Degguma Anglais (I Don't Speak English)

Several weeks ago, this incident would've been awkward. But today I was highly amused.

I went to a fruit stand near my house to buy some clementines, but it was a different man working. I greeted him and asked for mille franc ($2) de clementines. He said "Lan?" (What?"), and I repeated myself, and he said, "Anglais? Degumma anglais?" I found this hysterical because I was speaking French, but it was odd because a lot of Senegalese don't know the Wolof money system - I don't blame them, it's confusing!

Here's how to ask for 1,000CFA in Wolof:

derem = 5 CFA

temeer = 100 derem

naar = 2

2 times 100 derem= 200

200 derem times 5= 1,000 cfa (naari temeer)

Even though I could have told the man I wasn't speaking English, it wouldn't have done any good. Thank goodness for the patience of our Wolof teacher in our learning the money.