Looking for practical Luganda to Bambara phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luganda 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 Luganda 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.
Oli otya?
I ni ce(Oli otya?)
Webale
I ni sogoma(Webale)
Osiibye otya?
I ni bɔ(Osiibye otya?)
Osiibye bulungi?
I ni kɛ(Osiibye bulungi?)
Osiibye otya?
I ni sɔgɔ(Osiibye otya?)
Lwaki olugendo?
I ni tulu(Lwaki olugendo?)
Tugenda kutya?
N bɛ se ka(Tugenda kutya?)
Nkwagala
A bɛ se ka(Nkwagala)
Erinnya lyo ani?
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?(Erinnya lyo ani?)
Erinnya lyange nze John
N bɛ tɔgɔ John(Erinnya lyange nze John)
Oli otya?
I ni fɛ?(Oli otya?)
Nkwagala okukulaba
N bɛ se ka i fɛ(Nkwagala okukulaba)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
I ni ce English?(ee nee che English)
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
Sijja kumanya.
N mɔgɔ bɛ(N mo-go beh)
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
I ka fɔ a la?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Ekitanda kiki?
Bamanakan kɛn na?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
Nteekateeka owa city center?
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Genda ku kkono.
Kɛlɛn bɔ(Keh-lehn boh)
Genda ku mwoyo.
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Genda mu maaso.
Fɔ kɛlɛn(Fo keh-lehn)
Ekitundu kiki?
Fɛ kɛ?(Feh keh)
Ticket emu, please.
Kɛnɛ ticket, please(Ken-eh ticket, please)
Kiki kirekera wano?
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
Ndi mu bubi.
N tɛ bɔ(N teh boh)
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
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.
Ye
Aye
Nedda
Ala
Okwagala
Bara
Nnaakuwandiika
N bɛ bɔ
Sikuwandiika
N bɛ fɔ
Kyo kyekirungi
I bɛ sɛbɛn
Otekayo ki?
I ka fɛ kɛ?
Osobola okundabira?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Nfuna obuyambi
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Saba omukutu
Sira kɛ
Nsaba
N tɛgɛ
Tewali kibadde
Ala ka fɔ
Okwagaliza
I ni kɛ
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Genda bulungi
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Ekitangaala ki?
I ni tîgê kô?(ekitangaala ki)
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?
Kô tîgê bô?(bwe ki ssaawa esigala)
Okwetegeka kwe?
I ni tîgê bô?(okwetegeka kwe)
Kiri wano wansi
I tîgê kâ.(kiri wano wansi)
Kiri mangu
I tîgê kâ fô.(kiri mangu)
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?
I bô kô tîgê fô?(osobola okundabira ku kaddde)
Ggenda wano, please
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.(ggenda wano, please)
Tewali bungi ki?
Kô tîgê kô?(tewali bungi ki)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kiki ky'ekitundu?
I ni ce?(Kiki ky'ekitundu?)
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.
O ye fɛɛrɛ.
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.
Ekitabo, please.
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.
Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?
Sɛbɛ ka fo?
Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.
N bɛ sɔgɔma.
Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.
Ono mulungi.
I ye sɔgɔ.
Nneetaaga menu?
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?
Ekikopo ky'amata, please.
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Mpozzi polisi
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ(nogo folo)
Mpozzi ambulance
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ(nogo koro)
Nfuna daktari
N bɛ sɔrɔ(n be soro)
Ndi mu mbeera mbi
N bɛ tɛgɛn(n be tegen)
Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ(n be folokele)
Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(n be koro folo)
Bikozesa wano
I tɛgɛ fɛ(i tege fe)
Nfuuse passport yange
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ(n be kele folo)
Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(i be nogo koro folo)
Mbadde!
Tɛgɛ!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nkwagala okubaako
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ(N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)
Tugende mu nteekateeka
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
Okwesiga ki?
I ni bɔ a la?(I ni bɔ a la?)
Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
Webale ku ssaawa yo
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
Nja kukuwandiikira
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday(Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.