The people of The Gambia are friendly and hospitable. Life is taken at a very relaxed pace, and this must be accepted by all visitors.
Whilst the various tribal languages are used by the Gambians to converse between themselves, the official language and the language of instruction in most schools is English. There are many tribes but the main ones are Mandinka, Wolof, Fula and Jola. Each of these has its own language and traditions. mandinka and Wolof are the main languages that you will hear in The Gambia apart from English. Below there are phrases that could be of use.
| English | Mandinka | Wolof |
| hello | asalamu alikum | a salamu alik |
| what's your name? | i tong dii? | na nga tudda? |
| my name is Steve | n'to mu Steve le ti | mangi tuda Steve |
| how are you? | e be dii? | na nga def? |
| I'm fine | kaira dorong | mangi fi |
| father, mother | faama (or faa), baama (or baa) |
bai (or papa), jai |
| one, two, three, four | kiling, fula, saba, naa'ni | bena, nyar, nyeta, nyement |
| five, six, seven, eight | luulu, wooro, worrowula, seyi | jurom, juorom bena, jurom nyar, jurom nyeta |
| nine, ten, eleven | konoto, tang, tang ning killing |
jurom nyenent, fukah, fukaak bena |
| twenty, twenty one | muwang, muwang ning killing |
nyar fukak, nyar fukaak ak bena |
| airport | kulung-tee laagi-dula | kandaa |
| bathe | kuwo | sangu |
| beer | doloo | beer (or sangara) |
| Note: the only Gambian brewed beer is "Joyful Julbrew", this is 4.7%, very light in flavour and very fizzy. | ||
| coward | geoteia | ku ragal |
| eleven o'clock | tang ning kiling | fuki wakh tu ak bena |
| half past eleven | tang ning kiling ning talaa | fuki wakh tu ak bena ak genawale |
| how is your younger sister? | i do muso be nyadii? | naka sa bu jigaine raka? |
| how is your older brother? | i koto kee be nyadii/ | naka sa bu gorr mak? |
| leg | singo | tanka |
| mango | duutoo | mangoro |
| may I have a kilo of milk | foh n sah subo kilo nonnoo | jaima bena libarri meeuw |
| I have no money | m'nang kodoo soto | amuna halis |
| I like you | i ne kanu le | sopanala |
| see you later | fo waati koteng | be benen yowne |
| go away mosquito | susulaa taa jana | yoo demal faleh |