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" Not working? Open in new window. Expand and Complete Expand
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 kɛ 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 telenda (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 Not working? Open in new window. Expand and Complete Expand
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] Not working? Open in new window. Expand and Complete Expand
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? Not working? Open in new window. Expand and Complete Expand
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! Not working? Open in new window. Expand and Complete Expand
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 Not working? Open in new window. Expand and Complete Expand
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" Not working? Open in new window. Expand and Complete Expand
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] Not working? Open in new window. Expand and Complete Expand
Unit 1 Vocab
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Unit 1
Greetings
Greetings
Greetings
Greetings Extended
(nuclear) family
Have you passed the day in peace?
Greetings Extended
Goodbyes & Benedictions
Introductions
Essential Expressions
Maninka's Latin Alphabet
The N'ko Alphabet
Last Name Shout-Outs
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