Course Vocab

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Unit 1

Sanji | Rain

san
sky [sometimes by extension used to refer to "rain"]
sanji
rain
ka bin

to fall

ka fin
to blacken
tile [tle]
sun
farin
fiery
ka gan/gwan
to heat (up)
funteni
sun
sankaba
cloud
fiɲɛ
wind [Bambara]
fɔɲɔ
wind [Jula]
ka suma
to cool (down)
Walayi!
By God!
ka ɲigin
to wet; to become wet
ka ja
to dry (up)
nɛzi
snow [< Fr. neige]
samiya
rainy season [when farming occurs; around June-August in West Africa]
fo(nɛnɛ)
cold season [when things are very dry and dusty around Dec-Jan in West Africa]
ka sumaya
to become cool
sumaya
coolness; Malaria

Kalan | Studies

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]

Te | Tea

grɛn
tea-drinking group [< Fr. "grin"]
te
tea
ka mɔ
to ripen; to be ready [for tea, foods, etc]
sukaro
sugar
ka te wuli
to prepare/make tea [Lit. "to raise tea"]
tiga
peanut(s)
ka tiga ɲimi
to eat peanuts [Lit. "to chew peanuts"]
maribatiga
salted roasted peanut(s)
kɔgɔ
salt
baro
chatting
k'à baro
to entertain sb via conversation [Lit. "to chat sb"]
ka baro kɛ
to chat
wɛri/wɛrɛ
a glass [< Fr. verre]
ka kuma
to talk
kuma
talk; words; remarks
fɔlɔ
yet [Lit. "first"]
kaban
already [< ka ban "to end"]
k'à balabala
to boil sth
teri
friend
sigiyɔrɔ
chair; seat; bench [lit. "sit-place"]
X ka di Y ye
Y likes X [Lit. "X is pleasing to Y"]
X man di Y ye
Y doesn't like X [Lit. "X isn't pleasing to Y"]
ka
infinitive marker
An bɛ te min ka baro kɛ
We drink tea and chat
N nana baro kɛ
I came and chatted / I came to chat
N taara te min
I went and drank tea / I went to drink tea
ka sɔrɔ ka
"and then"
Adama ye te wuli ka sɔrɔ k'à min
Adama prepared tea and then drank it
sa
exasperation particle
"O man ɲi sa!"
"That's no good, man!"
Aw fana sa!
"Man, you guys (are killing me)!" [Lit. "Y'all too, man!]
bɛɛ
all; each
dɔ
some
si
none; any
foyi/fosi
none; nothing
wɛrɛ
another; other
dɔwɛrɛ
another one; some other one
dɔrɔn
only
Hɔn!
Here! [as in, "Here, take this"]

Unit 2

Denw | Children

bolo
arm/hand
fɛ

at the place of [cf. Fr. chez]

denmuso
daughter [lit. "child-woman"]
denkɛ/dencɛ
son [lit. "child-man"]
si
lifespan; age
san
year
X bɛ n bolo
I have X [roughly, "X is on my hand"]
X bɛ n fɛ
I have X [roughly, "X is with me"]
X tɛ n kun
I don't have X on me [lit. "X isn't on my head"]
Kunsigi tɛ cɛkɔrɔba la
The old man doesn't have hair
ka mɛɛn
to last [Fr. "durer"]
À mɛɛna!
It's been a while! [Lit. "It has lasted!"]
N mɛɛnna ka i ye!
I haven't see you in a while!
N ye muso furu, à ma mɛɛn
I married a woman not long ago [Lit. "I married a woman, it hasn't lasted"]
X si ye san joli ye?
How many years is X's lifespan?
N si ye san bi naani ye
My lifespan is forty years
X bɛ san joli la?
X is at how many years?
N bɛ san mugan ni fila la
I am at twenty-two years
mugan
twenty
bi
unit of 10
bi saba
thirty
ni/ani
and
bi naani ni duuru
forty-five
kɛmɛ
one hundred
kɛmɛ fila
two hundred
ba
unit of one thousand [Bambara]
ba kelen
one thousand
ba segin
eight thousand
waa
thousand [Jula]
waa wɔɔrɔ
six thousand
waa wolonfila ni kɛmɛ fila ni bi kɔnɔntɔn ni saba
seven thousand two hundred ninety-three
k'à maminɛ
to get engaged to sb [lit. "to reserve sb"]
ka furu cɛ ma
to get/become married to a man [often preferred turn of phrase for women]
ka muso furu
to marry a woman [often preferred turn of phrase for men]
sanji
rain; year
denyɛrɛnin
baby [Bambara]
denyɛnin [denyanin]
baby [Jula]
denmisɛn
child [lit. "child-skinny"]
den
child
mɔden/mamaden
grandchild
mɔkɛ/mamacɛ
grandpa
mɔmuso/mamamuso
grandma
sifin
young person; youth [lit. "hair-black"]
sijɛ/sigwɛ
old person [lit. "hair-white"]
bɛnba/bɛma
ancestor [sometimes used for grandparents, but also beyond]
tile
day [lit. "sun"]
dɔgɔkun/lɔgɔkun
week [lit. "market-head"]
kalo
month [lit. "moon"]
k'à sɔrɔ
to obtain sth
ka den sɔrɔ
to get/have a child
ka wolo
to be born
ka wolo den na
to birth a child
ka jigin
to give birth [lit. "to descend"]
ka jigin den na
to give birth to a child [lit. "to descend a child"]
ka kɔnɔ ta
to become pregnant [lit. "to take belly"]
kɔnɔma
pregnant
À kɔnɔma don
She's pregnant [lit. "She pregnant it.is"]
Kɔnɔ b'à la
She's pregnant [lit. "Pregnancy is upon her"]

Butiki | Boutique

fɛ
at the place of; by [used to express "want"]
ji suma / jisuma
cold water
belebeleba
big/large [< _belebele-ba_ lit. "fat-AUGMENTED")
joli
how much/many
buuru
bread
sukaro
sugar
ka ban
to end; to finish; to be over
ka fɛn di mɔgɔ ma
to give sth to sb
mugan
twenty
N bɛ X fɛ
I want/love X
N tɛ X fɛ
I don't want/love X
An b'à fɛ ka VERB
We want to VERB
An t'à fɛ ka VERB
We don't want to VERB
N bɛ belebeleba fɛ
I want a big (one)
N bɛ fitinin fɛ
I want a small (one)
Dɔrɔmɛ kelen
Five CFA
Dɔrɔmɛ tan
Fifty CFA
Dɔrɔmɛ bi duuru
Two hundred and fifty CFA
Dɔrɔmɛ kɛmɛ
Five hundred CFA
Dɔrɔmɛ waa kelen
Five thousand CFA
Dɔrɔmɛ kɛmɛ fila ani bi naani
One thousand and two hundred CFA
Dɔrɔmɛ ba saba ni kɛmɛ duuru ni bi saba

Fifteen thousand and two thousand five hundred and one hundred and fifty CFA

Joli don?
It's how much? [as in, "How much for this?"]
Nin ye joli ye?
How much is this?
À sɔngɔ ye joli ye?
Its price is how much?
Joli-joli don?
It's how much each?
jolila / joli ta
how much worth
Tan-tan don
It's fifty CFA each
Bi duuru duuru
Two hundred and fifty each
den NUMBER
NUMBER (of them) [Lit. "child NUMBER]
den fila
two (of them); two units
den tan
ten (of them); ten units
kɛmɛla
500 CFA worth [Bambara]
kɛmɛ ta [Jula]
500 CFA worth
bi seginna
400 CFA worth
waa kelen ta
5000 CFA worth
butiki
boutique; shop; general store
butikitigi
shop owner
bidɔn
bottle [< Fr. _bidon_]
kɔgɔ
salt
takala
match(es) [Lit. "fire-stick"]
tulu
oil
safinɛ
soap
lotus [< Fr. "Lotus" brand tissues]
tissues
keredi
cellphone credit [Fr. _crédit_]
warimisɛn
(small) change [the money that you get back after paying] [Lit. "money-thin"]
ka wari falen
to exchange money [as in, "to make change"]
Warimisɛn tɛ yen!
There's no change! [as in, "I haven't got any change"]
Taa ka na!
Go and come back! [as in, "Come back later!"]
k'à dayɛlɛ
to open sth [Lit. "mouth-open"]
Butiki bɛ dayɛlɛ tuma jumɛn?
When does the boutique open?
k'à datugu
to close sth [Lit. "mouth-close"]
Butiki datugura
The boutique is/has closed

Counting Money

duuru
25 CFA
tan
50 CFA
tan ni duuru
75 CFA
mugan
100 CFA
bi saba
150 CFA
bi naani
200 CFA
bi duuru
250 CFA
bi wɔɔrɔ
300 CFA
bi wolonfila
350 CFA
bi segin
400 CFA
bi kɔnɔntɔn
450 CFA
kɛmɛ
500 CFA
kɛmɛ fila
1000 CFA
kɛmɛ saba
1500 CFA
kɛmɛ naani
2000 CFA
kɛmɛ duuru
2500 CFA
kɛmɛ wɔɔrɔ
3000 CFA
kɛmɛ wolonfila
3500 CFA
kɛmɛ segin
4000 CFA
kɛmɛ kɔnɔntɔn
4500 CFA
waa kelen
5000 CFA
waa fila
10,000 CFA
waa saba
15,000 CFA
waa naani
20,000 CFA
waa duuru
25,000 CFA
waa wɔɔrɔ
30,000 CFA
waa wolonfila
35,000 CFA
waa segin
40,000 CFA
waa kɔnɔntɔn
45,000 CFA
waa tan
50,000 CFA
waa mugan
100,000 CFA

Sugu | Market

kɔ
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"]

Unit 3

Dɔlɔso | Beer House

ka tila fɛn na
to finish with something
ka ban
to end
ka taa
to go
ka na
to come
... ni X ye
... with X
bɛna/tɛna
future markers
ka suma
to cool (down)
ka ɲɛ/ɲa
to be good [< _ka ɲi-ya_ < _ɲi_ 'good']
dɔlɔ/dɔrɔ
alcohol; alcoholic beverage(s); traditional millet beer
biyɛri
beer [< Fr. _bière_]
ten
"like that"
tan
"like this"
Fanta
the soft drink called "Fanta"
ka ban [high tone]
to finish; to end; to pass away
ka ban [low tone]
to refuse
À banna
It's finished
N tilara
I'm finished
N banna
I have passed away / I have refused
Taa n'à ye
Take it (away)
Na n'à ye
Bring it (here)
N bɛ ji min
I drink water
N tɛ dɔlɔ min
I don't drink alcohol
N bɛna ji min
I will drink water
N tɛna foyi min
I will not drink anything
Dɔlɔ sumana
The alcohol is cold
Dɔlɔ ma suma
The alcohol isn't cold
ka sogo ɲimi
to "chew" meat
brochette
Fr. _brochette_ (meat on a skewer)
k'à san
to buy sth
k'à feere
to sell sth
ka sogo jeni
to grill meat [Lit. "to burn meat"]
k'à wele/weele
to call sb
baarakɛla
worker
gakɛla/gwakɛla
cook [lit. "hearth-do-er"]
tobilikɛla
cook
k'à tobi
to cook sth
k'à balabala
to boil sth; to cook sth in boiling water
ka wari di
to give money
k'à sara
to pay (for) sth
sɔngɔ
price
worosɔngɔ
tip [lit. "price of kola"]
ka mɔ
to ripen; to become ready [food]
ka dɔlɔ min
to drink alcohol
ka fa
to fill (up)
ka fa dɔlɔ la
to fill up on alcohol and get drunk
duvɛn
wine [< Fr. _du vin_ 'some wine']
N fara
I'm full
Cɛ fara (dɔlɔ la)
The man is drunk [Lit. "The man has filled up with alcohol"]
Cɛ ma fa (dɔlɔ la)
The man isn't drunk [Lit. "The man hasn't filled"]
ka gan/gwan
to heat (up)
ka kalaya
to warm (up)
Dumuni ganna
The food is hot

Dugutaga | Travel

fama
absence
so
home
terimuso
friend
tile fila
two days (often used to express "a while")
ka mɔgɔ sama
to give sb a gift from one's travels (Lit. "To gift sb")
sama
gift (from travels)
ka na ni X ye
to bring X
ka sɛgɛn
to tire
girin/gwili
heavy
ka se
to able to
su
night
ka ko [su]
to fall [night]
ka tɛmɛ
to pass (by)
k'à minɛ
to grab sth
-len/nen
resultative participle ("-ed") [Bambara]
-nin
resultative participle ("-ed") [Jula]
I sigilen bɛ min?
Where do you live? [Lit. "You seated are where?"]
I dalen don?

Are you lying down? [Lit. "You laid.down it.is?"]

N ye Musa sigilen fo
I greeted Musa (who was) seated
tun
retrospective marker
Abi don
It's Abi
Abi tun don
It was Abi
Musa tun tɛ
It wasn't Musa
Abidjan ka jan
Abidjan is far
Abidjan tun ka jan
Abidjan was far
Abi bɛ Abidjan

Abi is in Abidjan

Abi tun bɛ Abidjan
Abi was in Abidjan
Abi ye kalanden ye
Abi is a student
Abi tun ye kalanden ye
Abi was a student
N bɛ taa Bamakɔ
I go to Bamako [habitually]
N tun bɛ taa Bamakɔ
I would go to Bamako [habitually in the past]
I tun bɛ na n'à ye
You should have come with it [Lit. "You were coming with it"]
N taara Bamakɔ
I went to Bamako
N tun taara Bamakɔ
I had gone to Bamako
N bɛna taa Bamakɔ
I will go to Bamako // I am going to go to Bamako
N tun bɛna taa Bamakɔ
I was going to go to Bamako
N ma taa Bamako
I didn't go to Bamako
N tun ma taa Bamako
I hadn't gone to Bamako
teri
friend
teriya
friendship
jɛɲɔgɔn
companion
somɔgɔw
family members
ka taa/taga dugu la
to travel [Lit. "to go at the land"
dugutaga
travel; travels; journey
ka yaala
to walk; to stroll; to wander
tunga

abroad; away from home; "adventure"

N bɛ tunga la
I am abroad; I am on an adventure (away from home)
faso
homeland; home town; motherland [Lit. "father-house"]
ka bɔ mɔgɔ ye
to visit a person
ka (taa) bɔ X
to (go) visit X [a place]

Takisi | Taxi

sofɛri

driver (< Fr. chauffeur)

ka jɔ/lɔ
to stop; to stand
sugu
market
suguba
the central market [< Fr. grand marché]
ka don
to enter; to get in (of a vehicle)
ka fara
here, 'to turn' [Lit. 'to split']
ka jigin
to descend; to go down; to get out (of a vehicle)
X fan fɛ
in the direction of X [Lit. "by the side of X"]
k'à fɔ mɔgɔ ye
to say sth to sb
-ra/la/na
progressive suffix which attaches to verb
I bɛ taara/taala min?
Where are you going?
Takisi tɛ nana
A taxi isn't coming
ka
infinitive marker
N bɛ se ka don?
Can I get in? [Lit. "Can I enter?"]
I tɛ se ka nɛgɛso boli?
Can't you ride a bike?
N ka kan ka jigin yan
I need to get out here [Lit. "I need to descend here"]
Ka fara yan wa?
(Shall I) turn here?
Ka wari di i ma?
(Shall I) give the money to you?
An mana se sugu la, n bɛ jigin
When we arrive at the market, I (will) get out
Takisi mana na, n b'o ta
When the taxi comes, I (will) take it
kinibolo fɛ
right [Lit. "to the rice hand"]
numabolo fɛ
left [Lit. "to nose hand"]
bolojugu fɛ
left [Lit. "to mean hand"]
ɲɛfɛ/ɲafɛ
front; straight ahead
kɔfɛ
behind; backwards
moto
scooter; motorcycle
bolifɛn
vehicle
mɔbili
car; vehicle
nɛgɛso
bike
k'à boli
to drive sth
ka gɛrɛ/gwɛrɛ ɲɔgɔn na
to approach one another [as in, "to squeeze to fit in a vehicle"]
SOTRAMA
shared mini-bus [common in Mali]
gwaka/gbaka
shared mini-bus [common in Côte d'Ivoire]
takisi
taxi

Unit 4

Dumunikɛyɔrɔ | Restaurant

I barika! / Barika!
interjection that is said after eating to say "thanks". [< Arabic word for "blessing"]
Barika Ala ye!
typical interjection used to respond to someone saying "Barika!". It literally means "Barika to/for God!"
ka diya
to please; to be pleasing
ga/gwa
hearth [as in, "the place where one cooks"; by extension, it can mean "cooking; cuisine"]
ka fa
to fill
k'i da/la
to lay (yourself) down; to go to bed
ka bonya
to fatten; to become fat/large
munna
why
ko
quotative copula [often used to express "to say"]
bawo
because
bonya
large-ness; respect
di
pleasing; sweet; tasty
À diyara
It was pleasing
tubabu
white/Western person
ka tubabuya
to become (like) a white/Western person
tubabuya
white-ness; Western-ness; the condition of being a white/Western person
i
formal reflexive marker
N ye n da
I laid (myself) down
À y'i/à da

He/she laid (him/herself) down

I y'i da?
Have you gone to bed? (Lit. "Have you laid yourself down?")
I tɔgɔ ko di?
What's your name?
Ko di?
Come again?; What do you say? (Lit. "Say how?")
Ko mun?
(So-and-so) says/said what?
I ko di?
You say/said what?
N ko "Na yan"
I said "Come here"
N m'à fɔ (ko) "Na yan"
I didn't say "Come here"
À ko n ka na ni dumuni ye
She said I should bring out food
À ko ko n ka na ni dumuni ye
She said that I should bring out food
Den ye kini bɛɛ dun ko à ta don
The child ate all the rice (as if he were saying to himself that it was his)
N ye kini san katugu kɔngɔ bɛ n na
I bought rice because I am hungry
X kosɔn
because of X
N ye kini san kɔngɔ kosɔn
I bought rice because of hunger
X kanma/kama
for X
N ye kini san kɔngɔ kanma
I bought rice for (the purposes of dealing with) hunger
Mun kosɔn?
What for? [as in, "Why (did you do it?)"]
Mun kanma?
Because of what? [as in, "Why (did you do it)?"
makaroni
pasta; cf. 'macaroni'
salati
salad (< Fr. salade)
na
sauce (vs. `ka na` "to come")
naji
soup
to
West African "swallow" dish that one dips into sauce
ka tila fɛn na
to finish with something
malo
rice [Jula]; uncooked rice [Bambara]
kini
(cooked) rice [Bambara]
cɛkɛ
attiéké (a steamed cassava based dish)
loko
plantains
foronto
spicy pepper
barisa
because
katugu
because
sabu(la)
because
pariseke/paseke

because [< Fr. _parce que_]

ka sababuya kɛ
because

Furusiri | Wedding

dusu

heart

diyagoya
requirement; necessity [Lit. "please-displease"]
don/lon
day
k'i sigi
to sit (yourself) down
kɔɲɔmuso
bride
cɛ
appearance
bi
today
furu
marriage
su
night time
ka ko
to wash [used to with `su` to express the idea of "night falling"
Su kora
Night has fallen (Lit. "Night has washed")
dɔn
dance
ka ɲɛ
here, "well"
baasi
problem
fewu
at all
nisɔn
heart
diya
pleasure
ka kɛ
to occur; to take place
Furu kɛra kunun
The wedding was/occured yesterday
Mun kɛra?
What happened?
ka kɛ X ye
to become/be X
Bi kɛra donba ye!
Today is a big day!
Den kɛra cɛ ye
The child became a man
ni
if; when
Ni furu sirila, an bɛna dɔn kɛ
Once the wedding ceremony is complete, we will dance
N'i sera, i ka à fɔ n ye
When you arrive, you (should) tell me
N'i man kɛnɛ, i kana na
If you aren't healthy, you mustn't come
mugu
flour
ji
water
muguji
flour water
takisi
taxi
k'à boli
to drive sth
takisiboli
taxi-driving
yɛrɛ
self
k'à dɔn
to know sth
yɛrɛdɔn
knowledge of self
k'i da/la
to lay yourself down; to go to bed
yɔrɔ
place
dayɔrɔ/layɔrɔ
resting place
bolo
arm
nɛgɛ
metal; iron
bololanɛgɛ
bracelet
waajibi
obligation
mɛri
town hall [< Fr. _mairie_]
eglizi/eglisi
church [< Fr. _église_]
woro
kola nut [traditional gift at ceremonies such as weddings]
furunafolo
dowry [paid by the groom's family to bride's; lit. "marriage-goods"]
karamɔgɔ
teacher; Muslim cleric
alimami
imam
kɔɲɔkɛ/muso
groom/bride
jeli
"griot"; a traditional West African bard
ka fini/fani don
to wear/put on clothes
ka furu siri
to "tie" a marriage (as in, 'to complete vows' etc)
ka dɔn kɛ
to dance
bala
balafon
ka bala fɔ
to play the balafon
dɔnkili
song [Lit. "call to dance"]
X dusu bɛ diya
to rejoice; be happy [Lit. "X's heart is pleasing"]
ka ɲɛnajɛ/ɲɛnagwɛ kɛ
to rejoice
ɲɛnajɛ/ɲɛnagwɛ
rejoicing; celebration
fɛti
party [< Fr. _fête_]
ka laada kɛ
to practice local customs/traditions

Ɲɛnafin | Nostalgia

ɲɛnafin
nostalgia
ka na
to come
haan
"Amazing!"
ka sigi
to sit; to reside/live (somewhere)
yɔrɔ
place
sira
road; path
jan
far; long; tall
ka ban
to end
siga
doubt
dɔgɔkun/lɔgɔkun
week
ka se
to arrive
ko
affair; thing
k'à dɔn/lɔn
to know sth
fɔlɔ
yet
-len/nen
resultative participle ("-ed") [Bambara]
-nin
resultative participle ("-ed") [Jula]
I sigilen bɛ min?
Where do you live? [Lit. "You seated are where?"]
I dalen don?

Are you lying down? [Lit. "You laid.down it.is?"]

N ye Musa sigilen fo
I greeted Musa (who was) seated
-tɔ
progressive participle ("-ing")
I taatɔ don?
Are you (in the process of) going?
N ye Musa taatɔ fo
I greeted Musa (while he was) going
-bali
privative/negative participle ("-less"; "un-X-able")
kuma banbali
endless talk
malobali
shameless (person)
kalanbali
study-less (person) [i.e. "a person who didn't go to school"]
ko kɛbali
undoable affair/thing
Don ka jan, à sebali tɛ
A day is far (off from now), but it's not unarriving [Proverb: "No matter how far away a day is, it will arrive someday")
-ta
potential participle
dɔgɔkun nata
the week to come; "next week"
fɛn feereta
thing for sale; thing to sell
fɛn yeta
a thing to see
baara kɛta
work to be done; "task"
teri
friend
teriya
friendship
jɛɲɔgɔn
companion
somɔgɔw
family members
tunga

abroad; away from home; "adventure"

N bɛ tunga la
I am abroad; I am on an adventure (away from home)
so
home
faso
homeland; home town; motherland [Lit. "father-house"]
ka kasi
to cry
k'à wele/weele
to call sb
weleli
a (phone) call
dusukasi
sadness
N dusu bɛ kasi
I am sad [Lit. "My heart cries"]
bataki
letter
ka bɔ mɔgɔ ye
to visit sb
ka taa bɔ X
to (go) visit X [a place]
lɔgɔ [Jula]
longing
X lɔgɔ bɛ n na
I long for X
nege
desire; passion; craving
X nege bɛ n na
I have an intense desire for X

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