Image
Prep Vocab
Dialog
Audio file
CONTEXT: Abi is doing some self-guided Bambara study in the courtyard. Her cousin Sita is curious about Abi's studies and comes over.
SITA: I bɛ ka kalan kɛ? [1]
ABI: Ɔwɔ. Kalan don. N bɛ ka bamanankan kalan. [2]
SITA: Bamanankan?!
ABI: Ɔnhɔn kɛ! [3]
SITA: I bɛ à sɛbɛnni dɔn? [4]
ABI: Dɔɔnin. I bɛ à sɛbɛn?
SITA: Ayi. N m'à kalan.
ABI: À kalan man gɛlɛn.
SITA: K'à sɛbɛn, o ka nɔgɔn? [5]
ABI: Kosɛbɛ! À filɛ! N bɛ sɛbɛnni kɛ. [She writes a few words in Bambara]
SITA: Ka kalan kɛ, o ka di dɛ!
ABI: Tiɲɛ don. Kalan ka ɲi.
SITA: Are you studying? [1]
ABI: Yes. It's studies. I am studying Bambara. [2]
SITA: Bambara?!
ABI: Yes, of course! [3]
SITA: You know its writing? [4]
ABI: A little bit. Do you write it?
SITA: No. I haven't studied it.
ABI: Its study isn't difficult.
SITA: To write it, is that easy? [5]
ABI: Very! Look (at it)! I write. [She writes a few words in Bambara]
SITA: To study, that is really nice!
ABI: That's the truth. Studies are good.
ABI: Yes. It's studies. I am studying Bambara. [2]
SITA: Bambara?!
ABI: Yes, of course! [3]
SITA: You know its writing? [4]
ABI: A little bit. Do you write it?
SITA: No. I haven't studied it.
ABI: Its study isn't difficult.
SITA: To write it, is that easy? [5]
ABI: Very! Look (at it)! I write. [She writes a few words in Bambara]
SITA: To study, that is really nice!
ABI: That's the truth. Studies are good.
Grammar Points
- 1) Light-verb constructions
- 2) Verbs converting to nouns
- 3) The particle
kɛ - 4) Making action nouns with
-li/ni - 5) Verbal citation forms and topicalization (with
o)
Lesson
[Video coming soon!]
Vocab
- k'à kalan
- to study/read sth
- kalan
- studies/reading
- ka kalan kɛ
- to study/read [Lit. "to do studies/reading"]
- k'à sɛbɛn
- to write sth
- sɛbɛnni
- writing; instance of writing
- ka sɛbɛnni kɛ
- to write [Lit. "to do writing"]
- gɛlɛn/gwɛlɛn
- difficult
- nɔgɔn/nɔgɔ
- easy
- o
-
that
- kitabu
- book [< Ar.]
- gafe
- book
- biki
- pen [< Fr. bic]
- kala
- pen [Ar. qalam]
- ka baara kɛ
- to work [lit. 'to do work']
- k'à durusi
- to memorize sth [especially Quranic verses]
- walanda
- lesson
- k'à ɲininka
- to ask sb
- ɲininkali
- question
- jaabi
- answer
- k'à jaabi
- to answer sb
- ka jaabi di
- to give an answer
- ka ɲinɛ
-
to forget sth
- N hakili bɔra
- I forgot [Lit. "My idea/intellect went out"]
- k'à dege
- to learn sth
- ka mɔgɔ kalan fɛn na
- to teach sb sth [Lit. "to study sb on sth"]
- ka mɔgɔ dege fɛn na
- to teach sb sth [Lit. "to learn sb on sth"]
- kalankɛyɔrɔ
- "study place" [e.g., a school or classroom]
- kalanso
- school [lit. "study house"]
- lakɔli
- school [Fr. école]
- k'à dɔn
- to know sth [Bambara]
- k'à lɔn
- to know sth [Jula]
- k'à faamu
- to understand sth
- k'à mɛn
- to hear sth [can be used to express the idea of "getting" what someone says]