Dialog Vocab
(đ Make sure to turn on the sound! Read the Flashcard overview.)
- k'aĚ kalan
- to study/read sth
- kalan
- studies/reading
- ka kalan kÉ
- to study/read [Lit. "to do studies/reading"]
- k'aĚ sÉbÉn
- to write sth
- sÉbÉnni
- writing; instance of writing
- ka sÉbÉnni kÉ
- to write [Lit. "to do writing"]
- gÉlÉn/gwÉlÉn
- difficult
- nÉgÉn/nÉgÉ
- easy
[Flashcards will be here soon!]
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 bÉ ka kalan kÉ? [1]
ABI: ĆwÉ. Kalan don. N bÉ ka bamanankan kalan. [2]
SITA: Bamanankan?!
ABI: ĆnhÉn kÉ! [3]
SITA: I bÉ aĚ sÉbÉnni dÉn? [4]
ABI: DÉÉnin. I bÉ aĚ sÉbÉn?
SITA: Ayi. N m'aĚ kalan.
ABI: AĚ kalan man gÉlÉn.
SITA: K'aĚ sÉbÉn, o ka nÉgÉn? [5]
ABI: KosÉbÉ! AĚ filÉ! N bÉ sÉbÉnni kÉ. [She writes a few words in Bambara]
SITA: Ka kalan kÉ, o ka di dÉ!
ABI: TiÉ˛É 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
kÉ - 4) Making action nouns with
-li/ni - 5) Verbal citation forms and topicalization (with
o)
Lesson
[Video coming soon!]