Looking for practical Chichewa to Bambara phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Chichewa 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: when a Bambara phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Chichewa 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 Chichewa 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.
Moni
I ni ce
Zikomo
I ni sogoma
M'mawa wabwino
I ni bɔ
Masana abwino
I ni kɛ
Madziwabwino
I ni sɔgɔ
Usiku wabwino
I ni tulu
Tiwonana
N bɛ se ka
Tsalani bwino
A bɛ se ka
Dzina lako ndi ndani?
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
Dzina langa ndi John
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Muli bwanji?
I ni fɛ?
Ndikufuna kukumana nanu
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Mukulankhula Chingerezi?
I ni ce English?(ee nee che English)
Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
Sindikumva
N mɔgɔ bɛ(N mo-go beh)
Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?
I ka fɔ a la?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?
Bamanakan kɛn na?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Pangani kumanzere
Kɛlɛn bɔ(Keh-lehn boh)
Pangani kumanzere
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Pitani mwachindunji
Fɔ kɛlɛn(Fo keh-lehn)
Ndi ndalama zingati?
Fɛ kɛ?(Feh keh)
Tiket imodzi, chonde
Kɛnɛ ticket, please(Ken-eh ticket, please)
Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
Ndakhalapo
N tɛ bɔ(N teh boh)
Ndingatengere kuti 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.
Inde
Aye
Ayi
Ala
Mwina
Bara
Ndikugwirizana
N bɛ bɔ
Sindikugwirizana
N bɛ fɔ
Zimakoma
I bɛ sɛbɛn
Mumaganiza chiyani?
I ka fɛ kɛ?
Mungandithandize?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Ndikufuna thandizo
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Dikirani pang'ono
Sira kɛ
Ndikupemphera
N tɛgɛ
Palibe vuto
Ala ka fɔ
Zikomo
I ni kɛ
Tsiku lobadwa labwino
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Pita bwino
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kuti ndi kuti sitima?
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?
Kuti ndi kuti malo otsetsereka?
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?
Ndi chigawo chiti?
I ni tîgê kô?
Ndi nthawi iti imatenga?
Kô tîgê bô?
Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?
I ni tîgê bô?
Ili pafupi pano
I tîgê kâ.
Ili kutali pano
I tîgê kâ fô.
Kodi mungandionetse pa mapu?
I bô kô tîgê fô?
Khalani pano, chonde
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?
Kô tîgê kô?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Zimatenga ndalama zingati?
I ni ce?
Izi ndizokwera mtengo kwambiri.
O ye fɛɛrɛ.
Kodi muli ndi chinthu chotsika mtengo?
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?
Ndingathe kulipira ndi khadi?
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?
Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri.
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.
Chikonthe, chonde.
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.
Kodi ntchito yakhala mu mtengo?
Sɛbɛ ka fo?
Ndine mvegetarian.
N bɛ sɔgɔma.
Osati chakudya chotentha, chonde.
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.
Izi ndizochuluka.
I ye sɔgɔ.
Ndingathe kupeza menyu?
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?
Galasi ya madzi, chonde.
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fufuzani apolisi
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ(nogo folo)
Fufuzani ambulansi
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ(nogo koro)
Ndikufuna dokotala
N bɛ sɔrɔ(n be soro)
Ndikumva kutopa
N bɛ tɛgɛn(n be tegen)
Ndine wosokoneza ndi ma nuts a phala
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ(n be folokele)
Kuti ndi kuti chibadwe chachikondi?
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(n be koro folo)
Kukonda apa
I tɛgɛ fɛ(i tege fe)
Ndapeza pasipoti yanga
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ(n be kele folo)
Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(i be nogo koro folo)
Thandizani!
Tɛgɛ!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndikuyamikira kukumana nanu
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ(N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)
Tiyeni tikhazikitse meeting
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
Ndi nthawi yanji yomwe ikugwira ntchito kwa inu?
I ni bɔ a la?(I ni bɔ a la?)
Ndzatumiza lipoti lero
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
Tingathe kulankhula mawa?
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
Chonde pezani fayilo yowonjezedwa
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyo?
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
Nditheke kubwerera kwa inu
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Nthawi yotsiriza ndi Lachisanu
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday(Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.