Looking for practical Zulu to Bambara phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Zulu 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 Zulu 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 Zulu 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.
Sawubona
I ni ce
Ngiyabonga
I ni sogoma
Sawubona
I ni bɔ
Good afternoon
I ni kɛ
Ubusuku obuhle
I ni sɔgɔ
Lala kahle
I ni tulu
Sizobonana
N bɛ se ka
Hamba kahle
A bɛ se ka
Ubani igama lakho?
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
Igama lami nginguJohn
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Unjani?
I ni fɛ?
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ukhuluma isiNgisi?
I ni ce English?(ee nee che English)
Angikhulumi kahle isiHindi.
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
Angiqondi.
N mɔgɔ bɛ(N mo-go beh)
Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
Ungakuphinda lokho?
I ka fɔ a la?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Iphi indlu yangasese?
Bamanakan kɛn na?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
Ngiyawufika kanjani emaphandleni?
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Jika kwesobunxele.
Kɛlɛn bɔ(Keh-lehn boh)
Jika kwesokudla.
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Hamba phambili.
Fɔ kɛlɛn(Fo keh-lehn)
Inani lokuhamba lingakanani?
Fɛ kɛ?(Feh keh)
Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela.
Kɛnɛ ticket, please(Ken-eh ticket, please)
Ingabe kude lapha?
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
Ngilahlekile.
N tɛ bɔ(N teh boh)
Ngaphi engingathenga khona i-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.
Yebo
Aye
Cha
Ala
Mhlawumbe
Bara
Ngiyavuma
N bɛ bɔ
Angivumi
N bɛ fɔ
Lokho kuzwakala kahle
I bɛ sɛbɛn
Ucabanga ukuthini?
I ka fɛ kɛ?
Ungangisiza?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Ngidinga usizo
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Linda umzuzu
Sira kɛ
Ngiyaxolisa
N tɛgɛ
Akukho nkinga
Ala ka fɔ
Halala
I ni kɛ
Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Uhambo olunempilo
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Iphi isitishi sesitimela?
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?(iphi isitishi sesitimela)
Iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi?
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?(iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi)
Iphi ipulatifomu?
I ni tîgê kô?(iphi ipulatifomu)
Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba?
Kô tîgê bô?(ithini isikhathi sokuhamba)
Ingabe le yindlela efanele?
I ni tîgê bô?(ingabe le yindlela efanele)
Ikhaya lapha eduze
I tîgê kâ.(ikhaya lapha eduze)
Ikude lapha
I tîgê kâ fô.(ikude lapha)
Ungangikhombisa emmaphini?
I bô kô tîgê fô?(ungangikhombisa emmaphini)
Misa lapha, ngiyacela
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.(misa lapha, ngiyacela)
Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani?
Kô tîgê kô?(kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kubiza malini lokhu?
I ni ce?
Lokho kubiza kakhulu.
O ye fɛɛrɛ.
Unayo yini ethengiswa ngentengo ephansi?
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?
Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi?
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?
Ngifuna itafula labantu ababili.
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.
Ibhili, ngiyacela.
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.
Inkonzo ifakiwe?
Sɛbɛ ka fo?
Ngiyisithuthuthu.
N bɛ sɔgɔma.
Ngicela ukudla okungashisayo.
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.
Lokhu kuhle.
I ye sɔgɔ.
Ngicela imenyu?
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?
Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela.
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Shayela amaphoyisa
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ(nogo folo)
Shayela i-ambulensi
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ(nogo koro)
Ngidinga udokotela
N bɛ sɔrɔ(n be soro)
Ngizizwa ngigula
N bɛ tɛgɛn(n be tegen)
Ngine-allergy kumantongomane
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ(n be folokele)
Iphi isibhedlela esiseduze?
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(n be koro folo)
Kubuhlungu lapha
I tɛgɛ fɛ(i tege fe)
Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ(n be kele folo)
Ungashayela ihhotela lami?
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(i be nogo koro folo)
Usizo!
Tɛgɛ!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ(N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)
Masihlele umhlangano
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele?
I ni bɔ a la?(I ni bɔ a la?)
Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
Singakhuluma kusasa?
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunywe
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
Ngibheke phambili ekusebenzeni nawe
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
Ungacacisa leyo ndaba?
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
Ngizobuyela kuwe
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Usuku lokugcina nguLwesihlanu
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday(Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.