Bamanankan
Bambara
Niger-Congo (Mande, Western Mande, Central Mande, Manding)
Bambara (Bamanankan) is a Mande language of the Niger-Congo family, spoken by around 14 million people including second-language speakers. It is the most widely spoken language in Mali, where it functions as the principal lingua franca, and it is also used in neighboring West African countries. A tonal language with basic subject-object-verb word order, it is written mainly in the Latin script but also in the N'Ko and Arabic (Ajami) scripts.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Bambara
Sources
- Vydrin, Valentin et al. Bamadaba: dictionnaire électronique bambara-français (cormand.huma-num.fr/Bamadaba; spelling matches byte for byte apart from tones: jòli, kólo, jàkuma, dénmuso, wùlu, mìn, túlo, dùgukolo, shɛ̀fan, ɲɛ́, fà, tásuma, jɛ́gɛ, sèn, náani, bólo, kùn, dùsu, sò/só, kɛ̀mɛ, nɛ̀gɛ, kànu, nɔ́nɔ, kálo, bá, kùlu, dá, tɔ́gɔ, kúra, sú, nún, kélen, lènburuba, mɔ̀gɔ, bò, sánji, màlo, kɔ̀gɔ, kɔ̀gɔji, nɛzi, dòlo, súkaro, tìle, sàba, nɛ̀n, ɲín, jíri, fìla, jí, án, móbilisen, jɛ́, fíɲɛ, í, káfe, ɔridinatɛri, cé); Bailleul 2000, Dictionnaire bambara-français (general reference, not consulted this round)
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Niger-Congo (Mande, Western Mande, Central Mande, Manding)
| Meaning | Bambara | Dyula | Kita Maninkakan | Eastern Maninka | Xaasongaxango | Western Maninkakan | Vai |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | jiyo /dʒijo/ | ꕀ /dʒi/ |
| Fire | tasuma /tasuma/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | ta /ta/ | ta /ta/ | ta /ta/ | ꕚ /ta/ |
| Sun | tile /tile/ | tile /tile/ | tle /tle/ | tele /tele/ | tili /tili/ | tilo /tilo/ | ꔎꔒ /tele/ |
| Moon | kalo /kalo/ | kalo /kalo/ | kalo /kalo/ | karo /karo/ | kalo /kalo/ | xaro /xaɾo/ | ꕪꖃ /kalo/ |
| Star | dolo /dòlo/ | lolo /lolo/ | lolo /lolo/ | lolo /lolo/ | lolo /lolo/ | loolo /loːlo/ | ꗋꗏ /tólò/ |
| Night | su /su/ | su /su/ | su /su/ | su /su/ | su /su/ | suwo /suwo/ | lifi /lifi/ |
| Rain | sanji /ˈsandʒi/ | sanji /ˈsandʒi/ | sanji /saɲɟi/ | sanji /saɲɟi/ | — | sanjiyo /sandʒijo/ | suna /suna/ |
| Snow | nɛzi /nɛzi/ | nɛzi /nɛzi/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wind | fiɲɛ /fiɲɛ/ | fɔɲɔ /fɔɲɔ/ | fɔɲɔ /fɔɲɔ/ | fɔɲɔ /fɔɲɔ/ | — | hoɲo /hoɲo/ | ꔱꕩ /fija/ |
| Earth | dugukolo /duɡukolo/ | dugukolo /duɡukolo/ | — | duukolo /duːkolo/ | — | duguxulo /duɡuxulo/ | — |
| Stone | kaba /kaba/ | kabakuru /kabakuru/ | — | kaba /kaba/ | — | kuro /kuɾo/ | ꔖꘋ /sɛŋ/ |
| Mountain | kulu /kulu/ | kulu /kulu/ | — | kɔnkɛ /kɔŋkɛ/ | — | — | ꗛꖻ /koõ/ |
| Sea | kɔgɔji /kɔɡɔdʒi/ | kɔgɔji /kɔɡɔdʒi/ | — | kɔɔji /kɔːdʒi/ | — | xooxojiyo /xoːxodʒijo/ | ꗛꔤ /koi/ |
| Mother | ba /ba/ | ba /ba/ | ba /ba/ | ba /ba/ | ba /ba/ | na /na/ | ꕒ /ɓa/ |
| Father | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ | ha /ha/ | ꕘ /fa/ |
| Daughter | denmuso /dɛnmuso/ | denmuso /denmuso/ | — | denmuso /dɛnmuso/ | — | dinmuso /dinmuso/ | ꔔꘋ ꖷꖬꕮ /dɛ̃ musuma/ |
| I | ne /nè/ | n /ŋ́/ | ne /ne/ | ne /ne/ | ne /ne/ | nte /n̩te/ | ꘋ /ŋ̀/ |
| You | i /í/ | i /í/ | i /i/ | i /i/ | i /i/ | ite /ite/ | ꔤ /ì/ |
| We | an /án/ | an /án/ | an /án/ | an /án/ | an /án/ | ilan / ntelu /ilã / n̩telu/ | ꖷ /mù/ |
| Name | tɔgɔ /tɔ̀ɡɔ/ | tɔgɔ /tɔ́ɡɔ/ | tɔɔ /tɔː/ | tɔɔ /tɔː/ | toxo /toxo/ | toxo /toxo/ | ꕿꘌ /tɔ́ː/ |
| Person | mɔgɔ /mɔ̀ɡɔ/ | mɔgɔ /mɔ̀ɡɔ/ | — | mɔɔ /mɔː/ | — | moxo /moxo/ | ꗞ /mo/ |
| Head | kun /kun/ | kunkolo /kunkolo/ | — | kun /kũ/ | — | kunŋo /kũŋo/ | ꖴꘋ /kuŋ/ |
| Eye | ɲɛ /ɲɛ/ | ɲɛ /ɲɛ/ | ña /ɲa/ | ɲa /ɲa/ | ɲa /ɲa/ | ɲa /ɲa/ | ꕰ /ɲa/ |
| Ear | tulo /tulo/ | tulo /tulo/ | tulo /tulo/ | tolo /tolo/ | tulu /tulu/ | tulo /tulo/ | ꕿꖃ /tɔlɔ/ |
| Nose | nun /nũ/ | nun /nũ/ | nun /nũ/ | nun /nũ/ | nun /nũ/ | nunŋo /nũŋo/ | — |
| Mouth | da /da/ | da /da/ | — | da /da/ | da /da/ | da /da/ | ꕞ /la/ |
| Tooth | ɲin /ɲĩ/ | ɲin /ɲĩ/ | ɲin /ɲĩ/ | ɲin /ɲĩ/ | ɲin /ɲĩ/ | ɲinŋo /ɲĩŋo/ | ɲiŋ /ɲiŋ/ |
| Tongue | nɛn /nɛn/ | nɛn /nɛn/ | nɛn /nɛn/ | nɛn /nɛn/ | nɛn /nɛn/ | nenŋo /nẽŋo/ | nɛ /nɛ/ |
| Hand | bolo /bolo/ | bolo /bolo/ | bolo /bolo/ | bolo /bolo/ | bulu /bulu/ | bulo /bulo/ | ꗃꗏ /ɓolo/ |
| Foot | sen /sèn/ | sen /sen/ | — | sen /sen/ | sin /sin/ | sinŋo /sĩŋo/ | ꔞꘋ /keŋ/ |
| Heart | dusu /dusu/ | dusu /dusu/ | dusu /dusu/ | jusu /dʒusu/ | dusu /dusu/ | jusukunŋo /dʒusukũŋo/ | ꔖꕇ /sɛni/ |
| Bone | kolo /kolo/ | kolo /kolo/ | kulu /kulu/ | kolo /kolo/ | xulu /xulu/ | xulo /xulo/ | kuru /kuru/ |
| Blood | joli /dʒoli/ | joli /dʒoli/ | joli /dʒoli/ | jeli /dʒeli/ | jelu /dʒelu/ | jelo /dʒelo/ | wuli /wuli/ |
| Poop | bo /bo/ | bo /bo/ | — | bo /bo/ | — | — | — |
| Love | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanin /kanĩ/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | ꔷꕩ /lija/ |
| Tree | jiri /dʒiri/ | yiri /jiri/ | yiri /jiɾi/ | yiri /jiɾi/ | yiri /jiɾi/ | yiro /jiɾo/ | ꗛꘋ /kɔŋ/ |
| Dog | wulu /wulu/ | wulu /wulu/ | wulu /wulu/ | wulu /wulu/ | wulu /wulu/ | wulo /wulo/ | ꖙꖨ /wulu/ |
| Cat | jakuma /dʒakuma/ | jakuma /dʒakuma/ | ñaakuma /ɲaːkuma/ | ɲaari /ɲaːri/ | jakuma /dʒakuma/ | ɲaaro /ɲaːɾo/ | ꖷꖬ /musu/ |
| Fish | jɛgɛ /dʒɛɡɛ/ | jɛgɛ /dʒɛɡɛ/ | jɛgɛ /dʒɛɡɛ/ | jɛɛ /dʒɛː/ | ɲege /ɲeɡe/ | yego /jeɡo/ | nyɛ /ɲɛ/ |
| Bird | kɔnɔ /kɔnɔ/ | kɔnɔ /kɔnɔ/ | kɔnɔ /kɔnɔ/ | kɔnɔ /kɔnɔ/ | — | xono /xono/ | ꖏꔕ /kɔndɛ/ |
| Butterfly | nfirinfirin /nfirinfirin/ | firinfirin /firinfirin/ | — | firinfirinlen /fiɾinfiɾinlen/ | — | — | — |
| Egg | shɛfan /ʃɛfã/ | sisɛfan /sisɛfã/ | — | kili /kili/ | — | kilo /kilo/ | ꔞꔤ /kɛi/ |
| Horse | so /so/ | so /so/ | — | so /so/ | — | — | ꖇ /sɔ/ |
| House | so /so/ | so /so/ | so /so/ | bon /bon/ | so /so/ | bunŋo /bũŋo/ | ꖴꖕ /kuu/ |
| Milk | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ | nono /nono/ | ꖬꖬ /susu/ |
| Honey | di /di/ | li /li/ | — | li /li/ | — | liyo /lijo/ | ꖴꖷ /kumu/ |
| Salt | kɔgɔ /kɔɡɔ/ | kɔgɔ /kɔɡɔ/ | kɔgɔ /kɔɡɔ/ | kɔɔ /kɔː/ | kɔgɔ /kɔɡɔ/ | xooxo /xoːxo/ | ꖏ /kɔ/ |
| Wine | diwɛn /diwɛn/ | divɛn /divɛ̃/ | ɛrɛsɛnji /ɛrɛsɛndʒi/ | — | — | eresendolo /eɾesendolo/ | ꔠꔪ ꗬ /ɡɛpi kpɛ/ |
| Rice | malo /malo/ | malo /malo/ | — | malo /malo/ | — | — | — |
| Chocolate | sokola /sokola/ | sokola /sokola/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Iron | nɛgɛ /nɛɡɛ/ | nɛgɛ /nɛɡɛ/ | neke /neke/ | nɛɛ /nɛː/ | nege /neɡe/ | nego /neɡo/ | ꖴꖫ /kundu/ |
| Wheel | mobilisen /mobilisen/ | mɔbilisen /mɔbilisen/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Silk | hadiri /hadiri/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Book | gafe /ɡafe/ | gafe /ɡafe/ | — | gbafe /ɡbafe/ | — | kitaabo /kitaːbo/ | ꕺꖃ /kpɔlɔ/ |
| Eat | dun /dũ/ | dun /dun/ | don /don/ | domun /domũ/ | domu /domu/ | domo /domo/ | ꗏꘋ /lɔŋ/ |
| Drink | min /min/ | min /min/ | min /min/ | min /min/ | min /min/ | min /mĩ/ | ꕆ /mi/ |
| Sleep | sunɔgɔ /sunɔɡɔ/ | sunɔgɔ /sunɔɡɔ/ | — | sunɔɔ /sunɔː/ | — | sinnoxo /sinːoxo/ | ꕃ /ki/ |
| One | kelen /kelen/ | kelen /kelen/ | kelen /kelen/ | kelen /kelen/ | kilin /kilin/ | kilin /kilĩ/ | ꗏꗒ /lɔnɗɔ/ |
| Two | fila /fìla/ | fila /fìla/ | fila /fila/ | fila /fila/ | fula /fula/ | hula /hula/ | ꗱꘌꕟ /fèːrà/ |
| Three | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ | ꕢꕔ /sakpa/ |
| Four | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ |
| Five | duuru /duːru/ | duuru /dúːru/ | loolu /lóːlu/ | loolu /lóːlu/ | luulu /luːlu/ | luulu /luːlu/ | sóólu /soːlu/ |
| Hundred | kɛmɛ /kɛmɛ/ | kɛmɛ /kɛ̀mɛ́/ | — | kɛmɛ /kɛmɛ/ | keme /keme/ | keme /keme/ | ꖽꗒ /hɔnɗɔ/ |
| Hello | i ni ce /i ni tʃɛ/ | i ni sɔgɔma /i ni sɔɡɔma/ | i ni soɣoma /i ni soɣoma/ | i ni se /i ni se/ | i ni sogoma /i ni soɡoma/ | — /—/ | ꘋꕯ ꖬꕎ ꘃꗡ ꗪ ꔤ ꕮ /ŋna suwa kɛɛ ɓɛ i ma/ |
| Thank you | i ni ce /i ni tʃɛ/ | i ni ce /i ni tʃe/ | i ni baara /i ni baːɾa/ | i ni ce /i ni tʃe/ | i ni baara /i ni baːɾa/ | — /—/ | ꔤ ꕒꔤꕪ /i ɓaika/ |
| Good | ka ɲi /ka ɲi/ | ɲuman /ɲuman/ | ñuman /ɲuman/ | ka ɲi /ka ɲi/ | nyi /ɲi/ | ɲima /ɲima/ | ꕈ /ɲi/ |
| New | kura /kura/ | kura /kura/ | — | kuda /kuda/ | — | kuto /kuto/ | ꕯꕮ /nama/ |
| Red | bilen /bilen/ | bilen /bilen/ | bilen /bileɲ/ | wulen /wulen/ | wuleŋ /wuleŋ/ | wulen /wulẽ/ | kpou /kpou/ |
| White | jɛ /dʒɛ/ | gwɛ /ɡwɛ/ | — | gbɛ /ɡbɛ/ | — | xoyi /xoji/ | ꗬ /kpɛ/ |
| Black | fin /fin/ | fin /fin/ | — | fin /fiɲ/ | — | — | ꔱꘋ /fiŋ/ |
| Green | binkɛnɛman /binkɛnɛman/ | binkɛnɛman /binkɛnɛman/ | — | binkɛndɛlama /binkɛndɛlama/ | — | — | — |
| Blue | bulaman /bulaman/ | bulaman /bulaman/ | — | — | — | — | dsiron /dʒiron/ |
| Computer | ɔridinatɛri /ɔridinatɛri/ | ɔridinatɛri /ɔridinatɛri/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tea | dute /dute/ | dute /dute/ | — | dute /dute/ | — | — | — |
| Coffee | kafe /kafe/ | kafe /kafe/ | — | kafe /kafe/ | — | — | — |
| Sugar | sukaro /sukaro/ | sukaro /sukaro/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Orange | lenburuba /lenburuba/ | lemuruba /lemuruba/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ninety-nine | bikɔnɔntɔn ni kɔnɔntɔn /bikɔnɔntɔn ni kɔnɔntɔn/ | bikɔnɔntɔn ni kɔnɔntɔn /bikɔnɔntɔn ni kɔnɔntɔn/ | — | bikɔnɔndɔ ni kɔnɔndɔ /bikɔnɔndɔ ni kɔnɔndɔ/ | — | bixononto-nin-xononto /bixonontoninxononto/ | — |
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