Looking for practical Bambara to Nuer phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bambara phrase first, then the Nuer translation (Nuer) — 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 Nuer.
Tip: when a Nuer phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Bambara wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bambara to Nuer 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
Nhiar
I ni sogoma
Nyaak
I ni bɔ
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r
I ni kɛ
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
I ni sɔgɔ
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
I ni tulu
Nhiar kɔ̈c
N bɛ se ka
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
A bɛ se ka
Kɛ̈n
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John
I ni fɛ?
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I ni ce English?
Nyaac ke nyin English?(ee nee che English)
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
N mɔgɔ bɛ
Nyaac ma nyin.(N mo-go beh)
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ
Yin ke nyin kɛl.(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
I ka fɔ a la?
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Bamanakan kɛn na?
Yin thok a kɛl?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Kɛlɛn bɔ
Yin ke nyin a laar.(Keh-lehn boh)
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Fɔ kɛlɛn
Yin ke nyin a thok.(Fo keh-lehn)
Fɛ kɛ?
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?(Feh keh)
Kɛnɛ ticket, please
Yin ke nyin a ticket.(Ken-eh ticket, please)
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?
Yin ke nyin a thok?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
N tɛ bɔ
Nyaac ke nyin.(N teh boh)
N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?
Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?(N beh fo SIM card ken)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Aye
Ala
Naa
Bara
Nyaak
N bɛ bɔ
Nyeek a kech
N bɛ fɔ
Nyeek a kech naa
I bɛ sɛbɛn
Iye kech kɛl
I ka fɛ kɛ?
Nyaak a kech?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl
Sira kɛ
Kɛl a jɔɔr
N tɛgɛ
Nyeek a kech
Ala ka fɔ
Naa a kech kɛl
I ni kɛ
Aye kɛl
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Aye kɛl a wɛr
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Känyë kɛl wel)
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?(Känyë kɛl bol)
I ni tîgê kô?
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel bet ket)
Kô tîgê bô?
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?(Kel wel it ket)
I ni tîgê bô?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Kel it kel wel)
I tîgê kâ.
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?(Kel it kel kel)
I tîgê kâ fô.
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?(Kel it kel jol)
I bô kô tîgê fô?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel it kel pet ket)
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?(Kel jel kel pel)
Kô tîgê kô?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?(Kel it kel jol ket)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
I ni ce?
Nyaak cɛl?(nyaak chel)
O ye fɛɛrɛ.
Kɛl yic kɛc(kel yich kech)
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?
Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?(yin kel nyin chel)
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?
Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?(nyaak ter kel kech)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.
Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin(nyaak chel kel tebel kel nyin)
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.
Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl(nyaak chel kel bel)
Sɛbɛ ka fo?
Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?(yin kel chel kel ter)
N bɛ sɔgɔma.
Nyaak cɛl wɛr(nyaak chel wer)
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.
Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc(nyaak chel kel wer kech)
I ye sɔgɔ.
Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin(kel chel kel nyin)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?
Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?(nyaak chel kel men)
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.
Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt(nyaak chel kel gel wet)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ
Cïl wïr(cil wir)
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ
Cïl an ambulance(cil an ambulance)
N bɛ sɔrɔ
Aŋ thïr a doctor(ang thir a doctor)
N bɛ tɛgɛn
Aŋ kɔc(ang koc)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ
Aŋ kɔc a pïyït(ang koc a piyit)
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
Cït kɛ̈n hospital?(cit ken hospital)
I tɛgɛ fɛ
Cïk bɛ̈t(cik bet)
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ
Aŋ kɛ̈n passport(ang ken passport)
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?(ang ken cil my hotel)
Tɛgɛ!
Kɛ̈n!(ken)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ
Nyeu ke nyin(nyin = meet)
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ
Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
I ni bɔ a la?
Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?(I ni bɔ a la?)
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ
Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr file kɛ kɛth(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr a ke kɛth(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt a ke(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?
A ke jɔɔr kɛ kɛth a?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ a ke(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday
Kɛ deadline kɛ Friday(Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.