Languages of the country
Senegal
Official language: French. National languages: Wolof, Fula, Serer, Jola-Fonyi, Saafi-Saafi, Mandjak, Balanta-Ganja, Noon, Mankanya, Bassari-Tanda, Hassaniyya, Bedik, Soninke, Mandingo. Multilingualism according to CLDR (Greenberg index): 0.66 (multilingualism map). Population (CLDR): 19 million.
Map of regions
We have not described regional languages for this country yet – the map shows the whole country in the colour of its main language.
Languages and their status
Share: the estimated part of the population that uses the language (also as a second language), according to CLDR.
| Language | Status | Share |
|---|---|---|
|
French
français Legal basis: [1] |
Official | 26% |
|
Wolof
The main everyday language and a national language; French is official. Legal basis: [1] |
National (de facto) | 70% |
|
Fula
Pulaar Legal basis: [1] |
National | 21% |
|
Serer
Legal basis: [1] |
National | 11% |
|
Jola-Fonyi
joola Legal basis: [1] |
National | 2.6% |
|
Saafi-Saafi
A codified language – national under art. 1 (“any other national language that is codified”); CLDR marks it as regionally official. Legal basis: [1] |
National | 1.5% |
|
Mandjak
A codified language – national under art. 1 (“any other national language that is codified”); CLDR marks it as regionally official. Legal basis: [1] |
National | 0.8% |
|
Balanta-Ganja
A codified language – national under art. 1 (“any other national language that is codified”); CLDR marks it as regionally official. Legal basis: [1] |
National | 0.6% |
|
Noon
A codified language – national under art. 1 (“any other national language that is codified”); CLDR marks it as regionally official. Legal basis: [1] |
National | 0.2% |
|
Mankanya
A codified language – national under art. 1 (“any other national language that is codified”); CLDR marks it as regionally official. Legal basis: [1] |
National | 0.2% |
|
Bassari-Tanda
A codified language – national under art. 1 (“any other national language that is codified”); CLDR marks it as regionally official. Legal basis: [1] |
National | <0.1% |
|
Hassaniyya
Script in this country: Latin A codified language – national under art. 1 (“any other national language that is codified”); CLDR marks it as regionally official. Legal basis: [1] |
National | <0.1% |
|
Bedik
A codified language – national under art. 1 (“any other national language that is codified”); CLDR marks it as regionally official. Legal basis: [1] |
National | <0.1% |
|
Soninke
A national language named in the Constitution; CLDR gives no share of speakers in Senegal. Legal basis: [1] |
National | – |
|
Mandingo
Malinké (Mandinka) – a national language named in the Constitution; CLDR gives no share of speakers in Senegal. Legal basis: [1] |
National | – |
Legal basis of the statuses
Statuses with a legal basis are our corrections to CLDR, based on the text of the constitution, the law or the official journal. Quotes are in the original language.
-
Constitution of Senegal (Law No. 2001-03 of 22 January 2001, as amended), art. 1 (WIPO Lex)
· act of 2001-01-22, text checked 2026-11-04
La langue officielle de la République du Sénégal est le Français. Les langues nationales sont le Diola, le Malinké, le Pular, le Sérère, le Soninké, le Wolof et toute autre langue nationale qui sera codifiée.
Senegal on other Ominuvo maps
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- National dishes of the world4 national dishes
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