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Common Bambara to Kikongo phrases

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

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

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

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

    Mbote

  2. I ni sogoma

    Mele

  3. I ni bɔ

    Mokolo mayele

  4. I ni kɛ

    Mokolo ya ntango

  5. I ni sɔgɔ

    Mokolo ya mambu

  6. I ni tulu

    Mokolo ya mpembe

  7. N bɛ se ka

    Tala mosi

  8. A bɛ se ka

    Tata

  9. Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?

    Nki yina nzo?

  10. N bɛ tɔgɔ John

    Nzo yami ke John

  11. I ni fɛ?

    Oko wanga?

  12. N bɛ se ka i fɛ

    Nki ya mosi na yo

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. I ni ce English?

    Oyo o zola kutu English? (ee nee che English)

  2. N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ

    Nkeni kutu Hindi na mosi. (N mo-go beh Hindi keh)

  3. N mɔgɔ bɛ

    Nkeni kanga. (N mo-go beh)

  4. Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ

    Mokolo, zola kutu na mosi. (Sebene, keh-leh keh)

  5. I ka fɔ a la?

    Oyo o zola kutu na mosi? (Ee kah fo ah lah)

  6. Bamanakan kɛn na?

    Kutu wapi banzela? (Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)

  7. N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?

    Nki zola kuenda na kati ya mbanza? (N beh fo koh-roh-boh)

  8. Kɛlɛn bɔ

    Tanda na luma. (Keh-lehn boh)

  9. Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ

    Tanda na mambu. (Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)

  10. Fɔ kɛlɛn

    Enda na mosi. (Fo keh-lehn)

  11. Fɛ kɛ?

    Nki mbongo ya ndako? (Feh keh)

  12. Kɛnɛ ticket, please

    Ticket mosi, mokolo. (Ken-eh ticket, please)

  13. I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?

    Nki feti na wapi? (Ee keh fo keh-neh)

  14. N tɛ bɔ

    Nkeni zola. (N teh boh)

  15. N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?

    Kutu wapi nki zola ku tanga SIM? (N beh fo SIM card ken)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Aye

    Ewe

  2. Ala

    Te

  3. Bara

    Kasi

  4. N bɛ bɔ

    Nkiadi

  5. N bɛ fɔ

    Nkiadi te

  6. I bɛ sɛbɛn

    Oyo ke nkiadi malamu

  7. I ka fɛ kɛ?

    Nkiadi nini?

  8. I bɛ ma n bɔ?

    Okanza kudi nki?

  9. N bɛ fɔ n bɔ

    Nkiadi kudi nki

  10. Sira kɛ

    Lela na nki

  11. N tɛgɛ

    Nkiadi na nki

  12. Ala ka fɔ

    Te na nki

  13. I ni kɛ

    Tata na nki

  14. I ni tɔgɔ kɛ

    Mokolo ya mbote

  15. I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ

    Tala na nzala ya malamu

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Fôlô kôkô tîgê?

    Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo? (Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo?)

  2. Fôlô bôgô tîgê?

    Wana wanga na bus? (Wana wanga na bus?)

  3. I ni tîgê kô?

    Nki platform yai? (Nki platform yai?)

  4. Kô tîgê bô?

    Soki nki ntangu yina yenda? (Soki nki ntangu yina yenda?)

  5. I ni tîgê bô?

    Yai ke nzila ya nki? (Yai ke nzila ya nki?)

  6. I tîgê kâ.

    Eza na nsi ya nzo (Eza na nsi ya nzo)

  7. I tîgê kâ fô.

    Eza na mosi ya nzo (Eza na mosi ya nzo)

  8. I bô kô tîgê fô?

    Okanisa ngai na mape? (Okanisa ngai na mape?)

  9. Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.

    Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît (Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît)

  10. Kô tîgê kô?

    Nki ntangu yina yenda? (Nki ntangu yina yenda?)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. I ni ce?

    Nki yina kudi? (nki yina kudi)

  2. O ye fɛɛrɛ.

    Yina kele na nsi (yina kele na nsi)

  3. I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?

    Ona kima ki nsi? (ona kima ki nsi)

  4. N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?

    Ncanza kudi na kadi? (ncanza kudi na kadi)

  5. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.

    Nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi (nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi)

  6. Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.

    Kadi, ndakisa (kadi, ndakisa)

  7. Sɛbɛ ka fo?

    Kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na? (kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na)

  8. N bɛ sɔgɔma.

    Ndi muvegetari (ndi muvegetari)

  9. Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.

    Kaka mfu, ndakisa (kaka mfu, ndakisa)

  10. I ye sɔgɔ.

    Yina kele na nsi (yina kele na nsi)

  11. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?

    Ncanza na menu? (ncanza na menu)

  12. N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.

    Ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa (ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ

    Landa boma (nogo folo)

  2. Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ

    Landa ambulance (nogo koro)

  3. N bɛ sɔrɔ

    Nkeni mosi (n be soro)

  4. N bɛ tɛgɛn

    Nkeni na mbisi (n be tegen)

  5. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ

    Nkeni na nsembu ya nsembu (n be folokele)

  6. N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?

    Wana hospital ya mbote? (n be koro folo)

  7. I tɛgɛ fɛ

    Eka na nki (i tege fe)

  8. N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ

    Nkeni tanga pasipoti na ngai (n be kele folo)

  9. I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?

    Olanda hotel na ngai? (i be nogo koro folo)

  10. Tɛgɛ!

    Tala! (tege)

Work and business

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

  1. N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ

    Nzo ya kima (Nzò ya kima)

  2. Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ

    Tukala na mbandu (Tukàla na mbàndu)

  3. I ni bɔ a la?

    Nki nsi ya ntangu? (Nki nsi ya ntángu?)

  4. N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ

    Ndi zola ku sendela nsi ya lufulu (Ndi zòla ku sendèla nsi ya lufùlu)

  5. N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?

    Tukala na kanda se (Tukàla na kànda sè?)

  6. Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ

    Tula nsi ya file ya kima (Tùla nsi ya file ya kima)

  7. I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ

    Mosi na nsi ya ntangu (Mòsi na nsi ya ntángu)

  8. N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ

    Ndi zola ku zola na yo (Ndi zòla ku zòla na yò)

  9. I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?

    Nki o zola ku zola nki? (Nki o zòla ku zòla nki?)

  10. N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ

    Ndi zola ku yindula na yo (Ndi zòla ku yìndula na yò)

  11. Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday

    Nsi ya kima yina nsi ya mposo (Nsi ya kima yìna nsi ya mposò)

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ala ka kɛnɛ?

    Nkiadi ki zole? (Nkiadi ki zole?)

  2. I ye kelen kelen.

    Kikuma kinsatu (Kikuma kinsatu)

  3. N bɔ

    Lelo (N bo)

  4. N bɔ kɛ

    Kuna (N bo ke)

  5. N bɔ fɛ

    Kima (N bo fe)

  6. Tɔgɔ

    Mokolo wa mbandu (Togo)

  7. Tɛgɛ

    Mokolo wa mosi (Tege)

  8. Alakɔ

    Mokolo wa ntete (Alako)

  9. Kelen

    Mosi (Kelen)

  10. Duo

    Mbale (Duo)

  11. Tati

    Mitatu (Tati)

  12. Folo

    Kumi (Folo)

  13. Dugukelen

    Kimo na nkama (Dugukelen)

  14. Kelen fɛ

    Nseke (Kelen fe)

  15. Kɛ

    Nzo (Ke)

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