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Common Bambara to Tiv phrases

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

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

Tip: read the Tiv 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 Tiv 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

    Mgbakpa

  2. I ni sogoma

    Ior na

  3. I ni bɔ

    Mgbakpa u sha

  4. I ni kɛ

    Mgbakpa u kpa

  5. I ni sɔgɔ

    Mgbakpa u ter

  6. I ni tulu

    Mgbakpa u ter sha

  7. N bɛ se ka

    Kpa a joo

  8. A bɛ se ka

    Ior a joo

  9. Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?

    Ior m ngu?

  10. N bɛ tɔgɔ John

    M ngu John

  11. I ni fɛ?

    Ior m nande?

  12. N bɛ se ka i fɛ

    Ior m nande a joo

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. I ni ce English?

    I kpa English? (ee nee che English)

  2. N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ

    M nahan Hindi nahan. (N mo-go beh Hindi keh)

  3. N mɔgɔ bɛ

    M nahan usha. (N mo-go beh)

  4. Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ

    M nahan usha kpa. (Sebene, keh-leh keh)

  5. I ka fɔ a la?

    I kpa a sha? (Ee kah fo ah lah)

  6. Bamanakan kɛn na?

    I we a joo? (Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)

  7. N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?

    Nenge a kpa a city center? (N beh fo koh-roh-boh)

  8. Kɛlɛn bɔ

    Kpa a joo. (Keh-lehn boh)

  9. Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ

    Kpa a nahan. (Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)

  10. Fɔ kɛlɛn

    Kpa a sha. (Fo keh-lehn)

  11. Fɛ kɛ?

    Nenge a kpa a fare? (Feh keh)

  12. Kɛnɛ ticket, please

    I kpa a ticket, please. (Ken-eh ticket, please)

  13. I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?

    I we a nahan a nahan? (Ee keh fo keh-neh)

  14. N tɛ bɔ

    M nahan sha. (N teh boh)

  15. N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?

    I we a kpa a SIM card? (N beh fo SIM card ken)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Aye

    Ee

  2. Ala

    Naa

  3. Bara

    Iye

  4. N bɛ bɔ

    M na a kpa

  5. N bɛ fɔ

    M na a kpa nahan

  6. I bɛ sɛbɛn

    I kpa a kpa

  7. I ka fɛ kɛ?

    U kpa a nahan?

  8. I bɛ ma n bɔ?

    U kpa m nahan?

  9. N bɛ fɔ n bɔ

    M na a kpa nahan

  10. Sira kɛ

    Kpa a kpa

  11. N tɛgɛ

    M na a kpa

  12. Ala ka fɔ

    Naa a kpa

  13. I ni kɛ

    I kpa a kpa

  14. I ni tɔgɔ kɛ

    A kpa a kpa

  15. I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ

    U kpa a kpa

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Fôlô kôkô tîgê?

    Ior a kpa?

  2. Fôlô bôgô tîgê?

    Ior a nyam?

  3. I ni tîgê kô?

    Ior a gande?

  4. Kô tîgê bô?

    Nenge a kpa?

  5. I ni tîgê bô?

    Ior a nenge a?

  6. I tîgê kâ.

    I na kpa a.

  7. I tîgê kâ fô.

    I na kpa a kpa.

  8. I bô kô tîgê fô?

    I ma ior a gande?

  9. Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.

    Kpa a, please.

  10. Kô tîgê kô?

    Nenge a kpa?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. I ni ce?

    Ior kwagh nahan? (ior kwagh nahan)

  2. O ye fɛɛrɛ.

    Ior u kpa a kpa (ior u kpa a kpa)

  3. I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?

    Ior m ngu u kpa? (ior m ngu u kpa)

  4. N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?

    Ior m gban a card? (ior m gban a card)

  5. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.

    A doo a table m ngu a yô (a doo a table m ngu a yô)

  6. Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.

    Ior a bill, please (ior a bill, please)

  7. Sɛbɛ ka fo?

    Ior a service m nahan? (ior a service m nahan)

  8. N bɛ sɔgɔma.

    A m vegetarian (a m vegetarian)

  9. Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.

    A m nahan a spicy food (a m nahan a spicy food)

  10. I ye sɔgɔ.

    Ior a kpa (ior a kpa)

  11. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?

    Ior m gban a menu? (ior m gban a menu)

  12. N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.

    A glass a water, please (a glass a water)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ

    Kpa a police (nogo folo)

  2. Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ

    Kpa a ambulance (nogo koro)

  3. N bɛ sɔrɔ

    M ba a doctor (n be soro)

  4. N bɛ tɛgɛn

    M kpa a kpa (n be tegen)

  5. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ

    M kpa a nyam (n be folokele)

  6. N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?

    I kpa a hospital mza? (n be koro folo)

  7. I tɛgɛ fɛ

    I kpa a sha (i tege fe)

  8. N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ

    M kpa a passport m (n be kele folo)

  9. I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?

    I kpa a hotel m? (i be nogo koro folo)

  10. Tɛgɛ!

    Kpa! (tege)

Work and business

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

  1. N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ

    Ior u kpa. (N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)

  2. Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ

    Ka a hia ikyô. (Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)

  3. I ni bɔ a la?

    Nî kpa u kpa? (I ni bɔ a la?)

  4. N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ

    M gbanor u kpe. (N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)

  5. N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?

    A hia nî u hia? (N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)

  6. Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ

    M kpa u venge. (Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)

  7. I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ

    Ior u nenge. (I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)

  8. N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ

    M hia u kpa. (N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)

  9. I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?

    Ior a hia u mba? (I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)

  10. N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ

    Ka m hia u. (N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)

  11. Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday

    Ikyô u kpa a Friday. (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?

    Ior a kpa? (Ior a kpa?)

  2. I ye kelen kelen.

    Ior a tyoor (Ior a tyoor)

  3. N bɔ

    Ior (Ior)

  4. N bɔ kɛ

    Kpa (Kpa)

  5. N bɔ fɛ

    Ior a sha (Ior a sha)

  6. Tɔgɔ

    Ior a yô (Ior a yô)

  7. Tɛgɛ

    Ior a kô (Ior a kô)

  8. Alakɔ

    Ior a ngô (Ior a ngô)

  9. Kelen

    Mba (Mba)

  10. Duo

    Ishô (Ishô)

  11. Tati

    Tyoor (Tyoor)

  12. Folo

    Ishê (Ishê)

  13. Dugukelen

    Mba kpa (Mba kpa)

  14. Kelen fɛ

    Ior a kpa (Ior a kpa)

  15. Kɛ

    Ior a kpa (Ior a kpa)

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