Looking for practical Bambara to Mam phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bambara phrase first, then the Mam translation (Mam) — 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 Mam.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Mam-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bambara to Mam 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
Xo'j(sho'j)
I ni sogoma
Tz'ik(tz'ik)
I ni bɔ
Xo'j nax(sho'j nax)
I ni kɛ
Xo'j q'ij(sho'j q'ij)
I ni sɔgɔ
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
I ni tulu
Xo'j k'ux nax(sho'j k'ux nax)
N bɛ se ka
K'ux q'ij(k'ux q'ij)
A bɛ se ka
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
Ja' k'ux nax?(ha' k'ux nax?)
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Ja' k'ux nax John(ha' k'ux nax John)
I ni fɛ?
Jach' k'ux?(hach' k'ux?)
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Nab' k'ux(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I ni ce English?
¿K'ax k'utun English?(ee nee che English)
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
N mɔgɔ bɛ
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.(N mo-go beh)
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
I ka fɔ a la?
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Bamanakan kɛn na?
¿Jach'och k'ux?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Kɛlɛn bɔ
K'utun k'ux.(Keh-lehn boh)
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ
K'utun k'ux.(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Fɔ kɛlɛn
K'utun k'ux.(Fo keh-lehn)
Fɛ kɛ?
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?(Feh keh)
Kɛnɛ ticket, please
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.(Ken-eh ticket, please)
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
N tɛ bɔ
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.(N teh boh)
N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?(N beh fo SIM card ken)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Juj(hoo)
Ala
Man(mah)
Bara
K'ux(k'ush)
N bɛ bɔ
Juj k'ux(hoo k'ush)
N bɛ fɔ
Man k'ux(mah k'ush)
I bɛ sɛbɛn
K'ux juj(k'ush hoo)
I ka fɛ kɛ?
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
Sira kɛ
K'ux k'ut(k'ush k'ut)
N tɛgɛ
Juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Ala ka fɔ
Man k'ux k'ut(mah k'ush k'ut)
I ni kɛ
K'ux juj k'ut(k'ush hoo k'ut)
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
I ni tîgê kô?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Kô tîgê bô?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
I ni tîgê bô?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
I tîgê kâ.
Ri k'ut pa ri.
I tîgê kâ fô.
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
I bô kô tîgê fô?
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Kô tîgê kô?
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.