yaay
The Wolof word for mom is yaay.
The term is used to refer to a person's female parent.
Did you know?
- In certain traditional songs or poetry, 'yaay' is used metaphorically to represent the earth or the source of life.
- In Wolof culture, the term yaay is often used as a title of respect for any older woman, even if she is not a relative.
- Wolof society is matrilineal in many traditional contexts, meaning the yaay and her family line often hold significant influence over a child's social status.
Examples in context
- Yaay, jërejëf!Mom, thank you!
- Yaay bi dafa am xel.Mom is very wise.
Example conversation
Astou and Omar are talking about their families.
- AstouOmar, fan la sa yaay nekk?Omar, where is your mom?
- OmarSama yaay mungi ci marse bi.My mom is at the market.
- AstouSama yaay itam mungi ci marse bi.My mom is also at the market.
- OmarNaka yaay yi?How are the moms?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry yaay, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
