Course Vocab

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Unit 1

Greetings

i: you
aw: you (plural)
I/aw ni sɔgɔma: Good morning
I/aw ni tile: Good day
I/aw ni wula: Good afternoon
I/aw ni su: Good evening
Nba: male greeting response
Nse: female greeting response
I/aw ni baara: Hi (to someone working)
I/aw ni fama: "It's been a long time"
I/aw ni tunun: "I haven't seen you in a while"
I/aw ni taama: You and travel
I/aw ni sugu: You and the market
I/aw ni lɔgɔ: You and the market [Jula]
I/aw ni se: Welcome (lit. "You and arrival")
I/aw dansɛ: Welcome [Jula]
I/aw ni ce: "thanks"; "hi"

Greetings Extended

Hɛɛrɛ sira (wa)?: You passed the night in peace?
Hɛɛrɛ tilenna (wa)?: Have you passed the day in peace?
Hɛɛrɛ (dɔrɔn)!: Peace (only)!
X dun?: And X, (how are they)?
cɛ: man; husband
muso: woman; wife
somɔgɔw: family members
denmisɛnw: children
den: kid
denw: kids
teri: friend
balimakɛ/cɛ: "brother" (as in a friend that you share ties with)
balimamuso: "sister" (as in a friend that you share ties with)
X-ka: person from X
X-kaw: people from X
E(le) dun?: And you?
I yɛrɛ dun?: And yourself?
Tɔɔrɔ (si) tɛ X la: There isn't (no) suffering upon X
Tɔɔrɔ bɛ n kan.: Suffering is on me.
Hɛɛrɛ bɛ X la: Peace is upon X
X bɛ hɛɛrɛ la: X is in peace
X ka kɛnɛ: X is healthy
n/ne: I
i/e: you
à: he/she/it
an: we
aw: you all; you guys
u: they
X sira di?: How did X pass the night?
X tilenna di?: How did X pass the day?
Hɛɛrɛ bɛ?: Is there peace?
X ka kɛnɛ?: Is X healthy?
X bɛ di?: How is X?
X sira hɛɛrɛ la.: X passed the night in peace
X tilenna hɛɛrɛ la.: X passed the day in peace.

Goodbyes & Benedictions

K'an bɛn!: Goodbye!
An bɛn!: Goodbye! [possible Jula variant]
K'an bɛn [...]: See you [...] (Lit. "May God unite us [...]")
kɔfɛ: later; afterwards
sini: tomorrow
bi: today
K'an bɛn sɔgɔma (fɛ)!: See you in the morning!
K'an bɛn tile fɛ!: See you in the midday!
K'an bɛn wula fɛ!: See you in the afternoon!
K'an bɛn su fɛ!: See you in the evening!
(Ala) ka ...: May (God) ...
Ala ka tile/su hɛɛrɛ caya!: Have a nice day/night! (lit. "May God make the day/night's peace abundant)
Ka wula nɔgɔya!: May God make the afternoon easy!
Ala k'an si!: May God have us pass the night!
Ka dugu ɲuman jɛ!: "May the day break well!" (as in, 'May we have a good night!')
K'an kelen kelen kunun/wuli!: "May we wake/rise one-by-one!" [as opposed to all at once when there's an emergency]
K'an sɔɔni!: "May God bring us together shortly!"
Ka sɔɔni ɲuman se!: "May the shortly arrive well!" [a response to someone saying 'See you shortly']
amiina: amen
dugawu/duga/duba: benediction; blessing
Ala ka dugawu minɛ!: May God fulfill the benediction!
Ala ka sira diya!: "Safe travels!" ('May God make the road pleasing')
Ala ka sugu diya!: "Have a nice market!" ('May God make the market pleasing')
Ala ka bi diya!: "May God make today pleasing!"
Ko an bɛ [...] fo!: Say that we greet [...]!
I bɛ [...] fo n ye!: Greet [...] for me!
[...] bɛna/na à mɛn: [...] will hear it
Ala ka nɔgɔya kɛ!: Feel better / Get well soon (lit. 'May God do easing') [When someone is sick]
Ala k'i sɔn!: May God provide for you! [Said to a beggar to wish them well]
Ala ka den balo!: May God nourish the child! [Said especially to someone with a newborn or young child]
Ala k'à kɛ furu ye!: May God make it a marriage! [Said to wish someone a happy marriage]
Ala k'i sara!: May God repay you! [Said to thank someone for a good deed]
I ni baraji!: Thanks a lot (lit. 'You and divine recompense/repayment')

Introductions

tɔgɔ: (first) name
jamu: last name
I tɔgɔ ko di?: What's your (first) name?
I jamu ko di?: What's your last name?
N tɔgɔ/jamu ko [...]: My first/last name is [...]
I tɔgɔ/jamu (dun)?: (And) your first/last name [is]?
Nin tɔgɔ ko di?: What is this thing's name?
X tɔgɔ ko di?: What's X's (first) name?
X jamu ko di?: What's X's last name?
Jamu duman?: (And your) good last name (what is it)? [Lit. "Last.name good?"]

Essential Expressions

ɔwɔ/awɔ: yes
ayi: no
ɔnhɔn: yes (Jula form)
ɔn-ɔn: no (Jula form)
ayiwa: ok; alright
Ko di?: Come again?
Hakɛto: Excuse me
N m'à faamu: I don't understand
N y'à faamu: I understand
N m'à dɔn: I don't know
[...] bɛ fɔ di?: How do you say [...]?
[...] kɔrɔ ko di?: What does [...] mean?
... bamanankan na: ... in Bambara
... julakan na: ... in Jula
tubabukan na: ... in French
... angilɛkan/anglais-kan na...: ... in English
Nin filɛ!: Look at / Watch this!
Nin lamɛn!: Listen to this!
Nin kalan!: Read this!
À fɔ!: Say it!
Segin à kan!: Repeat it!
Jaati!: Precisely!
O ka ɲi!: That's good!

Bambara's Latin Alphabet

ɛ: open ɛ 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

Last Name Shout-Outs

I [...]!: To you, [...]!
Aw [...]!: To you all, [...]!
Nba: Male greeting response
Nse: Female greeting response
jamu: last name
I jamu ko di?: What's your last name?
Kulubali: Coulibaly [French spelling]
Keyita: Keïta [French spelling]
Tarawele: Traoré [French spelling]
Watara: Ouattara [French spelling]
Jalo: Diallo [French spelling]
Konate: Konaté [French spelling]

Unit 2

Presentatives

X don.: It/this/that is X. [Bambara]
X lo.: It/this/that is X. [Jula]
X tɛ.: It/this/that isn't X.
kala: pen
kitabu: book
mobili/mɔbili: car; truck; vehicle
kan: language
jamana: country
dɔnkili: song
jɔn: who
mun: what
Jɔn don?: Who is it/this?
Mun don?: What is it/this?
Foli don.: "It's a greeting."
I ni ce foli la.: Thanks for the greeting.
Juguman tɛ.: "It's nothing bad."
politikimɔgɔ: politician
fatɔ: crazy person
dɔnkilidala: singer
feerekɛla: seller; merchant
dɔgɔtɔrɔ: doctor
karamɔgɔ: teacher
kalanden: student
mɔgɔ: person
den(misɛn): child
tubabu: White person; Westerner
farafin: Black person; African
n/an [family.member]: my/our [family.member]
i/aw [family.member]: your [family.member]
à [family.member]: his/her [family.member]
u [family.member]: their [family.member]
somɔgɔ: family member
denbaya: (nuclear) family
n ka denbaya: my family
fa(cɛ): father [and paternal uncles]
ba(muso): mother
kɔrɔ: elder sibling
dɔgɔ: younger sibling
mɔkɛ/mamacɛ: grandfather
mɔmuso/mamamuso: grandmother
buran: inlaw
tɛnɛmuso: paternal aunt
bɛɛn/bɛlɛnkɛ: maternal uncle
sungurun: young woman/girlfriend/lover
kamalen: young man/boyfriend/lover
balima: kin; comrade
ni: and
ani: and (lit. 'it and')
walima: or
tiɲɛ [cɛn]: truth
nkalon [galon]: lie; fibbery
N/ne bolo...: "In my opinion..." (lit. 'My arm')
I bolo...: "In your opinion..."

Qualitative Verbs

X ka [quality]: X is [quality]
ka: helper word for qualitative verbs
X man [quality]: X isn't [quality]
man: negative helper word for qualitative verbs
X bɛ di?: "X is how?" (as in, "What is X like?")
(cogo) di: how (lit. '[manner] how')
gɛlɛn [gwɛlɛn]: difficult
nɔgɔn/nɔgɔ: easy
X sɔngɔ/da ka gɛlɛn: X is expensive (lit. 'The price of X is difficult')
bon: large; fat
jan: tall; long; far
surun: short; near
ɲi: good; nice; great
jugu: bad; mean; evil
ca: numerous; abundant; "a lot"
dɔgɔ: small
di: pleasing; tasty
go [gwo]: displeasing
misɛn: thin; small
kɛnɛ: healthy
fisa: better
farin: fiery; spicy
suma: cool; cold
kalan: warm; hot
kosɛbɛ: seriously; "very"
kojugu: excessively; "too"
dɔɔnin: a little bit
dɛ: "really"
kɛ: "Don't you know?"; "Of course!"
sisan: now
fana: also
sumaya: malaria; flu-like symptoms (lit. "coolness")
Ala ka nɔgɔya kɛ: May God do easing (as in, "Feel better!")
to: West African food dish of a pounded starch
faso: homeland
kalanden: student
karamɔgɔ: teacher
-ka: -er (as in, London*er*)
wulu: dog
jakuma: cat
bɛgɛn/bagan: livestock; domesticated farm animal (as in, cows, goats, chickens, etc., but not dogs or cats)
sira: road; path
dumuni: food
cɛkɛ: attiéké (a West African dish made of cassava)
loko: plaintain
minfɛn: drink
ji: water
bana: sickness
wari: money
yiri/jiri: tree
ko: affair; matter; thing
nin: this
o: that
tugun: anymore [Bambara & Jula]
bilen: anymore [Bambara]

Pronouns

n: I
ne: I (emphatic)
i: you
e(le): you [emphatic]
à: he/she/it
ale: he/she/it (emphatic)
an: we
anw: we (emphatic)
á: you all
aw: you all (emphatic)
u: they
olu: they (emphatic)
de: focus marker [Bambara]
le: focus marker [Jula]
An ka taa!: Let's go!

Equatives

X ye [Y] ye: X is [Y]
X tɛ [Y] ye: X is not [Y]
sigilan: chair
mun: what
jumɛn: which
yɔrɔ-jumɛn-ka: resident of which place [used in questions]
I ye yɔrɔ-jumɛn-ka ye?: "Where are you from?" [lit. 'You are a which-placer?']
I ka baara ye mun ye?: What is your work?
fatɔ: crazy person
baasi: problem
mɔbili/mobili: car; vehicle
tuma: time; moment
wagati/waati: time; moment; period
mɔgɔkɔrɔba: grown-up; elder person
-tigi: owner/manager of
jagokɛla: merchant; trader
bamanan: Bambara (person)
jula: Jula (person); merchant/trader
fula: Fulani (person)
Maliden: Malian (person) [lit. 'Mali-child']
Kodiwarika: Ivoirian (person)
Amerikika: American (person)
butiki: store; shop
kalanso: school
lemuru: lemon
lemuruji: lemonade
ko: affair; matter
fɛn: thing
so: house
bon: house; room
du/lu: courtyard
dugu: town; ground; earth
nɛgɛso: bike
bamanankan: Bambara (language)
julakan: Jula (language)
tubabukan: French (language)
angilɛkan/anglais-kan: English
bɛɛ: all
wɛrɛ: another
dɔ: some
yɛrɛ: even; self; own [Fr. "même"]
si: none; no

Situatives

X bɛ [location]: X is.located [location]
bɛ: situative/location copula ["is located"]
X tɛ [location]: X is.not.located [location]
tɛ: negative situative/location copula ["is not located"]
X bɛ [country/city]: X is in [country/city]
X bɛ Mali la: X is in Mali
farafinna: Africa (lit. 'land of the Blacks')
X bɛ: There is X
X tɛ: There isn't X
Funteni bɛ!: It's hot (out)!
Nɛnɛ tɛ!: It's not cold (out)!
Tɔɔrɔ tɛ!: There isn't suffering.
Hɛɛrɛ bɛ X la.: Peace is upon X.
Kɔngɔ bɛ X la: X is hungry (lit. 'Hunger is upon X')
Kow bɛ di?: How are things? (lit. 'Affairs are how?)
yan: here
yen: there
yan/yen fɛ: here/there
yɔrɔ: place
o yɔrɔ la: over there (lit. "in that place")
la: at; on; in
fɛ: Fr. 'chez'; at the place of; by
so: home
X bɛ so: X is at home
baarakɛyɔrɔ: workplace
X fɛ: at X's place/home
Ne fɛ: "For me" (as in, "It's good *for me*")
kan: on top of
kɛrɛfɛ / kɛrɛ fɛ: next to
kɔfɛ / kɔ fɛ: behind
ɲɛfɛ / ɲɛ fɛ: in front of
(ju)kɔrɔ: under; underneath
sanfɛ / san fɛ: above (lit. 'towards the sky of')
dugu ma: on the ground
kɛnɛ ma: outside (lit. 'to the clearing')
kɔnɔ: inside of
tan: like this
ten: like this
À bɛ ten!: It's like that! ("That's how it is!")
À tɛ ten!: It's not like that! ("That's not how it is!)
sukaro: sugar
te: tea
dɛbɛ/dɛbɛn: mat
nafa: interest; utility
ɲɛnama: "good"; (lit. 'living; alive')
terikɛ/tericɛ: male friend
terimuso: female friend
N ɲɛ bɛ X la: I see X (lit. 'My eye is upon X')
N tulo bɛ X la: I hear X (lit. 'My ear is upon X')
Ka sira diya!: "Safe travels!" (lit. 'May the road be pleasing!')
kɛnɛya: health

Possessive Noun Phrases

i [inalienable thing]: your [inalienable thing]
bolo: arm; hand
tɛgɛ: hand; palm
kun: head
fari: body
kan: throat
kunsigi: hair (of your head)
sen: leg; foot
nisɔn: heart (lit. 'soul-heart')
dusu: heart
kɔnɔ: stomach; belly
ju: rear-end; butt
nun: nose
da: mouth
ɲin: tooth
disi: chest
sin: breast
kɔ: back
ɲɛ: eye; face
ɲa: eye; face [Jula]
hakili: intellect; idea
mɔden: grandchild
mamaden: grandchild [Jula]
i ka [alienable thing]: your [alienable thing]
ka: alienable possession marker
ta: possessive pronoun (e.g., "his/hers", "Adama's", etc.)
Jɔn ta don?: Whose is this?
Aminata ta tɛ!: It's not Aminata's!
N ta don.: It's mine.

Unit 3

Numbers 1-10

kelen: one
fila [fla]: two
saba: three
naani: four
duuru: five
looru: five [possible Jula variant]
wɔɔrɔ: six
wolonfila: seven
wolonwula: seven [possible Bambara variant]
segin: eight
kɔnɔntɔn: nine
tan: ten
fu: zero; nothing
joli: how many; how much
adamaden: human being
kalo: month; moon

Plurals

-w: plural marker
-lu/nu: "full" plural marker variant
ninnu [nunu]: these
sɛnɛkɛla: farmer
sannikɛla: buyer; customer; client
caman: many; a lot
bɛɛ: all
taw: possessive pronoun in plural form (e.g., 'ours; yours')
jumɛn: which (one)
jumɛnw: which (ones)
faama: authority (figure); official; officer; person of means
faantan: poor person
bana: sickness; illness
mura: (common) cold
sumaya: malaria; fever; flu
bolifɛn: vehicle; "set of wheels" [includes bikes, etc]
Ɛ!: Eek! / Jeez! / Whoa!

Verbs in the Present

k'à fɔ: to say something; to speak a language
k'à mɛn: to hear something; to understand a language
k'à faamu: to understand something
ka bɔ: to exit; come out of; be from
ka taa/taga: to go; leave
ka kuma: to talk; speak
angilɛkan/anglais-kan: English
bamanankan: Bambara
tubabukan: French
ka na: to come
k'à san: to buy something
ka: infinitive marker
Kodiwari: Côte d'Ivoire
Ameriki: America; USA
Faransi: France
ka ban: to end
kaban: already
ka se: to arrive; to be able to
Ala k'à ɲuman se!: May God make him/her arrive properly!
sunɔgɔ: sleep; sleepiness
k'à yira/jira: to show something
Ala ka sini yira an na!: May God show us tomorrow!
ka baara (kɛ): to work (lit. 'to do work')
k'à kɛ: to do/make something
ka sɛnɛ kɛ: to farm (lit. 'to do farming')
k'à sɛnɛ: to farm something
ka nkɔni fɔ: to play the ngoni
ka dɔnkili da: to sing (lit. 'to lay down a song') [Bambara]
ka dɔnkili la: to sing [Jula]
k'à dun/dumu: to eat something
ka dumuni kɛ: to eat (lit. 'to do food')
k'à min: to drink something
k'à fo: to greet/thank someone
ka foli kɛ: to greet/thank (lit. 'to do greeting')
kɔni: in any case
ka bon/so jɔ: to erect a house [Bambara]
ka bon/so lɔ: to erect a house [Jula]
ka misi gɛn/gwɛn: to herd cows (lit. 'to chase cow')
ka gese da: to weave (lit. 'to create thread')
ka jɛgɛ minɛ: to fish (lit. 'to grab fish')
ka wuli: to rise; get up
ka don: to enter
k'à feere: to sell something
k'à kalan: to read/study something
kalan: reading; studies
k'à sɛbɛn: to write something
ka sigi: to sit

Question Words

wa: yes/no question marker
jɔn: who
min: where
mun: what
di: how
cogo: manner
cogo di: how (lit. "manner how")
jumɛn: which
jumɛnw: which [plural]
joli: how many/much
tuma jumɛn: when (lit. 'which time')
munna: why (lit. 'on what')
mun kosɔn: why; because of what
mun kanma/kama: why; what for
bawo: because
sisan-sisan: right now
don/lon: day
dɔgɔkun/lɔgɔkun: week/market cycle
kalo: month
san: year
ɲinan: this year
salon: last year
kini: rice [typically Bambara]
malo: rice [typically Jula]
k'à ta: to take something
ɲamakuji: ginger juice
kungo [kongo]: the bush; the wilderness
foro: (farming) field
pankurun: airplane
dunan: foreigner; guest
jatigi: host

Adjectives

kura: new
fitinin: little
ɲuman [< ɲiman]: good
duman [< diman]: pleasing; tasty; pleasant
-nin: little; wee
-dennin: little; wee [lit. 'little kid']
-ba: big; large
belebeleba: big; large [lit. 'big-big']
misɛn(man): thin; skinny; small
jan (janmanjan): long; tall; far
surun(man): short; near
jugu(man): bad; mean; evil
goman: displeasing; gross; unpleasant
dɔgɔman: small; few; young
caman: abundant; numerous; a lot
fisaman: better
kɛnɛ(man): healthy; fresh
nɔgɔn/nɔgɔ(man): easy
gɛlɛn(man): difficult
fin(man): black
bilen(man): red; brown [Bambara]
wulen(man): red; brown [Jula]
jɛ(man): white; clean; pure [Bambara]
gwɛ(man): white; clean; pure [Jula]
kolon: worthless

Unit 4

Verbs in the Past

ye: transitive past marker
-ra/la/na: intransitive affirmative past marker
ma: negative past marker
N taara: I went; I left
N ma taa: I didn't go
U wulila: They got up
U ma wuli: They didn't get up
À karila: It broke
À ma kari: It didn't break
An nana: We came
An ma na: We didn't come
N y'i fo: I greeted you
N m'i fo: I didn't greet you
I y'à ye?: Did you see it?
I m'à ye?: Did you not see it?
faransikan: French language (lit. 'France language')
k'à dɔn: to know something/someone
k'à lɔn: to know something/someone [Jula]
taayɔrɔ/tagayɔrɔ: Lit. 'go-place' (as in, 'where someone or something went')
ka fɛn taayɔrɔ dɔn/lɔn: to know where something went (lit. "to know something's go-place")
ka sunɔgɔ: to sleep
ka mɛɛn: to last; to occur a while back
ka mɛɛn yan: to be here for a longtime
ka mɔgɔ dege (fɛn na): to teach someone ([about] something)
ka fɛn dege: to learn something
kolo: bone

Imperatives

Taa!: Go!
Kana X!: Don't X!
Á ye taa!: Go! (to multiple people)
Kana taa!: Don't go!
À filɛ!: Look at it!
Kan'à filɛ!: Don't look at it!
Á ye à filɛ!: Look at it! (to multiple people)
Kana o fɔ!: Don't say that!
Nin lamɛn!: Listen to this!
N dɛmɛ!: Help me!
Bɔ yan!: Get out of here! (lit. 'Exit here!')
manamanakan: nonsense; blabber
k'à lajɛ: to look at / watch something [synonym of "k'à filɛ"]
ka nkalon tigɛ: to tell a lie (lit. 'to cut a lie')
ka tiɲɛ fɔ: to tell the truth (lit. 'to speak the truth')
ka boli: to run
k'à boli: to drive/ride something
I sigi!: Sit down (lit. 'Sit yourself')!
ka to: to remain; to stay
k'à to: to leave something/someone
ka kasi: to cry
ka yafa mɔgɔ ma: to forgive someone
Yafa n ma!: Forgive me!
Sabali!: Have patience! (as in, 'Be forgiving!' or "Don't be like that!") [Bambara]
Sabari!: Have patience! [Jula]
nka: but
k'à ɲininka: to ask someone
ka mɔgɔ ɲininka fɛn na: to ask someone about something