Sugu | Market

Image
A two-story market building in Abidjan viewed from the across street
Audio file

SITUATION: Abi is at the market and she has stopped to look at some shirts that a vendor is selling.

FEEREKƐLA: I bɛ mun kɔ? [1]
ABI: Nin dulɔki ye joli ye?
FEEREKƐLA: Kɛmɛ duuru.
ABI: À sɔngɔ ka gɛlɛn. [2]
FEEREKƐLA: Kɛmɛ naani ni bi duuru.
ABI: Barika! I tɛ dɔ bɔ à la? [3]
FEEREKƐLA: Joli b'i bolo?
ABI: Kɛmɛ saba.
FEEREKƐLA: I tɛ dɔ fara à kan?
ABI: Kɛmɛ naani filɛ.
FEEREKƐLA: À di.

FEEREKƐLA: What are you looking for? [1]
ABI: How much is this shirt?
FEEREKƐLA: 2,500 CFA.
ABI: It's expensive. [2]
FEEREKƐLA: 2,250.
ABI: Come on! Won't you take some off (the price) of it? [3]
FEEREKƐLA: How much do you have?
ABI: 1,500.
FEEREKƐLA: Won't you add some on top of it?
ABI: Here's 2000.
FEEREKƐLA: Give it.

Grammar Points

  • 1) Expressing "to seek" or "to look for" with
  • 2) Describing things metaphorically with qualitative verbs
  • 3) Verbs and indirect objects

[Video coming soon!]

postposition meaning "after" (< _kɔ_ "back")
dulɔki
shirt [Bambara]
dereke
shirt [Jula]
kɛmɛ
(one) hundred
barika
interjection used to say "Lower the price!"
ka dɔ bɔ à la
Lit. "to take some off of it"
ka dɔ fara à kan
Lit. "to add some on top of it"
k'à di
to give sth
N bɛ X kɔ
I am seeking X [Lit. "I am after X"]
N tɛ X kɔ
I am not seeking X [Lit. "I am not after X"]
I bɛ mun kɔ?
What are you looking for? [Lit. "What are you after?"]
N bɛ dulɔki kɔ
I am looking for a shirt
N tɛ foyi kɔ
I am not looking for anything
À sɔngɔ ka gɛlɛn
It's expensive! [Lit. "Its price is difficult!"]
À sɔngɔ ka di
It's well-priced [Lit. "Its price is pleasing"]
À sɔngɔ man nɔgɔn
It's not cheap [Lit. "Its price isn't easy"]
I tɛ dɔ bɔ à sɔngɔ la?
Won't you take some off its price?
Foyi tɛ se ka bɔ à la
The price can't be lowered [Lit. "Nothing can come off it"]
I tɛ dɔ fara à kan?
Won't you pay a bit more? [Lit. "Won't you add some on top of it?"]
N ye wari di i ma
I gave the money to you
da
price; amount
sɔngɔ
price
k'à san
to buy sth
k'à feere mɔgɔ ma
to sell sth to sb
k'à ɲini
to seek sth [Bambara/Jula]
k'à yaala
to seek sth [Jula only; lit. "to stroll (for) sth"]
kari-kari
last price; "final offer"
fini/fani
cloth; article of clothing
kulusi
pant; pants
kilɔti
shorts [< Fr. "culotte"]
taafe/tagafe
wax cloth; Fr. "pagne"
yuguyugu
used clothes [lit. "shake-shake"]
ɔrɔbu
dress
fugula
hat
dulɔkiba
a long "boubou"
sabara/samara
shoe
ka sugu jɔ
to "do" the market [Bambara]
ka lɔgɔ lɔ
to "do" the market [Jula]
k'à tɛrɛmɛ
to haggle over sth
nafɛn
vegetables; condiments; spices [lit. "sauce things]
jaba
onion
tomati
tomato
jiriden/yiriden
fruit
mangoro
mango
lenburu/lemuru
lemon; citrus
lenburuba/lemuruba
orange
minfɛn
drink; beverage
daji
bissap juice [Jula; Lit. "hibiscus water"]
dabilennin
bissap juice [Bambara; Lit. "little red hibiscus"]
ɲamakuji
ginger juice
mugu
flour; powder
kaba
corn
malo
(uncooked) rice
sɔsɔ
beans [Jula]
syɔ/shɔ
beans [Bambara
sogo
meat; wild animal
sogobu/sogobugu
meat; flesh
sisɛ
chicken [Jula]
shɛ/syɛ/sɛ [shɛ]
chicken [Bambara]
fan
egg
misi
cow
saga
sheep
ba
goat
jula
merchant; trader
jago
commerce
jagokɛla
trader
feerekɛla
seller
X-tigi
owner/master of X [as in, "person selling X"]