Looking for practical Bemba to Bambara phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba phrase first, then the Bambara translation (Bambara) — 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 Bambara.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Bambara-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bemba to Bambara 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.
Shani
I ni ce
Natotela
I ni sogoma
Muli shani
I ni bɔ
Muli shani
I ni kɛ
Muli shani
I ni sɔgɔ
Shalenipo bwino
I ni tulu
Tukakutana
N bɛ se ka
Twalumba
A bɛ se ka
Iwe ulishani?
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
Ndefwaya John
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Uli bwanji?
I ni fɛ?
Nashitasha kukumona
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
I ni ce English?(ee nee che English)
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
Ndefwaya kumfwa
N mɔgɔ bɛ(N mo-go beh)
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
Ningaloleleko?
I ka fɔ a la?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Bamanakan kɛn na?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Fumya kumwendo
Kɛlɛn bɔ(Keh-lehn boh)
Fumya kumwendo
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Enda pamo
Fɔ kɛlɛn(Fo keh-lehn)
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
Fɛ kɛ?(Feh keh)
Ticket imwe, nomba
Kɛnɛ ticket, please(Ken-eh ticket, please)
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
Ndi lost
N tɛ bɔ(N teh boh)
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?(N beh fo SIM card ken)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eya
Aye
Awe
Ala
Panga
Bara
Ndi bwino
N bɛ bɔ
Ndi bwino na
N bɛ fɔ
Ilyo lishibukile
I bɛ sɛbɛn
Uchite shani?
I ka fɛ kɛ?
Ushakufwa?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Leka ifi
Sira kɛ
Nshakufwa
N tɛgɛ
Takwaba shani
Ala ka fɔ
Nshakufwa bwino
I ni kɛ
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Ube na mulimo wabwino
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
I ni tîgê kô?
Ninshi ikalamba?
Kô tîgê bô?
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
I ni tîgê bô?
Ili pamo na pano.
I tîgê kâ.
Ili lishilu na pano.
I tîgê kâ fô.
Ushibukishe pa mape?
I bô kô tîgê fô?
Leka pano, chonde.
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Kuli shani?
Kô tîgê kô?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ili shani?
I ni ce?(Ili shani?)
Ili lya kuli
O ye fɛɛrɛ.(Ili lya kuli)
Muli na chimo chibulu?
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?(Muli na chimo chibulu?)
Ningakupanga na kadi?
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?(Ningakupanga na kadi?)
Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.(Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili)
Icilanga, tapali
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.(Icilanga, tapali)
Ubufyashi bwakupanga?
Sɛbɛ ka fo?(Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)
Ndi mvegetarian
N bɛ sɔgɔma.(Ndi mvegetarian)
Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.(Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali)
Ili lya bwino
I ye sɔgɔ.(Ili lya bwino)
Ningakonda ifyalo?
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?(Ningakonda ifyalo?)
Icupa ca mvula, tapali
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.(Icupa ca mvula, tapali)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tuma abashitisha
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ(nogo folo)
Tuma ambulance
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ(nogo koro)
Nshikala na doctor
N bɛ sɔrɔ(n be soro)
Nshikala bwino
N bɛ tɛgɛn(n be tegen)
Ndi na allergy ku nsalu
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ(n be folokele)
Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(n be koro folo)
Kuli ububi pano
I tɛgɛ fɛ(i tege fe)
Nashitile passport yangu
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ(n be kele folo)
Nawe tuma hotel yangu?
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(i be nogo koro folo)
Chikondi!
Tɛgɛ!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nashamukeni
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ(N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)
Tulefwaya ukusanga
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?
I ni bɔ a la?(I ni bɔ a la?)
Nizakutuma ifishina lelo
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
Twafwaya ukusambilila lero?
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
Nomba fwebo file iliko
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
Natotela pa nshita
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
Wakosa ukufumya icikomo?
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
Nizakukumbusha
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday(Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.