Looking for practical Lingala to Bambara phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Lingala 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: read the Bambara line out loud three times, then cover the Lingala 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 Lingala 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.
Mbote
I ni ce
Melesi
I ni sogoma
Mbote na ntango ya mokolo
I ni bɔ
Mbote na ntango ya midi
I ni kɛ
Mbote na ntango ya soir
I ni sɔgɔ
Malamu na butu
I ni tulu
Tala yo nsima
N bɛ se ka
Kende malamu
A bɛ se ka
Nkombo na yo nani?
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
Nkombo na ngai ezali John
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Ozalaki malamu?
I ni fɛ?
Nayoki malamu na yo
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ozali koloba lingala?
I ni ce English?(ee nee che English)
Nasalaka hindi malamu te
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
Nalingi te
N mɔgɔ bɛ(N mo-go beh)
S'il vous plaît, koloba butu
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
Okoki koloba yango lisusu?
I ka fɔ a la?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi?
Bamanakan kɛn na?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre?
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Tika na mobali
Kɛlɛn bɔ(Keh-lehn boh)
Tika na mwasi
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Kende na ntango
Fɔ kɛlɛn(Fo keh-lehn)
Mbala nini ezali?
Fɛ kɛ?(Feh keh)
Billet moko, s'il vous plaît
Kɛnɛ ticket, please(Ken-eh ticket, please)
Ezali na esika ya mbali?
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
Nazali na esika ya mabe
N tɛ bɔ(N teh boh)
Nakanisi wapi nakokota 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.
Oyo
Aye
Te
Ala
Soki
Bara
Nalingi
N bɛ bɔ
Nalingi te
N bɛ fɔ
Eza malamu
I bɛ sɛbɛn
Oyo olingi nini?
I ka fɛ kɛ?
Okoki kosalisa ngai?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Sunga moke
Sira kɛ
Nasalaki mabe
N tɛgɛ
Nani azali na problème
Ala ka fɔ
Mokolo malamu
I ni kɛ
Mokolo ya mbotama malamu
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Zala na nzela ya malamu
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eko zali wapi?
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?(Eko zali wapi?)
Eko zali wapi na bis?
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?
Eko zali na esika nini?
I ni tîgê kô?
Ekozanga na ntango nini?
Kô tîgê bô?
Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?
I ni tîgê bô?
Ezali pene awa.
I tîgê kâ.
Ezali mbali awa.
I tîgê kâ fô.
Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?
I bô kô tîgê fô?
Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Ekozala ntango nini?
Kô tîgê kô?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Mbongo ya yango eza nini?
I ni ce?
Yango eza mabe na mbongo.
O ye fɛɛrɛ.
Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?
Nalingi kobonga na carte?
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?
Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.
Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.
Service eza na kati?
Sɛbɛ ka fo?
Nazali mvegetarian.
N bɛ sɔgɔma.
Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.
Yango ezali malamu.
I ye sɔgɔ.
Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?
Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tindá polisi
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ(nogo folo)
Tindá ambulance
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ(nogo koro)
Nalingi médecin
N bɛ sɔrɔ(n be soro)
Nazali na maladi
N bɛ tɛgɛn(n be tegen)
Nazali na allergie na mbala
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ(n be folokele)
Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(n be koro folo)
Ezalaka na nse awa
I tɛgɛ fɛ(i tege fe)
Nazwi passport na ngai
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ(n be kele folo)
Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(i be nogo koro folo)
S.O.S!
Tɛgɛ!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nasepeli na yo
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ(N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)
Tika tozala na mitema
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?
I ni bɔ a la?(I ni bɔ a la?)
Naboya raport lelo
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
Tango tozali na mposo?
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
Mersi mpo na ntango na yo
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
Nasalela yo na mosala
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
Napesi yo nzela
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday(Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.