Looking for practical Sango to Bambara phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sango 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 Sango 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 Sango 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
Mokolo
I ni sogoma
Mbote na nganga
I ni bɔ
Mbote na nganga ya zanga
I ni kɛ
Mbote na nganga ya sika
I ni sɔgɔ
Ndeko na nganga
I ni tulu
Tango na yo
N bɛ se ka
Ayo
A bɛ se ka
Nani na yo?
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
Nani na nga John
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Oza malamu?
I ni fɛ?
Mokili na yo
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
O yo na nganga English?
I ni ce English?(ee nee che English)
O na yo na nganga Hindi na mboka.
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
O na yo na mboka.
N mɔgɔ bɛ(N mo-go beh)
Sokou, yo na nganga na mboka.
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
O tanga na mboka?
I ka fɔ a la?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Banga na yo na ndako?
Bamanakan kɛn na?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
Nde na yo na banga na mboka?
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Kanga na mboko.
Kɛlɛn bɔ(Keh-lehn boh)
Kanga na nganga.
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Kende na mboka.
Fɔ kɛlɛn(Fo keh-lehn)
Nde na yo na mboka?
Fɛ kɛ?(Feh keh)
Mokolo na ticket, sokou.
Kɛnɛ ticket, please(Ken-eh ticket, please)
O na mboka na mboka?
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
O na yo na mboka.
N tɛ bɔ(N teh boh)
Banga na yo na tanga 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.
O
Aye
Té
Ala
Sâ
Bara
Ngâ tî
N bɛ bɔ
Ngâ té tî
N bɛ fɔ
O bô
I bɛ sɛbɛn
Nâ tî yé?
I ka fɛ kɛ?
O kâ yé tî?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Ngâ kâ tî
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Bê na
Sira kɛ
Ngâ tî na
N tɛgɛ
Té bô
Ala ka fɔ
Mâ tî
I ni kɛ
Mâ na mbâ
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
O kâ na mbê
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
O na wâ na gare?
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?
O na wâ na station de taxi?
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?
O na wâ na plateforme?
I ni tîgê kô?
O na tî na mbô?
Kô tîgê bô?
O na wâ na yâ?
I ni tîgê bô?
O na bô na kâ.
I tîgê kâ.
O na fâ na kâ.
I tîgê kâ fô.
O kâ tî na mappa?
I bô kô tîgê fô?
Kâ na kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.
O na tî na mbô?
Kô tîgê kô?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Mboka na yo?
I ni ce?(mboka na yo)
Oko na mboka mingi
O ye fɛɛrɛ.(oko na mboka mingi)
Ozo na nanga mboka?
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?(o zo na nanga mboka)
Naka na yeke na carte?
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?(naka na yeke na carte)
Naka na table ya mibale
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.(naka na table ya mibale)
Bilan, s'il vous plaît
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.(bilan, s'il vous plaît)
Service ezali na yango?
Sɛbɛ ka fo?(service ezali na yango)
Nani na mboka ya nyama
N bɛ sɔgɔma.(nani na mboka ya nyama)
Te na mabele ya sika, s'il vous plaît
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.(te na mabele ya sika)
Oyo ezali malamu
I ye sɔgɔ.(oyo ezali malamu)
Naka na menu?
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?(naka na menu)
Bokoko ya mai, s'il vous plaît
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.(bokoko ya mai)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Banga nganga
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ(nogo folo)
Banga ambulance
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ(nogo koro)
Mbi na doctor
N bɛ sɔrɔ(n be soro)
Mbi na yeke
N bɛ tɛgɛn(n be tegen)
Mbi na alerji na kolo
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ(n be folokele)
A na hospital ya mboka?
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(n be koro folo)
E yeke na mboko
I tɛgɛ fɛ(i tege fe)
Mbi tanga passport na ngai
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ(n be kele folo)
O tanga hotel na ngai?
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(i be nogo koro folo)
Sango!
Tɛgɛ!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Mbi na yo
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ(N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)
Tala na yeke mboka
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
Nani ti na yo?
I ni bɔ a la?(I ni bɔ a la?)
Nde na yeke report na tî
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
Oka na yeke na lobi?
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
S'il vous plaît, tî na file na mî
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
Mesi na yo na tî
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
Nde na tî na yeke na yo
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
Oka na yeke na sî na tî?
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
Tala na yeke na yo
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Nani na lobi na 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.