🇲🇱Mali · Guinée · Côte d'Ivoire
Bambara vocabulary: 98 essential words to communicate
Learn essential Bambara vocabulary with 98 words and phrases organized by theme. Perfect for beginners and travellers who want to communicate confidently.
98words & phrases
9themes
ENtranslations
Greetings & politeness
| Bamanankan | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I ni ce | Hello (to one person) | Culture: En bambara, les salutations sont un rituel social important. On demande des nouvelles de la famille, de la santé, du travail. |
| Aw ni ce | Hello (to several people) | |
| I ni sogoma | Good morning | |
| I ni tile | Good afternoon (midday) | |
| I ni wula | Good evening | |
| Aw ni baara | Good work / Keep it up | |
| Aw ni su | Good night | |
| Aní kɛnɛ | Goodbye | |
| Aw ni na | Thank you for coming | |
| Abaraka | Thank you |
Food & drinks
| Bamanankan | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Dùmuni | Food / Meal | |
| Ji | Water | |
| Sogo | Meat | |
| Jège | Fish | |
| Tô | Millet/corn porridge | Culture: Le tô est le plat de base au Mali, mangé avec les doigts et accompagné d'une sauce. |
| Tigadèguèna | Peanut sauce | Culture: La tigadèguèna est la sauce nationale malienne, préparée avec de la pâte d'arachide, de la tomate et de la viande. |
| Nono | Milk | |
| Surukou | Sugar | |
| Tee | Tea | |
| Dolo | Millet beer |
Family
| Bamanankan | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Fa | Father | |
| Ba | Mother | |
| Denmisɛn | Child | |
| Kɔrɔ | Elder sibling | |
| Dɔgɔ | Younger sibling | |
| Cɛ | Husband / Man | |
| Muso | Wife / Woman | |
| Mama | Grandmother | |
| Kɔkɔ | Grandfather | |
| Tɔgɔmabaga | Friend |
Human body
| Bamanankan | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Kun | Head | |
| Nyɛ | Eye | |
| Buru | Nose | |
| Da | Mouth | |
| Tulo | Ear | |
| Bolo | Hand / Arm | |
| Sɛ | Foot / Leg | |
| Sɔn | Heart | |
| Kɔnɔ | Stomach | |
| Joli | Blood |
Numbers (1-20)
| Bamanankan | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| kelen | One | |
| fila | Two | |
| saba | Three | |
| naani | Four | |
| duuru | Five | |
| wɔɔrɔ | Six | |
| wolonfila | Seven | |
| segin | Eight | |
| kɔnɔntɔn | Nine | |
| tan | Ten | |
| tan ni kelen | Eleven | |
| tan ni fila | Twelve | |
| tan ni saba | Thirteen | |
| tan ni naani | Fourteen | |
| tan ni duuru | Fifteen | |
| tan ni wɔɔrɔ | Sixteen | |
| tan ni wolonfila | Seventeen | |
| tan ni segin | Eighteen | |
| tan ni kɔnɔntɔn | Nineteen | |
| mugan | Twenty |
Colors
| Bamanankan | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| jɛ | White | |
| fin | Black | |
| fulari | Red | |
| bulubulu | Blue | |
| gwɛ | Green | |
| sanan | Yellow | |
| wulen | Orange / Reddish | |
| sɛnɛ | Grey |
Animals
| Bamanankan | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Waraba | Lion | |
| Sèn | Elephant | |
| Wulu | Dog | |
| Jakuma | Cat | |
| Nɔgɔn | Chicken | |
| Sagafin | Sheep | |
| Baa | Goat | |
| Jège | Fish | |
| Kono | Bird | |
| Jara | Panther / Leopard |
Home & daily life
| Bamanankan | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| So | House | |
| Daa | Door | |
| Bon | Room | |
| Bɔ | Bed | |
| Juru | Rope / Thread | |
| Marɛ | Market | |
| Kalanso | School | |
| Wari | Money | |
| Fani | Cloth | |
| Tɔgɔ | Name |
Time & weather
| Bamanankan | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Bi | Today | |
| Kunu | Yesterday | |
| Sini | Tomorrow | |
| Tèle | Sun / Day | |
| Su | Night | |
| Sanji | Rain | |
| Flankan | Cold | |
| Gbèlèn | Heat | |
| Fɔn | Wind | |
| Samiya | Rainy season |
Learn Bambara with a native teacher
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