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Most Common Bambara Words
Bamanankan
Essential Bambara vocabulary with pronunciation guides. Nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
Nouns
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| so | house | so |
| ji | water | ji |
| buru | bread | BU-ru |
| waati | time | wa-TI |
| mɔgɔ | person | mo-go |
| tile | day / sun | TI-le |
| sira | road / way | SI-ra |
| baara | work | ba-RA |
| wari | money | WA-ri |
| dugu | city / village | DU-gu |
| kalanso | school | ka-lan-SO |
| gafe | book | GA-fe |
| tɔgɔ | name | to-go |
| denmisɛn | child | den-mi-SEN |
| teriw | friend | TE-riw |
| dumu | food | DU-mu |
| kan | language | kan |
| duguma | earth / land | du-GU-ma |
| bolo | hand / arm | BO-lo |
| wulu | dog | WU-lu |
Verbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| kɛ | to be / do | ke |
| taa | to go | taa |
| na | to come | na |
| kuma | to speak | KU-ma |
| dumu | to eat | DU-mu |
| min | to drink | min |
| ye | to see | ye |
| dɔn | to know | don |
| bɛ fɛ | to want | be fe |
| di | to give | di |
| ta | to take | ta |
| kɛ | to do | ke |
| miiri | to think | mii-RI |
| bɔ | to live | bo |
| kalan | to read / study | ka-LAN |
| sɛbɛn | to write | se-BEN |
| baara kɛ | to work | ba-RA ke |
| dɛmɛ | to help | de-ME |
| sɔrɔ | to find | so-RO |
| maga | to hold / touch | MA-ga |
Adjectives
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ɲuman | good | nyu-MAN |
| jugu | bad | JU-gu |
| belebele | big | be-le-BE-le |
| fitinin | small | fi-ti-NIN |
| kura | new | KU-ra |
| kɔrɔ | old | ko-ro |
| ɲɛnajɛ | beautiful | nye-na-JE |
| joona | fast | joo-NA |
| nɛnɛ | slow | ne-NE |
| jan | long / tall | jan |
| kɔrɔtɔ | short | ko-ro-TO |
| teliman | warm / hot | te-li-MAN |
| jɛlen | cold | je-LEN |
| gwɛlɛman | strong | gwe-le-MAN |
| nɔgɔman | easy | no-go-MAN |
| gwɛlɛ | difficult | gwe-LE |
| nafama | important | na-fa-MA |
| kɛnɛman | interesting | ke-ne-MAN |
| nisɔndiya | happy | ni-son-DI-ya |
| sanuman | expensive | sa-nu-MAN |
Adverbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| sisan | now | si-SAN |
| bi | today | bi |
| sini | tomorrow | SI-ni |
| kunu | yesterday | KU-nu |
| yan | here | yan |
| yen | there | yen |
| joona | quickly | joo-NA |
| nɛnɛ | slowly | ne-NE |
| ɲuman | well | nyu-MAN |
| kosɛbɛ | very / a lot | ko-se-BE |
| fana | also / too | FA-na |
| tɛ | not / no | te |
| ɔwɔ | yes | o-wo |
| kaban | already | ka-BAN |
| kɔni | still / yet | ko-NI |
| dɔrɔn | only / just | do-RON |
| tiɲɛ | really | ti-NYE |
| caman | a lot | ca-MAN |
| fitinin | a little | fi-ti-NIN |
| joona joona | immediately | joo-NA joo-NA |