Unit 1 Vocab

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Unit 1

Greetings

i
you
álu
you (plural)
I/álu (ni) sɔɔma
Good morning
I/álu ni tele
Good day
I/álu ni wura
Good afternoon
I/álu ni su
Good evening
Nba
male greeting response
Nse
female greeting response
I/álu ni baara
Hi (to someone working)
I/álu ni fama
"It's been a long time"
I/álu ni tunun
"I haven't seen you in a while"
I/álu ni taama
You and travel
I/álu ni lɔɔ
You and the market
I/álu ni sɛnɛ
Welcome
I/álu dansɛ
Welcome [Jula]
I/álu ni ke
"thanks"; "hi"

Greetings Extended

Tana ma si?
You passed the night without an ill?
Tana ma telen?
You passed the day without an ill?
Tana tɛ X la?
Is there not an ill upon X?
i
you
man; husband
moso
woman; wife
mɔɔ
person; people
i la mɔɔ
"your people"
fa
father
na
mother
denbaya

(nuclear) family

dennɛnnu
children (lit. 'little children')
dennɛn/dennin
child (lit. 'little kid')
den
kid
dennu
kids
teri
friend
X-kalu
people from X
X-ka
person from X
Tana tɛ X?
Is there not at an ill (at) X?
... i bada
... at your place
... lu ma
... in the courtyard (e.g., 'at home')
... yen
... there
... yan
here
Tana si tɛ.
There isn't any ill.
Tana tɛ.
There isn't an ill
Alatando!
Praise be to God! (as in, 'All is well')
X ka kɛndɛ
X is healthy
Hɛrɛ dɔrɔn!
Peace only!
hɛrɛ/hɛɛrɛ/hɛra
peace
Tana (si) tɛ X la
There isn't (no) ill upon X
X ye yen
X is there (as in, 'X is doing well')
n/ne/nde
I
i/ile
you
à
he/she/it
an
we
álu
you all; you guys
àlu
they
Hɛrɛ sida (ba)?
You passed the night in peace?
Hɛrɛ tilenda (ba)?
Have you passed the day in peace?
X ka kɛndɛ?
Is X healthy?
X ye di?
How is X?
X don?
And X? (How are they?)
Ile don?
And you?
I jɛdɛ don?
And yourself?
Tana tɛ?
Is there not an ill?
àlu
they

Goodbyes & Benedictions

An bɛn!
Goodbye!
K'an bɛn!
Goodbye! [possible Bambara variant]
An bɛn [...]
See you [...] (Lit. "May God unite us [...]")
kɔfɛ
later; afterwards [one word]
kɔ la
later; afterwards [two words]
sinin
tomorrow
bi
today
An bɛn dɔɔnin
See you in a bit
An bɛn sɔɔma!
See you in the morning!
An bɛn tele dɔ!
See you in the midday!
An bɛn wura la!
See you in the afternoon!
An bɛn su dɔ!
See you in the evening!
Ala ye ...
May (God) ...
Ka ...
(May God) ...
Ala ye tele/su hɛrɛ siyaya!
Have a nice day/night! (lit. "May God make the day/night's peace abundant)
Ka wura nɔɔya!
May God make the afternoon easy!
Ala y'an si!
May God have us pass the night!
Ka su kayira!
May God make the night peaceful!
K'an kelen kelen kunun/wili!
"May we wake/rise one-by-one!" [as opposed to all at once when there's an emergency]
Ka duu ɲuman gbɛ!
"May the day break peacefully!" (as in, 'May we have a good night!')
amiina
amen
duwau/dugawu/duga/duba
benediction; blessing
Ala ye duwau mina/mida!
May God fulfill the benediction!
Ala ye sila diya!
"Safe travels!" ('May God make the road pleasing')
Ala ye lɔɔ diya!
"Have a nice market!" ('May God make the market pleasing')
Ala ye bi diya!
"May God make today pleasing!"
Ko an ye X fola!
Say that we greet X!
I ye X fola n ye!
Greet X for me!
X di à mɛn
X will hear it
Ala ye nɔɔya kɛ!
Feel better / Get well soon (lit. 'May God do easing') [When someone is sick]
Ala y'i sɔn!
May God provide for you! [Said to a beggar to wish them well]
Ala ye den balo!
May God nourish the child! [Said especially to someone with a newborn or young child]
Ala y'à kɛ fudu di!
May God make it a marriage! [Said to wish someone a happy marriage]
Ala y'i sada!
May God repay you! [Said to thank someone for a good deed]

Introductions

tɔɔ
(first) name
jamu
last name
si
last name (lit. 'race; kind'; type')
I tɔɔ di?
What's your (first) name?
Jamu diman/duman?
(And your) good last name (what is it)?
I si?
Your last name? (Lit. "Your kind?")
N tɔɔ (le) X
My first name is X
N [X]
I am a [last name]
I tɔɔ/jamu (don)?
(And) your first/last name [is]?
Nin tɔɔ di?
What is this thing's name?
X tɔɔ di?
What's X's (first) name?
X jamu/si?
What's X's last name?

Essential Expressions

ɔnhɔn
yes
ɔwɔ/awɔ
yes (Bambara style)
ɔn-ɔn
no
ayi
no (Bambara style)
ayiwa / awa
ok; alright
Ko di?
Come again?
Hakɛto
Excuse me
N m'à faamun
I don't understand
N bada à faamun
I understand
N m'à lɔn
I don't know
X ye fɔla (ɲa) di?
How do you say X?
X kɔdɔ ko/ye di?
What does X mean?
... maninkakan dɔ
... in Maninka
... tubabukan dɔ
... in French
... angilɛkan/anglais-kan dɔ
... in English
Nin fɛlɛ!
Look at / Watch this!
Nin lamɛn!
Listen to this!
Nin karan!
Read this!
À fɔ!
Say it!
Sayin/seyin à kan!
Repeat it!
Jaati!
Precisely!
O ka ɲi!
That's good!

Maninka's Latin Alphabet

ɛ
open e pronunciation
bɛrɛ
gravel
bere
stick
ɔ
open o pronunciation
bɔlɔ
stake
bolo
arm
ɲ ("ɲa")
palatal n pronunciation
ɲin
tooth
ŋ ("ŋa")
velar n pronunciation
ŋɔni
thorn

The N'ko Alphabet

ߊ
a
o
e
ߍ
ɛ
ߌ
i
ߏ
o
ߐ
ɔ
ߎ
u
ߓ
b
ߗ
c
ߘ
d
ߝ
f
ߜ
gb
ߤ
h
ߖ
j
ߞ
k
ߟ
l
ߡ
m
ߣ
n
ߢ
ɲ
ߔ
p
ߙ
r
ߚ
rr
ߛ
s
ߕ
t
ߥ
w
ߦ
y
ߒ
n (syllabic)
ߠ
"na-woloso"
ߧ
"ɲa-woloso"

Last Name Shout-Outs

I [last name]!
To you, [last name]!
Álu [last name]!
To you all, [last name]!
Nba
Male greeting response
Nse
Female greeting response
Mɔɔbalu
Male response (Lit. 'The great people')
Marahaba
Male response [from Arabic]
N m'à sɔdɔn
Female response (Lit. "I haven't obtained it")
jamu
last name
I jamu/si?
What's your last name?
Jaanɛ
Diané [French spelling]
Jalo
Diallo [French spelling]
Kamara
Camara [French spelling]
Keyita
Keïta [French spelling]
Konate
Konaté [French spelling]
Kulubali
Coulibaly [French spelling]
Tarawele
Traoré [French spelling]
Ture
Touré [French spelling]