Looking for practical Nuer to Bambara phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Nuer 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 Nuer 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 Nuer 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.
Nhiar
I ni ce
Nyaak
I ni sogoma
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r
I ni bɔ
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
I ni kɛ
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
I ni sɔgɔ
Nhiar kɔ̈c
I ni tulu
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
N bɛ se ka
Kɛ̈n
A bɛ se ka
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?
I ni fɛ?
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nyaac ke nyin English?
I ni ce English?(ee nee che English)
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
Nyaac ma nyin.
N mɔgɔ bɛ(N mo-go beh)
Yin ke nyin kɛl.
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?
I ka fɔ a la?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Yin thok a kɛl?
Bamanakan kɛn na?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Yin ke nyin a laar.
Kɛlɛn bɔ(Keh-lehn boh)
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Yin ke nyin a thok.
Fɔ kɛlɛn(Fo keh-lehn)
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?
Fɛ kɛ?(Feh keh)
Yin ke nyin a ticket.
Kɛnɛ ticket, please(Ken-eh ticket, please)
Yin ke nyin a thok?
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
Nyaac ke nyin.
N tɛ bɔ(N teh boh)
Yin thok a kɛl a 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.
Aye
Aye
Naa
Ala
Nyaak
Bara
Nyeek a kech
N bɛ bɔ
Nyeek a kech naa
N bɛ fɔ
Iye kech kɛl
I bɛ sɛbɛn
Nyaak a kech?
I ka fɛ kɛ?
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Kɛl a jɔɔr
Sira kɛ
Nyeek a kech
N tɛgɛ
Naa a kech kɛl
Ala ka fɔ
Aye kɛl
I ni kɛ
Aye kɛl a wɛr
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?(Känyë kɛl wel)
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?(Känyë kɛl bol)
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?
I ni tîgê kô?(Kel bet ket)
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?
Kô tîgê bô?(Kel wel it ket)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?
I ni tîgê bô?(Kel it kel wel)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?
I tîgê kâ.(Kel it kel kel)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?
I tîgê kâ fô.(Kel it kel jol)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?
I bô kô tîgê fô?(Kel it kel pet ket)
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.(Kel jel kel pel)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?
Kô tîgê kô?(Kel it kel jol ket)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nyaak cɛl?
I ni ce?(nyaak chel)
Kɛl yic kɛc
O ye fɛɛrɛ.(kel yich kech)
Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?(yin kel nyin chel)
Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?(nyaak ter kel kech)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.(nyaak chel kel tebel kel nyin)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.(nyaak chel kel bel)
Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?
Sɛbɛ ka fo?(yin kel chel kel ter)
Nyaak cɛl wɛr
N bɛ sɔgɔma.(nyaak chel wer)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.(nyaak chel kel wer kech)
Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin
I ye sɔgɔ.(kel chel kel nyin)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?(nyaak chel kel men)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.(nyaak chel kel gel wet)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Cïl wïr
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ(nogo folo)
Cïl an ambulance
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ(nogo koro)
Aŋ thïr a doctor
N bɛ sɔrɔ(n be soro)
Aŋ kɔc
N bɛ tɛgɛn(n be tegen)
Aŋ kɔc a pïyït
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ(n be folokele)
Cït kɛ̈n hospital?
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(n be koro folo)
Cïk bɛ̈t
I tɛgɛ fɛ(i tege fe)
Aŋ kɛ̈n passport
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ(n be kele folo)
Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(i be nogo koro folo)
Kɛ̈n!
Tɛgɛ!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nyeu ke nyin
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ(N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)
Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?
I ni bɔ a la?(I ni bɔ a la?)
Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr file kɛ kɛth
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr a ke kɛth
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt a ke
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
A ke jɔɔr kɛ kɛth a?
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ a ke
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Kɛ deadline kɛ Friday
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday(Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.