Unit 1 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]

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