Looking for practical Bambara to Kanuri phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bambara phrase first, then the Kanuri translation (Kanuri) — 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 Kanuri.
Tip: read the Kanuri line out loud three times, then cover the Bambara side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bambara to Kanuri 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.
I ni ce
Sannu
I ni sogoma
Nagode
I ni bɔ
Ina kwana
I ni kɛ
Ina yamma
I ni sɔgɔ
Ina dare
I ni tulu
Sai da safe
N bɛ se ka
Zan ganka
A bɛ se ka
Sai anjima
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
Menene sunanka?
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Sunana John
I ni fɛ?
Lafiya lau?
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Na ji dadin haduwa da kai
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I ni ce English?
Kuna magana da Turanci?(ee nee che English)
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ
Ba na magana da Hindi sosai.(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
N mɔgɔ bɛ
Ba na fahimta.(N mo-go beh)
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ
Don Allah, ku yi magana a hankali.(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
I ka fɔ a la?
Za ku iya faɗin hakan sake?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Bamanakan kɛn na?
Ina wanka?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?
Ta yaya zan isa tsakiyar birni?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Kɛlɛn bɔ
Juya hagu.(Keh-lehn boh)
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ
Juya dama.(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Fɔ kɛlɛn
Tafiya kai tsaye.(Fo keh-lehn)
Fɛ kɛ?
Nawa ne farashin?(Feh keh)
Kɛnɛ ticket, please
Tiket ɗaya, don Allah.(Ken-eh ticket, please)
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?
Shin yana da nisa daga nan?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
N tɛ bɔ
Na ɓace.(N teh boh)
N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?
Ina zan iya sayen kati na SIM?(N beh fo SIM card ken)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Eey(ee-y)
Ala
A'a(ah-ah)
Bara
Wata(wah-tah)
N bɛ bɔ
Na amu(nah ah-moo)
N bɛ fɔ
Na a'a amu(nah ah-ah ah-moo)
I bɛ sɛbɛn
Iya na(ee-yah nah)
I ka fɛ kɛ?
Kaya ka yi tunani?(kah-yah kah yee too-nah-nee)
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Za ka iya taimaka min?(zah kah ee-yah tie-mah-kah meen)
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Na bukaci taimako(nah boo-kah-chee tie-mah-koh)
Sira kɛ
Duba dan lokaci(doo-bah dahn loh-kah-chee)
N tɛgɛ
Na yi hakuri(nah yee hah-koo-ree)
Ala ka fɔ
Babu matsala(bah-boo maht-sah-lah)
I ni kɛ
Taya murna(tah-yah moor-nah)
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Barka da haihuwa(bar-kah dah hai-hoo-wah)
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Ka yi tafiya lafiya(kah yee tah-fee-yah lah-fee-yah)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?
Nye boko na gari?
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?
Nye boko na bas?
I ni tîgê kô?
Wane boko na?
Kô tîgê bô?
Wane lokaci ya tafi?
I ni tîgê bô?
Shin wannan hanya ce?
I tîgê kâ.
Yana kusa da nan
I tîgê kâ fô.
Yana nesa da nan
I bô kô tîgê fô?
Za ka iya nuna mini a taswirar?
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Tsaida nan, don Allah
Kô tîgê kô?
Yaya tsawon lokaci?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
I ni ce?
Nayi na kudi?(Nayi na kudi?)
O ye fɛɛrɛ.
Wannan ya yi tsada sosai.
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?
Shin kuna da wani abu mai rahusa?
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?
Zan iya biyan kudi da kati?
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.
Ina so tebur don biyu.
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.
Lissafi, don Allah.
Sɛbɛ ka fo?
Shin sabis ya haɗa?
N bɛ sɔgɔma.
Ni mai ganyayyaki ne.
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.
Ba tare da zaki ba, don Allah.
I ye sɔgɔ.
Wannan yana da dadi.
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?
Zan iya samun menu?
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.
Kofin ruwa, don Allah.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ
Dawari janga(Dawari janga)
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ
Dawari ambulan(Dawari ambulan)
N bɛ sɔrɔ
Ni na doctor(Ni na doctor)
N bɛ tɛgɛn
Ni na jaga(Ni na jaga)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ
Ni na haji goro(Ni na haji goro)
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
Ina asibiti na kusa?(Ina asibiti na kusa?)
I tɛgɛ fɛ
Yana ciwo a nan(Yana ciwo a nan)
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ
Ni na rasa passport na(Ni na rasa passport na)
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
Za ka iya dawari otel na?(Za ka iya dawari otel na?)
Tɛgɛ!
Taimako!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ
Nde gaishe(nde gaishe)
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ
Mu gaishe taro(mu gaishe taro)
I ni bɔ a la?
Wai gaishe lokaci?(wai gaishe lokaci)
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ
Zan tura rahoto yau(zan tura rahoto yau)
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?
Zamu iya magana gobe?(zamu iya magana gobe)
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ
Don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala(don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala)
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ
Na gode da lokacinka(na gode da lokacinka)
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ
Ina fatan aiki tare da kai(ina fatan aiki tare da kai)
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?
Za ka iya fayyace wannan batu?(za ka iya fayyace wannan batu)