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Common Swahili to Bambara phrases

100 practical Swahili to Bambara phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Swahili to Bambara phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Swahili 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 Swahili 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.

  1. Habari

    I ni ce

  2. Asante

    I ni sogoma

  3. Habari ya asubuhi

    I ni bɔ

  4. Habari ya mchana

    I ni kɛ

  5. Habari ya jioni

    I ni sɔgɔ

  6. Usiku mwema

    I ni tulu

  7. Tutaonana baadaye

    N bɛ se ka

  8. Kwaheri

    A bɛ se ka

  9. Jina lako nani?

    Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?

  10. Jina langu ni John

    N bɛ tɔgɔ John

  11. Habari gani?

    I ni fɛ?

  12. Nafurahi kukutana na wewe

    N bɛ se ka i fɛ

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. Unazungumza Kiingereza?

    I ni ce English? (ee nee che English)

  2. Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.

    N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ (N mo-go beh Hindi keh)

  3. Sielewi.

    N mɔgɔ bɛ (N mo-go beh)

  4. Tafadhali ongea polepole.

    Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ (Sebene, keh-leh keh)

  5. Unaweza kusema tena?

    I ka fɔ a la? (Ee kah fo ah lah)

  6. Choo kiko wapi?

    Bamanakan kɛn na? (Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)

  7. Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?

    N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ? (N beh fo koh-roh-boh)

  8. Geuka kushoto.

    Kɛlɛn bɔ (Keh-lehn boh)

  9. Geuka kulia.

    Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ (Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)

  10. Nenda moja kwa moja.

    Fɔ kɛlɛn (Fo keh-lehn)

  11. Nauli ni kiasi gani?

    Fɛ kɛ? (Feh keh)

  12. Tiketi moja, tafadhali.

    Kɛnɛ ticket, please (Ken-eh ticket, please)

  13. Je, ni mbali na hapa?

    I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ? (Ee keh fo keh-neh)

  14. Nimepotea.

    N tɛ bɔ (N teh boh)

  15. Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?

    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.

  1. Ndio

    Aye

  2. Hapana

    Ala

  3. Pengine

    Bara

  4. Ninakubaliana

    N bɛ bɔ

  5. Sikubaliani

    N bɛ fɔ

  6. Inasikika vizuri

    I bɛ sɛbɛn

  7. Unafikiriaje?

    I ka fɛ kɛ?

  8. Unaweza kunisaidia?

    I bɛ ma n bɔ?

  9. Nahitaji msaada

    N bɛ fɔ n bɔ

  10. Subiri kidogo

    Sira kɛ

  11. Ninasikitika

    N tɛgɛ

  12. Hakuna shida

    Ala ka fɔ

  13. Hongera

    I ni kɛ

  14. Siku ya kuzaliwa njema

    I ni tɔgɔ kɛ

  15. Safari njema

    I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?

    Fôlô kôkô tîgê?

  2. Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?

    Fôlô bôgô tîgê?

  3. Ni jukwaa gani?

    I ni tîgê kô?

  4. Inatoka saa ngapi?

    Kô tîgê bô?

  5. Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?

    I ni tîgê bô?

  6. Iko karibu hapa

    I tîgê kâ.

  7. Iko mbali na hapa

    I tîgê kâ fô.

  8. Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?

    I bô kô tîgê fô?

  9. Simama hapa, tafadhali

    Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Inachukua muda gani?

    Kô tîgê kô?

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?

    I ni ce?

  2. Hiyo ni ghali sana

    O ye fɛɛrɛ.

  3. Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?

    I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?

  4. Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?

    N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?

  5. Ningependa meza ya watu wawili

    N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.

  6. Tafadhali, bili

    Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.

  7. Je, huduma imejumuishwa?

    Sɛbɛ ka fo?

  8. Mimi ni mboga

    N bɛ sɔgɔma.

  9. Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili

    Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Hii ni tamu

    I ye sɔgɔ.

  11. Naweza kupata menyu?

    N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?

  12. Tafadhali, glasi ya maji

    N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Piga simu polisi

    Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ (nogo folo)

  2. Piga simu ya wagonjwa

    Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ (nogo koro)

  3. Nahitaji daktari

    N bɛ sɔrɔ (n be soro)

  4. Ninajisikia mgonjwa

    N bɛ tɛgɛn (n be tegen)

  5. Nina mzio wa karanga

    N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ (n be folokele)

  6. Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?

    N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ? (n be koro folo)

  7. Inaniuma hapa

    I tɛgɛ fɛ (i tege fe)

  8. Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu

    N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ (n be kele folo)

  9. Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?

    I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ? (i be nogo koro folo)

  10. Nisaidie!

    Tɛgɛ! (tege)

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Nafurahi kukutana nawe

    N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ (N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)

  2. Tuweke mkutano

    Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ (Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)

  3. Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?

    I ni bɔ a la? (I ni bɔ a la?)

  4. Nitaituma ripoti leo

    N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ (N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)

  5. Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?

    N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ? (N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)

  6. Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa

    Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ (Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)

  7. Asante kwa muda wako

    I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ (I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)

  8. Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe

    N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ (N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)

  9. Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?

    I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ? (I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)

  10. Nitarudi kwako

    N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ (N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)

  11. Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa

    Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday (Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Ni saa ngapi?

    Ala ka kɛnɛ? (Ala ka kene)

  2. Ni saa tatu.

    I ye kelen kelen. (I ye kelen kelen)

  3. Leo

    N bɔ (N bo)

  4. Kesho

    N bɔ kɛ (N bo ke)

  5. Jana

    N bɔ fɛ (N bo fe)

  6. Jumatatu

    Tɔgɔ (Togo)

  7. Jumanne

    Tɛgɛ (Tege)

  8. Jumatano

    Alakɔ (Alako)

  9. Moja

    Kelen (Kelen)

  10. Mbili

    Duo (Duo)

  11. Tatu

    Tati (Tati)

  12. Kumi

    Folo (Folo)

  13. Mia moja

    Dugukelen (Dugukelen)

  14. Nusu

    Kelen fɛ (Kelen fe)

  15. Zaidi

    Kɛ (Ke)

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