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Learn Bambara with me

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Added DEC 14th

Can I look at the menu, please?

N be se ka menu laje wa, sa?

Can I look in the kitchen?

N be se ka gwa laje wa?

I’m a vegetarian.

n te sogo dun

I don’t eat pork.

n te lesogo dun

I don’t eat beef.

n te misisogo dun

Can you make it “lite”, please? ( less oil/butter/lard )

aw kana tulu caman k’a la [don’t put a lot of oil on it]

breakfast

daraka

lunch

tilela fana, tilerɔ

supper

sura fana, surɔfana

I want _____.

ne bε _____ fε

I want a dish containing _____.

N be dumuni min fe, ____ b’o la.

chicken

shεsogo

beef

mishisogo

fish

jègè

ham

lesogo

soda

buasan

cheese

fromagi

eggs

shεfan

salad, lettuce

salati

(fresh) vegetable

nako fen (garden things)

(fresh) fruit

yiri den (tree children)

bread

buru, nbuuru

noodles

macaroni (yes, just like english, but applies to nearly all pasta)

rice

malo (uncooked), kini (cooked)

corn

kaba

orange

lemru-ba, lenburuba

lemon, lime

lenburu

pineapple

jabibi

banana

namasa

plantain

baranda, loko

guava

buyaki

papaya

manje

peanut

tiga

beans

sho

coffee

kafe, kafe-ji

tea ( drink )

_____ juice

____ ju

water

milk

nɔnɔ

beer

bieri

alcohol

dolo

May I have some _____?

ne be se ka ____ soro wa?

salt

kɔkɔ

Excuse me, waiter? ( getting attention of server )

terike! ( means Friend)

I’m finished.

n fara (I’m full)

It was delicious.

a djarra, aw ni gwa

Please clear the plates.

aw ka assiettiw ta.

The check, please.

aw ka na ni addition ye.

Do you serve alcohol?

eska dolo be wa?

A beer/two beers, please.

castel bilibili ba, castel bilibiliba fila, sil vous plais.

How much is this?

Nin ye joli ye?

That’s too expensive.

abarika, A ka cha. Do bo a la [cheaper please]

expensive

ka gelen (literally – too heavy)

cheap

ma gelen (literally – not heavy)

I can’t afford it.

wari ne be n’bolo. (literally – the money is not in my hand)

I don’t want it.

N t’a fe. [note: once you have made an offer you are obligated to purchase]

You’re cheating me.

Namara ka cha.

OK, I’ll take it.

Ayiwa, n be fe k’a san.

Can I have a bag?

mahnah be wa? (literally – do you have plastic)

..toothpaste.

…pahtay de dent. (French)

…a toothbrush.

…brassay de dent (French)

…soap.

…safine.

…shampoo.

…kun safine.

…pain reliever. ( e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen )

…Kungaloo Keesay. (literally head-seed)or Kungaloo furu

…cold medicine.

…moora fooroo.

…stomach medicine.

…kono baara fooroo.

…a razor.

…lamu. (French)

…an umbrella.

…para pluie. (French)

…postage stamps.

…tambaru. (French)

…batteries.

…pilew.

…writing paper.

…papieri ka seben.

…a pen.

…biki.

…English-language books.

…anglakan livuru.

…an English-English dictionary.

…anglikan dickshow.

Added Nov 27th

Bus and Train

How much is a ticket to _____?

Ka taa ____ ye joli ye?

One ticket to _____, please.

Billetti kelen ka taa ____.

Where does this train/bus go?

Mobili / train nin be taa min?

Where is the train/bus to _____?

Mobili / train min be taa _____ be soro min?

Does this train/bus stop in _____?

Mobili /train nin be jo _____ wa?

When does the train/bus for _____ leave?

Mobili / train min be taa _____ waati jumen?

When will this train/bus arrive in _____?

Mobili / train nin be se _____ waati jumen?

Directions

How do I get to _____ ?

____ be soro fan jumen fe?

…the train station?

gare de sisikurun

…the bus station?

autogare

…the airport?

aeroport

…downtown?

dugukono

…the youth hostel?

siyoro / hotel

…the _____ hotel?

siyoro / hotel

…the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate?

Ameriki / Canadien / Australien / Anglezi ambassade / jamanasigiyoro

Where are there a lot of…

_____ caman be soro min?

…hotels?

hotel

…restaurants?

dumuniyorow

…bars?

dolominyorow

…sites to see?

Can you show me on the map?

I be se ka yira n na carti la wa?

street

sira

Turn left.

kaa fara numanbolo fe

Turn right.

kaa fara kinibolo fe

left

numanbolo (nose hand)

right

kinibolo (rice hand)

straight ahead

nyefe

towards the _____

_____ fan fe

past the _____

_____ ko

before the _____

_____ nye

Watch for the _____.

_____ nyini

intersection

north

saheli / kokodugu fe (sahel / salt land way)

south

worodugu fe (kola land way)

east

seli fe (prayer way)

west

tilebin fe (sunset way)

uphill

san fe

downhill

duguma fe

Taxi

Taxi!

Take me to _____, please.

N b’a fe ka taa _____ (la).

How much does it cost to get to _____?

Ka taa _____ (la) ye joli ye?

Take me there, please.

An ka taa yen.

Do you have any rooms available?

Siyoro be wa?

How much is a room for one person/two people?

Siyoro kelenta / filata ye joli ye?

Does the room come with…

_____ be soro siyoro la wa?

…a bathroom?

…tualet / nyegen?

May I see the room first?

N be se ka siyoro laje folo wa?

Do you have anything quieter?

Siyoro do be soro min …here ka ca nin ye wa?

…bigger?

…ka bon nin ye wa?

…cleaner?

…ka sani nin ye wa?

…cheaper?

…da ka nogon nin ye wa?

OK, I’ll take it.

A ka nyi, n b’a ta.

I will stay for _____ night(s).

N be na su ____ ke yan.

Can you suggest another hotel?

Hotel were be soro? I be se ka n bila o sira la?

Do you have a safe?

Coffru be wa?

Is breakfast/supper included?

Daraka / surofana b’a la wa?

What time is breakfast/supper?

Daraka / surofana be dun waati jumen?

Please clean my room.

N ka siyoro furan.

Can you wake me at _____?

I be se kan n lawuli _____ heuri la wa?

I want to check out.

N b’a fe ka wari sara ka taa.

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian/British currency?

N be se k’a sara ni Ameriki / Australien / Canadien / Anglezi wari ye wa?

Do you accept credit cards?

N be se ka sara ni carti ye wa?

Can you change money for me?

I be se ka wari falen n ye wa?

Where can I get money changed?

Wari be falen min?

Can you change a traveler’s check for me?

I be se ka sheki falen wa?

Where can I get a traveler’s check changed?

Sheki nin be falen min?

What is the exchange rate?

A falen ye joli ye?

How much for one _____?

_____ kelen kelen ye joli ye?

Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?

Machine d’argent / warimachine be soro min?

Added Oct 7th:

1. black: finman

2. white: jèman

3. red: bilenman

4. blue: buluman

5. yellow: nèrèmugunan

6. green: binkeneman

7. orange: siramuguman

8. brown: sikoloman

TRAVELLING BY BUS OR TRAIN

1 How much is a ticket to _____?

Ka taa ____ ye joli ye?

2. One ticket to _____, please.

Billetti kelen ka taa ____.

3. Where does this train/bus go?

Mobili / train nin be taa min?

4. Where is the train/bus to _____?

Mobili / train min be taa _____ be soro min?

5. Does this train/bus stop in _____?

Mobili /train nin be jo _____ wa?

6. When does the train/bus for _____ leave?

Mobili / train min be taa _____ waati jumen?

7. When will this train/bus arrive in _____?

Mobili / train nin be se _____ waati jumen?

Added Sep 1st:

TIME

now

sisan

right this instant: sisan sisan
later: kofe
soon: sɔɔni
before: ɲyε
morning: sɔgɔma
afternoon: tilé
evening: wula
night: su

Clock time

one o’clock AM

une heure waati or nεgε kan &#0626ε kelen

two o’clock AM

deux heure waati or

noon

midi waati

one o’clock PM

treize heure waati

two o’clock PM

quatorze heure waati

midnight

minuit waati

Prayer times

sunrise: fajiri waati
approx 2 pm: selifana waati
approx 4 pm: lansara waati
sunset: fitiri waati
nightfall: safo waati

Duration

_____ minute(s): minuti _____
_____ hour(s): heuri _____
_____ day(s): don _____
_____ week(s): dɔgɔkun _____
_____ month(s): kalo _____
_____ year(s): san _____

Days

today: bi
yesterday: kunu
the day before yesterday: kuna sini
tomorrow: sini
the day after tomorrow: sinin kene
this week: dogukun nin na
last week: dogukun temena
next week: dogukun nata / wεrε

Sunday: kari-don
Monday: nténé-don
Tuesday: tarata-don
Wednesday: araba-don
Thursday: alamisa-don
Friday: (gé)juma-don
Saturday: sibiri-don

Months

January: Zanwuyé (kalo)
February: Feburuyé (kalo)
March: Marsi (kalo)
April: Awirili (kalo)
May: Mε(kalo)
June: Zuwen (kalo)
July: Zuluyé (kalo)
August: Uti (kalo)
September: Sεtamburu (kalo)
October: Oktɔburu (kalo)
November: Nɔwanburu (kalo)
December: Desanburu (kalo)

Writing time and date

The month is always stated first in a date, then the day of the month. For example, January 25, 2008 would be “janvier kalo tile mugan ni duru san baa fila ni segi”. A literal translation would be “January month day twenty-five year two thousand and eight.” When written with digits, the French tradition of day, month, year is generally followed

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

NUMBERS

1
: kelen
2: fila
3: saba
4: naani
5: duurun
6: wooro
7: wolonfla
8: segi
9: kononto
10: tan
11: tan ni kelen
12: tan ni fla
13: tan ni saba
14: tan ni naani
15: tan ni duurun
16: tan ni wooro
17: tan ni wolonfla
18: tan ni segi
19: tan ni kononto
20: mugan
21: mugan ni kelen
22: mugan ni fla
23: mugan ni saaba
30: bi saba
40: bi naani
50: bi duurun
60: bi wooro
70: bi wolonfla
80: bi segi
90: bi kononto
100: keme
200: keme fla
300: keme saba
1000: wa (baa) kelen
2000: wa fla
3451: wa saba ani keme naani ani biduru ani kelen
1,000,000: million kelen
1,000,000,000: milliard kelen
number _____ (train, bus, etc.)
half: tilance
a lot: caman
a few: do / doonin

46 responses to “Learn Bambara with me”

Susan

June 25, 2011 at 17:50

do you pronounce it as it is written?

Reply
Marissa Coutinho-Samake

June 26, 2011 at 00:04

I’ve kinda figured you pronounce all the letters for the ones that end with vowels. For the ones that end with consonants, you pronounce all but the last letter. For example: kelen is pronounced Kele and Fila is pronounced Fila

Reply
Modibo Samake

June 28, 2011 at 05:36

Hi Marissa, you’re impressing me already! I am so glad we can hear from you through this new blog. We miss all of you already! But just know we are all with you from here. I promise you will enjoy being in Mali. You might have a little adjustement from this new beginning, but you will totally love it. I hope the kids are doing well too as well as Yeah. lf you need any help, please feel free to ask. With love,
Modibo Samake XOXOXO

Reply
- Marissa Coutinho-Samake
  
  July 3, 2011 at 13:18
  
  Modibo, thank you for your support. I am glad you are reading this blog. Mali is good just different. The kids love Ouelessebougou and all the animals. Keep reading and hope all is well with you
  
  Reply
Elsa Rueda Olier

July 27, 2011 at 22:06

Bonjour Madame Samake,
J’ai beaucoup apprécié votre Blog, dans lequel je découvre votre vie de famille, les activités liées à votre mari et celles relatives à la campagne électorale. campagne que j’approuve, tant le Mali a besoin des hommes comme Monsieur Samaké.
J’ai beaucoup apprécié aussi votre idée du cours de Bambara chaque semaine. J’apprends ici en France le Bambara aussi, car je suis allée deux fois au Mali et j’envisage y retourner pour un long séjour.
Je vous souhaite de continuer dans enthousiasme et le courage,
Cordialement,
Elsa Rueda Olier

Reply
Daniel Arellano

August 22, 2011 at 03:03

Hey Marissa!
I love the blog. It’s great to see you doing something you are so passionate about. Best of luck to you and your family. I’d vote Samake if I could.
God bless.
Your pal,
Daniel Arellano

Reply
- Marissa Coutinho-Samake
  
  August 22, 2011 at 22:41
  
  Crazy Dan, thanks for reading and for the good wishes. Keep them sane at the Verge
  
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