Salaam aleekum
sah-LAHM ah-LAY-koom
Peace be upon you (hello)
The usual greeting when you arrive or meet someone
Travel guide
Learn Senegal before you go
The westernmost corner of mainland Africa, where fishing canoes crowd the beaches, a whole family shares one big dish of rice and fish, and every guest is welcomed with teranga.
CapitalDakar
CurrencyWest African CFA franc (XOF)
Official languageFrench. Wolof is spoken by most people, and several other languages, including Pulaar, Serer, Jola, Mandinka and Soninke, are recognised national languages
Drives on theRight
Calling code+221
10 phrases to learn
In Wolof. Capital letters show the stressed part. Tap the heart to practise a phrase later.
Maleekum salaam
mah-LAY-koom sah-LAHM
And upon you be peace
Answering salaam aleekum
Na nga def?
NAHNG-gah DEHF
How are you?
Asking after someone, right after the first greeting
Maa ngi fi
MAHNG-gee FEE
I'm fine (literally 'I am here')
Answering 'na nga def?'
Jàmm nga fanaane?
JAHM ngah fah-NAH-neh
Did you spend the night in peace?
A morning greeting; the answer is 'jàmm rekk', 'peace only'
Nanga tudd?
NAHNG-gah TOOD
What is your name?
Getting to know someone
Maa ngi tudd ...
MAHNG-gee TOOD
My name is ...
Introducing yourself
Jërejëf
JUH-reh-juhf
Thank you
Any time; it is one of the most useful words in Senegal
Amul sólo
AH-mool SOH-loh
You're welcome (literally 'it's nothing')
Answering a thank you
Bu la neexee
boo lah NEH-kheh
Please (literally 'if it pleases you')
Asking politely for something
At the table
- Lunch is usually served on one big platter set on a mat or a low table, and everyone eats from the part of the dish directly in front of them.
- Wash your hands before eating, and eat with your right hand or a spoon. The left hand is not used for eating or for passing food.
- Do not reach across the platter. The host or the cook often breaks up the fish or meat and pushes the best pieces towards guests.
- When the meal is ready, everyone is called with 'kaay lekk', 'come and eat'. When you are full, stop eating and thank the cook.
- Accept the tea when it is offered and stay for the three rounds if you can; leaving after the first glass can seem hurried.
Local tips
Always greet first
Greetings are very important in Senegal. Before asking for directions, a price or help, say 'salaam aleekum' or 'bonjour' and ask how the person is. Skipping the greeting is seen as rude, and a few words of Wolof bring big smiles.
Use your right hand
Shake hands, pass things, give money and eat with your right hand. Using the left hand for these is considered disrespectful.
Dress modestly
Clothes that cover the shoulders and knees are best in towns, villages and religious places such as Touba. Take extra care during Ramadan and at the time of Friday prayers, in the early afternoon.
Agree on prices first
Agree on the taxi fare before you get in. In markets prices are usually open to friendly bargaining. Carry small notes and coins in West African CFA francs, because sellers often cannot change large notes.
Protect yourself from mosquitoes
Malaria is present throughout Senegal. Health services such as the CDC advise travellers to take anti-malaria tablets and to be vaccinated against yellow fever, and you may be asked for a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from a country with yellow fever. See a travel clinic at least 8 weeks before you go.
Check travel advice for Casamance and the borders
The southern region of Casamance has seen a low-level separatist conflict for decades, and it has been much calmer in recent years. Remote areas near the borders with Mali and Mauritania also need extra care. Before going, check your government's latest travel advice, travel by day and stay on the main roads.
Take time for tea
If you are offered attaya, accept and stay a while: the three rounds of tea can take an hour or more and are a friendly time for conversation, not a quick drink.
Know the emergency numbers
As of 2026, the number for the police is 17 and for an ambulance 15. Medical care outside Dakar is limited, so travel insurance that covers medical evacuation is wise.
Dishes to try
- Thieboudienne (ceebu jën): The national dish: fish stuffed with a paste of parsley, garlic and chilli, cooked in a tomato sauce with vegetables such as cabbage, carrot, cassava, aubergine and sweet potato, and then broken rice cooked in the same rich sauce. The fish and vegetables are piled on top of the red rice.
- Chicken yassa (yassa ginaar): Chicken marinated in lemon or lime juice, mustard and a great heap of sliced onions, grilled or fried, and then simmered with the onions until they turn soft and sweet. It is served with plain white rice. It is also made with fish (yassa jën) or lamb.
- Mafé (maafe): A rich stew of beef, lamb or chicken in a sauce of peanut paste and tomato, with vegetables such as sweet potato, cabbage and carrot. It is served over white rice.
- Thiébou yapp (ceebu yàpp): 'Rice and meat': beef or lamb fried with onions, garlic and pepper, then simmered with mustard and water until tender, and rice cooked in the same sauce. It is often garnished with green olives or black-eyed peas, and it is a favourite for celebrations.
- Soupou kandia (soupe kandia): A thick, slippery sauce of okra cooked with red palm oil, fish, dried fish and shellfish, and chilli, served over white rice.
- Caldou (kaldou): A light, tangy broth of fresh fish simmered with onions, tomato, chilli and lime juice, served with white rice. It is gentler and more delicate than yassa.
- Dibi: Lamb seasoned and grilled over a fire, then cut into pieces and served on paper with raw or grilled onions, mustard and bread. It is a favourite evening meal.
- Ndambé: Black-eyed beans slowly cooked in a spicy tomato and onion sauce, spooned into a piece of baguette. It is a filling, cheap breakfast sandwich sold at street stalls.
Cities to see
- Dakar (capital): The African Renaissance Monument, Ferries to Gorée Island, Lebu fishing villages such as Yoff and Ngor.
- Thiès: Its railway junction, Industry, The roads towards Touba and Saint-Louis.
- Touba: The Great Mosque, The Grand Magal pilgrimage, Café Touba.
- Saint-Louis: The Faidherbe Bridge, Colonial houses with balconies, The Saint-Louis Jazz Festival.
- Kaolack: The peanut trade, A busy regional market, Islamic schools and mosques of the Tijaniyya.
- Ziguinchor: The Casamance River, Rice fields and mangroves, Jola culture.