'''Bambara''', or '''Bamanankan''' is a language in West Africa, mostly in Mali, where it is mother tongue of the ''Bambara'' people (30% of the population), and where 80% of the population can communicate in the language. Bambara will also be useful in Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, and Gambia. Together with Dioule and Malinke it belongs to the Mandekan dialect family, which itself part of the Mande group, which is a Niger-Congo language subgroup.

The language is heavily influenced by French, and even the slightest knowledge of French will make it easier to remember words, and if you don't remember a word you can try to use the French word.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

; a : like 'a' in "father" ; e : like 'e' in "prey" ; ε : like 'e' in "met" ; i : like 'i' in "police" ; o : like 'o' in "so" ; ɔ : like 'ough' in "bought" ; u : like 'u' in "clue"

There are also long vowels:

  • '''aa'''
  • '''ee'''
  • '''εε'''
  • '''ii'''
  • '''oo'''
  • '''ɔɔ'''
  • '''uu'''
  • and nasal vowels:

  • '''an'''
  • '''en'''
  • '''εn'''
  • '''in'''
  • '''on'''
  • '''ɔn'''
  • '''un'''
  • Consonants

    ; j : like 'j' in "jay" ; ɲ : like 'ny' in "canyon" ; ? : like 'nw' ; c : like 'ch' in "chair" ; g : like 'g' in "get" ; h : like 'h' in "hard" ; s : like 'ss' in "pass" or 'sh' in "shake" (varies by region)

    Blends

    ; sh : like 'sh' in "shore"

    Phrase list

    Basics

    ; Hello (any time of day) : i ni ce <!-- ; Hello. (''informal'') : Hi. (''HIGH'')--> ; How are you? (Are you well?) (''to one person'') : i ka k__n__ wa? ; How are you? (Are you well?) (''to more than one person'') : Aw ka k__n__? ; Fine, thank you. : k__n__, tɔɔrɔ te, ko t__, tana t__ ; What is your first name? : i tɔgɔ? ; What is your last name? : i jamu? ; My name is ______ . : ne tɔgɔ ___ ; Thank you. : i ni ce ; You're welcome. : basi t__ (literally 'no problem') ; Yes. : awɔ ; No. : ayi ; Excuse me. (''getting attention / begging pardon'') : (aw ye) hak__ to! ; I'm sorry. : a yafa n ma ; Goodbye : k'an b__n ; Goodbye (''informal'') : n taara ; I can't speak ''name of language'' [well]. : N te se "name of language" la kos__b__ ; I don't speak Bambara very well, but I understand a little : Ne t__ se bamanankan na kos__b__, nka ne b'a men dɔɔnin dɔɔnin. ; Do you speak English? : i b__ angilekan men wa? ; Is there someone here who speaks English? : Mogo'in do b__ yan, o b__ angilekan men? ; Help! : N deme! ; Look out! : I farati! ; Good morning. : aw ni sɔgɔma (several persons around), i ni sɔgɔma (1 person) ; Good afternoon : aw ni tile, i ni tile ; Good evening. : aw ni wula, i ni wula ; Good night. : aw ni su, i ni su ; Good night (''to sleep'') : ka su h____r__ ; I don't understand. : n m'a faamu ; Where is the toilet? : ɲ__g__n b__ min wa?

    Problems

    ; Leave me alone. : N bila sa! ; Don't touch me! : I kana magan n na! ; I'll call the police. : N b__ na gendarme wele. ; Police! : Police! ; Stop! Thief! : A mine! Zon don! ; I need your help. : N mago b__ i ka deme na. ; It's an emergency. : It's an emergency. ; I'm lost. : N tununen don. ; I lost my bag. : N ka saki tununa. ; I lost my wallet. : N ka wari tununa. ; I'm sick. : Bana b__ na. ; I've been injured. : N joki na ; I need a doctor. : N mago b__ dogotoro la. ; Can I use your phone? : N b__ se ka weleli k__ ni i ka telephone ye wa?

    Numbers

    ; 1 : kelen ; 2 : fila ; 3 : saba ; 4 : naani ; 5 : duurun ; 6 : wooro ; 7 : wolonfla ; 8 : segi ; 9 : kononto ; 10 : tan ; 11 : tan ni kelen ; 12 : tan ni fla ; 13 : tan ni saba ; 14 : tan ni naani ; 15 : tan ni duurun ; 16 : tan ni wooro ; 17 : tan ni wolonfla ; 18 : tan ni segi ; 19 : tan ni kononto ; 20 : mugan ; 21 : mugan ni kelen ; 22 : mugan ni fla ; 23 : mugan ni saaba ; 30 : bi saba ; 40 : bi naani ; 50 : bi duurun ; 60 : bi wooro ; 70 : bi wolonfla ; 80 : bi segi ; 90 : bi kononto ; 100 : keme ; 200 : keme fla ; 300 : keme saba ; 1000 : wa (baa) kelen ; 2000 : wa fla ; 3451 : wa saba ani keme naani ani biduru ani kelen ; 1,000,000 : million kelen ; 1,000,000,000 : milliard kelen ; number _____ (''train, bus, etc.'') : ; half : tilance ; a lot : caman ; a few : do / doonin

    Time

    ; now : sisan ; later : kofe ; before : ɲy__ ; morning : sɔgɔma ; afternoon : tile ; evening : wula ; night : su

    Clock time

    ; one o'clock AM : une heure waati or n__g__ kan ɲ__ kelen ; two o'clock AM : deux heure waati or ; noon : midi waati ; one o'clock PM : treize heure waati ; two o'clock PM : quatorze heure waati ; midnight : minuit waati

    Prayer times

    ; sunrise : fajiri waati ; approx 2 pm : selifana waati ; approx 4 pm : lansara waati ; sunset: fitiri waati ; nightfall: safo waati

    Duration

    ; _____ minute(s) : minuti _____ ; _____ hour(s) : heuri _____ ; _____ day(s) : don _____ ; _____ week(s) : dɔgɔkun _____ ; _____ month(s) : kalo _____ ; _____ year(s) : san _____

    Days

    ; today : bi ; yesterday : kunu ; tomorrow : sini ; this week : dogukun in na ; last week : dogukun temena ; next week : dogukun nata / w__r__

    ; Sunday : kari-don ; Monday : ntene-don ; Tuesday : tarata-don ; Wednesday : araba-don ; Thursday : alamisa-don ; Friday : (ge)juma-don ; Saturday : sibiri-don

    Months

    <!-- ''If speakers of the language commonly use a calendar other than the Gregorian, explain it here and list its months. See Hebrew phrasebook for an example.''

    Islamic, probably? See Arab phrasebook? -->

    ; January : Zanwuye (kalo) ; February : Feburuye (kalo) ; March : Marsi (kalo) ; April : Awirili (kalo) ; May : M__(kalo) ; June : Zuwen (kalo) ; July : Zuluye (kalo) ; August : Uti (kalo) ; September : S__tamburu (kalo) ; October : Oktɔburu (kalo) ; November : Nɔwanburu (kalo) ; December : Desanburu (kalo)

    Writing time and date

    The month is always stated first in a date, then the day of the month. For example, January 25, 2008 would be "''janvier'' kalo tile mugan ni duru san baa fila ni segi". A literal translation would be "January month day twenty-five year two thousand and eight." When written with digits, the French tradition of day, month, year is generally followed.

    Colors

    ; black : finman ; white : j__man ; gray : ; red : bilenman ; blue : buluman ; yellow : n__r__mugunan ; green : binkeneman ; orange : siramuguman ; purple : ; brown : sikoloman

    Transportation

    Bus and train

    ; How much is a ticket to _____? : Ka taa ____ ye joli ye? ; One ticket to _____, please. : Billetti kelen ka taa ____. ; Where does this train/bus go? : Mobili / train nin b__ taa min? ; Where is the train/bus to _____? : Mobili / train min b__ taa _____ b__ sɔrɔ min? ; Does this train/bus stop in _____? : Mobili /train nin b__ jo _____ wa? ; When does the train/bus for _____ leave? : Mobili / train min b__ taa _____ waati jumen? ; When will this train/bus arrive in _____? : Mobili / train nin b__ se _____ waati jumen?

    Directions

    ; How do I get to _____ ? : ____ b__ sɔrɔ fan jum__n f__? ; ...the train station? : gare de train ; ...the bus station? : autogare ; ...the airport? : aeroport ; ...downtown? : dugukono ; ...the youth hostel? : siyɔrɔ / hotel ; ...the _____ hotel? : siyɔrɔ / hotel ; ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? : Ameriki / Canadien / Australien / Anglezi ambassade / jamanasigiyoro ; Where are there a lot of... : _____ caman b__ sɔrɔ min? ; ...hotels? : hotel ; ...restaurants? : dumuniyorow ; ...bars? : dɔlɔminyɔrɔw ; ...sites to see? : ; Can you show me on the map? : I b__ se ka jira n na carti la wa? ; street : sira ; Turn left. : kaa fara numanbolo f__ ; Turn right. : kaa fara kinibolo f__ ; left : numanbolo (nose hand) ; right : kinibolo (rice hand) ; straight ahead : ɲ__ f__ ; towards the _____ : _____ fan f__ ; past the _____ : _____ kɔ f__ ; before the _____ : _____ ɲ__ ; Watch for the _____. : _____ ɲini ; intersection : ; north : saheli / kokodugu f__ (sahel / salt land way) ; south : worodugu f__ (kola land way) ; east : seli f__ (prayer way) ; west : tilebin f__ (sunset way) ; uphill : san f__ ; downhill : duguma f__

    Taxi

    ; Taxi! : Taxi! ; Take me to _____, please. : N b'a fe ka taa _____ (la). ; How much does it cost to get to _____? : Ka taa _____ (la) ye joli ye? ; Take me there, please. : An ka taa yen.

    Lodging

    ; Do you have any rooms available? : Siyɔrɔ b__ wa? ; How much is a room for one person/two people? : Siyɔrɔ kelenta / filata ye joli ye? ; Does the room come with... : _____ b__ sɔrɔ siyɔrɔ la wa? ; ...bedsheets? : ...couverture? ; ...a bathroom? : ...tualet / nyegen? ; ...a telephone? : ...telephone? ; ...a TV? : ...television? ; May I see the room first? : N b__ se ka Siyɔrɔ laje folo wa? ; Do you have anything quieter? : Siyɔrɔ do b__ sɔrɔ min ...h__r__ ka ca nin ye wa? ; ...bigger? : ...ka bon nin ye wa? ; ...cleaner? : ...ka sani nin ye wa? ; ...cheaper? : ...da ka nogon nin ye wa? ; OK, I'll take it. : A ka nyi, n b'a ta. ; I will stay for _____ night(s). : N b__ na su ____ k__ yan. ; Can you suggest another hotel? : Hotel were b__ sɔrɔ? I b__ se ka n bila o sira la? ; Do you have a safe? : Coffru b__ wa? ; ...lockers? : ...lockers? ; Is breakfast/supper included? : Daraka / surofana b'a la wa? ; What time is breakfast/supper? : Daraka / surofana b__ dun waati jumen? ; Please clean my room. : N ka siyoro furan. ; Can you wake me at _____? : I b__ se kan n lawuli _____ heuri la wa? ; I want to check out. : N b'a fe ka wari sara ka taa.

    Money

    ; Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian/British currency? : N b__ se k'a sara ni Ameriki / Australien / Canadien / Anglezi wari ye wa? ; Do you accept credit cards? : N b__ se ka sara ni carti ye wa? ; Can you change money for me? : I b__ se ka wari falen n ye wa? ; Where can I get money changed? : Wari b__ falen min? ; Can you change a traveler's check for me? : I b__ se ka sheki falen wa? ; Where can I get a traveler's check changed? : Sheki nin b__ falen min? ; What is the exchange rate? : A falen ye joli ye? ; How much for one _____? : _____ kelen kelen ye joli ye? ; Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? : Machine d'argent / warimachine b__ sɔrɔ? min?

    Eating

    ; A table for one person/two people, please. : ; Can I look at the menu, please? : N b__ se ka menu laje wa, sa? ; Can I look in the kitchen? : N b__ se ka gwa laje wa? ; Is there a house specialty? : ; Is there a local specialty? : ; I'm a vegetarian. : n te sogo dun ; I don't eat pork. : n te lesogo dun ; I don't eat beef. : n te misisogo dun ; Can you make it "lite", please? (''less oil/butter/lard'') : aw kana tulu caman k'a la [don't put a lot of oil on it] ; fixed-price meal : ; a la carte : ; breakfast : daraka ; lunch : tilela fana, tilerɔ ; tea (''meal'') : ; supper : sula fana, surɔfana ; I want _____. : ne b__ _____ f__ ; I want a dish containing _____. : N b__ dumuni min fe, ____ b'o la. ; chicken : sh__sogo ; beef : mishisogo ; fish : j__g__ ; ham : lesogo ; soda :buasan ; sausage : ; cheese : fromagi ; eggs : sh__fan ; salad, lettuce : salati ; (fresh) vegetable : nako fen (garden things) ; (fresh) fruit : yiri den (tree children) ; bread : buru, nbuuru ; toast : ; noodles : macaroni (yes, just like english, but applies to nearly all pasta) ; rice : malo (uncooked), kini (cooked) ; mais : kaba ; orange : lemru-ba, lenburuba ; lemon, lime : lenburu ; pineapple : jabibi ; banana : namasa ; plantain : baranda, loko ; guava : buyaki ; papaya : manje ; peanut : tiga ; beans : sho ; May I have a glass of _____? : ; May I have a cup of _____? : ; May I have a bottle of _____? : ... galama ... ; coffee : kafe, kafe-ji ; tea (''drink'') : te ; _____ juice : ____ ji ; (bubbly) water : ; water : ji ; milk : nɔnɔ ; beer : bieri ; alcohol : dolo ; red/white wine : ; May I have some _____? : ne b__ se ka ____ soro wa? ; salt : kɔkɔ ; black pepper : ; butter : ; Excuse me, waiter? (''getting attention of server''): terike! ; I'm finished. : n fara (I'm full) ; It was delicious. : a djarra, aw ni gwa ; Please clear the plates. : aw ka assiettiw ta. ; The check, please. : aw ka na ni addition ye.

    Bars

    ; Do you serve alcohol? : eska dolo b__ wa? ; Is there table service? : Is there table service? ; A beer/two beers, please. : castel bilibili ba, castel bilibiliba fila, sil vous plais. ; A glass of red/white wine, please. : A glass of red/white wine, please. ; A pint, please. : A pint, please. ; A bottle, please. : A bottle, please. ; _____ (''hard liquor'') and _____ (''mixer''), please. : _____ and _____, please. ; whiskey : whiskey ; vodka : vodka ; rum : rum ; water : water ; club soda : club soda ; tonic water : tonic water ; orange juice : orange juice ; Coke (''soda'') : Coke ; Do you have any bar snacks? : Do you have any bar snacks? ; One more, please. : One more, please. ; Another round, please. : Another round, please. ; When is closing time? : When is closing time?

    Shopping

    ; Do you have this in my size? : Do you have this in my size? ; How much is this? : Nin ye joli ye? ; That's too expensive. : abadika, A ka cha. Do bo a la [cheaper please] ; Would you take _____? : Would you take _____? ; expensive : ka galan (literally - too heavy) ; cheap : ma galan (literally - not heavy) ; I can't afford it. : wardi ne b__ n'bolo. (literally - the money is not in my hand) ; I don't want it. : N t'a f__. [note: once you have made an offer you are obligated to purchase] ; You're cheating me. : Namara ka cha. ; I'm not interested. : I'm not interested. (..) ; OK, I'll take it. : Ayiwa, n b__ f__ k'a san. ; Can I have a bag? : mahnah b__ wa? (literally - do you have plastic) ; Do you ship (overseas)? : Do you ship (overseas)? ; I need... : ; ...toothpaste. : ...pahtay de dent. (French) ; ...a toothbrush. : ...brassay de dent (French) ; ...tampons. : ...tampons. ; ...soap. : ...safine. ; ...shampoo. : ...shampoo. ; ...pain reliever. (''e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen'') : ...Kungaloo Keesay. (literally head-seed)or Kungaloo furu ; ...cold medicine. : ...moora fooroo. ; ...stomach medicine. : ...kono baara fooroo. ; ...a razor. : ...lamu. (French) ; ...an umbrella. : ...para pluie. (French) ; ...sunblock lotion. : ...sunblock lotion. ; ...a postcard. : ...a postcard. ; ...postage stamps. : ...tambaru. (French) ; ...batteries. : ...pilew. ; ...writing paper. : ...papieri ka seben. ; ...a pen. : ...biki. ; ...English-language books. : ...anglakan livuru. ; ...English-language magazines. : ...English-language magazines. ; ...an English-language newspaper. : ...an English-language newspaper. ; ...an English-English dictionary. : ...anglikan dickshow.

    Driving

    ; I want to rent a car. : I want to rent a car. ; Can I get insurance? : Can I get insurance? ; stop (''on a street sign'') : stop ; one way : one way ; yield : yield ; no parking : no parking ; speed limit : speed limit ; gas (''petrol'') station : gas station ; petrol : petrol ; diesel : diesel

    Authority

    ; I haven't done anything wrong. : I haven't done anything wrong. ; It was a misunderstanding. : It was a misunderstanding. ; Where are you taking me? : Where are you taking me? ; Am I under arrest? : Am I under arrest? ; I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. : I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. ; I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. : I need to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. ; I want to talk to a lawyer. : I want to talk to a lawyer. ; Can I just pay a fine now? : Can I just pay a fine now?

    Learning more

  • [http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Bambara Wikibooks Bambara]
  • ''Parlons Bambara, langue et culture Bambara'', Ismael Maiga