Bambara Day 5

Phrases Our Kids Asked to Learn

Get off the wall.
Jigi koko kan.
Literally: Jigi koko kan.
Decend wall on.
Do you have a bike?
I be negeso bolo
Literally: I be negeso bolo?
You are bike arm?
(Maybe like, "Have you got a bike on you? Possession is strongly emphasized over ownership.)
Pet a chicken.
Shaé momo.
Literally: Shaé   momo.
Chicken pet.
It is done.
A bana.
Literally: A bana.
It done (finished).

Bambara Day 4

A common conversation that can be used to learn many things in Bambara.

What's your name?

I togo be di?

                                                            My name is Jacob.

                                                            Ne togo ye Yacouba.

What's this (that)?

Ni yé mun yé?

                                                            A chair.

                                                            Sigilan.

A chair?

Sigilan wa?

                                                            Yes.

                                                            Awo.

What's a chair?

Sigilan ye mun yé?

                                                            People sit on it.

                                                            Mogo be sigi a kan.

What's he doing?

A bé mun kera?

                                                            He's planting corn.

                                                            A be kaba dan.

Why?

Mun koson?

                                                            The rain is coming and he is a cultivator.

                                                            Sanji nana ani a le ye senekéla ye.

Thanks.

I ni cé.

                                                            You're welcome. Where are you going?

                                                            M'ba.                           I be ta min?

I'm going home.

Ne be ta so.

                                                            Greet your people.

                                                            K'an b'u fo.

They'll here it.

U na men.

                                                            See you later.

                                                            K'an ben kofé.

Okay.

M'ba.

Day 3

Typical morning greetings

Good morning.

            I ni sogoma.

                                                                        Hey, did you have a peaceful night?

                                                            M'ba (male response to a greeting.) Here sira wa?

Peace only.

Here doron.

                                                            How's your family?

                                                            Somogo dun?

No trouble.

Torro té.

                                                            Is your wife healthy?

                                                            Muso ka kené?

She's healthy.

A ka kené.

                                                            How are your children?

                                                            Denmiewsen don?

U be di.

They're good.

                                                            Good. God give you a peaceful day.

                                                            M'ba. Ala ka tilé heré.

Amen (I agree)

Amina

Bambara Day 2

I am from the United States.
Ne bora États Unis.

Now, I live in Kadiolo Koko.
Sisan, ne be Kadiolo Koko.

I want to learn your language and your culture.
Ne b'a fe ka aw ka kan ani aw ka ladalako kalan.

I left here in the year 2000.
Ne bora ya san ba fila.

I really like Malians, so I decided to spend some time here.
Mali mogow djiara ne ye, o koson ne ya mirri ka na watti ke ya.


Break down:

Ne bora États Unis.
I came from USA (derived from french)
('bo' to go out)('ra' puts the action in the past)


Sisan, ne be Kadiolo Koko.
Now, I am (city) (neighborhood)


Ne b'a        fe ka aw ka kan ani aw ka ladalako kalan.
I would like to you-r language and your          culture learn.
                  (plural)('ka' shows posession)


Ne bora yan san ba fila. ('yan' = here;  'yen' = there)
I left here year 1000 2


Mali mogow djiara ne ye, o koson ne
Mali people please me to, that because I

ya         mirri ka na         watti ke ya.
(past) decided to come time         do here.

Bambara Day 1

I want to learn Bambara.
Ne b'a fe ka Bamanakan kalan.

I don't understand Bambara yet.
Ne te Bamanakan men folo.

Give me the road. (Meaning: I would like to go now.)
Sira di.

I want to be going.
Ne be fe ka taga.

See you later.
K'an ben kofé. (kofé also means behind)

God give you a peaceful day.
Ala ka tilé heré

I agree. (Response to a blessing)
Amina.

May God answer your request. (Blessing in response to a blessing)
Ala kaw ke.