Looking for practical Afrikaans to Bambara phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Afrikaans phrase first, then the Bambara translation (Bambara) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Bambara.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Bambara-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Afrikaans to Bambara translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Hallo
I ni ce
Dankie
I ni sogoma
Goeie more
I ni bɔ
Goeie middag
I ni kɛ
Goeie naand
I ni sɔgɔ
Goeie nag
I ni tulu
Sien jou later
N bɛ se ka
Totsiens
A bɛ se ka
Wat is jou naam?
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
My naam is John
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Hoe gaan dit?
I ni fɛ?
Lekker om jou te ontmoet
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Praat jy Engels?
I ni ce English?(ee nee che English)
Ek praat nie goed Hindi nie.
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
Ek verstaan nie.
N mɔgɔ bɛ(N mo-go beh)
Praat asseblief stadig.
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
Kan jy dit weer sê?
I ka fɔ a la?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Waar is die badkamer?
Bamanakan kɛn na?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
Hoe kom ek by die stadsentrum?
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Draai links.
Kɛlɛn bɔ(Keh-lehn boh)
Draai regs.
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Gaan reguit.
Fɔ kɛlɛn(Fo keh-lehn)
Hoeveel is die tarief?
Fɛ kɛ?(Feh keh)
Een kaartjie, asseblief.
Kɛnɛ ticket, please(Ken-eh ticket, please)
Is dit ver van hier?
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
Ek is verlore.
N tɛ bɔ(N teh boh)
Waar kan ek 'n SIM-kaart koop?
N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?(N beh fo SIM card ken)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ja
Aye
Nee
Ala
Miskien
Bara
Ek stem saam
N bɛ bɔ
Ek stem nie saam nie
N bɛ fɔ
Dit klink goed
I bɛ sɛbɛn
Wat dink jy?
I ka fɛ kɛ?
Kan jy my help?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Ek het hulp nodig
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Wag 'n oomblik
Sira kɛ
Ek is jammer
N tɛgɛ
Geen probleem
Ala ka fɔ
Geluk
I ni kɛ
Gelukkige verjaarsdag
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Veilige reis
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Waar is die treinstasie?
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?
Waar is die busstop?
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?
Watter platform is dit?
I ni tîgê kô?
Watter tyd vertrek dit?
Kô tîgê bô?
Is dit die regte pad?
I ni tîgê bô?
Dit is naby hier.
I tîgê kâ.
Dit is ver van hier.
I tîgê kâ fô.
Kan jy dit op die kaart wys?
I bô kô tîgê fô?
Stop hier, asseblief.
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Hoe lank neem dit?
Kô tîgê kô?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Hoeveel kos dit?
I ni ce?
Dit is te duur.
O ye fɛɛrɛ.
Het julle iets goedkoper?
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?
Kan ek met 'n kaart betaal?
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?
Ek wil 'n tafel vir twee hê.
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.
Die rekening, asseblief.
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.
Is diens ingesluit?
Sɛbɛ ka fo?
Ek is 'n vegetariër.
N bɛ sɔgɔma.
Geen pittige kos, asseblief.
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.
Dit is heerlik.
I ye sɔgɔ.
Kan ek die spyskaart kry?
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?
‘n Glas water, asseblief.
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bel die polisie
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ(nogo folo)
Bel 'n ambulans
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ(nogo koro)
Ek het 'n dokter nodig
N bɛ sɔrɔ(n be soro)
Ek voel siek
N bɛ tɛgɛn(n be tegen)
Ek is allergies vir grondboontjies
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ(n be folokele)
Waar is die naaste hospitaal?
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(n be koro folo)
Dit seergemaak hier
I tɛgɛ fɛ(i tege fe)
Ek het my paspoort verloor
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ(n be kele folo)
Kan jy my hotel bel?
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(i be nogo koro folo)
Help!
Tɛgɛ!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Lekker om jou te ontmoet
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ(N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)
Kom ons skeduleer 'n vergadering
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
Watter tyd werk vir jou?
I ni bɔ a la?(I ni bɔ a la?)
Ek sal die verslag vandag stuur
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
Kan ons môre praat?
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
Asseblief vind die lêer aangeheg
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
Dankie vir jou tyd
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
Ek sien uit daarna om saam met jou te werk
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
Kan jy daardie punt verduidelik?
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
Laat ek jou terugbel
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Die sperdatum is Vrydag
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday(Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.