Soninke (also written sarakholé or soninkara) is the language of the Soninke people, one of the founding peoples of the Ghana Empire , the first great empire of West Africa, which flourished from the 4th to the 13th century. Today, Soninke speakers live mainly in Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau. The language is also very present in France, where the Soninke diaspora is one of the largest from sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in the Paris region.

Speaking a few words of Soninke forges a strong bond with a people proud of their merchant history and culture of excellence.

An tara , The Essential Greeting

An tara (pronounced an tara) is the most common Soninke greeting. Literally it means "you have arrived" , a poetic way of saying "welcome" or "hello." In Soninke culture, someone's arrival is always celebrated.

Pronunciation

  • An: nasal "an", like in "fan"
  • tara: "ta-ra" , two equal syllables, slightly rolled "r"

    • Responses

  • Haayi (ha-yi) = "Yes / Thank you" (warm acknowledgment)
  • N tara (n tara) = "I have arrived" (classic response)
  • Nba (nba) = "Yes, that's good" (positive confirmation)

    • Maa ni sogoma , Good Morning

    Maa ni sogoma (pronounced maa ni sogoma) = "Good morning"
  • Maa = "people, folks"
  • ni = "with, of"
  • sogoma = "morning"

    • Used from waking until the end of the morning. Can address a group or an individual.

    Response: Sogoma nba (sogoma nba) = "Good morning to you too"

    Greetings by Time of Day

    Afternoon: Maa ni tile

    Maa ni tile (maa ni tile) = "Good afternoon"
  • Tile = "sun, daytime"
    • Response: Tile nba = "Good afternoon to you too"

    Evening: Maa ni wulare

    Maa ni wulare (maa ni wou-laré) = "Good evening"
  • Wulare = "evening, dusk"
    • Response: Wulare nba = "Good evening to you too"

    How Are You?

    I haayi ? (i ha-yi) = "How are you?" (literally "are you at peace?") Responses:
  • Haayi = "Fine, at peace"
  • N haayi, n haayi = "Very well"
  • N haayi nba, fo i ? = "I'm well, and you?"

Quick Reference

Pronunciation -------------- an tara maa ni sogoma maa ni tile maa ni woulare i hayi hayi
Expression
Translation
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An tara
Hello / Welcome
Maa ni sogoma
Good morning
Maa ni tile
Good afternoon
Maa ni wulare
Good evening
I haayi ?
How are you?
Haayi
Fine / At peace
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