Free survival kit
The 20 essential phrases and 101 key words to get by in Mandingue when travelling.
| Mandingue | English |
|---|---|
| I ni ce | hello (sg) |
| Aw ni ce | hello (pl) |
| I ni sɔgɔma | good morning |
| I ni wula | good afternoon / good evening |
| I ni su | good night |
| I ka kɛnɛ wa ? | how are you? (are you well?) |
| Hɛɛrɛ tɛ ? | is there peace? |
| I ni ce | thank you |
| Mandingue | English |
|---|---|
| so | house |
| dugu | village / town |
| duguba | city |
| sukɔrɔ | market |
| Mandingue | English |
|---|---|
| kun | head |
| ɲɛ | eye / face / front / in front of |
| bolo | hand / arm |
| sen | foot / leg |
| Mandingue | English |
|---|---|
| ji | water |
| kini | rice |
| sogo | meat |
| buru | bread |
| Mandingue | English |
|---|---|
| K'an bɛn | goodbye / see you later |
| Salaam aleekum | peace be upon you |
| Aleekum salaam | and peace upon you |
| Ɔ̀wɔ | yes |
| Ayi | no |
| taa | to go |
| na | to come |
| dumuni kɛ | to eat |
| min | to drink |
| ye | to see |
| kɛ | to do / to make |
| kuma | to speak / word / speech |
| se | to be able to / to know how |
| fɛ | to want / to like |
| sigi | to sit / to stay |
| sunɔgɔ | to sleep |
| baara kɛ | to work |
| lamɛn | to listen / to hear |
| kalan | to learn / to study |
| sɛbɛn | to write / writing / document |
| di | to give |
| ta | to take |
| san | to buy |
| feere | to sell |
| sɔrɔ | to get / to obtain |
| kanu | to love |
| ye | to be (classifying) |
| bɛ | to be (located) / to have |
| tɛ | to not be / negation |
| bolo | to have (in hand) |
You arrive in Banjul or Bamako and greet your host. You start with an "I ni ce" (universal), or "Aw ni ce" when greeting a group. In the morning, you can also try "I ni sɔgɔma". A few words are enough to open the conversation.
The taxi driver asks for your destination. You indicate the "so" (house), the "dugu" (village) or the "duguba" (city) you are heading to, perhaps via the "sukɔrɔ" (market). Be precise and confirm the fare before leaving.
At the restaurant or at the local cook's, you ask for water ("ji"), some rice ("kini"), meat ("sogo") and bread ("buru"). Greeting the cook before ordering is as appreciated as a tip.
You have a headache ("kun"), your eyes ("ɲɛ") sting, your hand ("bolo") or foot ("sen") is hurt. You point to the affected area and name the body part. Pointing often saves time before a diagnosis.
Before nightfall, you say "I ni su" (good night) to your host family. You check on them with "I ka kɛnɛ wa ?" (are you well?) or "Hɛɛrɛ tɛ ?" (is there peace?), then thank them with a final "I ni ce".
The 20 phrases, 101 key words and the cultural notes in a PDF to keep offline or print. We also send it to you by e-mail.
The language of your parents, your grandparents or your partner. The one you want to pass on to your children.
A language is passed down from generation to generation. Now it is your turn.
Start Mandingue for freeMandinka (Maninka, Malinke) is spoken by around 7 million people in Gambia, Senegal, Guinea, Mali and other West African countries. Heir to the Mali Empire and the great griot tradition, it carries a thousand-year history. With this kit, you have the bare minimum to greet, find your way and start a conversation during a trip to Mandinka country.
Mandinka groups under one name several closely related varieties: Mandinka (Gambia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau), Maninka or Malinke (Guinea, Mali), and more broadly the North Mande continuum to which Bambara and Dioula also belong. Native speakers of Mandinka alone are estimated at around 7 million, and several tens of millions if related Mande languages are included.
It is the language of the Mali Empire, founded by Sundiata Keita in the 13th century, and of the great griot tradition spanning the centuries. Today griots (jeli) still preserve oral history, genealogies and epics, accompanied by the kora, the emblematic instrument of Mandinka music. This deep cultural layer keeps shaping daily life, from weddings to neighbourhood celebrations.
The language has a tonal system and accessible grammar: subject-object-verb order in the past, clear aspect particles, few conjugations. For travellers, Mandinka opens warm conversations in the markets of Banjul, Bamako, Conakry or Tambacounda. The greeting "I ni ce" is a social key, and exchanging "jamu" (family name) often triggers a joking cousinhood that instantly warms the relationship.
This kit gathers the bare essentials to handle an arrival, a shared taxi ride, a market order, a small medical concern and a smooth departure. You will find indispensable greetings, survival words for orientation, key vocabulary for daily life and cultural tips to avoid faux pas. Memorise these expressions before leaving and you will gain confidence from the first hours on the ground.
Every translation is cross-checked against at least two concordant sources among the references below.
They trust Targumi
All Targumi resources for this language.
Assess your CEFR level in 5 minutes.
Films, music, traditions. How well do you know?
Guides, methods and tips to progress.
Essential words and phrases organised by themes.
Films, series, podcasts and music to immerse yourself.
Live classes with a bilingual native teacher. First lessons free.
