kin /kin/ | neɗɗo /neɗːo/ | nit /nit/ | mutthu /mutʰːu/ | den /deːn/ | boro /boro/ | ninsala /ninsala/ |
| Head | xoox /xoːx/ | hoore /hoːre/ | bopp /bɔp/ | muru /muɾu/ | penn /pɛn/ | boŋ /boŋ/ | zuɣu /zuɣu/ |
| Eye | ngid /ŋɡid/ | yitere /jiteɾe/ | bët /bət/ | niitho /niːtʰo/ | lagad /laɡat/ | moo /moː/ | nini /nini/ |
| Ear | nof /nof/ | nofru /nofru/ | nopp /nop/ | niyaru /nijaɾu/ | skouarn /ˈskwarn/ | haŋa /haŋa/ | tibili /tibili/ |
| Nose | ñis /ɲis/ | hinere /hinere/ | bakkan /bakːan/ | ephula /epʰula/ | fri /friː/ | niine /niːne/ | nyee /ɲeː/ |
| Mouth | don /dɔn/ | hunuko /hunuko/ | gémmiñ /ɡemːiɲ/ | eyano /ejano/ | genou /ˈɡeːnu/ | mee /meː/ | noli /noli/ |
| Tooth | ñiñ /ɲiɲ/ | ñiire /ɲiːre/ | bëñ /bəɲ/ | nino /nino/ | dant /dãnt/ | hiɲe /hiɲe/ | nyini /ɲini/ |
| Tongue | ɗelem /ɗelem/ | ɗemngal /ɗemŋɡal/ | làmmiñ /lamːiɲ/ | nlumi /nlumi/ | teod /tɛwt/ | deene /deːne/ | zilinli /zilinli/ |
| Hand | ɓay /ɓaj/ | junngo /dʒuŋːɡo/ | loxo /lɔxɔ/ | ntata /ntata/ | dorn /dɔɾn/ | kabe /kabe/ | nuu /nuː/ |
| Foot | caf /tʃaf/ | koyngal /kojŋɡal/ | tànk /taŋk/ | mwetto /mwetːo/ | troad /troat/ | cee /tʃeː/ | napɔŋ /napɔŋ/ |
| Heart | xeeñ /xeːɲ/ | ɓernde /ɓeɾnde/ | xol /xɔl/ | murima /muɾima/ | kalon /kalɔ̃n/ | bine /bine/ | suhu /suhu/ |
| Bone | hid /hid/ | ƴiʼal /ʄiʔal/ | yax /jax/ | nikhuva /nikʰuva/ | askorn /ˈaskorn/ | biri /biri/ | kɔbili /kɔbili/ |
| Blood | foʼoy /foʔoj/ | ƴiiƴam /ʄiːʄam/ | deret /deret/ | ephome /epʰome/ | gwad /ɡwaːt/ | kuri /kuri/ | ʒim /ʒim/ |
| Love | fex /fex/ | yiɗde /jiɗde/ | mbëggeel /mbəɡːɛːl/ | ophenta /opʰenta/ | karantez /kaɾɑ̃ntes/ | baa /baː/ | yu /ju/ |
| Tree | ndaxar /ndaxaɾ/ | lekki /lekːi/ | garab /ɡaɾab/ | mwiri /mwiɾi/ | gwezenn /ˈɡweːzɛn/ | tuuri /tuːri/ | tia /tia/ |
| Dog | ɓox /ɓox/ | rawaandu /ɾawaːndu/ | xaj /xaj/ | mwalapwa /mwalapwa/ | ki /kiː/ | hansi /hansi/ | baa /baː/ |
| Cat | muus /muːs/ | ullundu /ulːundu/ | muus /muːs/ | paaka /paːka/ | kazh /kaːs/ | muusi /muːsi/ | jɛŋkuno /dʒɛŋkuno/ |
| Fish | lib /lib/ | liingu /liːŋɡu/ | jën /dʒən/ | ehopa /ehopa/ | pesk /pesk/ | hamiisa /hamiːsa/ | zahim /zahim/ |
| Bird | ndid /ndid/ | sonndu /sonndu/ | picc /pitʃ/ | mwaanuni /mwaːnuni/ | evn /ẽːvn/ | ciraw /tʃiraw/ | nooŋa /noːŋa/ |
| Butterfly | mbidafit /mbidafit/ | — | lëpp-lëpp /ləpləp/ | nikuruthu /nikuɾutʰu/ | balafenn /balaˈfɛn/ | — | kahimpiɛɣu /kahimpiɛɣu/ |
| Egg | ɓoof /ɓoːf/ | boofo /boːfo/ | nen /nɛn/ | nooce /noːtʃe/ | vi /viː/ | guuri /ɡuːri/ | galli /ɡalli/ |
| Bear | ursu /uɾsu/ | — | urs /urs/ | ursu /uɾsu/ | arzh /ars/ | urs /urs/ | bɛɛ /bɛː/ |
| Horse | pis /pis/ | puccu /putʃːu/ | fas /fas/ | ekhavalo /ekʰavalo/ | marc'h /marx/ | bari /bari/ | wahu /wahu/ |
| House | mbind /mbind/ | suudu /suːdu/ | kër /kəɾ/ | empa /empa/ | ti /tiː/ | hugu /huɡu/ | yili /jili/ |
| Milk | ɗeen /ɗeːn/ | kosam /kosam/ | meew /meːw/ | eleeti /eleːti/ | laezh /leːs/ | waa /waː/ | bihim /bihim/ |
| Honey | suum /suːm/ | njuumri /ndʒuːmri/ | lem /lɛm/ | oravo /oɾavo/ | mel /meːl/ | yuu /juː/ | shiri /ʃiri/ |
| Salt | jem /dʒem/ | lamɗam /lamɗam/ | xorom /xorom/ | maakha /maːkʰa/ | holen /ˈhoːlɛn/ | ciiri /tʃiːri/ | yalim /jalim/ |
| Wine | biiñ /biːɲ/ | wiiñu /wiːɲu/ | biiñ /biːɲ/ | eviinyu /eviːɲu/ | gwin /ɡwiːn/ | alaneb hari /alaneb hari/ | wain /wain/ |
| Rice | maalo /maːlo/ | maaro /maːro/ | ceeb /tʃeːb/ | nzoro /nzoɾo/ | riz /riːs/ | — | shinkaafa /ʃinkaːfa/ |
| Iron | njelem /ndʒelem/ | njamndi /ˈndʒamndi/ | weñ /weɲ/ | eyuuma /ejuːma/ | houarn /ˈhuːaɾn/ | guuru /ɡuːru/ | kurugu /kuruɡu/ |
| Silk | suwaa /suwaː/ | — | sooy /soːj/ | seda /seda/ | seiz /sɛjs/ | alharru /alharru/ | sinichi /sinitʃi/ |
| Book | safe /safe/ | deftere /deftere/ | téere /teːre/ | eliivuru /eliːvuɾu/ | levr /lɛvr/ | citaabu /tʃitaːbu/ | buku /buku/ |
| Eat | ñaam /ɲaːm/ | ñaamde /ɲaːmde/ | lekk /lɛkː/ | olya /olja/ | debriñ /debɾĩː/ | ŋaa /ŋaː/ | di /di/ |
| Drink | yer /jeɾ/ | yarude /jaɾude/ | naan /naːn/ | owurya /owuɾja/ | evañ /eːvɑ̃/ | haŋ /haŋ/ | nyu /ɲu/ |
| Sleep | ɗaan /ɗaːn/ | ɗaanaade /ɗaːnaːde/ | nelaw /nelaw/ | orupa /oˈɾupa/ | kousket /ˈkuskət/ | jirbi /dʒirbi/ | gbihi /ɡbihi/ |
| One | leeng /leːŋɡ/ | goʼo /ɡoʔo/ | benn /bɛnː/ | mosa /mosa/ | unan /yːnɑ̃n/ | affoo /afːoː/ | yini /jini/ |
| Two | ɗak /ɗak/ | ɗiɗi /ɗiɗi/ | ñaar /ɲaːr/ | piili /piːli/ | daou /dɔw/ | ihinka /ihiŋka/ | ayi /aji/ |
| Three | tadik /tadik/ | tati /tati/ | ñett /ɲɛtː/ | tharu /tʰaru/ | tri /triː/ | hinza /hinza/ | ata /ata/ |
| Four | nahik /nahik/ | nayi /naji/ | ñeent /ɲɛnt/ | xexe /ʃeʃe/ | pevar /ˈpɛːvar/ | taaci /taːtʃi/ | anahi /anahi/ |
| Five | ɓetik /ɓetik/ | jowi /dʒoːwi/ | juróom /dʒuˈroːm/ | thanu /tʰanu/ | pemp /pɛmp/ | guu /ɡuː/ | anu /anu/ |
| Hundred | teemeed /teːmeːd/ | teemedere /teːmedeɾe/ | téeméer /teːmeːr/ | emiya /emija/ | kant /kãnt/ | zangu /zaŋɡu/ | kɔbiga /kɔbiɡa/ |
| Hello | nam fiyo /nam fijo/ | jam tan /dʒam tan/ | na nga def /na ŋɡa dɛf/ | salaama /salaːma/ | demat /deːmat/ | fofo /fofo/ | dasiba /dasiba/ |
| Thank you | jaaraama /dʒaːɾaːma/ | a jaaraama /a dʒaːɾaːma/ | jërëjëf /dʒəɾədʒəf/ | kosheni /koʃeni/ | trugarez /tɾyɡaɾes/ | barka /barka/ | mpaɣya /mpaɣja/ |
| Good | fax /fax/ | moƴƴo /moʄːo/ | baax /baːx/ | ratteene /ɾatːeːne/ | mat /maːt/ | boori /boːri/ | viɛla /viɛla/ |
| New | xas /xas/ | keso /keso/ | bees /beːs/ | esya /esja/ | nevez /ˈneːves/ | taaga /taːɡa/ | palli /palli/ |
| Red | yogu /joɡu/ | boɗeejo /boɗeːdʒo/ | xonq /xonq/ | thiru /tʰiru/ | ruz /ryːs/ | ciray /tʃiraj/ | ʒee /ʒeː/ |
| White | rangu /raŋɡu/ | daneejo /daneːdʒo/ | weex /weːx/ | otteela /otːeːla/ | gwenn /ɡwɛn/ | kaaray /kaːraj/ | piɛlli /piɛlli/ |
| Black | ɓaal /ɓaːl/ | ɓaleejo /ɓaleːdʒo/ | ñuul /ɲuːl/ | oriipa /oɾiːpa/ | du /dyː/ | bibi /bibi/ | sabinli /sabinli/ |
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