Senegal presents a unique linguistic landscape where French serves as the sole official language for government, law, and education, yet Wolof is the lingua franca spoken by approximately 80% of the population. This creates a distinctive documentary environment: all official government documents — birth certificates, court judgments, academic diplomas — are issued in French, but supplementary documents, informal records, and some local administrative records may contain Wolof text or annotations.
Beyond French and Wolof, Senegal recognizes six national languages: Wolof, Serer, Mandinka, Pulaar (Fula), Diola (Jola), and Soninke. Wolof was initially written in a modified Arabic script called Wolofal, but since 1974, the official Wolof orthography has used the Latin alphabet with specific characters and conventions. Documents containing Wolof text — particularly from rural areas or religious institutions — may appear in either script, and our translators can handle both forms.
For translation purposes, the vast majority of Senegalese documents requiring certified translation are in French, following the conventions of French administrative language inherited from the colonial period. However, personal names, place names, and certain legal terms may reflect Wolof, Serer, or other national language conventions. Our translators are familiar with Senegalese naming patterns, regional administrative terminology, and the specific French legal vocabulary used in Senegalese official documents — which can differ subtly from metropolitan French usage.
