Translate now

Common Bambara to Chichewa phrases

100 practical Bambara to Chichewa phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

← Back to Bambara to Chichewa Translator

Looking for practical Bambara to Chichewa phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bambara phrase first, then the Chichewa translation (Chichewa) — 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 Chichewa.

Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Chichewa-speaking trip in a few weeks.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bambara to Chichewa 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.

  1. I ni ce

    Moni

  2. I ni sogoma

    Zikomo

  3. I ni bɔ

    M'mawa wabwino

  4. I ni kɛ

    Masana abwino

  5. I ni sɔgɔ

    Madziwabwino

  6. I ni tulu

    Usiku wabwino

  7. N bɛ se ka

    Tiwonana

  8. A bɛ se ka

    Tsalani bwino

  9. Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?

    Dzina lako ndi ndani?

  10. N bɛ tɔgɔ John

    Dzina langa ndi John

  11. I ni fɛ?

    Muli bwanji?

  12. N bɛ se ka i fɛ

    Ndikufuna kukumana nanu

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. I ni ce English?

    Mukulankhula Chingerezi? (Mukulankhula Chingerezi?)

  2. N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ

    Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino (Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino)

  3. N mɔgɔ bɛ

    Sindikumva (Sindikumva)

  4. Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ

    Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono (Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono)

  5. I ka fɔ a la?

    Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri? (Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?)

  6. Bamanakan kɛn na?

    Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi? (Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?)

  7. N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?

    Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda? (Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?)

  8. Kɛlɛn bɔ

    Pangani kumanzere (Pangani kumanzere)

  9. Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ

    Pangani kumanzere (Pangani kumanzere)

  10. Fɔ kɛlɛn

    Pitani mwachindunji (Pitani mwachindunji)

  11. Fɛ kɛ?

    Ndi ndalama zingati? (Ndi ndalama zingati?)

  12. Kɛnɛ ticket, please

    Tiket imodzi, chonde (Tiket imodzi, chonde)

  13. I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?

    Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano? (Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?)

  14. N tɛ bɔ

    Ndakhalapo (Ndakhalapo)

  15. N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?

    Ndingatengere kuti SIM card? (Ndingatengere kuti SIM card?)

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Aye

    Inde

  2. Ala

    Ayi

  3. Bara

    Mwina

  4. N bɛ bɔ

    Ndikugwirizana

  5. N bɛ fɔ

    Sindikugwirizana

  6. I bɛ sɛbɛn

    Zimakoma

  7. I ka fɛ kɛ?

    Mumaganiza chiyani?

  8. I bɛ ma n bɔ?

    Mungandithandize?

  9. N bɛ fɔ n bɔ

    Ndikufuna thandizo

  10. Sira kɛ

    Dikirani pang'ono

  11. N tɛgɛ

    Ndikupemphera

  12. Ala ka fɔ

    Palibe vuto

  13. I ni kɛ

    Zikomo

  14. I ni tɔgɔ kɛ

    Tsiku lobadwa labwino

  15. I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ

    Pita bwino

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Fôlô kôkô tîgê?

    Kuti ndi kuti sitima?

  2. Fôlô bôgô tîgê?

    Kuti ndi kuti malo otsetsereka?

  3. I ni tîgê kô?

    Ndi chigawo chiti?

  4. Kô tîgê bô?

    Ndi nthawi iti imatenga?

  5. I ni tîgê bô?

    Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?

  6. I tîgê kâ.

    Ili pafupi pano

  7. I tîgê kâ fô.

    Ili kutali pano

  8. I bô kô tîgê fô?

    Kodi mungandionetse pa mapu?

  9. Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.

    Khalani pano, chonde

  10. Kô tîgê kô?

    Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. I ni ce?

    Zimatenga ndalama zingati?

  2. O ye fɛɛrɛ.

    Izi ndizokwera mtengo kwambiri.

  3. I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?

    Kodi muli ndi chinthu chotsika mtengo?

  4. N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?

    Ndingathe kulipira ndi khadi?

  5. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.

    Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri.

  6. Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.

    Chikonthe, chonde.

  7. Sɛbɛ ka fo?

    Kodi ntchito yakhala mu mtengo?

  8. N bɛ sɔgɔma.

    Ndine mvegetarian.

  9. Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.

    Osati chakudya chotentha, chonde.

  10. I ye sɔgɔ.

    Izi ndizochuluka.

  11. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?

    Ndingathe kupeza menyu?

  12. N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.

    Galasi ya madzi, chonde.

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ

    Fufuzani apolisi (nogo folo)

  2. Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ

    Fufuzani ambulansi (nogo koro)

  3. N bɛ sɔrɔ

    Ndikufuna dokotala (n be soro)

  4. N bɛ tɛgɛn

    Ndikumva kutopa (n be tegen)

  5. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ

    Ndine wosokoneza ndi ma nuts a phala (n be folokele)

  6. N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?

    Kuti ndi kuti chibadwe chachikondi? (n be koro folo)

  7. I tɛgɛ fɛ

    Kukonda apa (i tege fe)

  8. N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ

    Ndapeza pasipoti yanga (n be kele folo)

  9. I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?

    Mungafufuze hotelo yanga? (i be nogo koro folo)

  10. Tɛgɛ!

    Thandizani! (tege)

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ

    Ndikuyamikira kukumana nanu (N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)

  2. Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ

    Tiyeni tikhazikitse meeting (Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)

  3. I ni bɔ a la?

    Ndi nthawi yanji yomwe ikugwira ntchito kwa inu? (I ni bɔ a la?)

  4. N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ

    Ndzatumiza lipoti lero (N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)

  5. N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?

    Tingathe kulankhula mawa? (N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)

  6. Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ

    Chonde pezani fayilo yowonjezedwa (Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)

  7. I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ

    Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu (I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)

  8. N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ

    Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu (N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)

  9. I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?

    Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyo? (I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)

  10. N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ

    Nditheke kubwerera kwa inu (N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)

  11. Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday

    Nthawi yotsiriza ndi Lachisanu (Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Ala ka kɛnɛ?

    Ndi nthawi yanji? (Ala ka kene)

  2. I ye kelen kelen.

    Ndi nthawi itatu. (I ye kelen kelen)

  3. N bɔ

    Lero (N bo)

  4. N bɔ kɛ

    Mawa (N bo ke)

  5. N bɔ fɛ

    Ch yesterday (N bo fe)

  6. Tɔgɔ

    Lolemba (Togo)

  7. Tɛgɛ

    Lachiwiri (Tege)

  8. Alakɔ

    Lachitatu (Alako)

  9. Kelen

    Chimodzi (Kelen)

  10. Duo

    Chiwiri (Duo)

  11. Tati

    Chitatu (Tati)

  12. Folo

    Kumi (Folo)

  13. Dugukelen

    Zana (Dugukelen)

  14. Kelen fɛ

    Pafupifupi (Kelen fe)

  15. Kɛ

    Zambiri (Ke)

Need to translate your own text? Use the free Bambara to Chichewa translator.

Open translator