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Common Bambara to Swahili phrases

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

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

Tip: when a Swahili 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 Swahili 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

    Habari

  2. I ni sogoma

    Asante

  3. I ni bɔ

    Habari ya asubuhi

  4. I ni kɛ

    Habari ya mchana

  5. I ni sɔgɔ

    Habari ya jioni

  6. I ni tulu

    Usiku mwema

  7. N bɛ se ka

    Tutaonana baadaye

  8. A bɛ se ka

    Kwaheri

  9. Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?

    Jina lako nani?

  10. N bɛ tɔgɔ John

    Jina langu ni John

  11. I ni fɛ?

    Habari gani?

  12. N bɛ se ka i fɛ

    Nafurahi kukutana na wewe

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. I ni ce English?

    Unazungumza Kiingereza? (ee nee che English)

  2. N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ

    Sizungumza Hindi vizuri. (N mo-go beh Hindi keh)

  3. N mɔgɔ bɛ

    Sielewi. (N mo-go beh)

  4. Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ

    Tafadhali ongea polepole. (Sebene, keh-leh keh)

  5. I ka fɔ a la?

    Unaweza kusema tena? (Ee kah fo ah lah)

  6. Bamanakan kɛn na?

    Choo kiko wapi? (Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)

  7. N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?

    Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji? (N beh fo koh-roh-boh)

  8. Kɛlɛn bɔ

    Geuka kushoto. (Keh-lehn boh)

  9. Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ

    Geuka kulia. (Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)

  10. Fɔ kɛlɛn

    Nenda moja kwa moja. (Fo keh-lehn)

  11. Fɛ kɛ?

    Nauli ni kiasi gani? (Feh keh)

  12. Kɛnɛ ticket, please

    Tiketi moja, tafadhali. (Ken-eh ticket, please)

  13. I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?

    Je, ni mbali na hapa? (Ee keh fo keh-neh)

  14. N tɛ bɔ

    Nimepotea. (N teh boh)

  15. N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?

    Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi? (N beh fo SIM card ken)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Aye

    Ndio

  2. Ala

    Hapana

  3. Bara

    Pengine

  4. N bɛ bɔ

    Ninakubaliana

  5. N bɛ fɔ

    Sikubaliani

  6. I bɛ sɛbɛn

    Inasikika vizuri

  7. I ka fɛ kɛ?

    Unafikiriaje?

  8. I bɛ ma n bɔ?

    Unaweza kunisaidia?

  9. N bɛ fɔ n bɔ

    Nahitaji msaada

  10. Sira kɛ

    Subiri kidogo

  11. N tɛgɛ

    Ninasikitika

  12. Ala ka fɔ

    Hakuna shida

  13. I ni kɛ

    Hongera

  14. I ni tɔgɔ kɛ

    Siku ya kuzaliwa njema

  15. I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ

    Safari njema

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Fôlô kôkô tîgê?

    Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?

  2. Fôlô bôgô tîgê?

    Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?

  3. I ni tîgê kô?

    Ni jukwaa gani?

  4. Kô tîgê bô?

    Inatoka saa ngapi?

  5. I ni tîgê bô?

    Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?

  6. I tîgê kâ.

    Iko karibu hapa

  7. I tîgê kâ fô.

    Iko mbali na hapa

  8. I bô kô tîgê fô?

    Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?

  9. Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.

    Simama hapa, tafadhali

  10. Kô tîgê kô?

    Inachukua muda gani?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. I ni ce?

    Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?

  2. O ye fɛɛrɛ.

    Hiyo ni ghali sana

  3. I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?

    Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?

  4. N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?

    Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?

  5. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.

    Ningependa meza ya watu wawili

  6. Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.

    Tafadhali, bili

  7. Sɛbɛ ka fo?

    Je, huduma imejumuishwa?

  8. N bɛ sɔgɔma.

    Mimi ni mboga

  9. Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.

    Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili

  10. I ye sɔgɔ.

    Hii ni tamu

  11. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?

    Naweza kupata menyu?

  12. N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.

    Tafadhali, glasi ya maji

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ

    Piga simu polisi (nogo folo)

  2. Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ

    Piga simu ya wagonjwa (nogo koro)

  3. N bɛ sɔrɔ

    Nahitaji daktari (n be soro)

  4. N bɛ tɛgɛn

    Ninajisikia mgonjwa (n be tegen)

  5. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ

    Nina mzio wa karanga (n be folokele)

  6. N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?

    Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi? (n be koro folo)

  7. I tɛgɛ fɛ

    Inaniuma hapa (i tege fe)

  8. N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ

    Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu (n be kele folo)

  9. I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?

    Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu? (i be nogo koro folo)

  10. Tɛgɛ!

    Nisaidie! (tege)

Work and business

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

  1. N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ

    Nafurahi kukutana nawe (N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)

  2. Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ

    Tuweke mkutano (Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)

  3. I ni bɔ a la?

    Ni saa ngapi inakufaa? (I ni bɔ a la?)

  4. N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ

    Nitaituma ripoti leo (N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)

  5. N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?

    Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho? (N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)

  6. Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ

    Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa (Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)

  7. I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ

    Asante kwa muda wako (I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)

  8. N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ

    Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe (N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)

  9. I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?

    Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi? (I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)

  10. N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ

    Nitarudi kwako (N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)

  11. Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday

    Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa (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?

    Ni saa ngapi? (Ala ka kene)

  2. I ye kelen kelen.

    Ni saa tatu. (I ye kelen kelen)

  3. N bɔ

    Leo (N bo)

  4. N bɔ kɛ

    Kesho (N bo ke)

  5. N bɔ fɛ

    Jana (N bo fe)

  6. Tɔgɔ

    Jumatatu (Togo)

  7. Tɛgɛ

    Jumanne (Tege)

  8. Alakɔ

    Jumatano (Alako)

  9. Kelen

    Moja (Kelen)

  10. Duo

    Mbili (Duo)

  11. Tati

    Tatu (Tati)

  12. Folo

    Kumi (Folo)

  13. Dugukelen

    Mia moja (Dugukelen)

  14. Kelen fɛ

    Nusu (Kelen fe)

  15. Kɛ

    Zaidi (Ke)

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