Communicative Task - Mali

PEACE CORPS MALI 

KALANDEN KALANDEN KALANDEN KALANDEN KA KA KA KA GAFE GAFE GAFE GAFE 

STUDENT’S STUDENT’S BOOK 

BOOK 

INTRODUCTORY INTRODUCTORY INTRODUCTORY INTRODUCTORY BAMBARA BAMBARA BAMBARA BAMBARA 

LANGUAGE TRAINING PROGRAM 

1

Acknowledgements 



This Bambara book is designed in the behalf of the Peace Corps Trainees learning Bambara to 

help them meet the needs of Peace Corps Mali in terms of their linguistic and cultural training as 

Volunteers. 

As this manual will be mostly used during the training that happens among the village 

communities, its contents are based upon the CBT style. 

We hope then, dear PCTs, that the use of this book could contribute efficiently not only 

to your training in Bambara language, but also to culturally guiding you, future volunteers. 

The success of this book in both fields will depend on its use relating on the realities of 

your training sites. 

This trainee book ″Kalanden ka Gafe” is designed as follows: 

I- COMMUNICATIVES TASKS 17 

2- APPENDIX 

• Objectives 

• Pictures 

• Cultural Notes 

• Safety and Security Notes 

• Personal health Notes 

• Dialogs 

• Texts 

• Vocabulary 

• Grammar 

• Exercises 

• TDAs 

• Self Evaluation 

• Grammatical Notes 

• Proverbs 

• Translation 

• Stories 

We render a huge tribute to the Peace Corps/Mali Country Director, 

Doctor Michael J. Simsik, who constantly supported and fostered the Language Program in 

the elaboration of these books. 

Ours sincere acknowledgments also to the whole Training Team, particularly to 

Mamadou Doudou NDoye (Assistant Language Coordinator and Project Manager), Bocar 

Bocoum (Language and Technical Training Coordinator), Moussa Camara, Abdallah Ag 

Mohamed Assaleh (Language and Cross Culture Facilitators) and all those who took part in 

the elaboration of these books. 

Thanks for your permanent endeavors and herein expecting your advises and 

suggestions that will be, indeed, helpful for future language books. 

Bocar BOCOUM 

Language and Technical Coordinator 

July, 2009 

2

Preface 

Preface 

Welcome to Mali and our language training program! Our language training program, already proven 

highly effective in its ability to teach trainees language acquisition in a very short amount of time, 

continues to seek ways to broaden the language skills needed by Volunteers. Discussions and 

reflections among Peace Corps Staff and Volunteers about how we can improve the effectiveness of the 

language program focused on the integration of language and technical skills acquisition for the 

purpose of improving Volunteer performance in the field. The genesis of this reflection involves the 

following question: “What are the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) that Trainees need in order 

to become highly effective Volunteers?” This manual is, in part, an answer to this question as its 

purpose is to provide you, as a Peace Corps Trainee, useful vocabulary and terminology based on real 

situations that you should expect to encounter as a Volunteer in Mali. This manual also represents a 

big step in the direction of implementing the new training design and evaluation process, whereby all 

training activities are driven by clearly defined competencies, KSAs, learning objectives and teaching 

methods. 

As a Trainee, you have a very limited amount of time to acquire a new language. However, the 

adequate acquisition of your new language will be vital for you if you are to become an effective 

Volunteer. You can best use your precious language learning time by employing effective language 

learning strategies to improve your language skills. One such strategy that has proven successful is to 

use technical vocabulary and dialogs from real situations that you will encounter in your work. 

Learning languages also requires a sense of adventure and a certain amount of experimentation on the 

part of the learner. As the learner, you need to also be willing to make mistakes. You are highly 

encouraged to do so, as your language trainers are a very sympathetic and friendly audience with 

whom to make mistakes. They will guide you and correct you as needed, helping you to build your 

skills along the way. We also ask that you practice often with the vocabulary and phrases in this 

manual, and even use role plays with your language instructors to improve your mastery of the 

content. It will only help to ease your comfort level and build your confidence, so that once you are a 

Volunteer using these technical vocabulary and phrases in real situations with your counterparts, 

colleagues, and fellow villagers, you will not be intimidated (or at least, a little less so!). Note that the 

material in this manual is included because other Volunteers have found it useful to their work and 

other aspects of their service in Mali. So give it a try and see how it can help you to improve your 

acquisition of local language as well as your understanding of the technical aspects of the work you 

anticipate doing as a Volunteer. 

I would also like to give a big “thank you” to Mamadou N’Doye (Doudou) and Abdallah Ag 

Mohamed, who have labored hard to produce these manuals. Their diligent work and dedication are 

acknowledged, and Peace Corps-Mali is grateful for their service and commitment to Trainees and 

Volunteers alike. They strive to insure that Trainees and Volunteers attain a comfort level in the 

language in which they will work. With such a comfort level, Volunteers will be able to work 

productively, integrate culturally, live happily, and leave Mali with a successful legacy of service to 

their communities. 

Good luck and again, welcome to Mali! 

Dr. Michael J. Simsik 

Programming and Training Officer 

U.S. Peace Corps – Mali 

July 1st, 2009 

3

BAMBARA BAMBARA BAMBARA BAMBARA 

COMMUNICATIVE 

TASK 

1 

- Greeting 

- Introducing 

oneself 

- Saying goodbye 

2222 

- Asking the world 

for something 

3333 

- Talking about 

the family 

4444 

- Shopping 

OBJECTIVES 

◙ Greet alone in appropriate ways 

according to the different moments 

of the day, in the community. 

◙ Tell with precision his/her first 

name, his family name and where 

he/she comes from. 

◙ Use, at least, three (3) types of 

questions to know the name of 

some objects in a real situation. 

◙ Ask, at least, three (3) types of 

questions to find out the name and 

the use of five (5) different objects 

in a real situation. 

◙ Identify, at least, five (5) 

different objects in his/her sector. 

◙ Tell the use of, at least, five (5) 

different objects in his/her 

community. 

◙ Use three (3) expressions of 

possession. 

◙ Cite six (6) family relationships 

in his/her host family. 

◙ Tell exactly the profession of 

three (3) family members and 

where they live. 

◙ Tell the social status and the 

age of, at least, three (3) family 

members in the target language. 

◙ Use efficiently the local money 

in a Malian market. 

◙ Buy two (2) or three (3) items in 

a market or a shop. 

VOCABULAR 

Y 

■ Expressions related 

to the situation 

■ Jobs 

■ Titles 

■ Parenthood 

expressions 

■ Expressions for 

introducing 


leave taking 

■ Usual expressions 

for identifying 

■ Classic objects 

■ Numbers 

■ Parenthood terms 

■ Expressions such as 

to be alive, dead, 

married, old, single, 

etc. 

■ Currency 

■ Items of the market, 

in the shops 

■ Bargaining 

expressions 

List of Communicative 

Tasks 

GRAMMAR 

� To be (bε) 

(ye…ye) at the 

present tense 

� Personal 

pronouns 

� Interrogative 

words: min? – 

jon? - jumεn? 

� Transitive, 

reflexive and 

intransitive verbs at 

the present tense 

� The 

postposition la 

� The possessive 

adjective ka 

� The 

possessive 

pronoun ta 

� The emphatic 

personal pronoun 

� The emphatic 

de 

� To have (fε) 

� How 

much/many joli? 

� Transitive, 

reflexive and 

intransitive verbs at 

the pass tense 

4

5 

- Asking/Giving 

directions 

6666 

- Describe 

a person, an object 

and a place 

7777 

- Describe one’s 

mental and 

physical state 

8888 


daily activities 

◙ Locate, at least, two (2) places. 

◙ Use, at least, three (3) 

expressions to ask and give 

directions. 

◙ Name, at least, ten (10) parts of 

human body. 

◙ Describe a person by pointing 

out, at least, five (5) physical and 

five (5) moral traits. 

◙ Describe, in five (5) correct 

sentences, his/her training site. 

◙ Describe an object by giving two 

(2) or three (3) characteristics. 

◙ Cite, at least, five (5) common 

sicknesses in Mali. 

◙ Ask, at least, one accurate 

question to get information about 

someone’s physical state. 

◙ Formulate two (2) or three (3) 

blessings to a sick person. 

◙ Cite, at least, four (4) daily 

activities of a man and four of a 

woman according to the different 

periods of the day. 

◙ Cite five (5) activities of his/her 

own. 

◙ Cite, at least, five (5) daily or 

seasonal activities according to 

the gender, and the age. 

◙ Tell his/her daily timetable to 

his/her host family. 

■ Name of place 

■ Terms of locating and 

giving direction 

■ Cardinal points 

■ Ordinal numbers 

■ Body parts 

■ Adjectives describing 

morally and physically 

■ Colors 


describing 

■ Diseases 


feelings, emotions and 

desires 


blessings 

■ The name of the 

periods of the day 

■ Verbs linked to daily 

activities 

■ Expressions linked to 

activities 

� The 

Imperative 

� The ka 

auxiliary 

� Qualifying 

adjectives + 

man suffix 

� The passive 

voice with the 

len/nen suffix 

� The Future 

tense 

� The 

Imperfect tense 

� The 

Hypothetical 

future with 

mana 

� The 

Conditional 

tense 

5

9 


traveling 

10 10 10 10 


meals 

11 11 11 11 


feasts and leisure 

12 12 12 12 

- Accept or decline 

an invitation 

◙ Cite the three (3) most used 

transportation means in Mali. 

◙ Ask three (3) appropriate 

questions to get informed about 

the means, the fare and the 

schedule of transportation 

regarding his/her trip, in a real 

situation. 

◙ Use three (3) appropriate 

expressions to wish welcome or 

safe trip to a traveler. 

◙ Cite, at least, five (5) Malian 

meals. 

◙ Explain, at least, one recipe to 

someone. 

◙ Enumerate four (4) behaviors 

when eating in Mali and compare 

them to the American ones. 

◙ Cite three (3) religious and 

three (3) traditional feasts in Mali. 

◙ Name, at least, three (3) leisure 

time activities in his/her 

community and describe one of 

them. 

◙ Use, at least, three (3) 

expressions to invite someone in 

a real situation. 

◙ Use appropriately three (3) 

expressions to accept or decline 

an invitation. 

■ Means of 

transportation 

■ Travel expressions 

■ Blessings expressions 

■ Name of dishes, 

utensils, ingredients, 

beverages 

■ Meals expressions 

■ Name of religious and 

traditional feasts 

■ name of musical 

instruments 

■Leisure time places 

■ Expressions to invite 

someone 

■ Expressions to accept 

an invitation 

■ Expression to decline 

an invitation 

� Verb 

expressing 

habit (ka deli 

ka) at the 

present tense, 

the past tense 

and the 

Imperfect 

tense 

� The use of 

kε 

� The 

passive voice 

� Verbs 

expressing 

desire and 

obligation at 

the present 

tense, the past 

tense and the 

Imperfect 

tense 

6

13 

- Asking for help 

14 14 14 14 


weather 

15 15 15 15 


one’s skills 

16 16 16 16 

- Getting informed 

about one’s area 

17 17 17 17 

- Leading a 

community meeting 

◙ Use three (3) appropriate 

expressions to ask for or decline 

a proposal of help in a given 

situation. 

◙ Cite three (3) characteristics of 

the main seasons in Mali. 

◙ Cite, at least, two (2) activities 

related to the seasons, according 

to gender. 

◙ Explain in detail his/her work to 

another person. 

◙ Explain in detail one specific 

activity related to his/her 

technical sector. 

◙ Ask, appropriately, questions to 

get informed about his/her site. 

◙ Interview resource persons in 

order to list NGOs and 

development partners working in 

his/her commune. 

◙ Use expressions to ask for the 

audience’s patience during a real 

meeting. 

◙ Introduce (open) or to end 

(close) a meeting in his/her 

community. 

◙ Ask questions to get people’s 

opinions on the subjects in a real 

situation. 

■ Expressions and 

words for soliciting, 

proposing, accepting or 

politely declining help 

■ Expressions for giving 

instructions to an 

employee 

■ Name of seasons, 

months 

■ Characteristics of each 

season 

■ Activities during each 

season 

■ crafts 

■ Professions 

■ Terms of describing 

skills 

■ The ethnic groups 

■ Social ceremonies 

■ Customs, taboos, 

habits 


opening or closing a 

meeting 

■ Terms related to 

opinions 

� Review of 

the tenses 

� Review of 

the tenses 

� The action 

nouns 

� The 

agentive 

nouns 

� The 

comparatives 

� The 

demonstrative 

adjective nin 

� The 

relative 

pronoun min 

7

1 

- Grammatical 

Notes 

2 

- Translations 

3 

- Stories 

◙ Use proper prefixes et 

suffixes to form new words and 

expressions. 

◙ Use the items alone. 

◙ Introductory beginners 

course into culture by stories 

■ Words and expressions 

linked to grammatical 

notes 

■ Dialogs 

■ Texts 

■ Expressions found 

through stories and 

legends from bambara 

country 

� The suffix 

lan 


ntan 

� The suffix ta 


bali 

� The suffix ka 

� The prefix la 

� Use of 

proverbs in daily 

communication 

� Use of stories 

and proverbs in 

training activities 

8

Communicative Task: FOLI - MǤǤǤǤGǤǤǤǤ ȂȂȂȂε JIRA MǤǤǤǤGǤǤǤǤ WεRε LA – 

FOLI BILA 

GREETING – INTRODUCING ONESELF – SAYING GOODBYE 

Objectives : 

1. Each trainee will be able to greet alone in appropriate ways according to the 

different moments of the day, in the community. 

2. Without his/her notes, each trainee will be able to tell with precision his/her 

first name, his family name and where he/she comes from. 

3. Each trainee will be able to use at least three (3) expressions to say goodbye 

in a real situation. 

4. Each trainee will be able to use, at least, three (3) types of questions to know 

the name of some objects in a real situation. 

Guess what are they saying? 

Amadu: _______________________ 

Sali: __________________________ 

9

Cultural Notes: 

1. Greeting is very important in Mali. The one(s) who arrive(s) initiate(s) the 

greeting. 

2. Never greet people in the morning before washing the face. 

3. The family name is very significant because it allows you to identify the joking 

cousins, the ethnic group and the origin of the identified person. 

4. Always announce where you are going and when you will probably be back. 

5. The host should always accompany the visitor to the gate. 

a)- THE THE THE THE IMPORTANCE IMPORTANCE IMPORTANCE IMPORTANCE OF OF OF OF GREETINGS 

GREETINGS 

GREETINGS 

GREETINGS 

In Africa, greetings and salutations are extremely important to people. For the 

American, who is used to saying nothing more than “ hi ” and then moving on, this may be 

hard to get used to.The Bambara people and their language presente no exception to this 

generalization. The exchanges presented to you in this and the following lessons represent 

only a beginning upon which you can build up your inventory of salutations and eventually 

perfect the art of greeting in the Bambara world. When two good friends meet, the greetings 

may last as long as five minutes, and even longer if they haven’t seen each other for a long 

time. Greetings are a way of showing the respect that people have for each other. Greetings 

always involve at least one handshake and usually involve a series of handshakings of varying 

durations. You will often see the men putting their hands to their chests after each handshake - 

part of showing respect. The greetings should always be begun with a handshake, and 

leavetaking will also require one handshake. 

When you pass people that you know in the street, it is best to stop and go through at 

least a short greeting exchange with them. Whatever your dealings may be with various 

Malian people, it is important to start off your conversation or your business with the 

greetings. You should never be in so much of a hurry that you don’t have time to greet 

someone - it doesn’t pay. 

In a typical greeting dialogue, one person usually starts out and remains the initiator for 

several exchanges while the other person responds to the various greetings and questions. 

When that series is completed, then the roles switch and the initiator becomes the answerer for 

several exchanges. 

10

)- TIMES TIMES TIMES TIMES OF OF OF OF DAY DAY DAY DAY 

For greetings and for referring to the times of the day, the Bambara language makes 

four different divisions of the day: 

1- the morning ( sǤgǤma ), 

2- the heat of the day - around noon ( tile ), 

3- the afternoon ( wula ) and 

4- the evening and night ( su ). 

There is a greeting for each of these divisions of the day. The greeting i ni sǤgǤma 

would be literally translated as meaning “ you and the morning “, but really corresponds with 

the English “ Good morning “and the French “bonjour “. 

c)- GREETING GREETING GREETING GREETING PATTERNS PATTERNS PATTERNS PATTERNS 

The following diagrams are designed to represent the various possibilities for use of the 

basic greeting patterns presented in this lesson. Only one item is to be selected at a time from 

boxes containing several listed items. Use these to check out the different possibilities and to 

make up new ones. The order of the diagrams represents an acceptable ordering of the 

greetings. 

Greetings Responses 

i ni sǤgǤma nba (male) 

aw tile nse (female) 

(name) wula 

su 

i ka kεnε (wa) ? tǤǤrǤ (si) tε n na 

somǤgǤw t’ u la 

i cε /muso t’ a la 

i bε di? n bε hεrε la 

hεrε dǤrǤn 

The words nba and nse are used extensively in response to various greetings. 

Trying to translate them is useless, since we don’t have their equivalents in English. Essentially 

they are signs of acknowledgement indicating acceptance of the greeting and recognition of 

the other person. Nba is the male response and nse is the female response. 

11

IIII---- DIALOG DIALOG DIALOG DIALOG 

Amadu: I ni sǤgǤma, n balimamuso! 

Sali: Nse i ni sǤgǤma, n balimakε! Hεrε sira? 

Amadu: Hεrε dǤrǤn! I ka kεnε? 

Sali: TǤǤrǤ tε! I tǤgǤ? 

Amadu: N tǤgǤ Amadu Jara. E dun? 

Sali: N tǤgǤ Sali Tarawele. I Jara! 

Amadu: Nba! Tarawele muso, i bε bǤ min? 

Sali: N bε bǤ Segu. Jarakε, i fana bε bǤ Segu? 

Amadu: Eh, ayi! N bε bǤ yan. 

Sali: O ka Ȃi! Ala ka tile hεrε caya! 

Amadu: Amiina! K’an b’u fo! 

Sali: U n’a mεn! 

Safety and Security Notes: 

1. Greeting facilitates the integration and guarantees respect, personal and 

material security in the community. 

2. The joking cousin plays the role of an icebreaker and a social stabilizer 

between Malian communities. 

12

II II II 

II---- VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

i ka kεnε? how are you? tǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤrǤ ǤǤ tε I'm fine 

baasi tε 

tana tε? 

I'm fine 

are you fine? 

tǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤrǤ ǤǤ si tε 

tana tε 

no problem at all 

I'm fine 

x ka kεnε x is healthy (fine) tǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤrǤ ǤǤ t'a la he/she's fine 

tǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤrǤ ǤǤ t'u la 

x bε di? 

a bε ten 

they're fine 

how are x? 

it's so so 

i bε di? 

a bε di? 

hεrε bε? 

how are you? 

how is it? 

is there peace? (How are you?) 

hεrε dǤrǤn peace only (fine) hεrε sira? how was your night? 

hεrε tilenna? 

x dun? 

how was your day? 

and x? (what about x)? 

jamu duman? 

i + family name 

what's your last name? 

acknowledging your 

family name (a form of greeting) 

tǤgǤ name jamu last name 

bangebaaw parents fa father 

ba mother kǤrǤ older sibling 

dǤgǤ younger sibling cε husband/man 

muso wife/woman teri friend 

tericε male friend terimuso female friend 

kalanden student karamǤgǤ teacher 

kuntigi chief ȂεmǤgǤ leader 

jamana country jamanatigi president 

dugu city dugutigi chief of village 

Ameriki America ( U S A ) Farafinna Africa 

ka bǤ to come from x sigilen don + place x is settled in... ( live ) 

x filε here’s x min? where? 

jumεn? which?, what? jon? who? 

jon don? who is it? x don it’s x 

nin ye x ye this is x 

lakǤli school butigi shop 

kalanso classroom dǤkǤtǤrǤso hospital 

dumunikεyǤrǤ restaurant, eating place. ka na to come 

ka taa to go ka x fo to greet x 

ka sunǤgǤ to sleep ka wuli to get up 

ka x mεn to hear x ka x caya to increase x 

ka x kun bεn to meet x k'i da to lay down 

k'i lafiȂε to rest k'i miiri to think 

k'i ko to wash oneself. k'i sigi to sit down 

k'i yaala to take a walk k'i Ȃεnajε to have fun. 

13

COMMON COMMON COMMON COMMON EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

To take leave of someone at different moments of the day: usually there is a leave taking 

expression followed by the answer. 

sunǤgǤ bε n na I am sleepy. n sεgεnnen don I am tired. 

n taara I am leaving kelen! already 

k'an b'u fo Say we greet them u n'a mεn they will hear it 

tell them hello 

k'an b'a fo Say we greet him/her a n'a mεn She/he will hear it. 

DUGAW DUGAW DUGAW DUGAW 

Blessings 

k'an sǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤni ǤǤ 

See you soon Ala ka tile hεrε caya May god increase the 

peace of the day (Have a nice day) 

ka su hεrε (caya) good night. ka dugu Ȃuman jε good night. 

k'an bεn see you. k'an si (hεrε la) May we spend the night in 

peace (Good night) 

k'an kelen kelen wuli May we get up one 

by one (Good night) 

ka taa ni ka segin nǤgǤya Have a nice trip 

ka segin n'i Ȃuman ye May you come back safe.amiina Amen. 

SOME SOME SOME SOME TIME TIME TIME TIME EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

sǤgǤma/sǤgǤmada fε In the morning 

3 pm) 

tile fε/tilegan fε In the afternoon (12: am _ 

wula fε In the afternoon sufε In the evening 

sǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤni ǤǤ 

Soon kǤfε Later 

sinin Tomorrow 

SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPLEMENTARY VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

hakεto please hakε t’i la you are excused 

basi tε no problem i ko di? what did you say? 

n m’a faamu I did not understand it n m’a mεn I did not hear it 

segin a kan repeat it a fǤ tuguni say it again 

14

III III III 

III---- GRAMMAR GRAMMAR GRAMMAR GRAMMAR 

THE THE THE THE PRESENT PRESENT PRESENT PRESENT TENSE: TENSE: TENSE: TENSE: 

a)- Translations for “ to be “ 

As will become apparent to you, there are a number of forms in Bambara that translate 

the English verb “ to be. “ In this lesson we have been briefly exposed to two of these. 

1- bε in the sentence hεrε bε: “ There is happiness.“ 

tε in the sentence tǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤrǤ ǤǤ tε: “ There is no trouble. “ 

This form is used to express existence, location, and state. The negative of this form is 

indicated by the word tε, as in the second example above. In example 2-, this form is used for 

expressing existence. In the following two examples from this lesson, the same form is 

essentially used for location. 

2- ka in the question: i ka kεnε (wa)? “ How are you? “ 

This form is used for what we will refer to as adjectives. 

Literally translated, the question corresponds to “ are you healthy? “ or “ are you well? 

“ in English, but it is used like the English “ How are you? “ or the French. Remember that ka 

is the sign of this form and that kεnε meaning “ healthy “ is an adjective. 

Adjectives will be more closely examined in Communicative Task: Describing a person, 

an object, a place. 

3- To describe somebody or something in order to translate the English to be, the ye ... ye 

is used. 

e.g: John ye kalanden ye. John is a student. 

New-York ye ameriki dugu ye. N.Y. is an American city. 

Mali ye jamana ye. Mali is a country. 

N.B.: a- The descriptive adjective is placed between the two ye. 

b- The negative form is constructed as follow: 

tε ... ye 

e.g: John tε karamǤgǤ ye. John isn’t a teacher. 

Los Angeles tε jamana ye. L.A. isn’t a country. 

15

)- The transitive verbs: 

e.g: I bε mun kalan? What do you study? 

N bε Bamanankan kalan. I study Bambara. 

NB: ● bε/tε is the auxiliary element for the present in Bambara. 

● In Bambara, the direct object occurs before the verb. 

e.g.: ka __ kalan ka __ dun ka __ sεbεn ka __ tobi ka __ fǤǤǤǤ ka __ wele ka __ fo 

Affirmative form: Negative form: 

Subj + bε + Direct Object + V Subj + tε + Direct Object + V 

N bε Bamanankan kalan. N tε Bamanankan mεn kǤsεbε. 

I study Bambara I don’t speak Bambara very well. 

Interrogative form: 

Subj + bε + Direct Object + V (wa)? Subj + tε + Direct Object + V (wa)? 

I bε Tubabukan mεn wa? Aw tε bamanankan fǤ? 

Do you (hear)/undertand/speak French? You don’t speak Bambara? 

c)- The reflexive verbs: 

NB: ● Reflexive verbs or pronominal verbs always have an object pronoun that refers to the same person as the 

subject. The object pronoun occurs before the verb. 

e.g: N bε n ko. I wash myself 

● But in Bambara, the third person object noun can be i in reflexive constructions. 

e.g: A bε a sigi = A b’i sigi. He sits down. 

KaramǤgǤ t’i sigi kalanso kǤnǤ. The teacher doesn’t sit down in the classroom. 

e.g.: k’i ko k’i da k’i sigi k’i lafiȂȂȂȂε k’i yaala k’i ȂȂȂȂεnajε 


Suj + bε + Pron + V Suj + tε + Pron + V 

N bε n ko sǤgǤma ni sufε. N tε n da joona sufε. 


Suj + bε + Pron + V (wa)? Suj + tε + Pron + V (wa)? 

I b'i ko sǤgǤma ni wula fε (wa)? Aw t’aw da joona sufε? 

NB: ● The reflexive pronoun always immediately precedes the reflexive verb in the infinitive: 

N bε taa n yaala. I am going to take a walk. 

Aw bε taa aw Ȃεnajε. You are going to amuse yourself. 

16

d)- The intransitive verbs: 

e.g: I bε bǤ min? Where are you from? 

N bε bǤ Ameriki. I come from Amerika. 

I bε taa min? Where are you going? 

N bε taa sugu la. I am going to the market. 

NB: ● In Bambara, the indirect object (object + postposition) occurs after the verb. 

e.g. : ka bǤǤǤǤ ka taa ka segin ka kuma ka sunǤǤǤǤgǤǤǤǤ ka wuli ka yaala 


Suj + bε + V + indirect Obj + postp Suj + tε + V + indirect Obj +postp 

Sali bε taa sugu la. Sali tε segin joona so. 


Suj + bε + V + indirect Obj + postp (wa)? Suj + tε + V + indirect Obj +postp (wa)? 

Amadu bε kuma kalandenw fε wa? I ba tε taa sugu la don go don? 

e)- The verb kε 

The verb kε has many meanings: to do, cause, happen, occur. 

Here, it was used as a transitive verb, meaning “do”. 

e.g: ka kalan kε (ka kalankε) to do studying (to study) 

ka baara kε (ka baarakε) to do work (to work) 

NB: ● In the above two examples kalan is a noun meaning “studying” and baara is a noun meaning “work”. 

Both are direct objects of the verb kε. 


Suj + bε + Vkε + Obj + postp Suj + tε + Vkε + Obj +postp 

N bε baarakε kǤridelapε la U tε sεnεkε don go don. 


Suj + bε + Vkε + Obj + postp (wa)? Suj + tε + Vkε + Obj +postp (wa)? 

A bε barokε a somǤgǤw fε su o su wa? I tε sεbεnnikε kalanso kǤnǤ? 

f)- The verb ko 

e.g: I ko mun? What do you say? 

N ko, n bε taa so. I say, I am going home. 

17

The verb ko that appaeared once in these sentences means “to say”. It is a defective 

verb (one wich does not have all tenses) very frequently used in Bambara. It does not take any 

auxiliary elements in Present tense. 

g)- The postposition “la” 

La is a preposition used for a place. It comes always after the place in the 

sentence. 

Therefore, it is called a postposition. 

S + bε + Verb + Place + la 

e.g: N bε taa lakǤli la. 

A bε kalankε University la. 

La become na in front of nasal sounds. 

e.g: An bï taa Ȃεgεn na. 

La is not used in front of so (specific place) 

e.g: N bε taa so. 

La is not used with geographical names (except for Mali). 

e.g: An bε bǤ Ameriki. 

U tε taa Bamako. 

A bε bǤ New-York. 

But: U bε na Mali la. 

18

IV IV IV 

IV---- EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

1- Write the possible answers: 

I ni sǤgǤma ________________ 

I ka kεnε? ___________ /__________ /___________ 

I bε di? __________ /__________ /____________ 

Hεrε bε? ________________ /_________________ 

SomǤgǤw bε di? ________________ /_________________ 

I fa n'i ba bε di? ________________ /_________________ 

Hεrε sira? ________________ 

2- Create a conversation between Amadu and Bakari. 

Amadu: _________ 

Bakari: __________ 

Amadu: _________ 

Bakari: __________ 

Amadu: _________ 

Bakari: __________ 

Amadu: _________ 

Bakari: __________ 

19

3- Match the words in A with those in B. 

A B 

1- n bε taa a- amen 

2- lakǤli b- see you 

3- k'an b'u fo c- they will hear it 

4- amiina d- I leave 

5- u n'a mεn e- have a nice day 

6- ka tile hεrε caya f- school 

7- k'an sǤǤni g- see you soon 

8- k'an bεn h- tell them hello 

TDA TDA TDA TDA 1- Greet at least two (2) to three (3) persons on your way: 

• Obseve the acts and gestures; 

• Get informed on their identity and where they are from; 

• Use at least three (3) expressions to take a leave in this real situation; 

• Note down the new expressions. 

2- With a family member’s help: 

• Identify at least 5 objects of your choice in the court yard; 

• Identify at least 5 objects in your room; 

• Identify at least 5 objects in the kitchen. 

SELF SELF SELF SELF EVALUATION 

EVALUATION EVALUATION 

EVALUATION I can: 

• Greet in an appropriate way according to the moment and situation: YES: ___ NOT YET ___ 

• Introduce myself: YES___ NOT YET ___ 

• Introduce someone: YES ___ NOT YET ___ 

• Say goodbye in a real situation: YES ___ NOT YET___ 

20

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: FεNW TǤǤǤǤGǤǤǤǤ ȂȂȂȂININKALI 

ASKING THE WORD FOR SOMETHING 

1. Without his/her notes, each trainee will be able to ask, at least, three (3) types 

of questions to find out the name and the use of five (5) different objects in a 

real situation. 

2. Without his/her notes, each trainee will be able to identify, at least, five (5) 

different objects in his/her sector. 

3. Without his/her notes, each trainee will be able to tell the use of, at least, five 

(5) different objects in his/her community. 

4. Without his/her notes, each trainee will be able to use three (3) expressions of 

possession. 


1. Always greet people before asking them. 

2. It is not advised to name intimate body parts. 

21

IIII---- VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

kalanso classroom duloki shirt 

kulisi shorts tabulo chalkboard 

saki (bǤrǤ) bag segi basket 

lakεrε chalk taji (pitǤrǤli) kerosene 

so house sεsi (sigilan) chair 

palan (shiyo) bucket tǤrǤsi flash light 

biki pen dεbεn mat 

furalan broom kaye copy book 

dilan (dalan) bed birifini blanket 

gafe (liburu/kitabu)book li bed 

dara bed sheet kiriyon pencil 

sange (sanke) mosquito net pili battery 

kεsu trunk safinε soap 

te (dute) tea sukaro sugar 

butiki shop finfin (saribon) charcoal 

alimεti matches fini cloth 

samara shoes salidaga kettle 

fifalan fan lanpan kerosene lamp 

ka furannikε to sweep ka x furan to sweep x 

ka x fifa to fan x ka x ko to wash 

ka x don to wear x ka x mεnε/ka x tugu to light 

ka x ta to take x ka x kε y kǤnǤ/la to put x(liquid) in y 

ka x don y kǤnǤ/la to put x(solid) in y ka x siri to tie x/to fasten x 

ka x sεbεn to write x k’i fifa to fan one self 

ka x faga to put off (light) ka x tigε to cut x 

ka x (da) yεlε to open x ka x (da) tugu to close x / to shut x 

ka x Ȃininka to ask x ka x jaabi to answer x 

ka x ȂεfǤ to explain x ka x lajε to look at x/to watch x 

k’i biri ni x ye to cover oneself with x 

22

COMMON COMMON COMMON COMMON EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

a tǤgǤ? what is its name? 

nin tǤgǤ? what is the name of this? 

nin bε fǤ cogodi bamanankan na? how do you say this in bambara? 

nin kǤrǤ? what is the meaning of this? 

nin bε wele cogodi? how do you call this? 

n m’a faamu I didn’t undersdand it 

a fǤ tuguni say it again. 

segin a kan repeat it ( again ) 

i ko di?/i ko mun?/i ye mun fǤ? what did you say? 

n m’a mεn I didn’t hear it 

i y’a mεn wa? did you hear it? 

i y’a faamu? did you understand it? 

x don it is x 

x tε it is not x 

nin lajε look at this/watch this 

mun don? what is it? 

jǤn don? who is it? 

nin ye mun ye? what is that? 

nin ye jǤn ye? who is this? 

nin ye x ye this is x / that is x 

nin tε x ye this is not x 

fεn jumεn? what (thing)? 

a fǤ dǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤni ǤǤ dǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤni ǤǤ 

say it slowly 

a fǤ ka pεrεn say it loudly 

Ȃininkali bε n fε I have a question 

SectorNotes: 

Knowing the names of your sector tools and items makes your work easier. 

23

II II II 

II---- GRAMMAR GRAMMAR GRAMMAR GRAMMAR 

The possessive case: 

The possessive adjective: The only Bambara word “ ka “ translates the possessive 

adjectives my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their in English. 

e.g: i- 

ii- 

iii- 

S + ka + obj. Subj ‘s obj. 

N ka saki my bag. 

John ka so John‘s house 

U ka kalanso Their classroom 

S + ka + obj. + don It’s Subj.’s obj. 

N ka duloki don It’s my shirt. 

A ka sigilan don It’s his chair. 

Nin ye + S + ka + Obj. ye This is Subj.’s Obj 

Nin ye jǤn ka saki ye? Whose bag is this? 

Nin ye n ka saki ye. This is my bag. 

N.B.: “ Ka “ never varies. It is the possessed object which takes the plural form. 

e.g: A ka sigilanw His chairs. 

An ka sakiw Our bags. 

N.B.: We don’t use “ Ka “ with the family or intimate relations and the parts of the body. 

e.g: N fa don It’s my father. 

Nin ye n ba ye. This / that is my mother. 

A tericε don. It’s his/her friend. 

I da Your mouth. 

24

The possessive pronoun “ ta “ 

The word “ ta “ replaces the object possessed. It translates the English words: mine, 

yours, his, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs according to the subject. 

i- 

Subj. + ta + don It is Subj.’s 

Subj. + ta + tε It is not Subj.’s 

e.g: N ka saki don. It is my bag. 

N ta don It is mine. 

Aw ta tε. It’s not yours. 

ii- 

Nin + ye + Subj.+ta + ye This is Subj.’s 

Nin + tε + Subj.+ta + ye This is not Subj.’s 

e.g: Nin ye n ka samara ye. This is my shoe. 

Nin ye n ta ye This is mine. 

Nin tε John ka samara ye. This is not John’s shoe. 

Nin tε John ta ye. This is not John’s. 

N.B.: “ta “ always replaces an object possessed which we mentioned before. 

When objects possessed are many, “ ta “ becomes “ taw “ ( plural form. ). 

e.g: John ka bikiw don. 

A taw don. 

The emphatic personal pronouns 

Simple pronouns Emphatics 

n ne I me 

i e you 

a ale he, him; she,her; it 

an anw we us 

aw aw you 

u olu they them 

25

The emphatic “ de “ 

It is used when we want to insist on the situation. It always goes with the emphatic 

pronouns. 

e.g: JǤn ka biki don? Whose pen is it? 

Ne de ka biki don. It is my pen. 

Ne de ta don. It is mine. 

N.B.: The emphatic pronouns can be subjects too whenever we put an emphasis on a factor or situation. 

e.g: Ne de bε bǤ Ameriki. It’s me who comes from USA. 

Ale de bε taa Bamako. It’s him who goes to Bamako. 

Using the structure: 

Subj. + bε + Obj. + V + ni + x + ye Subj. + V + with the Obj. 

e.g: N bε so furan ni furalan ye. I sweep the house with the broom. 

A bε ji ta ni shiyo ye. He/she takes water with the bucket. 

N.B.: This structure can be used only with the objects we can take easily with our hands work with. 

The above structure is used to answer to the question below 

Subj. + bε + mun + kε + ni + x + ye? What does Subj. do with x? 

e.g: I bε mun kε ni alimεti ye? What do you do with the matches? 

N bε lanpan mεnε ni alimεti ye. I light the kerosene lamp with the matches. 

But when the object is not taken to work with the question is: 

Subj. + bε + mun + kε + Obj. + la/na? 

e.g: I bε mun kε taji la? What do you do with the kerosene? 

N bε taji kε lanpan kǤnǤ. I put the kerosene in the kerosene lamp. 


When in trouble, knowing the names of things may be helpful. 

26

III III III 

III---- EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

• Translate the following sentences in Bambara: 

1. No it is not his. _________________________________ 

2. It is ours. _________________________________ 

3. No they are mines. _________________________________ 

4. It is mine. _________________________________ 

5. It’s me who comes from USA. _________________________________ 

6. It’s him who goes to Bamako. _________________________________ 

• Ask your brother or sister the name of things you want to know. 

TDA TDA TDA TDA With a family member’s help: 

• Identify at least five (5) objects of your choice in the court yard; 

• Identify at least five (5) objects in your room; 

• Identify at least five (5) objects in the kitchen. 




• Formulate questions to find out the name and the use of different objects in a real 

situation.: YES __ NOT YET __ 

• Give the name of certain current objects: YES __ NOT YET __ 

27

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: DENBAYA/SOMǤǤǤǤGǤǤǤǤW 

TALKING ABOUT THE FAMILY 

1. Without help, each trainee will be able to cite six (6) family relationships in 

his/her host family. 

2. Without his/her notes, each trainee will be able to tell exactly the profession 

of three (3) family members and where they live. 

3. Without help, each trainee will be able to tell the social status and the age of, 

at least, three (3) family members in the target language. 

Amadu ka denbaya filε. 

A muso tǤgǤ Assa 

A denw tǤgǤ Fanta, Madu, Awa ani Seku. 

28


1. In Mali, when we talk about family, we refer to the extended one. 

2. Cousins are considered as siblings and there is a joking relationship 

between them as well as between sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, or 

grand parents and grand children. 

3. Parents can beat their children, just to discipline them; also some 

husbands beat their wives. 

IIII---- VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY MEMBERS MEMBERS MEMBERS MEMBERS 

bangebaa/mansa parent fa father 

ba mother cε man/husband 

muso woman/wife den child 

dencε/denkε son denmuso daughter 

balima sibling balimakε brother 

balimamuso sister kǤrǤ elder 

kǤrǤcε/kǤrǤkε older brother kǤrǤmuso older sister 

dǤgǤ younger dǤgǤcε/dǤgǤkε younger brother 

dǤgǤmuso younger sister mǤkε grandfather 

mǤmuso grandmother mǤden grandchild 

bεnkε uncle tεnεmuso aunt 

SOME SOME SOME SOME EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

x sigilen don + place/x sigilen bε + place x is settled + place 

n tε n bangebaaw bara I don’t live at my parent’s 

x balolen don x is alive 

x balolen tε x isn’t alive 

x sara/x bana x is dead 

x furulen don x is married 

x furulen tε x isn’t married 

x furu salen don x is divorced 

x ye cεganan ye x is a bachelor/single 

x ye musoganan ye x is single 

x kǤrǤlen don x is old 

x san ye + number ye/x ye san + number x is number year old 


1. The concept of privacy is restricted in Malian families. 

2. Belongings are considered as common. (Beware: take care of your 

stuff) 

29

II II II 

II---- GRAMMAR GRAMMAR GRAMMAR GRAMMAR 

Possessive “ Fε “ 

i- Possessive “have“ in English is commonly expressed in Bambara by what we call 

a locative construction. These constructions do not contain verbs. They consist of a noun (or 

noun phrase) followed by the auxiliary bε or tε, fε followed by a postpositional phrase (a 

noun or noun phrase followed by a postposition). A postposition is much like a preposition 

with the exception that it follows its object rather than preceding it. 

Locative construction: 

Noun + Aux. + Noun + Post. 

ii- The most common postposition for expressing possession is Fε, which translates 

very roughly into English as "with". But here it means have. e.g.: 

a)- Affirmative form: 

Object + bε + Subject + fε Subject have the Object 

Biki bε n fε. I have a pen. 

b)- Negative form: 

Object + tε +Subject + fε Subject have not the Object 

Den tε n fε. I have not a child. 

c)- Interrogative form: 

Object + bε +Subject + fε (wa) ? 

Den bε i fε? Do you have a child? 

30

III III III 


EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

• Answer the following questions in full sentences. 

1- Balima joli b’i fε? ____________________________________________________________ 

2- Den joli b’i bangebaw fε? _____________________________________________________ 

3- I balimaw bε min? ___________________________________________________________ 

4- I balima jumεn sigilen b'i bangebaw bara? ______________________________________ 

5- I bangebaw bε mun baarakε? _________________________________________________ 

6- JǤn ye kalanden ye ekǤliba la aw ka so? ________________________________________ 

7- JǤn bε sokǤnǤbaara kε aw ka so? ______________________________________________ 

8- I balimaw ye san joli ye? ____________________________________________________ 

9- I n’i mǤkε ani i mǤmuso sigilen bε dugu kelen kǤnǤ wa? _________________________ 

• Translate into Bambara. 

1- My sister has a daughter. ____________________________________________________ 

2- They have too many children. _______________________________________________ 

3- My brother is not yet married. _______________________________________________ 

3- His father is a teacher. _____________________________________________________ 

5- My mother works at the hospital. ____________________________________________ 

6- Their sisters live in England. ________________________________________________ 

7- She has ten brothers and five sisters. _________________________________________ 

8- We have good trainers. _____________________________________________________ 

9- You’re my brother. _________________________________________________________ 

10- My aunt is divorced. _______________________________________________________ 

• Get the family tree of your host family by asking a member. You may have to report 

to the class. 

TDA TDA TDA TDA 1- Get informed the identity and profession of some of your host family members. 

2- Draw your host family tree. 




• Describe my family: YES___ NOT YET___ 

31

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: SANNI 

SHOPPING 

1. Each trainee will be able to use efficiently the local money in a Malian market 

without his/her notes. 

2. Without his/her notes or any other help, each trainee will be able to buy two 

(2) or three (3) items in a market or a shop. 


Mun ni mun bε sǤrǤ nin sugu la? 

1. In Mali, prices are not fixed in the markets, so, bargaining is practiced. 

2. People get informed about prices before going to the market. 

3. Sellers are often aggressive in marketing their goods. 

32

IIII---- DIALO DIALOGGGG DIALO DIALO 

Samba: Kiliyan! Kiliyan! Na yan! Bagi Ȃumanw bε yan! 

Amadu: I ni sǤgǤma! N bε bagi Ȃumanw fε, nka da duman! 

Samba: Ola, i sera a yǤrǤ la. Ne ka bagiw bεε da ka nǤgǤn. U lajε. 

Amadu: Nin mεtiri ye joli ye? 

Samba: N b’o da diya i la! O mεtiri ye kεmε saba ni bi duuru ye. 

KǤmi e don, barika b’a la 

Amadu: Ayiwa! A barika, caman bǤ a la. 

Samba: A ka Ȃi forokiya la. I b’a san joli? 

Amadu: A to kεmε fila la. N bε mεtiri wǤǤrǤ san. 

Samba: A kari kari ye kεmε saba ye. Nka, i bε se ka kεmε fila ni bi duuru sara. 

Amadu: I ni ce! Mεtiri wǤǤrǤ ye wa fila ni dǤrǤmε kεmε ye. HǤn! warimisεn segin. 

Samba: Fini ni warimisεn filε. I kεnε k’a kǤrǤ! 

Amadu: Amiina! Ka sugu diya! 

33

II II II 


VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEY SYSTEM: SYSTEM: SYSTEM: SYSTEM: 

In malian monetary system the unity is dǤrǤmε kelen. It equals five francs. 

e.g: 5F = dǤrǤmε kelen 10F = dǤrǤmε fila 

25F = (dǤrǤmε) duuru 50F = (dǤrǤmε) tan 

100F = (dǤrǤmε) mugan 250F = (dǤrǤmε) biduuru 

500F = (dǤrǤmε) kεmε 1000F = (dǤrǤmε) kεmε fila 

2500F = (dǤrǤmε) kεmε duuru 5000F = (dǤrǤmε) waa kelen 

10.000F = (dǤrǤmε) waa fila 

butigi the shop butigitigi the shop keeper 

sugu the market feerekεla the seller 

sannikεla the buyer wari money 

warimisεn change/coins sǤngǤ/da price 

sanni shopping feere selling 

falen change tεrεmεli bargaining 

BUTIGI BUTIGI BUTIGI BUTIGI KǤǤǤǤNNNNǤǤǤǤFFFFεNW KK 

K NW NW NW (THINGS (THINGS (THINGS (THINGS IN IN IN IN THE THE THE THE SHOP) SHOP) SHOP) SHOP) 

safinε soap safinε mugu soap powder 

kafe coffee alimεti matches 

tulu oil sigεrεti cigarette 

te tea buru bread 

shokola chocolate pili battery 

buru kala (kelen) loaf of bread lεtiriforoko envelop 

sukaro sugar pati tooth paste 

kaye note book bǤrǤsi tooth brosh 

bǤnbǤn candy biki pen 

nǤnǤ milk nǤnǤ mugu milk powder 

nǤnǤ jiman concentrated milk shεfan eggs 

SUGULAFεNW 

SUGULAF SUGULAF SUGULAF NW NW NW ( ( ( ( THINGS THINGS THINGS THINGS IN IN IN IN THE THE THE THE MARKET) MARKET) MARKET) MARKET) 

yiriden fruit lenburukumun lemon 

lenburuba orange namasa banana 

mangoro mango jabibi pine apple 

manje papaya 

34

NAFεNW NAF NAF NAF NW NW NW (INGREDIENTS) 

(INGREDIENTS) 

(INGREDIENTS) 

(INGREDIENTS) 

sogo meat jεgε fish 

jaba onion lenburuba orange 

tigadεgε peanut butter tamati tomato 

namasa banana shu cabbage 

foronto pepper ngan ocra 

ngǤyǤ egg plant layi garlic 

OTHER OTHER OTHER OTHER THINGS THINGS THINGS THINGS 

bagi material fini cloth 

tafe pagne sanbara/samara shoes 

duloki a shirt kulusi pants 

mǤnturu a watch 

HAKεWWWW HAK HAK HAK (MEASURES) 

(MEASURES) 

(MEASURES) 

(MEASURES) 

sara pile (tiga sara/a pile of peanut ) litiri a liter 

litiri tilancε a half of litre pake a pack 

SOME SOME SOME SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS FOR FOR FOR FOR BARGAINING 

BARGAINING 

BARGAINING 

BARGAINING 

ayiwa o.k. hǤn take it 

ka x san to buy x ka x feere to sell x 

ka x falen to make change ka x tεrεmε to bargain 

ka x segin to give back x x bana x is finished 

x ye joli ye? how much is x x da/sǤngǤ ka gεlεn x is expensive 

x + bε + place (la) x is at place dǤ bǤ a la reduce it 

a barika reduce or increase it a san x (la) buy it at ...price 

a di yan x (la) give it to me at ... price wariko don I have no money 

i kari kari ye joli ye? what is your last price? o t'a sǤrǤ you can't have it at this price 

x da/sǤngǤ ka nǤgǤn /ka di/man gεlεn x is cheap 

x + bε + Pers + bolo/x + bε Pers + fε to have 

objet + bε sǤrǤ place (la) object is found at place 

35

III III III 


1. Take care of your handbags and pay attention to people who get too close 

to you in the market. 

2. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. Avoid exposing a lot money and 

check your change after buying. 

3. Don’t accept any help except you know the person. 

Personal health Notes: 

conditions. 

Avoid buying unprotected market food and drink because of sanitation 


THE THE THE THE PAST PAST PAST PAST DEFINITE DEFINITE DEFINITE DEFINITE 

The past in bambara is grouped into categories: Regular verbs and irregular Verbs. 

All verbs requiring an object, all verbs ending by kε and all reflexive verbs are regular. 

In transitive constructions the past is indicated by the auxiliary ye. 

In the negative, the past is formed in the same way for both transitive and intrasitive 

constructions: the auxiliary is ma in regular auxiliary position. 

i) 

Here are their structures: 

1- Regular Verbs 

Transitive Constructions: 

• Ex: Don go don sǤgǤma, n bε kafe min. (Present tense) 

• Ex: Bi sǤgǤma, n ye mǤni min. (Past definite) 

• Ex: Kunun, n taara sugu la. 


Subj + yε + Obj + V Subj + ma + Obj + V 

Bi sǤgǤma, n ye safinε san butigi la. Bi sǤgǤma, n ma safinε san butigi la. 

This morning I bought soap in the shop. This morning I didn't buy soap in the shop 


Subj + yε + Obj + V (wa)? Subj + ma + Obj + V (wa)? 

Bi sǤgǤma, i ba ye ji kalaya joona wa? SurǤ i ma dute min wa? 

Did your mom heat water earlier this morning? Didn’t you drink tea last night? 

36

ii) 

iii) 


Subj + ye+ Vkε + Obj + postp Subj + ma+ Vkε + Obj +postp 

A ye baarakε kǤridelapε la U ma sεnεkε foro la. 


Subj + ye + Vkε + Obj + postp (wa)? Subj + ma + Vkε + Obj +postp (wa)? 

I ye barokε i somǤgǤw fε surǤ wa? I ma sεbεnnikε kalanso kǤnǤ? 


Subj + ye + Pron + V Subj + ma + Pron + V 

N ye n ko bi sǤgǤma. N ma n da joona surǤ. 

I washed myself this morning I did not lie down early last night. 


Subj + ye + Pron + V (wa)? Subj + ma + Pron + V (wa)? 

I y'i ko bi sǤgǤma (wa)? Aw m’aw da joona surǤ? 

2- Irregular Verbs 

Intransitive Constructions: 

In intransitive constructions the auxiliary is the suffix ra or na or la attached to the verb. 

a) Suffix Ra ra is the basic form 


Subj + Vra + Compl + postp Subj + ma +V + Compl + postp 

Kunun, n taara sugu la Aw ma taa sugu la kunun. 

Yesterday I went to the market. Yesterday I didn't go to the market. 


Subj + Vra + Compl + postp (wa)? Subj + ma +V + Compl + postp (wa)? 

Aw sunǤgǤra joona surǤ? Aw ma sunǤgǤ joona surǤ? 

Did you sleep early last night? Didn’t you sleep early last night? 

b)- Suffix Na na: after nasal consonants 


Subj + Vna + Compl + postp Subj + ma +V + Compl + postp 

An kununna joona Aw ma kuma u fε. 

37


Subj + Vna + Compl + postp (wa)? Subj + ma +V + Compl + postp (wa)? 

Aw kumana u fε wa? Aw ma kuma u fε? 

Did you talk to them? Didn’t you talk to them? 

c)- Suffix La la: if the consonant immediately preceding is an l 


Subj + Vla + Compl + postp Subj + ma +V + Compl + postp 

Kunun wula fε an bolila dugu sira kεrεfε. Aw ma boli bi sǤgǤma. 

Yesterday afternoon we ran by the road. You did not run this morning. 


Subj + Vla + Compl + postp (wa)? Subj + ma +V + Compl + postp (wa)? 

Aw wulila joona bi sǤgǤma? Aw ma boli bi sǤgǤma? 

Did you wake up early this morning? Didn’t you run this morning? 

3- Time expressions 

Here are some time expressions going with the past definite. 

surǤ _ > last night kunun _ > yesterday kunasinin _ > the day before yesterday 

dǤgǤkun tεmεnen _ > last week kalo tεmεnen _ > last month salon _ > last year 

38

IV IV IV 


EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

• Do the following matching game: 

1- kεmε a- 9355F 

2- kεmε saba b- 5500F 

3- kεmε wǤrǤ ni biduuru c- 70F 

4- wa kelen ni kεmε segin ni biwolonfila ni kelen d- 110F 

5- wa kelen ni kεmε e- 45F 

6- mugan ni fila f- 3250F 

7- tan ni naani g- 500F 

8- dǤrǤmε kǤnǤntǤn h- 1500F 

• Do the following matching game: 

1- dǤ Ǥ bǤ a la/a barika a-what do you have on you? 

2- i b'a san joli? b- what's your last price? 

3- o t'a sǤrǤ. c- how much is the shirt? 

4- i kari kari ye joli? d- have it. 

5- hǤn. e- how much do you pay for it? 

6- safinε banna. f- reduce the price. 

7- duloki ye joli ye? g- that cannot afford it. 

8- wari di yan. h- give the money. 

9- safinε bε sǤrǤ butigi la. i- give the change back. 

10- nǤnǤ banna. j- can you change 500F? 

11- buru tε yan. k- you can find soap in the shop. 

12- tiga dǤrǤmε tan na di yan. l- there is no bread. 

13- kεmε falen b'i bolo wa? m- soap is finished. 

14- warimisεn segin. n- give me peanut for 50F. 

15- mun b'i kun? o- milk is finished 

• Change the following sentences into the past definite 

• N bε namasa san sugu la. _____________________________________ 

• An bε na kalanyǤrǤ la sǤgǤma joona. ____________________________ 

• A tε sannikε bi. ______________________________________________ 

• N bε wuli joona ka boli. _______________________________________ 

• I tε foyi kε nakǤ la. ___________________________________________ 

• An bε dumunikε yan dimasi. __________________________________ 

39

• Refering to this picture complete this dialogue between Amadu and Samba. 

Amadu: ___________ Samba: Nba i ni sǤgǤma 

Amadu: ___________ Samba: fini mεtiri ye wa kelen ye 

Amadu: ___________ Samba: I b'a san joli? 

Amadu: ___________ Samba: O t'a sǤrǤ 

Amadu: ___________ Samba: Kεmε segin 

Amadu: ___________ Samba: Wari di 

Amadu: ___________ Samba: K'an b'u fo 

Amadu: ___________ 

40

TDA TDA TDA TDA 1- In the host village, identify at least five (5) products of your choice from the places 

below: 

• At the market; 

• In a shop; 

• From a street seller. 

NB: Use the board below: 

Shop items Market items 

Fruits/jiridenw Sauce ingredients/nafεnw Others/fεn wεrεw 

2- Buy two (2) or three (3) items of your choice in a shop or in the market. 

• Observe the sellers attitudes before and during buying; 

• Bargain the prices of items (what were the proposed prices and the ones at which you 

bought your articles?) 




• Use efficientlythe local money: YES: __ NOT YET: __ 

• Ask about the availibility of something: YES: __ NOT YET: __ 

• Buy in a market or a shop: YES: __ NOT YET: __ 

41

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: YǤǤǤǤRǤǤǤǤW TAMASERECOGO 

ASKING/GIVING DIRECTIONS 

1. Without his/her notes, each trainee will be able to locate, at least, two (2) 

places. 

2. Without any help, each trainee will be able to use, at least, three (3) 

expressions to ask and give directions. 


1. Greet people before asking them for directions. 

2. In small villages, people prefer leading you to the place rather than 

giving you directions. 

3. People refer to common well-known places to indicate directions instead 

of referring to the cardinal points. 


Umaru: A’ ni sǤgǤma! 

Amadu: Nba, a’ ni sǤgǤma! DǤ di! 

Umaru: Baasi tε! A’ bε hakε to! N bε dugutigi ka so de Ȃinin. 

Amadu: Dutigi ka so bε an kεrεfε, An bε se ka taa ȂǤgǤn fε. 

Umaru: I ni ce! A sira ȂεfǤ n ye, n yεrε kelen bε se ka taa. 

Amadu: Ayiwa! I tilen nin sira kelen in fε. I bε kare saba tεmεn,o kǤ, fara i numan fε. 

Da naaninan don i kini fε. Mangorosunba bε soda la. 

Umaru: I ni baraji! K’an bεn! 

Amadu: K’an bε! Ka se ni i Ȃuman ye! 

Umaru: Amiina! 

42

II II II 


VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

There are some places people refer to locate a given point ( common or public places or 

buildings,wellknown people... ) 

dǤgǤtǤrǤso hospital pǤn bridge 

yirisunba the big tree dugutigi ka so the chief of the village’s house 

siraba the main road pǤnpe pump 

worodugu south kǤkǤdugu north 

kǤrǤn east tilebin west. 

fan side of x x fan fε at x side 

yan here yen there. 

The following expressions are used to lead someone to a certain point. 

i tilen ka taa.(fo...) Go straight.(until...) fara i numan fε Turn left. 

fara i kini fε. Turn right. sira tigε. Cross the road 

tεmεn so la. Pass over the house se so ma. Reach the house. 

These other expressions are very polite used by someone who wants a help to find 

his/her way. 

Ȃε n ma! Please, help me! i bε se ka Ȃε n ma? Can you help me? 

haketo! Excuse me! x bε fan jumεn fε? Where is x ? 

x yǤrǤ ka jan wa? Is x far? a ma jan (wa)? Isn’t it far? 

a ka ja dǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤni ǤǤ It’s fairly far x sira bε min? Where is the way to x ? 

i b’i tilen nin sira fε You go straight on this road. i ni baraji Thanks. 

Here are some useful prepositions for giving or receiving directions. 

x Ȃεfε in front of x x kǤfε behind x 

x kǤnǤ in x x kan on x 

duguma on the ground x KǤrǤ under x 

x kεrεfε next to x x ni y cε between x and y. 

x kuna above x x cεmancε la at the center of x 

x sanfïε above x 

The are other common words you meet in the context of giving or receiving directions. 

ka x Ȃinin to look for x ka x jira pers. la/na to show x to pers. 

ka fili to make an error ka tunun to be lost 

x tununnen don x is lost x ka jan y la/na x is far from y 

k’i munumunu x kǤfε to go around x 

43

The Ordinal numbers are built on the cardinal numbers by adding nan, except for fǤlǤ 

(first) and laban (last).Here are some examples: 

III III III 

Cardinal numbers Ordinal numbers 

kelen fǤlǤ first 

fila filanan second 

saba sabanan third 

naani naaninan fourth 

x laban laban last. 


1. In big cities, people hesitate to indicate somebody’s house. (Because of 

security issues) 

2. Always double-check when you are given a direction. 

3. “He who asks doesn’t get lost”. 


The Imperative 

a)- The Imperative in Bambara is used for making polite requests, suggestions or 

commands. 


(obj) + Verb kana + (obj) + Verb 

e.g: - Ji min! (Drink water!) kana ji min! 

- I ko! (Wash!) kan’i ko! 

- Taa! (Go!) kana taa! 

b)- This is formed by using the auxiliary ka in the affirmative and kana in the negative. 


Suj + ka + (obj) + Verb Suj + kana +(obj) + Verb 

e.g: An ka ji min! (Let’s drink water!) Aw kana kǤlǤnnaji min! 

An k’an ko! (Let’s wash!) I kan’i ko kǤji la! 

An ka taa! (Let’s go!) An kana taa! 

44

c)- The second person plural imperative (you all) is frequently formed by using the 

pronoun a and the auxiliary ye. 


Suj + ye + (obj) + Verb Suj + kana +(obj) + Verb 

e.g: A(w) ye ji min! Aw kana kǤlǤnnaji min! 

A(w) y’aw ko! Aw kan’aw ko kǤji la! 

A(w) ye taa! Aw kana taa! 

IV IV IV 


EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

• Translate the following sentences into Bambara 

1- Come here. _____________________________________ 

2- Turn left. ______________________________________ 

3- Go straight. _____________________________________ 

4- Cross the third road. _______________________________ 

5- Come and eat. ___________________________________ 

6- Don’t speak English. _______________________________ 

7- Speak Bambara. __________________________________ 

8- Don’t laugh. ____________________________________ 

• Translate the following sentences into Bambara 

1- We are in the classroom.__________________________ 

2- The blackboard is in front of us.______________________ 

3- My book is on the wall.____________________________ 

4- The mosque is in the center of village __________________ 

5- My house is near the shop.__________________________ 

6- The book is under the table._________________________ 

7- Segu is between Bamako and Mopti. _______________ 

8- Sometimes we study outside._________________________ 

9- The bag is on the floor._____________________________ 

45

• Translate these sentences into bambara. 

1- Excuse me. Can you show me the way to Bamako. 

_______________________________________________ 

2- Good morning brother. I am lost. Do you know where the hospital is? 

_______________________________________________ 

3- It is not far from here 

_______________________________________________ 

4- Go straight. Cross the fifth road and turn right 

_______________________________________________ 

5- Yes, I know him. Do you see the big house other there? It is behind that one. 

_______________________________________________ 

6- Is Segou far from Bamako? 

________________________________________________ 

7- Turn around over this red car then turn left and go straight. 

The mosque is in front of you. 

_____________________________________________ 

• Use the command or the imperative form of these sentences below. 

Please follow the modeles. 

Modeles: I bε taa sugu la. taa sugu la. 

An bε mangoro dun. An ka mangoro dun. 

Aw tε biyεri min. A kana biyεri min. 

1- Aw bε lεtεrε ci aw teriw ma. ____________________ 

2- Aw t'aw ko baji la. ____________________ 

3- I bε barokε i somǤgǤw fε. ____________________ 

4- Aw bε kuma bamanankan na tuma bεε ____________________ 

5- I tε kuma Angilεkan na. ____________________ 

6- Aw t’aw sigi duguma ____________________ 

7- I b'i ko don o don ____________________ 

8- I tε mǤgǤw neni dugu kǤnǤ. ____________________ 

9- I bε taa dute min i teriw bara ____________________ 

10- Aw bε na kalanso la joona ____________________ 

46

TDA TDA TDA TDA 1- Make a map of your town and show: 

• Your family; 

• Every trainee’s family in this town; 

• Public places. 

2- Ask directions to two (2) or three (3) persons to find out the house of the chief of the 

village. 

• With the chief, get informed about the geographic location of the neighbouring 

villages. 

3- Or, ask for directions to find out the house of a village chief’s consellor. 

• Get informed from him about different public interest places and their location in 

the village. 

4- From the school master/a pupil, get informed about the geographic location of the 

bordering countries with Mali. 

5- With a younger sister/brother’s help: 

• Identify at least 10 body parts. 




• Indicate a place to someone by using appropriate expressions: YES __. NOT YET __ 

• Thank someone after he gives me indications: YES__. NOT YET __. 

47

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: MǤǤǤǤGǤǤǤǤ NI FεNW TAMASERE COGO 

DESCRIBING A PERSON, AN OBJECT AND A PLACE 

1. Without his/her notes, each trainee will be able to name, at least, ten (10) 

parts of human body. 

2. Without assistance, each trainee will be able to describe a person by pointing 

out, at least, five (5) physical and five (5) moral traits. 

3. Each trainee will be able to describe, in five (5) correct sentences, his/her 

training site without notes. 

4. Each trainee will be able to describe an object by giving two (2) or three (3) 

characteristics without his/her notes. 

IIII---- TEXT TEXT TEXT TEXT 

Nin muso in man jan, a man surun. A Ȃεkisεw ka kunba, a Ȃinw jεlen don. A cεkaȂi. A 

nison ka di tuma bεε. MǤgǤ sεbε don. 

48

II II II 


1. In public, talking about/touching intimate body parts is culturally 

inappropriate in Mali. 

2. In general, we don’t talk about a woman’s pregnancy in front of her. 

3. Talking about someone’s physical and mental infirmities is embarrassing 

for him/her. 

4. Being fat is a sign of wealth and good health; but being skinny is a sign 

of problems. 


VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

PARTS PARTS PARTS PARTS OF OF OF OF THE THE THE THE BODY: BODY: BODY: BODY: FARIKOLO: 

FARIKOLO: FARIKOLO: 

FARIKOLO: 

nun nose kǤnǤ stomach/belly da mouth 

disi chest senkala leg kunbere knee 

kan neck kamankun shoulder bolo(kala) arm 

49

woro thigh Ȃε eye bolokǤni finger 

tεgε hand senkuru ankle kunkolo head 

sentεgε foot tulo ear nǤnkǤn elbow 

QUALIFIERS QUALIFI QUALIFI QUALIFIERS 

ERS ERS ( ( ( ( PHYSICAL PHYSICAL PHYSICAL PHYSICAL ) ) ) ) 

The following adjectives are used to describe physical traits. 

x ka jan x is tall x ka surun x is short. x ka bon x is big/fat 

x ka dǤgǤn x is small x ka kunba x is strong x ka misen x is thin. 

x ka kǤrǤ x is old x ka fin x is black x ka jε x is light (complexion) 

x ka girin x is heavy x cεkaȂi x is beautiful (handsome) 

x cεkajugu x is ugly 

QUALIFIERS QUALIFIERS QUALIFIERS QUALIFIERS ( ( ( ( MORAL) MORAL) MORAL) MORAL) 

These adjectives are used to portray moral state. 

x ka jugu x is bad/mean x ka Ȃi x is good. x ka farin x is 

courageous 

x ka kisε x is devoted/hard working x ka kegun x is clever 

x nison ka di x is happy/glad x nison man di x is sad 

x hakili ka di x is intelligent x hakili ka go/( man di) x is stupid (not intelligent) 

QUALIFIERS QUALIFIERS 

QUALIFIERS 

QUALIFIERS ( ( ( ( TASTE TASTE TASTE TASTE ).... ) ) ) 

x ka di x is good __ e.g.: Namasa ka di/Namasa duman don 

x ka kunan x is bitter __ e.g.: Woro ka kunan/Woro kunanman don 

x ka kumun x is sour __ e.g.: Lenmuru ka kumun/Jiriden kumun don 

x ka timi x is sweet __ e.g.: Jabibi ka timi/Jiriden timiman don 

x ka farin x is hot __ e.g.:Foronto ka farin/Foronto farinman don 

x ka go x is bad __ e.g: Nin jiriden ka go/Jiriden goman don 

SOME SOME SOME SOME EXPRESSIONS:::: 

EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

x bε cogodi? How is x? ( What is x like? ) 

x Ȃε bε cogodi ? What color is x? 

x fεrεlen don. x is spacious/roomy/comfortable 

x korilen don. x is round. 

x ka magan. x is smooth. 

x ka gεlen. x is hard/tough 

x ka gonin x is hot 

x ka kalan x is hot 

x ka di n ye x is good to me ( x likes ) 

50

COLORS COLORS COLORS COLORS 

Please note the different forms of expressing colors in Bambara. 

Jεman --- nin ye jεman ye ---- nin jεlen don ----- a ka jε 

white 

Finman --- nin ye finman ye ---- nin finnen don --- a ka fin 

black 

Bilenman --- nin ye bilenman ye ----- nin bilennen don 

Binkεnεman/Ȃugujiman -- nin ye Ȃugujiman ye -- Ȃugujima don 

Nεrεmuguman ---- nin ye nεrεmuguman ye ---- nεrεmuguman don 

Lankiriman ----- nin tε bilenman ye ------ lankiriman don 

Worojima 

SikǤlǤma 

baga 

NB: In Mali for most people, mainly with old, rural or illiterate people there are only two concepts of colors: 

WHITE ( for bright ) and BLACK ( for dark ). 


Bulaman ------ nin ye bulaman ye -------- x bulaman don 

Touching or naming intimates parts in front of opposite sex can expose 

to harassment. 

51

III III III 


1. ka auxiliary 

The ka auxiliary is used to express the english is/are in the affirmative. 

The man is the negative form of ka and it expresses is/are not. 


Subject + ka + adj Subject + man + adj 

e.g: Mike Tyson ka surun. Magic Johnson man surun. 

Mike Tyson is short. Magic Johnson is not short. 

Chart of exception 

Chart of exception 

As the title indicates, these are exception to the formation of adjectives in Bambara 

S V Adj S V N Adj. (man) S Adj. (man) V 

Bob Ka bon Bob ye den belebele(ba) ye mǤgǤ belebele don 

a Ka dǤgǤn a ye cε fitini ye cε fitini don 

i Ka jan i ye --- jamanjan ye --- jamanjan don 

a Ka Ȃi a ye --- Ȃuman ye --- Ȃuman don 

n Ka kunba n ye --- kunbaba ye --- kunbaba don 

a Ka di a ye --- duman ye --- duman don 

--- Ka --- --- ye --- -------- ye --- -------- don 

When you used a substantive ( noun ) to express is, the following is used: 


Subject + ye + noun + adj(man) + ye Subject + tε + noun + adj(man) + ye 

e.g: Mike Tyson ye cε suruman ye. Mike Tyson tε mǤgǤ jïman ye. 

Mike Tyson is a short man. Mike Tyson is not a white person. 

NB: The ye... ye is negated in tε... ye. 

2. The don is used to express is/are ( or it is, they are ) as in the following 

examples: 

e.g: Mobili bilenman don ________ It is a red car. 

Amerikεn finman don ______ He/She is a black american. 

NB: The negative of don is tε 

e.g: Mobili jεman tε ____________ It is not a white car. 

Muso juguman tε ___________ She is not a mean woman. 

52

3. Passive voice “ len/nen “ 

In this Communicative Task you have been briefly introduced to the Bambara 

Passive voice. In the following sentence occurred: “KaramǤgǤ jǤlen don kalanso kǤnǤ“.JǤ is the 

root of the verb “stand”. jǤlen is a Passive voice. 

Passive voice are not used to describe actions, but to describe the state achieved 

upon completion of the action. The Passive voice is formed for all verbs without exception 

with the verb root plus the suffix len (which becomes nen in nasal environments.) 

e.g: ka jǤ ___ jǤlen ka sεgεn ___ sεgεnnen 


Subject + Verb + len/nen + don Subject + Verb + len/nen + tε 

KaramǤgǤ jǤlen don kalanso kǤnǤ. Kalandenw sεgεnnen tε. 

Interrogative Form: 

Subject + Verb + len/nen + don (wa)? Subject + Verb + len/nen + tε (wa)? 

Kalandenw jǤlen don kalanso kǤnǤ wa? Kalandenw sεgεnnen tε? 

53

IV IV IV 


EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

• Identify each part of the body according to the following indications:. 

1__ bolokala 4__ nǤnkǤn 2__ senkala 3__ bolokan 

5__ tulo 6__ nun 7__ kunbere 8__ kamankun 

9__ senkǤniw 10__ woro 11__ da 12__ Ȃε 

15__ kǤnǤ 13__ senkuru 14__ bolonkǤni 16_ kǤ 

17__ sentεgεw 19__ ten 18__ tεgεkǤ 20__ kan 

54

• Do as in these examples ( using the modified adjectives). 

EX.: Nin dute ka gonin. ___ Dute gonin(man) don 

1-Nin muso ka Ȃi ________________________________ 

2-Nin cε ka surun ________________________________ 

3-Nin jiri ka jan. ________________________________ 

4-Nin ji ka suman ________________________________ 

5-Nin namasa ka di _______________________________ 

6-Nin jiriden ka kumun ____________________________ 

7-Nin sǤgǤn ka ca _________________________________ 

8-Nin so ka bon _________________________________ 

9-Nin mobili ka dogon _______________________________ 

10-Nin cε ka kunba ________________________________ 

• Do as in these examples ( using the passive voice). 

EX: A fa ka kǤrǤ ___________A fa kǤrǤlen don. 

Bob kunsigi man fin _____A kunsigi finnen tε. 

1.I ka mobili ye bilenman ye wa? ______________________________ 

2.A cε man kǤrǤ. _________________________________________ 

3.Madu fari ka fin.___________________________________________ 

4.Umaru kunsigi man jε. _____________________________________ 

5.Nin lenmuru ka kumun wa? ________________________________ 

6.Nin so man fεrε. ___________________________________________ 

7.N nison ka di bi.__________________________________________ 


1-She's a tall, dark woman. _____________ 

2-She and her husband are really good people. ______________ 

3- They have a blue car. ______________________________ 

4-They are always happy. _____________________________ 

55

• Describe your charming prince/the lady you dream of. 

• Describe a person of your choice. Then, draw him/her respecting your 

description. 

• Make the portrait of the following persons: 

- The chief of the village or the iman, or the women’s or youth’s leader; 

- One or more trainers of the pre-service training. 

• Describe the tastes of two foods and two drinks. One of each that you like and 

one of each that you don't like. Present your description. 

• Visit 2 or3 different places in Bamako. For each place, record whether it's a big 

or small one, whether there are lots of people there or not. In short, describe each 

one of the places visited. Present the results to the class and ask questions on the 

subject. 

TDA TDA TDA TDA With the help of a family member: 

• Identify at least two (2) or three (3) child frequent sicknesses in this season. 




• Name some parts of the body: YES___ NOT YET ___ 

• Describe a person, using both physical and moral aspect: YES__ NOT YET _ 

• Name the main characteristics of an object or a thing: YES__ NOT YET __ 

• Describe a place: YES___ NOT YET ___ 

56

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: FARIKOLO LAHALAW 

DESCRIBING ONE’S MENTAL AND PHYSICAL STATE 

1. Each trainee will be able to cite, at least, five (5) common sicknesses in Mali 

without his/her notes. 

2. Each trainee will be able to ask, at least, one accurate question to get 

information about someone’s physical state without help. 

3. Without his/her notes, each trainee will be able to formulate two (2) or three 

(3) blessings to a sick person. 


__Ablo ni Musa bε min? 

__Ablo ye jǤn ye? 

__Mun bε Musa la? 

1. We care about sick people and say them blessings. It’s very important to 

pay visit to a sick person like a friend, a relative, a colleague or a 

neighbour. 

2. Usually we don’t talk openly about sexual diseases and we talk about 

pregnancy only with women we joke with. 

3. Gaining weight is a sign of wealth and health while loosing weight is a 

sign of problems. 

4. We generally use natural/traditional medicine before going to the health 

centre. 

57

IIII---- 

1- 

DIALOG DIALOG DIALOG DIALOG 

Fanta: I ni sǤgǤma, Bakari. I nisǤn man di, mun b'i la? 

2- 

Bakari: N fari man di n na. 

Fanta: I yǤrǤ jumεn b'i dimi? 

Bakari: N Ȃin de bε n dimi kojugu bi. 

Fanta: I ye fura ta wa? 

Bakari: Ayi, n bεna taa dǤgǤtǤrǤso la. 

Fanta: Ala ka nǤgǤyakε, k'a ban pewu! 

Bakari: Amiina. Ala ka dugaw minε. 

Fanta: Amiina. 

Fanta: I ni sǤgǤma, Bakari. Munna an m’i ye surǤ? 

Bakari: N tun man kεnε. 

Fanta: Ee! Mun tun b’i la? 

Bakari: N kungolo ye n dimi kojugu kunun wulada. 

Sufε, n ma se ka sunǤgǤ, n fari bεε tun ka kalan. 

Fanta: O bε sǤrǤ sumaya ye dε? 

Bakari: N hakili la, a bε sǤrǤ o ye. N bεna taa dǤgǤtǤrǤso la. 

Fanta: I ka kan k’i yεrε tanga sosow ma. 

Bakari: TiȂε! N bεna sange sulen damadǤ Ȃinin n ka denbaya ye. 

Ola, sumaya ni bana misεnw tεna an tǤǤrǤ. 

Fanta: Ala ka nǤgǤyakε, ka tǤǤrǤ dǤgǤya! 



58

II II II 


VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

bana Sickness/disease banabagatǤ (banabaatǤ) a sick person 

kεnεya (Good)health bolodimi sore-arm kǤdimi backache 

kǤnǤdimi stomachache kandimi stiffneck Ȃεdimi sore-eye 

Ȃindimi toothache sendimi sorefoot 

kungolodimi bε x la/na x has a headache 

NB: In these expressions it says: sickness is at the person 

dimi translates - ache 

kungolo bε a dimi x head is aching him/her 

N Ȃin bε n dimi my tooth is aching me 

NB: This means person's part of body is hurting : him/her 

MOST MOST MOST MOST COMMON COMMON COMMON COMMON DISEASES: DISEASES: DISEASES: DISEASES: 

kǤnǤboli diarrhea tǤkǤtǤkǤni dysentery sumaya malaria 

murafarigan flu 

SǤgǤsǤgǤ bε Paul la Mura bε Tom la Kungolodimi bε John la 

Paul has a cough Tom has a cold John has a headache 

KǤnǤdimi bε Lucie la Farigan bε Sarah la 

Lucie has stomachache Sarah has a fever 

59

n man kεnε I am sick 

i yǤrǤ jumεn b'i dimi? Which part of your body is hurting you? 

i fan jumεn b'i dimi? Which part of your body is hurting you? 

mun b’i la ? What is the matter with you? 

kǤngǤ bε x la/na x is hungry 

salaya lazy 

n sεgεnnen don I am tired 

n tǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤrǤlen ǤǤ don I am pained 

n degunnen don I am suffering 

n dusukasilen don I am sad 

n nisǤn ka di I am happy 

n nisǤn diyalen tε I am not happy 

fosi/Foyi tε x la x has nothing 

SOME SOME SOME SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS OF OF OF OF PHYSIOLOGICAL PHYSIOLOGICAL PHYSIOLOGICAL PHYSIOLOGICAL STATES: STATES: STATES: STATES: 

kǤngǤ hungry minǤgǤ thirsty 

funteni hot nεnε cold 

DUGAW DUGAW DUGAW DUGAW BLESSINGS 

BLESSINGS 

BLESSINGS 

BLESSINGS 

Ala ka nǤgǤyakε May God grant relief. 

Ala k'a tǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤrǤ ǤǤ dǤgǤya ... May the pain lessen. 

Ala ka sini fisaya ni bi ye May tomorow be better than today 

Ala k'i segin i yεrε ma May you come back to yourself 

Ala k'a kε jurumu kafari ye May it be a sin expiator. 

Ala ka dugaw jabi May God answer the blessings 

60

SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPLEMENTARY VOCABULARY: 

VOCABULARY: 

VOCABULARY: 

VOCABULARY: 

banakisε microbe 

banaba leprosy 

banakunbεn prevention 

kεnεyaji oral rehydration water 

kεnεyaba(ga)tǤ a healthy person 

dusukundimi palpitation 

kumabin migraine 

sumu dental decay 

sumuni boil 

joli a wound 

nε pus 

kankǤnǤdimi/mimi sorethroat 

kaba ringworm 

fa madness 

jawuli scatteredbrain 

hakiliwuli mental fatigue 

x kǤsalen (don) x is energyless 

x walakalen (don) x open, extravert 

mun ye x sǤrǤ? what happened to x 

mun binna/cunna x kan? what struck x? 

mun gεrεgεrε ye x sǤrǤ? what unexpected thing (mishap) happened to x 

k'i mun to apply an ointment 

k'i digidigi to get a massage 

k'i wusu to transpire through smoke or vapour 

k'i furakε to cure oneself 

ka sogolikε to get an injection 

ka biȂεturu to give an injection 

(muso) jiginninso maternity 

dǤkǤtǤrǤ doctor 

dǤkǤtǤrǤso hospital 

ka fura ta to take pills 

ka furakisε kunun to take a pill 

ka furaji min to drink (a drinkable) 

k'i boloci to get vaccinated 

ka pikirikε to get an injection 

61

III III III 


• Here are some ways to say that someone is (not) sick. 


Part of body + dimi + bε + Pers. +la/na Part of body + dimi + tε + Pers. + la/na 

Kungolo dimi bε John la. KǤdimi tε Sarah la. 


Part of body + dimi + bε + Pers. +la (wa)? Part of body + dimi + tε + Pers. +la (wa)? 

Kungolo dimi b’i la wa? Mura tε Tom la? 

• THE IMPERFECT TENSE: Tun bε 

NB: ● tun bε/tun tε is the auxiliary element for the Imperfect tense in Bambara. 


Suj + tun bε + obj + Verb Suj + tun tε + obj + Verb 

Soso tun bε Bakari cin su o su. Bakari tun tε sange sulen siri. 

Kalandenw tun bε kalankε don go don. U tun tε baarakε san’u ka na Mali la. 


Suj + tun bε + obj + Verb (wa)? Suj + tun tε + obj + Verb (wa)? 

Soso tun bε Bakari cin su o su? Bakari tun tε sange sulen siri wa? 

Kalandenw tun bε yaala Ameriki kǤsεbε wa? U tun tε sunǤgǤ joona sufε? 

NB: ● tun ka/tun man is the auxiliary element for the Imperfect tense with adjectives in Bambara. 


Suj + tun ka + Adj Suj + tun man + Adj 

A tun ka di It was good/pleasant. A tun man di. 

62

• Here are some ways to say that someone was sick. 


Part of body + dimi + tun bε + Pers. +la/na Part of body + dimi + tun tε + Pers. +la/na 

Kungolo dimi tun bε John la. KǤdimi tun tε Sarah la. 


Part of body + dimi + tun bε + Pers. +la (wa)? Part of body + dimi + tun tε + Pers. +la? 

Kungolo dimi tun b’i la wa? Mura tun tε Tom la? 

• THE FUTURE TENSE: bεna (bε) 

NB: ● bεna (bε)/tεna(tε) is the auxiliary element for the Future tense in Bambara. 

ta. 


Suj + bεna + obj + Verb Suj + tεna + obj + Verb 

Soso bεna Bakari cin su o su. Bakari tεna sange sulen siri. 

Suj + bεna + Verb + Obj Suj + tεna + Verb + Obj 

Kalandenw bεna kalankε don go don. U tεna yaala dǤrǤn Mali la. 


Suj + bεna + obj + Verb (wa)? Suj + tεna + obj + Verb (wa)? 

Soso bεna Bakari cin su o su? Bakari tεna sange sulen siri? 

Sumaya bεna Bakari minε? Bakari tεna kεnεya sǤrǤ (wa)? 

Suj + bεna + Verb (wa)? Suj + tεna + Verb (wa)? 

Kalandenw bεna barokε dugumǤgǤw fε wa? U tεna taa Ameriki sisan? 

• Here are some ways to say that someone will be sick. 


Sickness/disease + bεna + Pers. +minε Sickness/disease + tεna + Pers. +minε 

Farigan bεna Tom minε barisa mura b’a la. Sumaya tεna Sarah minε barisa a bε fura 

Sumaya bεna Bakari minε. 


Sickness/disease + bεna + Pers. + minε (wa)? Sickness/disease + tεna + Pers. + minε? 

Farigan bεna Tom minε wa? Sumaya tεna Sarah minε? 

63

IV IV IV 


EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 


A: Are you sick? ________________? 

B: Yes, I am sick. _________________. 

A: What do you have? __________________? 

B: I have a cold. ______________. 

A: Do you need pills? ________________? 

B: No, thank you. ___________. I am tired. ____________. I am sleepy. ____________. 

A: May the pain lessen. ___________________. 

B: Amen. ____________________________. 

• Refering to the picture make a dialog between Fanta and Ablo 

Ablo: I ni sǤgǤma, Fanta. I nisǤn man di, mun bε den na? 

Fanta: A fari man d’a la. 

Ablo: 

Fanta: 

Ablo: 

Fanta: 

64

• Fill in the blanks by using the appropriate auxiliary. 

Tuma min, n _______ camancε lakǤli la, n _______ kegun dǤǤni. 

N _______ marabatiga cimin kalanso kǤnǤ. 

N _______ (neg) taa farikolo Ȃanajε kε yǤrǤ la tuma bεε. 

Ne ni n teriw _______ taa kalanso kǤfε ka sigarεti min. 

N _______ basikεti ton na, nka n _______ npogotigininw lajε dǤǤrǤn. 

N _______ (neg) kalankε kǤsεbε nka n _______ ko di karamǤgǤ ye. 

N _______ karamǤgǤw dεmε ka kalansow labεn. O kǤsǤn, u hakili la n _______ 

kalanden Ȃuman ye. 


SurǤ n ____ dakabana sogo kε. N ____ mobili kura dǤ boli la. 

N ____ cεkǤrǤnin dǤ ye sira kan n Ȃε fε. A _______ ka sira tigε fali kan. 

CεkǤrǤnin ___n ye nka a tεmεn__ a ka sira fε. 

N ___’a Ȃinin ka mobili lajǤ nka a fεrεnw ____ (neg) sǤn. 

N ____ __’a fε ka kule nka n da ____ (neg) se ka yεlε. 

Mobili ____ __ ka girin. N ____ ___ cεkǤrǤnin faga wa? 

YǤrǤnin kelen, mobili jεnsεn__. 

N ___ n yεrε sǤrǤ, n sigilen dugumakolo kan; mobili walan ___ n bolo kǤnǤ. 

CεkǤrǤnin ___ n lajε i n’a fǤ foyi ___ (neg) kε. 

A ___ n Ȃininka, “ E ___ taa min tan?” 

65

• Say how the person in each of these picture is feeling. 

1. _______________________________________________________________ 

2. _______________________________________________________________ 

3. _______________________________________________________________ 

4. _______________________________________________________________ 

5. _______________________________________________________________ 

6. _______________________________________________________________ 

7. _______________________________________________________________ 

8. _______________________________________________________________ 

9. _______________________________________________________________ 

10. _______________________________________________________________ 

66

• Refering to the picture do the following matching: 

Treated mosquito net Sange sulen 

1 Sange su ji la, a yεlεma siȂε caman f’a ka ji min miniti 5 kǤnǤ. 

2 I tεgεw ni tasaba ko k’u jε ni safinε ye. 

3 Sange fεnsεn sumaman yǤrǤ la, k’a laja. 

4 San’i k’a daminε, ganw don. 

5 Ji tǤ ni ganw kε dingε kǤnǤ, walima u fili Ȃεgεn kǤnǤ. 

6 I ka sange sulen siri, i ka sunǤgǤ i lakananen. 

7 Ji litiri 1 kε tasaba kǤnǤ. 

8 BulǤku kisε kε ji la, a ka yelen. 

9 Ji ni bulǤku Ȃagami. 

67

TDA TDA TDA TDA With the help of a family member: 

• Identify at least four (4) activities of a man and five (5) activities of a woman 

during day time. 




• Name some diseases: YES___ NOT YET ___ 

• Describe the state of my health. YES __ NOT YET__ 

• Talk about my mental state. YES __ NOT YET__ 

• Give blessings to a sick person. YES __ NOT YET__ 

68

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: DELINAKOW 

TALKING ABOUT DAILY ACTIVITIES 

1. Each trainee will be able to cite, at least, four (4) daily activities of a man and 

four of a woman according to the different periods of the day without his/her 

notes. 

2. Each trainee will be able to cite five (5) activities of his/her own by 

him/herself. 

3. Each trainee will able to cite, at least, five (5) daily or seasonal activities 

according to the gender, and the age without assistance. 

4. Each trainee will be able to tell his/her daily timetable to his/her host family 

without help. 


Nin musow bε ka mun kε? 

Aw ka dugu musow bε ji bǤ kǤlǤn na don go don wa? 

Dugu kǤnǤ cεw bε mun kε don go don? 

1. In Mali, people refer to periods of time rather than precise hours. 

2. Habitual activities are related to places and seasons according to gender 

and age. 

69

IIII---- TEXT TEXT TEXT TEXT Musow ka baara dugumisεnw kǤnǤ. 

Dugumisεnw kǤnǤ, musow ka baara ka ca. U bε wuli kabini fajiri. U bε fǤlǤ ka ji bǤ kǤlǤn 

na. U bε tasuma mεnε ka koliji kalaya. U bε yǤrǤw furan ka sǤro ka daraka tobi. Daraka mana 

dun, u bε minan nǤgǤw ko. U bε susulikε, u bε fini nǤgǤw ko, u bε denw ladon. 

Mali dugumisεn musow sεgεnnen! 

II II II 


VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

fajiri dawn (sunrise) selifana around 2 PM. 

tilegan the heat of the day la(g)ansara around 4 PM. 

fitiri dusk (sunset) saafo around 8 PM. 

gεrεn club k’I lafiȂε to rest 

k’i yalayala to have a walk ka taa foro la to go to the field 

ka sεnεkε to farm ka so jǤ to build a house 

ka te wuli to make tea ka marasi bǤ to play cards. 

ka balǤn tan to play football. ka mǤnnikε to fish. 

ka nǤnnikε to swim. k'i nǤn to swim. 

k'i Ȃεnajε to have fun ka soli ka to do something early in 

the morning. 

ka fǤlǤ ka to begin by/with ka laban ka to finish by/then 

o kǤ after it/that k’a Ȃinin ka to try to 

ka sǤrǤ ka then ka tila ka to finish by 

kabini since fo till. 

sani (yani) before, since fǤlǤ/fǤlǤ fǤlǤ first/at first/long 

ago/formerly 

ntεnεn Monday tarata Tuesday 

araba Wednesday alamisa Thursday 

juma Friday sibiri Saturday 

kari/dimasi Sunday don o don/don go don every day 

sǤgǤma o sǤgǤma every morning joona early, quickly 

70

III III III 


• THE HYPOTHETICAL FUTURE: with mana 

NB: ● mana is the auxiliary that marks what is called the hypothetical future in Bambara. It is often 

used like a conditional sentence with “if”, “when” or “whenever” in English. 

Mana is always found in a subordinate clause in Bambara. 

e.g: N bε taa n ka dugu la, n bε baara daminε. 

N mana taa n ka dugu la, n bε baara daminε. 

Affirmative form: 

Subj + mana + (obj) +Verb + Subj + bε(na) + (obj) + Verb… 

Fanta mana daraka dun, a bε(na) minan nǤgǤw ko. 

If Fanta eats breakfast, she will wash the dishes. 

Subj + mana +Verb + Subj + bε(na) + (obj) + Verb… 

Fanta mana wuli, a bε(na) ji bǤ kǤlǤn na. 

If Fanta gets up, she will draw water from the well. 

Negative form: 

NB: ● mana is not used in the negative form. The negative form is used with ni. 

• THECONDITIONAL TENSE: with ni 

NB: ● When the past occurs with ni in the firts clause, it is not referring to past action but rather to 

something that will have happened in the future. 


Ni + Subj + (obj) +Verb (Past tense)+ Subj + bε(na) + (obj) + Verb… 

Ni Fanta ye daraka dun, a bε(na) minan nǤgǤw ko.. 

If Fanta eats breakfast, she will wash the dishes. 


Ni + Subj + ma (obj) +Verb (Past tense)+ Subj + tε(na) + (obj) + Verb… 

Ni Fanta ma minan nǤgǤw ko, a tε(na) i lafiȂε. 

If Fanta does not wash the dishes, she will not take a rest. 

71

• CONTREFACTUAL CONDITIONAL: 

NB: ● In contrefactual conditional sentences that involve tun plus the completive in the first clause. 

The second clause can be compled with the future auxiliary bεna or tεna preceded by tun. 

IV IV IV 

Ni + Subj + tun + (obj) +Verb (Past tense)+ Subj + tun bεna/tεna + (obj) + Verb… 

Ni n tun ye wari sǤrǤ, n tun bεna mobili san 

If I had gotten money, I would have bought a car. 

Ni n tun taara, an tun tεna ȂǤgǤn ye. 

If I had gone, we wouldn’t have seen each other. 


EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

1 

• Arrange the scrambled words in the boxes to form complete sentences: 

n n fajiri ka 

bε kabini wuli ko 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 

Don o don Fanta Daraka 

fǤlǤ tobi bε 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 

fa la soli Ka 

bε n baarayǤrǤ taa 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 

n taa la Sani dun ka 

ekǤli bε Daraka fǤlǤ ka n 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

• Do as indicated in this example: 

e.g.: N bε taa n ka dugu la, n bε baara daminε. 

N mana taa n ka dugu la, n bε(na) baara daminε. 

1- sibiri bε se, an b’an lafiȂε.________________________________________________ 

2- a bε nakǤ sεnε, a bε nakǤfεn caman dun.___________________________________ 

3- u bε surafana dun, u bε dute wuli._________________________________________ 

4- an bε tila kalan na, an bε barokε an somǤgǤw fε. ____________________________ 

5- dugu bε jε, n terikε bε soli ka na denkundi la. ______________________________ 

72

• Transform the following sentences into the negative form. 

e.g.: N bε mobili sǤrǤ, n bε taa Bamako. 

Ni n ma mobili sǤrǤ, n tε taa bamako. 

1- Baara bε jigin, an bε marasi bǤ______________________________________________ 

2- N bε soli ka wuli, n bε fini nǤgǤw ko.________________________________________ 

3- Fitiri bε se, u bε taa misiri la._______________________________________________ 

4- “Stage” bε ban, an bε nisǤndiya._____________________________________________ 

5- An bε surafana dun, an bε te wuli.___________________________________________ 

• Do as indicated in this example: 

e.g.: n bε taa Bamako, n bε tilen yen 

ni n taara Bamako, n bε (na) tilen ye. 

1 sanji bε na, an tε taa yǤrǤ la. ________________________________________________ 

2 fitiri bε se, u bε taa misiri la.________________________________________________ 

3 n bε surafana dun, n bε tele lajε.____________________________________________ 

4 a bε mankankε, n tε se ka sunǤgǤ. __________________________________________ 

5 n bε mobili sǤrǤ ka ta Bamako, o bε diya n ye. ________________________________ 

• Complete the following sentences according to the structure of conditional: 

1- Fanta mana ji bǤ kǤlǤn na, a (ka minan nǤgǤwko)._____________________________ 

2- Fanta mana minan nǤgǤw ko, a (k'i lafiȂε dǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤni).______________________________ 

ǤǤ 

3- Fanta man'i lafiȂε dǤǤni, a (ka taa lǤgǤ Ȃini).__________________________________ 

4- Fanta ka baara mana ban, a (k'i da ka sunǤgǤ).________________________________ 

3- Ni "stage" banna, a (ka taa an ka duguw la ).__________________________________ 

4- Ni Fanta denw ye tilelafana dun, u (ka taa lǤgǤ Ȃini ).__________________________ 

• Turn the following sentences into the negative form: 

1- Ni Fanta ye tasuma mεnε, a bε ji kalaya._______________________________________ 

2- A mana wuli joona, a denw bε daraka dun joona.______________________________ 

3- N'a banna baara la, a b'i lafiȂε dǤǤni._________________________________________ 

4- A mana lïtiri sǤrǤ, a bεna nisǤndiya kosïbε.____________________________________ 

73

• Combine according to the following sentences: 

e.g.: N bε surafana dun, n bε taa dǤnkεyǤrǤ la. 

1- N mana surafana dun, n bε taa dǤnkεyǤrǤ la. 

2- Ni n ye surafana dun, n bε taa dǤnkεyǤrǤ la. 

1- N bε safinε san, n bε fini ko.________________________________________________ 

2- I bε taa so; i b'i ko.________________________________________________________ 

3- Sanji bε na; an b'an lafεȂε gwa kǤrǤ._________________________________________ 

4- Midi bε se, an bε kalan dabila.______________________________________________ 

5- Dugu bε jε, n bε soli ka taa Bamako._________________________________________ 

• Turn the following sentences into the negative form: 

e.g.: Ni n wulila joona, n bεna soli ka taa Bamako 

Ni n ma wuli joona, n tïna soli ka taa Bamako. 

1-Ni ye wari sǤrǤ, n bεna mobili kura san._____________________________________ 

2-Ni "Stage" banna, an bεna baara daminε.____________________________________ 

3-Ni n somǤgǤw nana bǤ n ye, n bï nisǤndiya kǤsεbε.____________________________ 

4-N'aw ye baarakε, aw bï wari sǤrǤ.___________________________________________ 

5-Ni n ye bamanankan mεn kǤsεbε, an bεna baarokε ȂǤgǤnfε._____________________ 


FǤlǤ fǤlǤ, dugumisεnw kǤnǤ, musow ka baara ___ __ ca. U ___ __ soli ka wuli kabini 

fajiri. U ___ __ fǤlǤ ka ji bǤ kǤlǤn na. O kǤ, u ___ __ tasuma mεnε ka koliji kalaya. U ___ __ 

yǤrǤw furan ka sǤro ka daraka tobi. Daraka kǤfε, u ___ __ tila ka minan nǤgǤw ko. U ___ __ 

laban ka susulikε, ka fini nǤgǤw ko. U ___ __ denw ladon nin bεε kǤ. 

Mali dugumisεn musow ___ sεgεnnen! 

• Write a paragraph in which you talk about your activities here: 

____________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________ 

74

TDA TDA TDA TDA 

• Describe one of your favourite activities : 

____________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________ 




• Talk with your landlord or landlady or any other member of your family 

about there habitual activities. 

• Get informed about the means of transport and their fees in between your 

training site and Bamako. 

• Speak about my daily activities: YES___ NOT YET__ 

• Speak about the activities of men and women in Mali: YES___ NOT YET___ 

75

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: TAAMAW 

TALKING ABOUT TRAVELING 

1. Each trainee, alone, will be able to cite the three (3) most used transportation 

means in Mali. 

2. Each trainee will be able to ask three (3) appropriate questions to get 

informed about the means, the fare and the schedule of transportation 

regarding his/her trip, in a real situation. 

3. Without any assistance, each trainee will be able to use three (3) appropriate 

expressions to wish welcome or safe trip to a traveler. 

76


1. For a long distance and or period trip, people give blessings to each 

other and give left hands to say goodbye. (It’s the only time you shake 

the left hand) 

2. Generally when we come back from a travel, we bring gifts to family and 

neighbours. 

IIII---- TEXT TEXT TEXT TEXT : 

1 Taamaw 

Mali mǤgǤw bε taama kǤsǤbε duniya kǤnǤ. U bε taa yǤrǤ caman na. I b’u sǤrǤ Farafinna 

jamanaw bεε la. Mali denmisεnw bε taama farajεla jamanaw fana kǤnǤ. 

Mali kǤnǤ, mǤgǤw ka taama ka suma, barisa siraw man Ȃin. Bolimafεnw man ca, ani u tε 

se ka taa yǤrǤ bεε. TogodamǤgǤw bε bǤ dugu ni dugu u sen na, nεgεsow la, wotorow la, wala 

bagaw kan i n’a fǤ: faliw, sow, misiw, ȂǤgǤmεw. 

MǤgǤw bε bato ta Kulikoro ni Gao cε, sisikuru bε bǤ Bamako fo kayes. 

2 Sirakoro taama 

Ne sera Sirakoro ntεnεn don, uti kalo tile mugan ni segin san ba fila ni wǤrǤ 

Mobili donna dugu kǤnǤ ka bεn ni fitiri ye, o y’a sǤrǤ san nana. An taara dugutigi ka so. A y’an 

bisimila koȂuman. 

An sira, dugu jεlen an sǤrǤla ka taa dugu maabaw caman fo (Perefe dankan, Mεri, 

DǤgǤtǤrǤ kuntigi, Muso kuntigi, Alimami, Pasitεri, cεmisεn kuntigi, ani n ka karamǤgǤ). 

Wula fε, dugutigi ni a ka kǤnseyew y’an bisimila a ka so. An y’an nali kun fǤ u ye. A diyara u 

ye kosεbε, u ko an k’an bisimila. 

O kǤfε ne ni n ka karamǤgǤ ye kalan daminε. Aa! Sisan kǤni, ne ye bamanankan caman faamu. 

Alamisa don, uti kalo tile bisaba ni kelen, sǤgǤma dizεri waati, dugu musow bεε ni 

jenbe nana ka donkε n jatigiya la, ka ne fo. An ye donkε kosεbε. 

JǤn ko allah, Sirakoro ka di!!! 

Fox Emily 


1. Use well-known transport companies. 

2. Watch out for crooks (coaxers). 

3. Try to note the number plate of the vehicle when using the public 

transport before going aboard. 

77

II II II 

II---- DIALOG DIALOG DIALOG DIALOG dǤǤǤǤgǤǤǤǤkun kelen taama 

A: N nana n sara i la, n bεna taa dǤgǤkun kelen taama na sini. 

B: Eh! Sini ? Ayiwa, ka taa ka segin nǤgǤya. 

A: A miina, ka ȂǤgǤn ye nǤgǤya, ka hεrε fǤ n kǤ. 

B: k’an b’u fo! Ka segin n’i Ȃuman ye. I k’an sama. I delila ka se yen wa? 

A: Ayi, n ma se yen fǤlǤ. Ni alah sǤnna, n bεna aw sama. 

III III III 


During a trip, avoid eating uncovered and unhealthy foods. 

III---- VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

BOLIMAFεNW 

BOLIMAF BOLIMAF BOLIMAF NW NW NW MEANS MEANS MEANS MEANS OF OF OF OF TRANSPORTATION: 

TRANSPORTATION: 



taama travelling/journey/trip 

dugutaa travelling/journey/trip 

bolifεnw means of transportation 

taamaden traveller 

mobili vehicle 

bato boat 

so horse 

kurun dugout canoe 

fali donkey 

moto motorbike 

nεgεso bicycle/bike 

sisikurun train 

ȂǤ ȂǤgǤmε ȂǤ 

camel 

awiyǤn airplane 

ka taama to travel 

ka taa dugula to travel. 

ka jigin to get down. 

ka taa x kunbεn to go meet x. 

ka biye ta to take a ticket 

ka pase sara to pay the trip fees 

ka fa to be crowded 

ka x sama to give a trip gift. 

ka taa x bila sira to accompany x 

ka taa bǤx ye/la to pay visit to x. 

x fara/x falen don x is full 

78

x tiȂεna x broke down. 

x tiȂεnen don x is broken down. 

BISIMILA BISIMILA BISIMILA BISIMILA WELCOMIMG 

WELCOMIMG 

WELCOMIMG 

WELCOMIMG 

idanse/ i ni sε welcome 

i (aw) bisimila welcome. 

saha thanks. 

kodi/kori i Ȃuman nana ? did you have a nice trip ? 

ka na aw Ȃuman sǤrǤ I had a nice trip 

i ni fama It was a long time. 

a kεra fama ye It was a long time 

n nana n sara i la I came to inform you about my trip. 

SAMAW: GIFTS 

n sama bε min? where is my gift? 

i sama filε here is your gift. 

i sama bε kǤ I will bring it later. 

DUWAWUW/DUGAW: DUWAWUW/DUGAW: 

DUWAWUW/DUGAW: 

DUWAWUW/DUGAW: 

BLESSINGS 

BLESSINGS 

BLESSINGS 

BLESSINGS 

ka taa ka segin nǤgǤya May going and returning be easy 

ka ȂǤ ȂǤngǤn ȂǤ 

ye nǤgǤya May seeing each other be easy 

Ȃuman taa Ȃuman segin good trip, good return 

ka hεrε k’i Ȃε May peace be front of you }have a good trip. 

ka sira diya May the trip/road be good } 

ka segin n’i Ȃuman ye May you return well 

ka se n’i Ȃuman ye May arrive well 

ka hεrε fǤ n kǤ May peace come after me. 

79

IV IV IV 

IV---- GRAMMAR GRAMMAR GRAMMAR GRAMMAR 

• THE HABIT OF DOING SOMETHING: ka deli ka 

NB: ● This structure is used in the present to induicate that the subject has “the habit of doing 

something” or is used to do something. ka deli ka is follwed by the infinitive. 

THE THE THE THE PRESENT PRESENT PRESENT PRESENT TENSE TENSE TENSE TENSE 


S + bε + deli ka + V (transitif/intransitif) S + tε + deli ka + V (transitif/intransitif) 

A bε deli ka na n ka so. A tε deli ka taa a sen na baarakε yǤrǤ la. 

He is used to come to my house. He is not used to going to the office on foot. 


S + bε/tε deli ka + V (transitif/intransitif) ? 

THE THE THE THE PAST PAST PAST PAST TENSE TENSE TENSE TENSE 

NB: ●“ka deli ka” is used in the past tense to indicate that the subject has experience of doing 

something. It denotes that the subject has done something already or at least once. 


S + delila ka + V (transitif/intransitif) S + ma + deli ka + V (transitif/intransitif) 

N delila ka taa Gao bato la. A ma deli ka don awiyǤn kǤnǤ. 

I’ve been to Gao by boat He has never been in a plane. 


S + delila ka + V (transitif/intransitif)? 

THE THE THE THE IMPERFECT IMPERFECT IMPERFECT IMPERFECT TENSE: TENSE: TENSE: TENSE: 


S + tun bε + deli ka + V (transitif/intransitif) S + tun tε + deli ka + V (transitif/intransitif) 

A tun bε deli ka taa sinema na weekend o weekend N tun tε deli ka dumuni san sirada la. 


S + bε/tε deli ka + V (transitif/intransitif) ? 

I tun bε deli ka mun kε weekend o weekend sani i ka na Mali la? 

80

VVVV---- EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

• Answer to the following questions: 

1. I taara min site-visit la? 

2. I taara don jumεn? I seginna don jumεn? 

3. I taara cogodi? I taara bolifεn jumεn na? A tun falen don wa? 

4. I ni jǤn taara ȂǤgǤn fε? 

5. I ye tile joli kε yen? 

6. Ka bǤ Bamako ka taa i ka dugu la, i ye joli sara? 

7. I ye mun kε tile fǤlǤ? 

8. I ka dugu bε Mali fan jumεn fε? 

9. I ka dugu bε cogodi? 

10. A taama kεra cogodi? I ka taama ȂεfǤ an ye. 

11. I delila ka nin taama ȂǤgǤn kε wa? 

• Readjust the following situations: 

1- You are coming from a trip. 

A: I danse B:_______________________ 

A: taayǤrǤ mǤgǤw ka kεnε? B:_______________________ 

A: kor’i Ȃuman nana? B:_______________________ 

A: Sira diyara wa? B:_______________________ 

A: N sama bε min? B:_______________________ 

2- I am going to travel, make some blessings for me. 

A: N nana sara i la, n bεna taa dugu la B:_______________________ 

A: _________________ B:_______________________ 

A: _________________ B:_______________________ 

A: k’a hεrε fǤ n kǤ B:_______________________ 

• Make as in the following example. 

e.g.: N bε to ka wuli joona N bε deli ka wuli joona. 

A bε to ka n dεmε n ka baara la. ________________________ 

An bε to ka ȂǤgǤn sǤrǤ yen. ________________________ 

A tε to ka n fo. ________________________ 

81


e.g.: A binna moto la. A delila ka bin moto la. 


An taamana ȂǤgǤn fε _______________________________ 

An ma taa jamana wεrε la _______________________________ 

A ye nin mobili ȂǤgǤn dilan. _______________________________ 

N ma dǤlǤ min fǤlǤ. _______________________________ 




• Identify five (5) cooking tools with your mom/sister. 

• Identify five (5) meals cooked by your mom/sister at home. 

• Cite the most used transportation means in Mali. YES___ NOT YET__ 

• Ask appropriate questions to get informed about the means, the fare and the schedule of 

transportation regarding my trip, in a real situation. YES___ NOT YET__ 

• Use appropriate expressions to wish welcome or safe trip to a traveller. YES___ NOT YET__ 

82

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: DUMUNIW 

TALKING ABOUT MEALS 

1. Each trainee will be able to cite, at least, five (5) Malian meals without his/her 

notes. 

2. Each trainee will be able to explain, at least, one recipe to someone using 

his/her notes. 

3. Without any help, each trainee will be able to enumerate four (4) behaviors 

when eating in Mali and compare them to the American ones. 


Nin muso in bεka mun tobi? 

Mun ni mun bε gabugu kǤnǤ? 

1.It’s important to invite people to eat (feel free to say yes or no). 

2.Avoid smelling food. 

3.Always use your right hand to eat. 

4.Generally people eat together in the same bowl but men and women eat separately. 

5.Cooking is a women’s role. 

83

IIII---- TEXT TEXT TEXT TEXT Dumuniw ani dumunikεyǤrǤ ladaw. 

Mali ka bon, a siyaw fana ka ca. O n’a ta o ta, siyaw ka dumuniw n’u ka dumuniyǤrǤ 

ladaw man jan ȂǤgǤn na kosεbε. Mali siyaw caman bε to, basi, dεgε, mǤni, seri, samε ani 

malokini dun. U bεε bε dumuni kε siȂε saba tile kǤnǤ: daraka, tilelafana ani surafana. Musow 

ni cεw tε dumunikε ȂǤgǤn fε yǤrǤ caman na Mali la. Cεw wali musow bε dumunikε ȂǤgǤn fε 

minεn kelen kǤnǤ. Danfara dǤw bε siyaw ni ȂǤgǤn cε. Bamananw bε seri sukarontan walima 

tosira kε daraka ye. Bamananw fana ka surafana n’u ka tilelafana caman ye to ye. Malokini bε 

tobi nisǤndiya donw dǤrǤn. KǤrǤbǤrǤw bε furufuru kε daraka ye. U caman ka tilelafana ni 

surafana ye malokini ye. Basi ka di marakaw ye kǤsǤbε. Siyaw dǤw bε barika da dumuni kǤfε 

nka dǤw t’a da. 

DumuniyǤrǤ ye kalansoba ye Mali la. 

Nin muso in bεka mun tobi? 

O dumuni in tobicogo ȂεfǤ. 

84


Always remember your PCMO’s recommendations before buying or 

eating any food. 

Tamatina dilancogo 

Dilannifεw 

○ tamati mǤnenba ○ tigatulu ○ jabakεnε ○ kǤgǤ ○ ji 

Dilanniminεw 

○ barama/fugantasa ○ furunε ○ finfin ○ kutu ○ muru 

Dilancogo 

1. Finfin kε furunε kǤnǤ, tasuma kε finfin na. A fifa. 

2. Ni tasuma kamina, barama wala kasilǤri sigi tasuma kan. Ji dǤ k’a kǤnǤ. 

3. I tεgε ko k’a jε. Tamati ni jaba ko k’u jε. 

4. Tamati kε ji kalaman na. U kelen kelen ta, u fara b’u la. 

5. U bila tasa jεlen dǤ kǤnǤ. U nǤǤni. 

6. Barama sigi tasuma kan tuguni. Tulu hakε min bε bεn i ka tamati ma, o kε barama kǤnǤ. 

7. Tulu mana kalaya, tamati dǤǤni dǤǤni kε tulu la. To ka kutu kε k’a lamaga. 

8. Jaba tigε-tigε. A kε tamati na kan. 

9. kǤgǤ kε tamati na la, dǤǤni dǤǤni. To k’a nεnε. 

Duncogo n’a lamaracogo 

• Nin tamatina in bε se ka kε sogo jeninen, jεgε jirannen, woso, wala kǤmitεri balabalalen kan, k’u 

dun. Waa, a ka di kǤsεbε. 

• A lamaracogo man gεlεn. I b’a kε buteli dǤ kǤnǤ ka tulu dǤǤni k’a kan k’a lasago yǤrǤ sumannen na. 

• Tamatina kεfεnw ye jumεnw ye? 

• Kεfεnw wεrεw bε se ka don a dilanni na wa? 

• I bε se k’a lamara cogo wεrε jumεn na? 

85

II II II 


VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

dumuni food 

balo food. 

daraka breakfast 

tilelafana lunch. 

surafana dinner 

nafεn condiment. 

na sauce 

kεfεnw ingredients 

barama pot 

galama ladle. 

filen calabash 

muru knife. 

shilan food mill/reel 

furunε stove 

finfin charcoal 

fugan tasa aluminum bowl 

kini/malokini cooked rice 

basi cous-cous. 

dεgε ceam made of cereale 

mǤni porridge. 

to to (malian food) 

seri porridge. 

zamε cokked rice with condiments mixed 

furufuru fritter/doughnut 

tosira left over to 

basisira left over cous-cous 

minan utensil 

kolon mortar 

kolon-kala pestle 

kurun stool. 

kuyεri/kutu spoon 

tasa bowl. 

tobili cooking 

ȂǤ millet 

malo rice 

fini fonio. 

kaba maize 

yiriden mǤlen ripe fruit 

jaba onion 

tamati tomato. 

namasa banana 

lemuruba orange. 

lemurukumu lemon 

86

tiga peanut. 

foronto pepper 

layi garlay 

tulu oil 

x mugu the powder of x. 

tigadεgε peanut butter 

dabilenni hibiscus. 

kǤkǤ/kǤgǤ salt 

sogo/soko meat. 

siya ethnic group 

lada costum. 

x sukarotan x without sugar 

ka barika da/ ta to thank. 

o n’a ta o ta despite 

ka x susu to pound x. 

ka x ko k’a jε to wash properly 

ka x wǤrǤ to peel 

ka x kisε/kolo bǤ to take out seed 

ka x tigε tigε slice 

ka x suma to measure 

ka x daji to soak 

ka x shi to grind/crush 

ka x tobi to cook 

ka x kε minε kǤnǤ to put x in 

ka x mara to keep 

ka x lasagon to keep 

ka x jε to clean 

ka x nǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤni ǤǤ 

to mix 

ka x tigε to cut x. 

ka x kε y la/na to put x in y 

ka x wele y la to call x for y 

ka x datugu to cover x 

ka x dayεlε to open x. 

87

HERE HERE HERE ARE ARE OTHER OTHER WORDS WORDS AND AND EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS WHICH WHICH CAN CAN HELP HELP YOU 

YOU 

TO TO TALK TALK MORE MORE EASILY EASILY ABOUT ABOUT MEALS. 

MEALS. 

a barika thank you(after a meal) 

a barika Ala ye you are welcome. 

i ni gwa thank you 

i ni daba thank you. 

k’a suma i la you are welcome 

k’a suma i kǤnǤ you are welcome. 

na dumuni na come and eat 

n’an ka dumunikε come and eat. 

dumuni mǤnna the meal is ready 

dumuni sigira the meal is ready. 

n faara I’m full 

n falen don I’m full. 

n faara teu-teu I’m completely full 

n ye dumunikε sisan I have just eaten. 

k’i ni hεrε bεn good appetite 

nabaa/nabaga newcomer 

mun b’i bolo? what do you have? 

mun ni mun bε yan? what do you have here? 

a kǤkǤ cayara dǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤni ǤǤ 

there is too much salt 

kǤkǤ t’a la there is no salt in it. 

kan’a caya kosεbε don’t give too much 

dǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤni ǤǤ far’a kan add a little bit. 

III III III 

III---- DIALOG DIALOG DIALOG DIALOG 

Umaru: I ni sǤgǤma! 

Amadu: Nba. Cε! a kεra di? An m’i ye gεrεn na surǤ dε! 

Umaru: Foyi ma kε! N tun bε furusiridǤn yǤrǤ la. A kεra Ȃεnajεba ye. 

Amadu: A diyara wa? 

Umaru: Kojugu! Dumuni ma kε foyi ye! An y’an kǤnǤ fa ani ka dǤnkε fo ka dugu jε. 

Amadu: Ala ka kε furu ye! 


88

IV IV IV 


• THE USE OF kε 

NB: ● Kε has many meanings but in these strucures it means: to be done; to be made; to occur or 

happen. 

Below are the structures and some examples. 

• THE PRESENT TENSE: 


Suj + bε kε + Compl + ye Suj + tε kε + Compl + ye 

MǤni bε kε daraka ye sǤgǤma o sǤgǤma. To tε kε tilelafana ye an ka so. 

MǤni is made for breakfast every morning To is not made for lunch at our place 

• THE PAST TENSE: 


Suj + kεra + Compl + ye Suj + ma kε + Compl + ye 

A kεra baara ye! A ma kε foyi ye! Foyi ma kε! 

A kεra dǤgǤtǤrǤ ye. Aw ma kε wǤlǤntεriw ye fǤlǤ. 


Mun kεra? A kεra di? 

• THE FUTURE TENSE: 


Suj + bεna kε + Compl + ye Suj + tεna kε + Compl + ye 

Aw bεna kε wǤlǤntεriw ye sǤǤni. A tεna kε foyi ye. 

89


EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 


• Translate the following sentences into bambara. 

1- Sauce is made of peanut butter. _____________________________________________ 

2- The trainee becomes volunteer after nine weeks. ______________________________ 

3- One should not chat in class. _______________________________________________ 

4- One should not dance in the mosque. _______________________________________ 

5- John will be a good volunteer. ______________________________________________ 

6- What happened to you yesterday? __________________________________________ 

7- What will happen if you don’t go? ___________________________________________ 

• Explain the recipe of a meal you like to cook. 

• Exchange an American recipe you know for a Malian one with a friend. 

With your host mother/sister/neighbour, get informed about: 

• The type of meals she cooks 

• The recipe of this meals 

• The typical meals of her ethnic group. 




• Talk about meals in Mali and the states yes____not yet____ 

• Explain a recipe to someone yes____not yet____ 

• Compare the do and don’t while eating yes____not yet____ 

90

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: ȂȂȂȂANAJεW 

TALKING ABOUT FEASTS AND LEISURE 

1. Each trainee will be able, without his/her notes, to cite three (3) religious and 

three (3) traditional feasts in Mali. 

2. Each trainee will be able, without notes, to name, at least, three (3) leisure 

time activities in his/her community and describe one of them. 


• Answer to these questions. 

Nin ye mun Ȃεnajε ye ? 

DugumǤgǤw y’aw bisimila ka Ȃε aw na don wa ? 

Aw nisǤndiyara kǤsεbε wa ? 

Generally Malians are tolerant about religious feasts (mainly with 

Christian and Muslim feasts) but you may still come across some 

traditional ceremonies/feasts in rural area. 

91


1. 

Umaru: An ni sǤgǤma! 


Umaru: TiȂε don. N tun bε furusiridǤn yǤrǤ la. A kεra Ȃanajεba ye. 


Umaru: Kojugu. Jamaba de tun bε yen. An ye dumunikε ani ka dǤnkε fo ka dugu jε. 

Amadu: FǤlifεn jumεn tun bε yen? 

Umaru: An ye balani dǤn fo k’an sen kari. 

2. 

Jelikε: An ni su! 

Den-fa: Nba , aw ni su! 

Jelikε: Hεrε tilenna wa? 

Den-fa: Hεrε dǤrǤn. 

Jelikε: MǤgǤ nakun ka fisa i yεrε ye. 

N’i ye n wulilen ye ka se yan, juguman tε. 

A kun ye furu sira ye. 

Keyitalakaw ye woro tan ni fura siri, k’u Ȃε bǤra aw denmuso Fanta fε. 

U dun t’a ŋaniya ni foyi ye n’u denkε Bakari furumuso tε. 

Woro tan filε n’a bε bεn aw ma, o bε diy’an ye kǤsεbε. 

Den-fa: An bε woro minε fǤlǤ. Den bε yan, den baw bε yan. 

N’an y’olu Ȃininka, olu mana jaabi min di, an n’o fǤ aw ye. 

Nin diyar’an ye, a bεnn’an ma. Hakεto b’o kan. 

Jelikε: Aw Keyita! Ala k’a Ȃεn k’a d’an ma. N bε sira Ȃinin. 

Den-fa: Kuyate! Sira dir’i ma. K’an b’u fo! 

Jelikε: U n’a mεn! Ka su hεrε d’an ma! 


Avoid going to traditional ceremonies without invitation, however 

initiation is sometimes required. 

92

II II II 


VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

FǤLIF LIF LIFεNW LIF NW DDǤW 

D 

SOME SOME SOME INSTRUMENTS 

INSTRUMENTS 

jenbe drum 

balani xylophone 

ntamani hand-held drum 

gitari guitare 

ŋǤni an indigenous guitare 

kora kora 

file a flute 

ȂεNAJ NAJ NAJε NAJ DǤW SOME SOME FEASTS FEASTS 

FEASTS 

denkundi baptism 

furusiri/kǤȂǤ ǤȂǤ marriage 

furasi circoncision party 

seliba Tabaski 

selideni/seliȂinin Ramadan 

san yεlεma seli new year’s day 

yεrεma hǤrǤnya seli Independence day 

dǤn dance 

marasibǤ to play cards 

farikolo Ȃεnajε sports 

ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

gεrεn club 

jama crowd 

jeli griot 

woro kola nut 

bolomafara contribution 

ka.x sǤn to give a present 

ka tεgεrεfǤ to applaud 

morikε marabout 

93

III III III 


THE THE THE THE PASSIVE PASSIVE PASSIVE PASSIVE VOICE: VOICE: VOICE: VOICE: 

NB: ● The passive voice is formed by adding ra (na, la) to the infinitve form without ka (or bε of 

course). You can then notice that we get past form of the verb. 


Suj (passif)+ Vra/na/la + Compl (suj act) +(fε/bolo) 

Woro dira denfa ma jelikε fε. Woro minεna denfa fε. 

Dumuni sigira Fanta fε The meal has been set by Fanta 

Te wulila Tea has been boiled 

Mobili kora Musa fε The car has been washed by Moussa 


Suj (passif)+ ma +Verb + Compl (suj act) +(fε/bolo) 

Ayi furu ma siri fǤlǤ. Ayi wεri ma ci ne bolo. 

Mobili ma ko Musa fε The car has not been washed by Musa. 

94

IV IV IV 


EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 


e.g.: Bakari ye wari di Musa ma --------------> Wari dira Musa ma Bakari fε. 

1. Fanta ye ji kalaya. ________________________________________ 

2. KǤȂǤnmuso ye fini kuraw don. ______________________________ 

3. Jelikε ye gitari fǤ furusiri yǤrǤ la. ____________________________ 

4. An ye dǤn dabila su fε _____________________________________ 

5. U ye balani fǤ kǤsεbε ______________________________________ 

6. Jelikε ye wari caman sǤrǤ __________________________________ 


e.g.: Dumuni sigira ka ban --------------> Dumuni ma sigi fǤlǤ. 


1. Furusiri kεra misiri la. ______________________ 

2. An kunbεna ka Ȃε u fε. ______________________ 

3. Mobili tiȂεna a bolo. _______________________ 

4. Kini dunna ka ban. _________________________ 




• Identify at least three (3) or four (4) traditional or religious feasts at the 

host village. 

• Get informations about the games/leisures activities practiced in the 

village by the different social groups below: 

• The youth /boys/girls; 

• Kids; 

• Adults. 

• Explain a popular game of a group (youth/kids/adults) 

• Explain to someone (brother/sister) the following holydays 

• Halloween; 

• Thanksgiving. 

• Describe how I spend my free time yes_____not yet________ 

• Explain a game to somebody yes_____not yet________ 

95

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: MǤǤǤǤGǤǤǤǤ WELELI 

ACCEPT OR DECLINE AN INVITATION 

1. Without assistance, each trainee will be able to use, at least, three (3) 

expressions to invite someone in a real situation. 

2. Without his/her notes, each trainee will be able to use appropriately three (3) 

expressions to accept or decline an invitation. 


1. Formal invitations are not common. People are welcome at any social 

activities (events) except initiation or ritual ceremonies. 

2. When you invite a Malian in a restaurant, you are supposed to pay the 

bill. 


1. 

Mamu: Fanta! i ni fama sa! 

Fanta: An bεε ni fama. 

Mamu: I tununna dε! 

Fanta: O kεra! N tun taara dugu la. 

Mamu: I nani diyara n ye. TiȂε don, n dǤgǤmuso ka furusiri bε kε sibiri don. 

N’i b’a masǤrǤ, n b’a fε i ka na o la. An bε Ȃanajεba kε wula fε. 

Fanta: Basi tε, ni Ala sǤnna i bεna n ye. 

2. 

Umaru: I ni wula, Susan! 

Susan: Nse! Umaru, hεrε tilenna? 

Umaru: N bε Ala tanu! A bε diy’an ye n’i bε se ka n’an ka furusiridǤn yǤrǤ la bi su in na. 

Susan: Bi su in na! Haa! N tεn'a masǤrǤ. 

N bolo degunnen don barisa ȂǤgǤnye kεrεnkεrεnnen dǤ bε n bolo. 

A kεra baara ye. Kana jigin n na. Ala ka siȂε wεrε jir'an na. 

Umaru: N tεna jigin i la. Ala ka dugawu minε! 

Susan: Amiina! 

96

II II II 


1. Do not accept invitations from anyone you don’t know unless you talk to 

your counterpart about it. 

2. Do not stay late after an invitation and do not go back alone, especially, 

at night. 

3. Always share foods or drinks with people. 


VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS TO TO INVITE INVITE SOMEONE SOMEONE 

SOMEONE 

n ba Ȃin’i fε I would like you to 

n jigi b’i kan I count on you. 

o bε diya n ye It will please me 

n b’i deli Please (I am begging you). 

EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS TO TO ACCEPT ACCEPT AN AN INVITATIO INVITATION 

INVITATIO INVITATIO 

o diyara n ye It’s my pleasure(pleased me). 

i bε n Ȃεsigi Organize a meal for me (set something for me). 

Ala k’an to ȂǤ ȂǤgǤn ȂǤ 

ye May we count on each other. 

ni Ala sǤnna, i bε n ye If god pleases, you will see me. 

EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS TO TO DDECLINE 

D ECLINE AN INVITATION 

n t’a masǤrǤ I won’t have time 

n bolo degunnen don I am busy. 

a kεra baara ye What a pity 

kana jigi n na Don’t hold it against me. 

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III III III 


NB: ● Sa is used in two situations: 

i- As an emphatic: It means very. 

I ni fama sa! 

It has been a very long time! 

Nin cε ka jugun sa! 

This man is so mean! 

ii- It can mean, please. 

I sigi sa! 

Please sit down! 

Dumunikε sa! 

Eat, please! 

1. 1. 1. 1. THE THE THE THE EMPHATIC EMPHATIC EMPHATIC EMPHATIC SA SA:::: SA SA 

2. 2. THE THE EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS OF OF DESIRE DESIRE AND AND OBLIGATION 

OBLIGATION 

OBLIGATION 

NB: ● The expressions of desire and obligation require the use of the infinitive. 

• k’a fε ka to want 

N b’a fε aw ka tilen n ka so. 

I want you to spend the day at my house. 

• K’a Ȃini x fε to ask someone to. 

N y’ a Ȃini Mamadu n’a muso fε u ka na dumuni kε. 

I asked Mamadou and his wife to come and eat. 

• A ka di x ye to please to. 

A ka di n ye i ka n dεmε tobili la. 

I want you to help me to cook. 

• Wajibi don It’s obligatory. 

Wajibi don n ka taa nin dekundi yǤrǤ la. 

I have to go to this baptism. 

98

IV IV IV 


EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

• Complete this dialog. Accept the invitation. 

A: I ni sǤgǤma. B: __________________________ 

A: I ni fama. B: __________________________ 

A: I bε taa min? B: __________________________ 

A: Sini sufε, n bε te wuli n ka so. 

I bε se ka na wa? B: __________________________ 

A: O diyara n ye. B: __________________________ 

• Complete this dialog. Decline the invitation. 

A: N terimuso, i tununna dε. B: __________________________ 

A: N ba fε i ka taa bǤ n ye sini su fε, 

an bε te min ka barokε. B: __________________________ 

A: N b'i deli sa ! B: __________________________ 

A: I b’a masǤrǤ don jumεn. B: __________________________ 

A: Ayiwa, k’an b’u fo. B: __________________________ 

• Case study: The trainee Susan is invited by her brother to a wedding party. 

Her brother's cousin Invites her to dance repeatedly.A bit later she decides to go back home. 

The following day, she learns her brother and his cousin had a fight. since then, she feels 

uncomfortable at home. 

• You have a very nice malian friend. He invites you at his house. Tell him you are 

busy. Find out 2 or 3 excuses to decline the invitation. 

• Invite a village friend or a host family member to a technical activity of your 

sector in the village and tell him about the goals of that activity. 




• Use some expressions to invite someone in a real situation Yes___ not yet___ 

• Use appropriately some expressions to accept or decline an invitation. Yes__ not yet_ 

99

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: DεMε ȂȂȂȂININ 

ASKING FOR HELP 

Each trainee will be able to use three (3) appropriate expressions to ask for or 

decline a proposal of help without his/her notes in a given situation. 

Nin cε in bε mun na kεnεma? 

A ka baara ye mun ye? 

100


1. Offering and/or receiving help is not a sign of weakness or incompetence; 

it’s just a form of socialization. 

2. Both not offering or not accepting assistance can be embarrassing. 


Sarah: Ee! Mun kεra? N ka nεgεso bila! 

I bε taalen ni n ka nεgεso ye min? 

A ye son bεn! A' ye n dεmε! 

Musa: JǤn kulekan bε yan? Mun y’i sǤrǤ? 

JǤn donna i kan? 

Sarah: A’ ye na! A’ ye bǤ! 

Son taara ni n ka nεgεso ye. 

N b'aw deli. A’y’a kunbεn! A’ye Ȃε n ma! 

Musa: I hakili sigi. A tε se ka taa yǤrǤ jan. 

Passant: Kule dabila n balimamuso. U ye i ka son minε. 

A ni nεgεso b’u bolo ka na. 

Sarah: O ye Ala tanu ye. Aw ni ce! Aw ni baraji! 

Hakεto! Musa, n hakili la, n ka kan ka sokǤlǤsila dǤ Ȃinin 

min bεna n ka dukǤnǤna kǤlǤsi, k’a janto da la. 

Musa: O ka nǤgǤn. An bεna mǤgǤ sεbε Ȃinin i ye. 

Hali ni mǤgǤ wεrε fǤra i kǤ, ale na sǤrǤ yan. 


1. Never hesitate to ask for help if necessary. 

2. Never use words or expressions for help if there is no danger. 

101

II II II 


VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS USED USED USED TO TO ASK ASK FOR FOR HELP: 

HELP: 

wooyi! wooyi! wooyi n ba den! interjection used to ask for help 

a’ye na! come over here 

a’ye bǤ! come out 

Ȃε n ma! Please/help me 

n dεmε! help me 

a/u bεna bin n kan ! she/he (they are) is agressing me. 

a/u bε n kǤ! she/he (they are) is purchasing me. 

i bε se ka n dεmε wa?/a’ye n dεmε! can you help me? 

EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS USED USED TO TO REFUSE REFUSE HELP: 

HELP: 

i lafiȂε (sa)! get a rest 

n ma jigin i la. I excuse you 

a ka Ȃi ten. its good enough 

EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS USED USED IN IN A A CASE CASE OF OF AGRESSION: 

AGRESSION: 

n bila!/ n bolo bila! leave me alone 

a ye son bεn! thief ! thief ! 

sabali be tolerant (easy) 

hinε n na ! have pity on me 

n b'i deli ! please 

n to ala ye (kama/kǤsǤn) for god’s sake, leave me. 

EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSIONS USED USED IN IN A A CASE CASE OF OF INDESIRED INDESIRED ATTENTION: 

ATTENTION: 

bǤ n kun na! leave me alone 

n to yen! leave me alone 

i da bǤ n na! leave me alone 

fara n na! leave me alone 

i Ȃε bǤ n na! why do you stare at me? 

i bε n lajε munna? why do you stare at me? 

i bε n foto fε wa? Do you want my picture? 

i ma n ȂǤ ȂǤgǤn ȂǤ 

ye wa? haven’t you seen anyone like me? 

mun kεra?/a kεra di ?/mun don? what’s the matter? 

EXPRESSION 

EXPRESSIONS EXPRESSION S USED USED TO ADDRESS A GUARDIAN/A HOUSEWORKER: 

k’i janto x la/na to pay attention to x. 

ka x kǤlǤsi to take care of/to look after x. 

ka x bila ka don to let x get in 

ka x gεn to chase x. 

ka x makǤnǤ to wait for x. 

ka fǤ x kǤ to miss. 

ka x kalifa to give/to look after 

ka gεrεn x la to get close to x. 

102

III III III 


EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 


• Translate the following sentences and phrases into Bambara. 

1- Come early tomorrow. Clean up the courtyard. 

________________________________________________________ 

2- Don’t leave the door open. Lock it. 

________________________________________________________ 

3- Watch out the wall behind. 

________________________________________________________ 

4- Don’t let anyone enter the house. 

________________________________________________________ 

5- Chase animals and water the trees. 

________________________________________________________ 

6- If my friend comes while I am not here, tell him/her to wait for me. 

________________________________________________________ 

• Explain to someone (PTC/LCF/brother/sister) an incident a trainee or anyone 

you know has been victim of. 

• Give the circonstences of that incident; 

• The victim’s reaction; 

• The help she/he got from the others. 

• With your parents, identify at least two (2) activities according to the seasons and 

the genre 

NB: ●Use the board below: 

1- Cεw 

bε 

2- Musow 

bε 

1- Fonεnε 

____________________ 

____________________ 

____________________ 

____________________ 




2- Tilema 

____________________ 

____________________ 

____________________ 

____________________ 

3- Taratile 

____________________ 

____________________ 

____________________ 

____________________ 

4- Samiya 

____________________ 

____________________ 

____________________ 

____________________ 

• Use the appropriate expressions to ask for or decline a proposal of help in a given 

situation: yes_____not yet_____ 

103

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: WAATIW LAHALAW 

TALKING ABOUT THE WEATHER 

1. Each trainee, without his/her notes, will be able to cite three (3) 

characteristics of the main seasons in Mali. 

2. Without assistance, each trainee will be able to cite, at least, two (2) 

activities related to the seasons, according to gender. 


1. Group works are generally organized during the rainy season in public or 

individual fields in some rural areas. 

2. In some places, people perform sacrifices in the beginning of the rainy 

season for a better harvest. 


Respect the hygienic rules to avoid getting malaria, diarrhea… 

104


John: Amadu, i ni sǤgǤma. 

Amadu: Nba, hεrε sira John? 

John: Hεrε dǤrǤn. N bε taa bǤ n terikε ka foro la ka na. 

Amadu: Ee! I t'i jǤ dǤǤni. E Ȃε tε sanfinnenba la? 

John: E ko nin san bε na sisan? 

Amadu: Funteni b'a kǤrǤ cogo min na, ne miiri la a bε na. 

John: Funteni ye sanji tamasere ye aw fε yan wa? 

Amadu: ǤwǤ, nka o dǤrǤn tε dε! San tamasere dǤ wεrεw ye kabanǤgǤ, tile bǤ cogo 

ani fiȂε ci cogo ye. Hali kǤnǤ dǤw bε san kibaruya fǤ an sεnεkεlaw ye. 

John: Kabako! Ni n bε taa, n bεna n ka sanji minεfini ta. I ni ce. 

Amadu, n mana segin, an bε se ka barokε Mali waatiw ni Ameriki taw kan wa? 

Amadu: O bε diya n ye kosǤbε. Ola n yεrε bεna faamuya dǤ sǤrǤ Ameriki kan. 

K'an bεn sǤǤni. 

John: K'an bεn! Ka hεrε fǤ n kǤ. 

Amadu: Amina! K'i Ȃuman segin! 


1. Avoid standing under a tree or next to a mud wall when it rains to avoid 

thunder or the wall falling on you. 

2. Always lock your room when sleeping out during hot season. 

105

II II II 


VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

tilema dry season 

taratile hot and dry season 

samiya rainy season 

fonεnε cold season 

funteni waati hot season 

nεnε tuman cold season 

gǤngǤn the dust 

kabakolo sky 

sanji rain 

san pεrεn thunder balt 

san kulu thunder 

san mεgεru lightning 

san bεlεni the hail 

cǤcǤ heavy rain 

sanfin the storm 

fiȂε the wind 

funteni the heat 

kawula hot and humid season 

bǤgǤ mud 

kabanǤgǤ cloud 

tubabu kalo gregorian calendar 

farafin kalo lunar month 

zanwuye (kalo) January 

Feburuye February 

marisi March 

Awirili April 

mε May 

Zuwεn June 

Zuluye July 

uti August 

Sεbutanburu September 

ǤkutǤburu October 

Nowanburu November 

desanburu December 

dibi donnen don it is dark 

sanba nana It rained a lot 

nεnε bε kε/bǤ sǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤni ǤǤ 

it will be cold soon 

funteni bε/kε bǤ sǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤni ǤǤ 

it will be hot soon 

106

III III III 


EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 


• Translate the following sentences: 

1. It rained a lot last night. 

2. A bad wind blew before the rain. 

3. Kids hid themselves behind the big tree. 

4. The big Moussa fell into the mud 

5. His clothes are very dirty now 

• Talk with your parents in the village in order to get information on their different 

activities during the different seasons. 

• Interview some resource persons in your training site to identify: 

• The activities according to the seasons and the genre. 

NB: ●Use the board below: 

SankǤǤǤǤnǤǤǤǤ kalow waati 

Zanwuye(kalo) fonεnε waati 

Feburuye(kalo) 

Marisi(kalo) 

Awirili(kalo) 

Mε(kalo) 

Zuwεn(kalo) 

Zuluye(kalo) 

Uti(kalo) 

Sεbutanburu(kalo) 

ǤkutǤburu(kalo) 

Nowanburu(kalo) 

Desanburu(kalo) 

Baaraw/hajuw 

(Write the number corresponding to the activities/events) 

1 

m/w 

• nakǤ baara 1 •jiriden tǤmǤ 8 

• jago misεn 2 •suma tigε 9 

• tungalataa/dugubakǤnǤtaali 3 •seginkǤtuma 10 

• forobabana 4 •furusiriw tuma/kǤȂǤ ǤȂǤ ǤȂǤw ǤȂǤ 11 

• so dila/jo 5 •suma dεsε 12 

• biriki dila 6 •wari sǤrǤ tuma 13 

• foro baaraw 7 •seliw 14 




• man (m) 

• woman (w) 

• Talk about the different seasons in Mali: Yes _____ Not Yet _____ 

• Talk about the different activities of people according to the season :Yes __ Not Yet __ 

107

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: SEKO NI DǤǤǤǤNKOW 

TALKING ABOUT ONE’S SKILLS 

1. Each trainee, without help, will be able to explain in detail his/her work to 

another person. 

2. Without notes, each trainee will be able to explain in detail one specific 

activity related to his/her technical sector. 


1. Some people (Malians) do not want to share their talents with others for 

the reason of always being a reference. 

2. In Mali, a lot of people acquire their knowledge or skills without going to 

school. Some inherit them. 

108

IIII---- TEXT TEXT TEXT TEXT Sekow ni bololabaaraw 

Bololabaarakεlaw jǤyǤrǤ ka bon kǤsǤbε jamana in kǤnǤ. Kabini lawale la, an ka minεnw 

fanba bεε bε dilan bololabaarakεlaw de fε. Dugu si tε taa u kǤ. Ulu de b’an mago caman Ȃε. I 

bε garankεw, gesedalaw, numuw, sanu ni warijε fagalaw, dagadilannaw, kǤlǤnsennaw, 

sojǤlaw, jiridεsεlaw, kundigilaw, mekanisiȂεw, menizenw sǤrǤ an ka dugu caman kǤnǤ. 

Nin seko ni dǤnko mǤgǤw fana tε taa sεnεkεlaw, nakǤbaaralaw, bagangεnnaw, 

mǤnikεlaw, dosow ni jeliw kǤ. 

II II II 


In Mali, many handworkers don’t use safety tools to protect themselves. 

II---- DIALOG DIALOG DIALOG DIALOG 

Amadu: N terikε John, e yεrε bε mun baarakε an ka dugu in kǤnǤ? 

John: Ȃinikali Ȃuman! Ne ye yiriforow ni kungoyiri nafamaw lakanabaa wǤlǤntεri ye. 

N bε baarakε sεnεkεlaw ni nakǤtigiw fε. N bε ladilikan di mǤgǤw ma yirituru ni yiriw 

ladoncogo Ȃuman kan. N bε dugu mǤgǤw dεmε yirishεnw sǤrǤ cogo n’u turu cogo la 

ani nǤgǤ ni nǤgǤdingεw dilanni fana la. N bε taa nakǤw ni forow kǤnǤ tuma ni tuma ka 

kuma nin fεnw kan. 

Amadu: Ayiwa! Ne hakili la, n y’i ka baara faamu sisan. Ala k’i dεmε. 

109

III III III 

III---- VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

PROFESSIONS/WORKERS 




bololabaarakεla hand worker/artisan 

garankε cobbler/shoemaker 

numu blacksmith 

gesedala weaver 

baganmarala cattle breeder 

masǤn builder/mason 

minize joiner/carpenter 

mǤnnikεla fisherman 

sεnεkεla/cikεla farmer 

yiriturubaara plantation/tree planting 

mekanisiȂε mechanic 

baarakεden servant/domestic 

baaraȂini laborer 

nakǤbaarala gardener 

nakǤbaara gardening 

kεnεya ni saniya baara health educator 

ji ni saniya baara water sanitary work 

kǤlǤnsenna well digger 

jagokεla merchant 

jagomisεn layiriwali baarakεla "SED" agent 

SOME SOME SOME SOME EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

EXPRESSIONS 

seko ni dǤnko aptitude 

x dilala reparman 

x tε fosi dǤn x knows nothing 

x tε se foyi la x can’t do anything 

x ye fugari ye x is good for nothing 

x baara nǤ ka Ȃi x does a good job 

x bε se baara Ȃuman na x does a good job 

ka x kε ka Ȃε to do x well 

ka dεsε x la not to be able to x 

k’i kamana gan to cause trouble/to puzzle 

k’i kǤnǤna fili to cause trouble/to puzzle 

ka se ka can/ to be able to 

ka se x la to be able to do x 

ka x ȂεfǤ to explain 

110

Te wulicogo 

Wulifεnw 

○ te ○ sukaro ○ nanaye ○ ji 

Teminεnw 

○ barada ○ furunε ○ finfin ○ wεriw ○ pilato 

Wulicogo 

N'i bε te wuli, i bε fǤlǤ ka: 

1. tasuma Ȃaga, o kǤ i bε te kε barada kǤnǤ. 

2. I bε ji wεri Ȃε naani ni tila k'a la. 

3. O kǤ i bε barada sigi tasuma kan. I b'a wuli miniti bisaba kǤnǤ. 

4. Tuma kelen kelen, i b'a jigin ka teji kε barada wεrε kǤnǤ. 

5. O kǤ, i bε sukaro k'a la. I bε sǤrǤ k'a suuru wεriw kǤnǤ walasa ka sukaro yelen teji la. 

6. O kǤ, i b'a nεnε ni sukaro y'a bǤ. I bε teji yεlεma barada kǤnǤ tuguni. 

7. I b'a kalaya dǤǤni. 

8. MǤgǤ caman bε teji dǤ to wεri kelen kǤnǤ walasa ka musi dila n'o ye wεri tǤw kǤnǤ. 

9. I bε tila ka wεriw kǤ sananko. 

10. Te mana kalaya dǤǤni, i b'a tila wεriw ni ȂǤgǤn cε k'a di mǤgǤw ma. 

11. Segin bε kε ni kan fo siȂε saba. 

12. SiȂε fila tǤw la i bε se ka nanaye k'a la. 

13. Temugu ni ji hakε bε yεlεma mǤgǤw hakε kǤsǤn. 

SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPLEMENTARY VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

barada tea pot 

ka x kε y la/kǤnǤ to put x into y 

wεri glass 

ka x suuru to pour x 

pilato plate 

ka x fifa to ventilate x 

furunε stove 

ka x kalaya to heat up 

finfin/sharibon charcoal 

ka x sumaya to cool 

sukaro sugar 

ka x nεnε to taste 

te tea 

ka x wuli to boil 

nanaye mint 

ka x Ȃaga to make x alive 

hakε the quantity 

ka x yεlεma to put x in an other recipient 

musi/kangaji the froth 

111

ka x sananko to clean x 

tuma kelen kelen from time to time 

x Ȃε + nombre the number of the content of x 

ka x jigin to take out of 

ka x yelen to dissolve x 

ka x tila to share x 

IV IV IV 


• The action noun 

NB: ● Action Nouns are formed from verbs by adding the suffix li 

e.g.: BajǤw ni kǤbafiniw dilali t’a kǤnǤna fili. 

Ka ___ dila (to repare… ) -----------�� dilali (reparing …) 

Verb + li �� noun 

da weave dali weaving 

dila repare dilali reparing 

taa go taali going 

fo greet foli greeting 

There are a number of exceptions to this rule wich must be memorized. A few of the most 

common are: 

kalan study kalan studying 

baara work baara work 

min drink min drinking 

baro converse baro conversing 

sεnε grow, farm sεnε farming 

• The agentive noun: 

NB: ● Agentive nouns, that is, nouns that refer to the doers of actions, are formed in Bambara by 

compounding the object and the verb and adding the suffix la and it litteraly translates by the "action 

doer" 

Noun + Verbe + la �� Noun 

Vkε + la �� Noun 

e.g: geseda weave thread gesedala weaver 

baarakε do work baarakεla worker 

sεnεkε do farming sεnεkεla farmer 

mǤnnikε do fishing mǤnnikεla fisherman 

112


EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

• Translate into Bambara. 

1- We cannot make tea. 

__________________________________________________ 

2- Gardening is beneficial. 

__________________________________________________ 

3- I am going to work with my village women’s association. 

__________________________________________________ 

4- We must work well with our villagers. 

__________________________________________________ 

5- I am going to help merchants to improve their business. 

__________________________________________________ 

6- I will start with knowing my village labor, then I will start working. 

__________________________________________________ 

7- Some volunteers do good jobs. 

__________________________________________________ 

8- We are going to help with environment protection. 

__________________________________________________ 

9- Our job is not to give money to people, but we are going to help them with the 

country development works. 

___________________________________________________ 

• Complete the following chart according to the PCV’s profile. 

PROGRAM PROFESSION JOB DESCRIPTION 

-A bε yirishεn foro labεn 

Environment (AG/NRM) 

Small Enterprises Development 

(SED) 

-A bε yiri turu 

-A bε yiriw lakana 

- 

Education 

Health Education 

Water Resources 

Management (WRM) 

EkǤli karamǤgǤ 

113

• Complete the following sentences according to the image 

1. Samba ye ____________ ye. A bε wolo baara ka ________ ni ______ dila. A bε _____ 

tigε, k’a kala, k’a nǤrǤ. 

2. ____________ Kante bε nεgε baara ka ______ ni __________ ni jelekisε dila. A b’u 

kalaw dila ni _____ ye. I ka nεgεmafεn o fεn mana tiȂε, a bε se k’o labεn. 

3. Bozo Mama ye ____________ ye. MǤnnikεla dǤw ye sǤmǤnǤw ye. U bε ____ mǤn ni 

___ ye. A mana jεgεw ______, a muso bε taa u feere sugu la. Tuma ni tuma, a bε tilen 

a ka ______ kǤnǤ baji kan. 

4. Alu bε gese ___ ni _____ ye. A bε se fini cεȂiw dali la. BajǤw ni kǤbafiniw ____ t’a 

kǤnǤna fili. 

5. Musajan bε _____________ labεn i n’a fǤ: mobiliw, _______ ani ______. Olu ______ t’a 

kamana gan. A hakili sigilen don. A ka _______ ka Ȃi. A tε dεsε ________ la. 

• Describe the work you will do as a volunteer by starting it in a three 

month Action Plan. 

• Give the advantages and disadvantages of your work. 

114


• Demonstrate one of your aptitudes to someone in your host family. 

• Interview some resource persons in your training site to identify: 

• The name of the different chiefs who followed another village. 

• Interview some resource persons in your training site to identify development 

partners that heled with: 

• The fundamental school/the community school; 

• The health center; 

• The community well or pump; 

• The community garden; 

• The millet grinder, etc. 




• Explain in detail my work to another person: yes___ not yet_____ 

• Explain in detail one specific activity related to my technical sector: yes___ not yet_____ 

115

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: SIGIYǤǤǤǤRǤǤǤǤ KUNNAFONNIW 

GETTING INFORMED ABOUT ONE’S AREA 

1. Without help, each trainee will be able to ask appropriately, at least, three (3) 

questions to get informed about his/her site. 

2. Each trainee will be able to interview, at least, two (2) resource persons in 

order to list NGOs and development partners working in his/her commune. 


1. People scrupulously respect customs and taboos in Mali. 

2. People don’t appreciate much curiosity. 

3. People don’t always give clear answers to questions related to taboos. 

4. To get informed about the area, it is better to ask older people. 

116


Musa: Eh! John, i ni faama! 

John: Musa, i ni waati. I bε di? 

Musa: Alhamudulilayi! I bε dugu jumεn na sisan? 

John: N sigilen don Jitumu mara la, Keleya kεrεfε. 

Musa: Keleya lamini duguw ye dugu kǤrǤw ye. 

John: TiȂε don! Dugutigi ko: ale ka dugu in tutigε tuma mεnna kǤsεbε. 

Dugu in sigira ka kǤn Tubabu fanga Ȃε. 

Musa: Ha! O ye dugu kǤrǤ ye. Siya jumεnw bε yen? 

John: Siya caman. Bamananw ka ca ni siya tǤw ye Jitumu mara kǤnǤ. Fulaw ni 

Maninkaw fana sigilen bε yen 

yen. Siginfεw bε sǤrǤ yen, i n’a fǤ Korokow, Marakaw, KǤrǤbǤrǤw, DongǤnǤw ani 

siya wεrεw. 

Musa: O ye siya caman ye. I ye yen mǤgǤya kεcogo bεε faamu ka ban? 

John: DǤǤni dǤǤni. Nka yirikurun mεn o mεn ji la, a tε kε bama ye. N bε ka ladaw ni 

korǤw ȂεȂinin. 

Musa: Ayiwa! O de ka Ȃi. Ala k'i dεmε. 

John: Amiina! K'an bεn! 


Before undertaking any activity, ask about the myths and traditions of the 

area. 

117

II II II 


VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

LADAW LADAW LADAW LADAW NI NI NI NI KOKǤǤǤǤRRRRǤǤǤǤWWWW KOK KOK KOK 

ladaw customs 

kokǤrǤw traditions 

furu marriage 

tana taboo 

silamε furusiri religious wedding 

dasiri totem 

furu nafolo dowry 

sǤnni sacrifice 

kǤȂǤ ǤȂǤ ǤȂǤn ǤȂǤ 

wedding 

sǤnnikεyǤrǤ place for sacrifice 

kǤȂǤ ǤȂǤ ǤȂǤn ǤȂǤ so nuptial chamber/honey moon 

seli feast 

denkundi baptism 

seliba Tabaski 

bolokoli circonscision/excision 

selincini Ramadan feast 

saya/banni death 

sunkalo fasting month 

dinε religion 

silamε dinε Islam 

kerecεn dinε Christianity 

SIYAW SIYAW SIYAW SIYAW ETHNIC ETHNIC ETHNIC ETHNIC GROUPS GROUPS GROUPS GROUPS 

bamanan maninka maraka fula senufo 

bǤbǤ miniyanka bozo kadǤ kasǤnka 

kǤrǤbǤrǤ burudamε suraka. 

118

NB: ● You can meet all the ethnic groups every where in Mali. But there is a concentration of some ethnic 

groups in certain regions such as: 

REGIONS ETHNIC GROUPS LAST NAME OCCUPATIONS OBSERVATION 

KAYES 

KOULIKORO 

SIKASSO 

SEGOU 

MOPTI 

TOMBUKTU 

GAO 

KIDAL 

Sarakollé/Maraka 

Khassonké/Kasonkha 

Malinké/Maninka 

Peulh/Foulani 

Maure/Suraka 

Bambara/Bamanan 

Malinké/Maninka 

Somono/Bozo 

Maure/Souraka 

Senoufo 

Minianka 

Peulh/foulani 

Bambara/Bamanan 

Peulh/Foulani 

Bozo/Somono 

Bobo/Bowa 

Peulh/foulani 

Bozo 

Dogon 

Sonraï/KǤrǤbǤrǤ 

Touareg/Arabe 

Maure 


Touareg/Arabe 

Maure 


Touareg/Arabe 

Maure 

Soumaré/Diawara/Doucouré/Silla/Konté 

Sakho/Gassama/Sissoko/Kanté/Diakité 

Diallo/Sakiliba/Keita/Camara/Konaté 

Konaré/Sissoko/Diallo/Diakité/Sidibé 

Sangaré/Bah/Ould 

Coulibaly/Diarra/Traoré/Koné/Mariko 

Keita/Camara/Konaté/Konaré/Doumbia 

Diabenta/Dienta/Djiré/Karabenta 

Ould/ 

Bamba/Coulibaly/Sanogo/Bagayogo 

WonogoCoulibaly/Cissouma/Bengaly 

Dembélé/Wattara 

Diallo/Diakité/Sidibé/Sangaré/Bah 

Coulibaly/Diarra/Traoré/Koné/Mariko 


Diabenta/Dienta/Djiré/Karabenta 

Kamata/Sinanta/Dembélé/Kwéné/Dakouo 

Dakono/Kamaté 


Diabenta/Dienta/Djiré/Karabenta/Kamata 

Guindo/Tapily/DoloOuologuem/Angoiba 

Tembely/Timbiné 

Maïga/Touré/Cissé/Askofaré…. 

Ag /Ben /Ould 


Ag /Ben /Ould 


Ag /Ben /Ould 

Trade/Agriculture 

Animal rising/Fishing 

Craft 



Craft 


Animal rising 

Craft 



Craft 



Craft 



Craft 



Craft 

Trade/Gardening 


Craft 

Sedentary 

Immigration 

Semi-nomad 

Sedentary 

Immigration 

Semi-nomad 

Sedentary 

Sedentary 

Nomad 

Semi-nomad 

Sedentary 

Nomad 

Semi-nomad 

Sedentary 

Nomad 

Semi-nomad 

Sedentary 

Nomad 

Semi-nomad 

Sedentary 

Nomad 

Semi-nomad 

Joking cousin: 

Sarakollé and Sonraï Malinké and Sarakollé Bozo and Dogon Peulh and Dogon Coulibaly, Diarra and Traoré 

etc. 

Coulibaly and Traoré/Dembélé… 

119

III III III 


• Comparative construction 

NB: ● Comparative constructions can be formed in Bambara with the postpositional phrases according to the 

following patterns. 

1. Equality 

2. Superiority 

3. Inferiority 

4. Look alike/the same 

X ni Y ye kelen ye 

Mali ladaw ni Ameriki ladaw ye kelen ye wa ? 

Are Malian and American customs the same? 

X ni Y tε kelen ye 

Mali ladaw ni Ameriki ladaw tε kelen ye. 

Malian customs and American customs are not the same. 

X ni Y ka kan 

Bamanankan ni julakan ka kan dǤǤni. 

Bamanan and Jula are a bit similar (the same). 

X ni Y man kan 

Bamanan ladaw ni fula ladaw man kan. 

Bambara customs and fulani ones are not the same. 

X ka + Adj + ni Y ye 

Maninkakan ka kǤrǤ ni bamanankan ye. 

The Malinke language is older than the Bambara language. 

X man + Adj + ni Y ye 

Fulakan man nǤgǤn ni Bamanankan ye. 

The Fulfulde language is not easier than Bambara language. 

X ni Y bǤlen don/bε/tε 

Amadu ni a denw bǤlen don 

Amadou and his children look alike. 

X bǤlen don/tε Y fε 

Farafina kokǤrǤ dǤw bǤlen don Ameriki ta dǤw fε. 

Some African customs look like some American ones. 

120

IV IV IV 


EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 


• Answer the following questions: 

1. Furusiri bε kε cogodi Mali la? 

2. Furu ladaw ye mun ye? 

3. Mun bε kε furusiri don Ameriki? 

4. Munna musow tε furu jǤǤna Ameriki? 

5. Munna muso caman furu dagalen tε Ameriki? 

6. Mun ye furusa caya Ameriki? 




• Go to the chief of the village to find out information about: 

• The village creation; 

• Its population 

• People’s activities. 

• ask appropriately, questions to get informed about my site: yes___ not yet_____ 

121

Objectives: 

Communicative Task: JAMA HAKILI JAKABǤǤǤǤ 

LEADING A COMMUNITY MEETING 

1. Each trainee will be able to use, at least, three (3) expressions to ask for the 

audience’s patience during a real meeting. 

2. Without help, each trainee will be able to, at least, three (3) appropriate 

expressions to introduce (open) or to end (close) a meeting in his/her 

community. 

3. Each trainee will be able to ask two (2) questions to get people’s opinions on 

the subjects in a real situation. 


1. Generally people don’t come on time to meetings. 

2. Generally men and women sit apart and men talk more than women. 

3. In a traditional meeting, the speech goes from elders to youngsters. 

4. In some cases, there is a griot who says loudly what has been said. 

5. Meetings usually happen in the evening or at early night. 

122


John: A’ ni wula yankaw, an tilenna hεrε la, Ala k’an si hεrε la. 

Jeliba: Nba! A ni wula, aw bisimila! A ye dǤ di. 

John: Saha! An ma na baasi la, an ye Saniya baarakεlaw ye. 

An nana walasa an bε se ka hakilina falen falen dugu saniya cogo kan. 

Jeliba: Dugutigi, ayiwa kuma tε! U ko, k’u nana k’an dεmε ka dugu saniya. 

Dugutigi: Jeliba, a fǤ dunanw ye: k’u nali diyar’an ye. K’u bisimila! 

John: Gεlεya jumεn bε yan saniyako la? 

Amadu: Ne bε kuma Ȃinin. 

Jeliba: Kuma b’i bolo, Amadu. 

Amadu: Ne hakili la, Ȃaman ani jinǤgǤko gεlεya de b’an kan bi. 

John: Kuma Ȃεna! Aw hakili la fεrε jumεnw bε se ka sǤrǤ olu la? 

(makan caman….) 

Jeliba: A ye hakεto, an ka ȂǤgǤn lamεn! 

Bakari: Baasi tε, ne hakili la, ni bεε bε se ka taa Ȃaman bǤn dugu kǤfε yǤrǤ kelen na, 

o bε fisaya. Ani fana, an k’an hakili to ji saniyali la. 

John: Yankaw, anw hakili la, bεε ye famuya sǤrǤ tǤnsigi in kǤnǤ. 

Aw ni ce, aw ni baraji! Ala k’an bεn a ȂǤgǤn wεrε ma. Sisan an b’a fε ka sira 

Ȃinin. 

123

II II II 


VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

VOCABULARY 

aw bisimila! 

dǤ di/dǤ fǤ 

kuma b’i bolo 

aw nali diyara anw ye. 

• To welcome: 

• To ask for the speech: 

ne bε kuma Ȃinin jama fε 

kuma ka gεlεn 

n’i donna min gasi la, o ka yafa n ma 

anw ma na baasi la 

juguma tε 

Ala sago, aw sago 

hatε! 

naamu! tiȂε! 

a’ ma kuma mεn! 

a’ ma kǤrǤfǤ mεn! 

aw ye hakεto! 

aw ye sabali! 

aw ye ȂǤ ȂǤgǤn ȂǤ 

lamεn! 

Ala k’an son sabali la! 

n bε yafa Ȃinin jama fε. 

n b’a fε ka sira Ȃinin. 

• To approve/to agree with someone: 

• To remind people to be quiet: 

• To take a leave: 

• To think the audience: 

aw ni ce! aw ni baraji! 

Ala k’aw sara! 

Ala k’an to ȂǤ ȂǤgǤn ȂǤ 

ye! 

Ala k’an kafolen to! 

Ala k’an Ȃε k’a d’anw ma! 

Ala k’an bεn a ȂǤ ȂǤgǤn ȂǤ 

wεrε ma. 

124

III III III 


• The demonstrative adjective nin 

NB: ● The demonstrative nin can occur both before and after the noun it modifies: 

e.g: nin cε… this man… 

cε nin… this man… 

● When following the noun, nin can always have the reduced form: 

e.g: nin cε in… this man… 

cε in… this man… 

• The relative pronoun min 

NB: ● Bambara has only one relative pronoun min which corresponds to who, which, that, 

whose in English. 

1. In subject position (Relative clause) 

e.g: Jon ye fini san? Who bought the cloth? 

Cε min taara. The man who left. 

Cε min taara, o ye fini san. The man who left, (he) bought the cloth. 

Cε min nana surafana dun, o ye n terikε ye. 

The man who came to dinner, that one is my friend. 

The man who came to dinner is my friend. 

NB: ● In the main sentence, the demonstrative pronoun o is used to refer back to the noun followed by the 

relative clause marker min. 

2. In object position (Relative clause) 

e.g: N bε cε min fo … The man whom I greet … 

3. In adverbial phrases 

NB: ● Adverbial phrases such as those of place, time, and manner can contain relative clauses, equivalent to 

sentences such as the following: 

e.g: I tun bε yǤrǤ min, ne tun bε yen. I was at the place that you were/I was where you 

were. 

I tun bε yen tuma min, ne tun bε yen o tuma. I was there when you were there. 

I y’a kε cogo min, n y’a kε ten. I did it in the way that you did it. 

125

IV IV IV 


EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 

EXERCISES 




• Look for the meaning of this proverb: “I dege mǤnni na, o ka fisa ni don 

go don jεgε deli ye.” 

And try to convince your LCF that a true development is not synonymous of 

gift. 

• ask questions to get people’s opinions on the subjects in a real situation: yes__ not yet__ 

• Express my point of view to someone: yes___ not yet___ 

126

127

Grammatical Notes: KǤǤǤǤBILAW 

SUFFIX 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

BoloŋŋŋŋǤǤǤǤnnin kelen tε se ka bεlε ta! 

Look for the meaning of this proverb and try to use it appropriately 

• The suffix lan 

NB: ● lan is a suffix that can be placed on a verb to derive the instrument that performs the 

action described by the verb. If the verb ends with a nasalized consonant or vowel, this siffix 

becomes nan. 

e.g: sigi to seat/sit (down) sigilan a chair 

tigε to cut tigεlan cutter 

min to drink jiminnan water drinker 

• The suffix ntan (without the property of…) ≠ ma (having the property 

of…) 

NB: ● ntan is a suffix equivalent to –less or without in English. 

ma acts much like the suffix –y in English. 

e.g: warintan moneyless kǤkǤma salty 

denntan childless sukaroma sugary 

kunntan headless nǤnǤma milky 

• The suffix ta 

NB: ● ta is a suffix added to verbs which is equivalent to –able in English; that is the thing in 

question is subject to or able to undergo the action of the verb. 

e.g: san to buy santa buyable (to sale) 

dun to eat dunta edible 

min to drink minta drinkable 

• The suffix bali 

NB: ● bali is a suffix added to verbs which is equivalent to un…able in English; that is the 

thing in question is not subject to or able to undergo the action of the verb. 

e.g: jaabi to answer jaabibali unanswered 

malo to be ashmed malobali unashamed 

dun to eat dunbali inedible 

128

• The suffix ka 

NB: ● ka/kaw is a suffix which can be added to all nouns of place to express the meaning 

person of/from…, people of…. 

e.g: Bamakokaw people of Bamako 

yanka person from here 

• The suffix ya 

NB: ● The adjective plus ya is in most cases the same form that is used for the noun 

counterparts of the adjectival verb. This is the form that is used to characterize, for example, 

abstract qualities like: 

e.g: bilenya redness goniya heat 

nalomaya stupidity sumaya slowness 

When functioning as active verbs, some adjectives do not require ya 

The following chart lits the adjectival verbs and the active verbal and niminal 

counterparts: 

Adjective Verb Noun 

ca 

di 

bon 

jan 

jugu 

jε 

fin 

girin 

gεlεn 

kεnε 

kǤrǤ 

kumu 

Ȃi 

dǤgǤn 

misεn 

timi 

etc… 

ka (__) caya 

ka (__) diya 

ka (__) bonya 

ka (__) janya 

ka (__) juguya 

ka (__) jεya/jε 

ka (__) finya/fin 

ka (__) girinya 

ka (__) gεlεya 

ka (__) kεnεya 

ka (__) kǤrǤ 

ka (__) kumu 

ka (__) Ȃε 

ka (__) dǤgǤya 

ka (__) misεya 

ka (__) timiya 

caya 

diya 

bonya 

janya 

juguya 

jεya 

finya 

girinya 

gεlεya 

kεnεya 

kǤrǤya 

kumuya 

Ȃumanya 

dǤgǤya 

misεya 

timiya 

NB: ● ya is a suffix which functions to create abstract nouns. It is equivalent to –ness or hood 

in English. 

e.g: cεya manliness denya childhood 

● ya can also be added to noun-adjective combinations: 

e.g: tulogεlεnya stubbornness cεkolonya cowardice 

129

Grammatical Notes: ȂȂȂȂεBILAW 

PREFIX 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

ȂȂȂȂininkalikεla tε fili! 


• The prefix la 

NB: ● In Bambara any verb can take the prefix la, giving the verb a causative or indirect 

agency meaning: 

e.g: A ye kalanden lataa He/she caused the trainee to go./He/she had the trainee go. 

● Many verbs, however, have developed specialized meanings in the causative which 

cannot be predicted as the sum of their parts. 

e.g: ka _ mεn to hear ka _ lamεn to listen 

ka _ dege to teach ka _ ladege to imitate 

ka _ minε to take ka _ laminε to answer 

ka _ bεn to meet ka _ labεn to prepare 

● In these cases, the verb forms with la have to be learned as if they were not at all related 

to other verb forms. 

130

Communicative Task: FOLI - MǤǤǤǤGǤǤǤǤ ȂȂȂȂε JIRA MǤǤǤǤGǤǤǤǤ WεRε LA – 

FOLI BILA 

GREETING – INTRODUCING ONESELF – SAYING GOOBYE 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

DǤǤ ǤǤ ǤǤnin-dǤǤ 

ǤǤ ǤǤnin ǤǤ ǤǤ kǤǤǤǤnǤǤǤǤnin b’a ȂȂȂȂaga da! 


Amadu: I ni sǤgǤma, n balimamuso! 

Good morning sister! 


Sali: Nse, i ni sǤgǤma, n balimakε! Hεrε sira? 

Good morning, brother! Did you spend the night in peace? 

Amadu: Hεrε dǤrǤn! I ka kεnε? 

Only in peace! How are you? 

Sali: TǤǤrǤ tε! I tǤgǤ? 

I’m fine! What’s your name? 

Amadu: N tǤgǤ Amadu Jara. E dun? 

My name is Amadu Jara. And you? 

Sali: N tǤgǤ Sali Tarawele. I Jara! 

My name is Sali Tarawele. Jara! 

Amadu: Nba! Tarawele muso, i bε bǤ min? 

Nba! Tarawele. Where are you from? 

Sali: N bε bǤ Segu. Jarakε, i fana bε bǤ Segu? 

I’m from Segou. Jara, are you from Segou too? 

Amadu: Eh, ayi! N bε bǤ yan. 

Euh, No! I’m from here. 

Sali: O ka Ȃi! Ala ka tile hεrε caya! 

That’s good! May you have a peaceful day! 

Amadu: Amiina! K’an b’u fo! 

Amen! Say hi to them! 

Sali: U n’a mεn! 

They will hear it ! 

131

Communicative Task: SANNI 

SHOPPING 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

Ni sugufiyε girinna, bεε bolo b’i kunna minan na! 



Samba: Kiliyan! Kiliyan! Na yan! Bagi Ȃumanw bε yan! 

Customer! Customer! Come here! There are good fabrics here! 

Amadu: I ni sǤgǤma! N bε bagi Ȃumanw fε, nka da duman! 

Good morning! I want good fabrics but cheap! 

Samba: Ola, i sera a yǤrǤ la. Ne ka bagiw bεε da ka nǤgǤn. U lajε. 

Then, you are at the right place. All my fabrics are cheap. Look at them. 

Amadu: Nin mεtiri joli ye? 

How much is the meter? 

Samba: N b’o da diya i la! O mεtiri ye kεmε saba ni bi duuru ye. 

I give you a good price! The meter is one thousand and seven hundred and fifty. 

KǤmi e don, barika b’a la 

I can reduce it for you. 

Amadu: Ayiwa! A barika, caman bǤ a la. 

Ok! Reduce it, reduce a lot. 

Samba: A ka Ȃi forokiya la. I b’a san joli? 

It’s good for a bubu. How much do you buy it? 

Amadu: A to kεmε fila la. N bε mεtiri wǤǤrǤ san. 

Give it at two thousand. I buy six meters. 

Samba: A kari kari ye kεmε saba. Nka, i bε se ka kεmε fila ni bi duuru sara. 

The last price is one thousand and five hundred. But you can pay one thousand 

and two hundred and fifty. 

Amadu: I ni ce! Mεtiri wǤǤrǤ ye wa fila ni dǤrǤmε kεmε ye. Hon! warimisεn segin. 

Thank you! The six meters are ten thousand and five hundred. Take it! Give back the change. 

Samba: Fini ni warimisεn filε. I kεnε k’a kǤrǤ! 

Here are the fabrics and the change. May you feel good when it gets older. 

Amadu: Amiina! Ka sugu diya! 

Amen! May you sell out! 

132

Umaru: A’ ni sǤgǤma! 

Good morning! 

Communicative Task: YǤǤǤǤRǤǤǤǤW TAMASERECOGO 

ASKING/GIVING DIRECTIONS 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

Sen kelen tε sira bǤǤǤǤ! 


Amadu: Nba, a’ ni sǤgǤma! DǤ di! 

Good morning! Say something! 


Umaru: Baasi tε! A’ bε hakε to! N bε dugutigi ka so de Ȃinin. 

Nothing bad! Excuse me! I’m looking for the chief’s house. 

Amadu: Dutigi ka so bε an kεrεfε, n bε se ka taa ȂǤgǤn fε. 

Chief’s house is next to us, we can go together. 

Umaru: I ni ce! A sira ȂεfǤ n ye, n yεrε kelen bε se ka taa. 

Thanks! Tell me where the road is, I can go by my own. 

Amadu: Ayiwa! I tilen nin sira kelen in fε. I bε kare saba tεmεn,o kǤ, fara i numan fε. 

Ok! Go straight on this same road. Pass three streets, then turn left. 

Da naaninan don i kini fε. Mangorosunba bε soda la. 

It is the fourth door on your right. There is a big mango tree at the door. 

Umaru: I ni baraji! K’an bεn! 

Thank you! See you! 

Amadu: K’an bε! Ka se ni i Ȃuman ye! 

See you! May you get there in peace! 


Amen! 

133

Communicative Task: MǤǤǤǤGǤǤǤǤ NI FεNW TAMASERE COGO 

DESCRIBING A PERSON, AN OBJECT AND A PLACE 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

Don go don tulo bε taa kalanso! 


TEXT TEXT TEXT TEXT 

Nin muso in man jan, a man surun. A Ȃεkisεw ka kunba, a Ȃinw jεlen don. 

A cεkaȂi. A nison ka di tuma bεε. MǤgǤ sεbε don. 

This woman is not tall, she is not short. Her eyes are big, her teeth are white. 

She is beautiful. She is always happy. She is a good person. 

134

1- 

Communicative Task: FARIKOLO LAHALAW 

DESCRIBING ONE’S MENTAL AND PHYSICAL STATE 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

Bana kunbεn ka fisa ni bana furakεli ye! 



Fanta: I ni sǤgǤma, Bakari. I nisǤn man di, mun b'i la? 

Good morning, Bakari. You are not happy. What’s wrong? 

Bakari: N fari man di n na. 

I am not feeling well. 

Fanta: I yǤrǤ jumεn b'i dimi? 

Which part of your body hurts you? 

Bakari: N Ȃin de bε n dimi kojugu bi. 

My tooth hurts me so badly. 

Fanta: I ye fura ta wa? 

Did you take medecine? 

Bakari: Ayi, n bεna taa dǤgǤtǤrǤso la. 

No, I am going to the hospital. 

Fanta: Ala ka nǤgǤyakε, k'a ban pewu! 

May you feel bether and you entirely recovered. 


Amen. May God accept the blessings. 


Amen! 

135

2- 

Fanta: I ni sǤgǤma, Bakari. Munna an m’i ye surǤ? 

Good morning , bakari. Why didn’t we see you last night? 

Bakari: N tun man kεnε. 

I was sick. 

Fanta: Ee! Mun tun b’i la? 

He! What was wrong with you? 

Bakari: N kungolo ye n dimi kojugu kunun wulada. 

I had a bad headach yesterday afternoon. 

Sufε, n ma se ka sunǤgǤ, n fari bεε tun ka kalan. 

At night, I couldn’t sleep, my body was hirting me. 

Fanta: O bε sǤrǤ sumaya ye dε? 

That might be malaria. 

Bakari: N hakili la, a bε sǤrǤ o ye. N bεna taa dǤgǤtǤrǤso la. 

I think that’s it. I shall go to the hospital. 

Fanta: I ka kan k’i yεrε tanga susuw ma. 

You should prevent yourself against mousquitos. 

Bakari: TiȂε! N bεna sange sulen damadǤ Ȃinin n ka denbaya ye. 

That’s true! I’ll look for some treated mosquito nets for my family. 

Ola, sumaya ni bana misεnw tεna an tǤǤrǤ. 

Then we won’t have any problem with sicknesses. 

Fanta: Ala ka nǤgǤyakε, ka tǤǤrǤ dǤgǤya! 

May you feel better! 


Amen. May God accept the blessings. 


Amen. 

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Communicative Task: DELINAKOW 

TALKING ABOUT DAILY ACTIVITIES 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

Dugu bila ka fisa lada wuli ye! 


TEXT TEXT TEXT TEXT 

Musow ka baara dugumisεnw kǤnǤ. 

Dugumisεnw kǤnǤ, musow ka baara ka ca. U bε wuli kabini fajiri. U bε fǤlǤ ka ji bǤ kǤlǤn 

na. U bε tasuma mεnε ka koliji kalaya. U bε yǤrǤw furan ka sǤro ka daraka tobi. Daraka mana 

dun, u bε minan nǤgǤw ko. U bε susulikε, u bε fini nǤgǤw ko, u bε denw ladon. 

Mali dugumisεn musow sεgεnnen! 

Women’s job/work in small villages. 

In small villages, women’s have lot of works. They wake up (early) since dawn. First of all they take 

water from the well. They make fire to heat washing water. They sweep places and then cook the breakfast. After 

the breakfast, they wash dishes. They pound, wash laundries, they take care of kids. 

In small villages women are tired! 

137

Communicative Task: TAAMAW 

TALKING ABOUT TRAVELING 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

CεkǤǤǤǤrǤǤǤǤba san tan bulon kǤǤǤǤnǤǤǤǤ, 

Denmisεnnin san tan jamana kǤǤǤǤnǤǤǤǤ, 

Olu de bε se ka barokε! 


IIII---- TEXT: TEXT TEXT TEXT 

1. Taamaw 

Mali mǤgǤw bε taama kǤsǤbε duniya kǤnǤ. U bε taa yǤrǤ caman na. I b’u sǤrǤ Farafinna 

jamanaw bεε la. Mali denmisεnw bε taama farajεla jamanaw fana kǤnǤ. 

Mali kǤnǤ, mǤgǤw ka taama ka suma, barisa siraw man Ȃin. Bolimafεnw man ca, ani u tε 

se ka taa yǤrǤ bεε. TogodamǤgǤw bε bǤ dugu ni dugu u sen na, nεgεsow la, wotorow la, wala 

bagaw kan i n’a fǤ: faliw, sow, misiw, ȂǤgǤmεw. 

MǤgǤw bε bato ta Kulikoro ni Gao cε, sisikuru bε bǤ Bamako fo kayes. 

Trips/travels 

Malians travel a lot in the world. They go to many places. You find them in all the countries in Africa. The 

young Malian people also travel in to European countries. 

In Mali, people travel rarely, because roads are bad. There are not enough means of transportation, and 

they can’t go everywhere. Villagers go from village to village on foot, by bikes, by donkey cars, or by animals like: 

donkeys, horses, cows, and camels. 

People take boat in between Koulikoro and Gao, train leaves Bamako for Kayes. 

138

2. Sirakoro taama 

Ne sera Sirakoro ntεnεn don, uti kalo tile mugan ni segin san ba fila ni wǤrǤ 

Mobili donna dugu kǤnǤ ka bεn ni fitiri ye, o y’a sǤrǤ san nana. An taara dugutigi ka so. A y’an 

bisimila koȂuman. 

An sira, dugu jεlen an sǤrǤla ka taa dugu maabaw caman fo (Perefe dankan, Mεri, 

DǤgǤtǤrǤ kuntigi, Muso kuntigi, Alimami, Pasitεri, cεmisεn kuntigi, ani n ka karamǤgǤ). 

Wula fε, dugutigi ni a ka kǤnseyew y’an bisimila a ka so. An y’an nali kun fǤ u ye. A diyara u 

ye kosεbε, u ko an k’an bisimila. 

O kǤfε ne ni n ka karamǤgǤ ye kalan daminε. Aa! Sisan kǤni, ne ye bamanankan caman faamu. 

Alamisa don, uti kalo tile bisaba ni kelen, sǤgǤma dizεri waati, dugu musow bεε ni 

jenbe nana ka donkε n jatigiyala, ka ne fo. An ye donkε kosεbε. 

JǤn ko allah, Sirakoro ka di!!! 

Fox Emily 

The trip to Sirakoro 

I got to Sirakoro on Monday, on august 28 th 2006. When the car got into the village it was sun set, it 

rained. We went to the chiefs’ house. He welcomed us well. 

We spent the night, and in the next morning we went to greet the village many important people (Sousprefet, 

mayor, the health center leader, woman leader, the imam, the pastor, youth president, and our teacher.) 

In the afternoon, the village chief and his counselors welcomed us in his house. We told them the reason of our 

visit. They liked it and gave us sit. 

After that my tutor and I started learning. Ha! Now I understand lot of Bambara. 

On Thursday, august 31 st , all the women came in to my host family with drums and danced in the 

morning around 10 am just to greet me. We dance a lot. 

Truly, Sirakoro is good!!! 

Fox Emily 

II II II 


dǤgǤkun kelen taama 

A week trip 

A: N nana n sara i la, n bεna taa dǤgǤkun kelen taama na sini. 

I inform you, I’m going to a week trip tomorrow. 

B: Eh! Sini ? Ayiwa, ka taa ka segin nǤgǤya. 

He! Tomorrow? Ok! May you go and come back in peace. 

A: A miina, ka ȂǤgǤn ye nǤgǤya, ka hεrε fǤ n kǤ. 

Amen, may we see each other, may you have peace after me. 

B: k’an b’u fo! Ka segin n’i Ȃuman ye. I k’an sama. I delila ka se yen wa? 

Say hi to them! May you come back in peace. Bring me something. Have you been there before? 

A: Ayi, n ma se yen fǤlǤ. Ni alah sǤnna, n bεna aw sama. 

No, I haven’t yet. I’ll bring you something, god willing. 

139

Communicative Task: DUMUNIW 

TALKING ABOUT MEALS 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

BǤǤǤǤrε lakolon tε jǤǤǤǤ! 



Dumuniw ani dumunikεyǤrǤ ladaw. 

Mali ka bon, a siyaw fana ka ca. O n’a ta o ta, siyaw ka dumuniw n’u ka dumuniyǤrǤ 

ladaw man jan ȂǤgǤn na kosεbε. Mali siyaw caman bε to, basi, dεgε, mǤni, seri, samε ani 

malokini dun. U bεε bε dumuni kε siȂε saba tile kǤnǤ: daraka, tilelafana ani surafana. Musow 

ni cεw tε dumunikε ȂǤgǤn fε yǤrǤ caman na Mali la. Cεw wali musow bε dumunikε ȂǤgǤn fε 

minεn kelen kǤnǤ. Danfara dǤw bε siyaw ni ȂǤgǤn cε. Bamananw bε seri sukarotan walima 

tosira kε daraka ye. Bamannanw fana ka surafana n’u ka tilelafana caman ye to ye. Malokini bε 

tobi nisǤndiya donw dǤrǤn. KǤrǤbǤrǤw bε furufuru kε daraka ye. U caman ka tilelafana ni 

surafana ye malokini ye. Basi ka di marakaw ye kǤsǤbε. Siyaw dǤw bε barika da dumuni kǤfε 

nka dǤw t’a da. 

DumuniyǤrǤ ye kalansoba ye Mali la. 

Food and eating places customs 

Mali is big; there are lot of ethnic groups. Despite that, ethnic groups eating places customs are not so 

different. Most of the ethnic groups eat tô, couscous, dègè, porridge (rice – millet), and rice. They all eat three 

times a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. In most of places in Mali, men and women don’t eat together. Men or 

women eat together in the same common bowl. There are some differences between the ethnic groups. Bambara 

have rice porridge or the last night left over for breakfast. They also have tô for lunch and dinner. Rice is cooked 

only during feasts. Sonrhaï people eat cakes for breakfast. Most of them have rice for lunch and dinner. Soninke 

people like couscous. Some ethnic groups thank after meals but some don’t. 

Eating-places are great schools in Mali. 

140

Tamatina dilancogo 

How to make tomato sauce 

Dilannifεw/Ingredients 

○ tamati mǤnenba ○ tigatulu ○ jabakεnε ○ kǤgǤ ○ ji 

riped tomatoes peanut oil onion salt water 

Dilanniminεw/tools 

○ barama/fugantasa ○ furunε ○ finfin ○ kutu ○ muru 

cooking pot/bowl stove charcoal spoon knife 

Dilancogo/how to make 

1- Finfin kε furunε kǤnǤ, tasuma kε finfin na. A fifa. 

Make fire with the charcoal in the stove. 

2- Ni tasuma kamina, barama wala kasilǤri sigi tasuma kan. Ji dǤ k’a kǤnǤ. 

Put some water in the pot and put it on the fire. 

3- I tεgε ko k’a jε. Tamati ni jaba ko k’u jε. 

Wash your hands, the tomatoes and the onions. 

4- Tamati kε ji kalaman na. U kelen kelen ta, u fara b’u la. 

Put the tomatoes in the boiling water and shell them one by one. 

5- U bila tasa jεlen dǤ kǤnǤ. U nǤǤni. 

Make paste with the tomatoes in a clean bowl. 

6- Barama sigi tasuma kan tuguni. Tulu hakε min bε bεn i ka tamati ma, o kε barama kǤnǤ. 

Put your cooking pot on fire and put the quantity of oil you need according to the quantity of 

your tomato paste. 

7- Tulu mana kalaya, tamati dǤǤni dǤǤni kε tulu la. To ka kutu kε k’a lamaga. 

When the oil in boiling add the tomato paste little by little and with a spoon stir it regularly. 

8- Jaba tigε-tigε. A kε tamati na kan. 

Cut the onions in small pieces and add them to the tomato paste. 

9- kǤgǤ kε tamati na la, dǤǤni dǤǤni. To k’a nεnε. 

Then add some salt and taste it. 

Duncogo n’a lamaracogo 

How to eat and keep it 

• Nin tamatina in bε se ka kε sogo jeninen, jεgε jirannen, woso, wala kǤmitεri balabalalen kan, k’u 

dun. Waa, a ka di kǤsεbε. 

This tomato sauce can be eaten with fried meat and fish or with sweet potato and french fries. 

• A lamaracogo man gεlεn. I b’a kε buteli dǤ kǤnǤ ka tulu dǤǤni k’a kan k’a lasago yǤrǤ sumannen na. 

It is easy to keep. Put in a clean bottle, add some oil and leave it in a cool place. 

141

II II II 


Umaru: I ni sǤgǤma! 

Good morning! 


Nba! What happened? We haven’t seen you last night at the grin. 

Umaru: Foyi ma kε! N tun bε furusiridǤn yǤrǤ la. A kεra Ȃεnajεba ye. 

Nothing happened. I was at a wedding party. It was such a big party. 


Was it good? 

Umaru: Kojugu! Dumuni ma kε foyi ye! An y’an kǤnǤ fa ani ka dǤnkε fo ka dugu jε. 

A lot! There was a much food! We ate and danced a lot till the next morning. 

Amadu: Ala ka kε furu ye! 

May it be a successful marriage. 


Amen! 

142

Communicative Task: ȂȂȂȂANAJεW 

TALKING ABOUT FEASTS AND LEISURE 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

Dunun diya tuma y’a fara tuma ye! 


1. 

Umaru: An ni sǤgǤma! 

Good morning! 



Nba! What happened? We haven’t seen you last night at the grin. 

Umaru: TiȂε don. N tun bε furusiridǤn yǤrǤ la. A kεra Ȃanajεba ye. 

That’s true. I was at a wedding party. It was such a big party. 


Was it good? 

Umaru: Kojugu. Jamaba de tun bε yen. An ye dumunikε ani ka dǤnkε fo ka dugu jε. 

A lot! There were a lot of people. We ate and danced till the next morning. 

Amadu: FǤlifεn jumεn tun bε yen? 

Which instruments were there? 

Umaru: An ye balani dǤn fo k’an sen kari. 

We danced xalophone till our legs got broken. 

143

2. 

Jelikε: An ni su! 

Good afternoon (night) 

Den-fa: Nba , aw ni su! 

Nba, good afternoon (night) 

Jelikε: Hεrε tilenna wa? 

Did you spend a peaceful day? 

Den-fa: Hεrε dǤrǤn. 

Only in peace. 

Jelikε: MǤgǤ nakun ka fisa i yεrε ye. 

The reason of once’s present is more important than yourself. 

N’i ye n wulilen ye ka se yan, juguman tε. 

If you sea me here, it’s nothing bad. 

A kun ye furu sira ye. 

It’s for a wedding process. 

Keyitalakaw ye woro tan ni fura siri, k’u Ȃε bǤra aw denmuso Fanta fε. 

The Keïtas brought ten cola nuts to ask for our daughter Fanta hand. 

U dun t’a ŋaniya ni foyi ye n’u denkε Bakari furumuso tε. 

They want her to be their son Bakari’s wife. 

Woro tan filε n’a bε bεn aw ma, o bε diy’an ye kǤsεbε. 

Here are the ten cola nuts, if you accept we would appreciate. 

Den-fa: An bε woro minε fǤlǤ. Den bε yan, den baw bε yan. 

We first take the cola nuts. The daughter and the moms are here. 

N’an y’olu Ȃininka, olu mana jaabi min di, an n’o fǤ aw ye. 

We’ll ask them and let you know the answer. 

Nin diyar’an ye, a bεnn’an ma. Hakεto b’o kan. 

We do appreciat that, and it honour us. 

Jelikε: Aw Keyita! Ala k’a Ȃεn k’a d’an ma. N bε sira Ȃinin. 

Keïta! May God help us. We ask the permission to leave. 

Den-fa: Kuyate! Sira dir’i ma. K’an b’u fo! 

Kouyaté! You can go. Say hi to them! 

Jelikε: U n’a mεn! Ka su hεrε d’an ma! 

They will hear it! May we have a peaceful night! 

144

Communicative Task: MǤǤǤǤGǤǤǤǤ WELELI 

ACCEPT OR DECLINE AN INVITATION 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

Denmisεnnin min bε yaalabakε, o t’a ba su ye! 



Mamu: Fanta! i ni fama sa! 

Fanta! It’s been a long time! 

Fanta: An bεε ni fama. 

It’s been a long time for we all. 

1. 

Mamu: I tununna dε! 

You got lost! 

Fanta: O kεra! N tun taara dugu la. 

That’s true! I was in a trip. 

Mamu: I nani diyara n ye. TiȂε don, n dǤgǤmuso ka furusiri bε kε sibiri don. 

It’s a pleasure that you come back. It’s true, my little sister’s wedding is on Saturday. 

N’i b’a masǤrǤ, n b’a fε i ka na o la. An bε Ȃanajεba kε wula fε. 

If you have time, I want you to come. We’ll have a big party in the afternoon. 

Fanta: Basi tε, ni Ala sǤnna i bεna n ye. 

No problem, you’ll see me god willing. 

145

2. 

Umaru: I ni wula, Susan! 

Good afternoon, Susan! 

Susan: Nse! Umaru, hεrε tilenna? 

Nse! Umaru, did you have a peaceful day? 

Umaru: N bε Ala tanu! A bε diy’an ye n’i bε se ka n’an ka furusiridǤn yǤrǤ la bi su in na. 

I thank God! I would appreciate if you can come to our wedding party to night. 

Susan: Bi su in na! Haa! N tεn'a masǤrǤ. 

Tonight! Ha! I won’t hive time. 

N bolo degunnen don barisa ȂǤgǤnye kεrεnkεrεnnen dǤ bε bolo. 

I am busy because I have a special meeting. 

A kεra baara ye. Kana jigin n na. Ala ka siȂε wεrε jir'an na. 

That’s tricky. Don’t be mad at me. Next time. 

Umaru: N tεna jigin i la. Ala ka dugawu minε! 

I won’t be mad at you. May God accept our blessings 

Susan: Amiina! 

Amen! 

146

Communicative Task: DεMε ȂȂȂȂININ 

ASKING FOR HELP 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

Funtinε bε yǤǤǤǤrǤǤǤǤ min, bεnkan tε yen! 


Sarah: Ee! Mun kεra? N ka nεgεso bila! 

He! What’s going on? Leave my bike! 

DI DIALOG DI DIALOG 

ALOG ALOG 

I bε taalen ni n ka nεgεso ye min? A ye son bεn! A' ye n dεmε! 

Where are you taking my bike? Thief! Thief! Help me! 

Musa: JǤn kulekan bε yan? Mun y’i sǤrǤ? JǤn donna i kan? 

Who is yelling here? What happens to you? Who got in your house? 

Sarah: A’ ye na! A’ ye bǤ! Son taara ni n ka nεgεso ye. 

Come over! Come out! The thief took my bike away! 

N b'aw deli. A’y’a kunbεn! A’ye Ȃε n ma! 

I beg you. Catch him! Help me! 

Musa: I hakili sigi. A tε se ka taa yǤrǤ jan. 

Calm down. He cannot go far. 

Passant: Kule dabila n balimamuso. U ye i ka son minε. 

Stop yelling my sister. They got your thief. 

A ni nεgεso b’u bolo ka na. 

They are come with him and your bike. 

Sarah: O ye Ala tanu ye. Aw ni ce! Aw ni baraji! 

Thanks to God. Thank you! Thank you very much! 

Hakεto! Musa, n hakili la, n ka kan ka sokǤlǤsila dǤ Ȃinin 

Please! Musa, I think, I should look for a guardian 

min bεna n ka dukǤnǤna kǤlǤsi, k’a janto da la. 

who will look after my house,, to take care of my door. 

Musa: O ka nǤgǤn. An bεna mǤgǤ sεbε Ȃinin i ye. 

That’s easy. We’ll look for a good person. 

Hali ni mǤgǤ wεrε fǤra i kǤ, ale na sǤrǤ yan. 

Even if someone else comes after you, he will be here. 

147

John: Amadu, i ni sǤgǤma. 

Good morning Amadu. 

Communicative Task: WAATIW LAHALAW 

TALKING ABOUT THE WEATHER 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

I ma min fǤǤǤǤ i siriyǤǤǤǤrǤǤǤǤ la, kan’o fǤǤǤǤ i foniyǤǤǤǤrǤǤǤǤ la! 


Amadu: Nba, hεrε sira John? 

Nba, did you spend a good night? 


John: Hεrε dǤrǤn. N bε taa bǤ n terikε ka foro la ka na. 

Peace only. I’m visting my friend’s field. 

Amadu: Ee! I t'i jǤ dǤǤni. E Ȃε tε sanfinnenba la? 

He! Wait a little bit. It is going rain. 

John: E ko nin san bε na sisan? 

Is it going rain? 

Amadu: Funteni b'a kǤrǤ cogo min na, ne miiri la a bε na. 

It is hot, in my opinion it will rain. 

John: Funteni ye sanji tamasere ye aw fε yan wa? 

Is the heat a sign of rain here? 

Amadu: ǤwǤ, nka o dǤrǤn tε dε! San tamasere dǤwεrεw ye kabanǤgǤ, tile bǤ cogo 

Yeah! But that’s not all! Another sign is the cloud, the way the sun appears 

ani fiȂε ci cogo ye. Hali kǤnǤ dǤw bε san kibaruya fǤ an sεnεkεlaw ye. 

and the way the wind blows. We farmers are even told by some birds. 

John: Kabako! Ni n bε taa, n bεna n ka sanji minεfini ta. I ni ce. 

Amazing! When going, I’ll take my umbrella with me. Thank you. 

Amadu, n mana segin, an bε se ka barokε Mali waatiw ni Ameriki taw kan wa? 

Amadu, if I come, could we talk about the seasons in Mali and the ones in America? 

Amadu: O bε diya n ye kosǤbε. Ola n yεrε bεna faamuya dǤ sǤrǤ Ameriki kan. 

I’ll like it a lot. I’ll know more about America. 

K'an bεn sǤǤni. 

See you soon. 

John: K'an bεn! Ka hεrε fǤ n kǤ. 

See you! May you have peace after me. 

Amadu: Amina! K'i Ȃuman segin! 

Amen! May you come back safely! 

148

Communicative Task: SEKO NI DǤǤǤǤNKOW 

TALKING ABOUT ONE’S SKILLS 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

Jirikuru mεn o mεn ji la, a tε kε bama ye! 



Sekow ni bololabaaraw 

Bololabaarakεlaw jǤyǤrǤ ka bon kǤsǤbε jamana in kǤnǤ. Kabini lawale la, an ka minεnw 

fanba bεε bε dilan bololabaarakεlaw de fε. Dugu si tε taa u kǤ. Ulu de b’an mago caman Ȃε. I 

bε garankεw, gesedalaw, numuw, sanu ni warijε fagalaw, dagadilannaw, kǤlǤnsennaw, 

sojǤlaw, jiridεsεlaw, kundigilaw, mekanisiȂεw, menizenw sǤrǤ an ka dugu caman kǤnǤ. 

Nin seko ni dǤnko mǤgǤw fana tε taa sεnεkεlaw, nakǤbaaralaw, bagangεnnaw, 

mǤnikεlaw, dosow ni jeliw ko. 

Aptitudes and crafts 

Artisans play an important role in the country. Since the past, craftsmen make lot of our tools. 

No village can work without them. They meet most of our needs 

Shoe makers, blacksmiths, jewelers, potters, well diggers, masons, 

Sculptors, hairdressers, mechanics, carpenters are in most of our villages. 

Farmers, gardeners, animal risers, fishermen, hunters and griots are important. 

II II II 


Amadu: N terikε John, e yεrε bε mun baarakε an ka dugu in kǤnǤ? 

John my friend, what do you do as job in our village? 

John: Ȃinikali Ȃuman! Ne ye yiriforow ni kungoyiri nafamaw lakanabaa wǤlǤntεri ye. 

Good question! I am a natural resource management volunteer. 

N bε baarakε sεnεkεlaw ni nakǤtigiw fε. N bε ladilikan di mǤgǤw ma yirituru ni 

I work with farmers and gardeners. I advice people on good ways of planting and 

yiriw ladoncogo Ȃuman kan. N bε dugu mǤgǤw dεmε yirishεnw sǤrǤ cogo n’u turu 

. taking care of the trees. I help people in finding tree seeds, planting seeds 

cogo la ani nǤgǤ ni nǤgǤdingεw dilanni fana la. N bε taa nakǤw ni forow kǤnǤ tuma 

and compost and making compost piles. I go to the fields and gardens from time 

ni tuma ka kuma nin fεnw kan. 

to time to talk on these. 

Amadu: Ayiwa! Ne hakili la, n y’i ka baara faamu sisan. Ala k’i dεmε. 

Okay! I think, I understand your job now. May god help you. 

149

Te wulicogo 

How to make tea 

Wulifεnw/Ingredients 

○ te ○ sukaro ○ nanaye ○ ji 

tea leaves sugar mint water 

Teminεnw/Tools 

○ barada ○ furunε ○ finfin ○ wεriw ○ pilato 

tea pot stove charcoal glasses plate 

Wulicogo/The processes 

N'i bε te wuli, i bε fǤlǤ ka: To make tea, first: 

1- Tasuma Ȃaga, o kǤ i bε te kε barada kǤnǤ. 

Light the fire, then put tea in the tea pot. 

2- I bε ji wεri Ȃε naani ni tila k'a la. 

Put four glass of water and half in it. 

3- O kǤ i bε barada sigi tasuma kan. I b'a wuli miniti bisaba kǤnǤ. 

Then put the tea pot on the fire and boil it for half an hour. 

4- Tuma kelen kelen, i b'a jigin ka teji kε barada wεrε kǤnǤ. 

From time to time pour it in the other tea pot. 

5- O kǤ, i bε sukaro k'a la. I bε sǤrǤ k'a suuru wεriw kǤnǤ walasa ka sukaro yelen teji la. 

After that put sugar in it in the second tea pot and pour it in the glasses to it mixt up. 

6- O kǤ, i b'a nεnε ni sukaro y'a bǤ. I bε teji yεlεma barada kǤnǤ tuguni. 

Then you taste it if there is enough sugar. 

7- I b'a kalaya dǤǤni. 

Heat the mixture a little bit. 

8- MǤgǤ caman bε teji dǤ to wεri kelen kǤnǤ walasa ka musi dila n'o ye wεri tǤw kǤnǤ. 

Lot of people make foams with the glasses 

9- I bε tila ka wεriw kǤ sananko. 

Clean the external side of the glasses. 

10- Te mana kalaya dǤǤni, i b'a tila wεriw ni ȂǤgǤn cε k'a di mǤgǤw ma. 

When it gets warm then serve it. 

11- Segin bε kε ni kan fo siȂε saba. 

We do the same processes for all the three rounds. 

12- SiȂε fila tǤw la i bε se ka nanaye k'a la. 

You can also add mint in it. 

13- Temugu ni ji hakε bε yεlεma mǤgǤw hakε kǤsǤn. 

The quantity of water an tea leaves depends on the number of peple drinking tea. 

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Communicative Task: SIGIYǤǤǤǤRǤǤǤǤ KUNNAFONNIW 

GETTING INFORMED ABOUT ONE’S AREA 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

Dugu bila ka fisa lada wuli ye! 



Musa: Eh! John, i ni faama! Hey! John, It’s been a long time! 

John: Musa, i ni waati. I bε di? Musa, it’s while. How are you? 

Musa: Alhamudulilayi! I bε dugu jumεn na sisan? 

Thanks to God! In which village are you now? 

John: N sigilen don Jitumu mara la, Keleya kεrεfε. 

I am in Jitumu area, next to Keleya. 

Musa: Keleya lamini duguw ye dugu kǤrǤw ye. 

The villages around Keleya are old villages. 

John: TiȂε don! Dugutigi ko: ale ka dugu in tutigε tuma mεnna kǤsεbε. 

That’s true! The chief said: It’s been a very long time they settled here. 

Dugu in sigira ka kǤn Tubabu fanga Ȃε. 

The village was settled before the white men’s arrival. 

Musa: Ha! O ye dugu kǤrǤ ye. Siya jumεnw bε yen? 

Ha! That’s an old village. What are the ethnic groups there? 

John: Siya caman. Bamananw ka ca ni siya tǤw ye Jitumu mara kǤnǤ. 

Lot of ethnic groups. Bambaras are more than the others in jitumu. 

Fulaw ni Maninkaw fana sigilen bε yen. Siginfεw bε sǤrǤ yen, i n’a fǤ Korokow, 

Fulfuldes and malinkes are there too. Some immigrated like Korokos, 

Marakaw, KǤrǤbǤrǤw, DongǤnǤw ani siya wεrεw. 

Sarakoles, Sonraïs, Dogons and others. 

Musa: O ye siya caman ye. I ye yen mǤgǤya kεcogo bεε faamu ka ban? 

That’s a lot of ethnic groups. Did you understand all the ways people behave? 

John: DǤǤni dǤǤni. Nka yirikurun mεn o mεn ji la, a tε kε bama ye. 

Little by little. But as long as a piece of wood stays in water, it will never become a crocodile. 

N bε ka ladaw ni korǤw ȂεȂinin. I am still learning some customs. 

Musa: Ayiwa! O de ka Ȃi. Ala k'i dεmε. Okay! That’s good. May God help you. 

John: Amiina! K'an bεn! Amen! See you! 

151

Communicative Task: JAMA HAKILI JAKABǤǤǤǤ 

LEADING A COMMUNITY MEETING 

NSANA 

PROVERB 

JεkafǤǤǤǤ ye damu ye! 



John: A’ ni wula yankaw, an tilenna hεrε la, Ala k’an si hεrε la. 

Good afternoon people from here, we spend the day in peace, may we spend the night in peace. 

Jeliba: Nba! A ni wula, aw bisimila! A ye dǤ di. 

Nba! Good afternoon, welcome! Say something. 

John: Saha! An ma na baasi la, an ye Saniya baarakεlaw ye. 

Thanks! We aren’t here for wors, we are sanitation workers. 

An nana walasa an bε se ka hakilina falen falen dugu saniya cogo kan. 

We are here to exchange ideas about the village sanitation. 

Jeliba: Dugutigi, ayiwa kuma tε! U ko, k’u nana k’an dεmε ka dugu saniya. 

Dugutigi, so here is the topic! They said, they’re here to help us with the village sanitation. 

Dugutigi: Jeliba, a fǤ dunanw ye: k’u nali diyar’an ye. K’u bisimila! 

Jeliba (Griotman), tell them we appreciate them being here. Welcome! 

John: Gεlεya jumεn bε yan saniyako la? What are the sanitation problems here? 

Amadu: Ne bε kuma Ȃinin. I ask to talk. 

Jeliba: Kuma b’i bolo, Amadu. You have the floor (the speech) Amadou. 

Amadu: Ne hakili la, Ȃaman ani jinǤgǤko gεlεya de b’an kan bi. 

I think we have problems with dirty water and trash here. 

John: Kuma Ȃεna! Aw hakili la fεrε jumεnw bε se ka sǤrǤ olu la? 

Good! According to you what are the solutions for those? 

(makan caman….) (noise) 

Jeliba: A ye hakεto, an ka ȂǤgǤn lamεn! Please, let’s listen one each other! 

Bakari: Baasi tε, ne hakili la, ni bεε bε se ka taa Ȃaman bǤn dugu kǤfε yǤrǤ kelen na, 

Ok, for me, if every one can go put the trash behind the village in the same place 

o bε fisaya. Ani fana, an k’an hakili to ji saniyali la. 

That would be better. And also let’s keep in mind water sanitation. 

John: Yankaw, anw hakili la, bεε ye famuya sǤrǤ tǤnsigi in kǤnǤ. 

We think, everyone has understood something about the meeting. 

Aw ni ce, aw ni baraji! Ala k’an bεn a ȂǤgǤn wεrε ma. Sisan an b’a fε ka sira Ȃinin. 

Thank you! May we meet again. Now we want to leave. 

152

NSIIRIN: SUNGURUNNIN YE JǤǤǤǤN TA YE? 

NSIIRIN 

NAAMU !!! 

N y’a da kamalennin saba la! 

Sungurunnin ye jǤǤǤǤn ta ye? 

Kamalennin saba tun bε to ka kε ȂǤgǤn fε. 

U nana sungurunnin kelen sǤrǤ. 

DǤ ko, “An bε taa yaala. N’an ye wari sǤrǤ, an bεna fini san k’a don sungurunnin kan na.” 

U taara yaalayaala. 

Dugalen tun bε dǤ fε. 

Sabara tun bε dǤ fε. 

Fura tun bε dǤ fε. 

Tile dama tεmεnnen kǤ, dugalentigi y’a fǤ ko: “Ne bε filεlikε n ka dugalen na.” 

A ye filεlikε k’a ye ko sugurunnin sara. A ko: “Sugurunnin sara!” 

Sabaratigi ko:”A ye na sisan. An bε jε k’an senw don sabara la. 

An bεna se yen sisan, janko an bεna sungurunnin su sǤrǤ k’a don.” 

Furatigi ko: ”N’an sera yen sisan, a bεna kunu.” 

U jεra k’u senw don sabara la. 

U sera sungurunnin ka dugu la. 

Furatigi taara sungurunnin lakunu. 

A Ȃεnamayara kokura ka kε mǤgǤ ye. 

Dugalentigi ko k’ale ta don. 

Sabaratigi ko k’ale ta don. 

Furatigi ko k’ale ta don. 

O kamalennin saba la, sungurunnin ye jǤǤǤǤn ta ye? 

N y’a ta yǤǤǤǤrǤǤǤǤ min, n y’a bila yen! 

Mamadou Kanté 

153

NSIIRIN: DOSOKǤǤǤǤRǤǤǤǤ, BAKǤǤǤǤRǤǤǤǤNIN NI SAGAJIGIBA KA DUGUTAA. 

NSIIRIN 

NAAMU !!! 

N y’a da dosokǤǤǤǤrǤǤǤǤ, bakǤǤǤǤrǤǤǤǤnin ni sagajigiba la! 

FǤlǤ-fǤlǤ, dosokǤrǤ, bakǤrǤnin ni sagajigiba tun ka di kǤsεbε. 

Su t’u fara, tlen t’u fara. 

Don dǤ, barosen fε, bakǤrǤnin y’a fǤ tǤ fila ye n’u bε se ka taa dunuya yaala walasa ka nafolo 

sǤrǤ. 

O yǤrǤnin kelen na, u ye taamadon da. 

O don selen, u jεra ka dugu taamobili kelen ta. 

U selen dugu fǤlǤ min na, dosokǤrǤ ko k’ale bε jigin ye. 

A jiginna, ka wari di mobili bolila ma. 

Mobilitigi kǤrǤtǤ kojugu wulila ni mobili ye ka sǤrǤ a ma warimisεn segin dosokǤrǤ ma. 

DosokǤrǤ bolila mobili kǤ, ka kule ka dεsε. Mobilitigi ma jǤ. 

A tǤȂǤgǤn fila dimina fo k’a dama tεmεn. 

Dugu filanan na, bakǤrǤnin ko k’ale bε jigin yen. 

Mobili jǤ, bakǤrǤnin ye fiȂε minεn. A taara, a ma wari sara. 

Sagajigiba kelen tora mobili kǤnǤ ŋunuŋunu na. 

A y’i miiri bakǤrǤnin ka kεwale la. 

A ko k’ale bε fεrε Ȃinin waasa a kana kε somǤgǤ sama ye n’u sera dugu sabanan kǤnǤ. 

Sow ni kungo cε, sagajigiba ko k’ale sera. 

A jiginna, k’a ka wari sara. 

A k’ale na don dugu kǤnǤ hǤrǤnya la barisa mǤgǤ ka juru t’ale la. 

Kabini o don fo bi: 

E dosokǤǤǤǤrǤǤǤǤ tε mobilitigi tεmεn tǤǤǤǤ ye n’a ma kule o la! 

BakǤǤǤǤrǤǤǤǤnin kegunya kojugu tε jǤǤǤǤ bolimafεn ȂȂȂȂε! 

FaȂȂȂȂa ye sagajigiba bila siraba kan taama na, a tε sira bolifεn ȂȂȂȂε, barisa maa ka juru t’a la! 


Mamadou Doudou NDOYE 

154

NSIIRIN: KUNGOSOGOW KA DENKUNDI. 

NSIIRIN 

NAAMU !!! 

N y’a da suruguba ni sonsannin la! 

Waraba muso jiginna. 

A ye kungosogow bεε fara ȂǤgǤn kan denkundi la. 

U ko sogo bεε ka dǤnsen kelen kelen kε. 

Ni min ta Ȃεna, misi bε di o tigi ma. 

Misi kofǤlen, surukuba fora ka wuli k’ale fǤlǤ bε dǤnkε. 

Suruku y’i dǤn k’i dǤn fo k’a wǤǤsi. 

Waraba den ma yεlε, a ba ma yεlε. 

Suruku ka dǤn ma diya mǤgǤ si ye. 

KǤnǤsogonin fana wulila. O fana y’i dǤn. 

O ka dǤn diyara bεε ye. 

Waraba muso yεlεla ka yεlε. U bεε nison diyara. 

U ye misi di kǤnǤsogonin ma. 

Misi dilen kǤnǤsogonin ma tuma min na, surukuba girinna ka wuli, ko ale denkε fǤlǤ ye 

kǤnǤsogonin ye. Bεε ko: “Ee! Suruku den bε se dǤn na! A bε se dǤn na! ” 

O kεlen tuma min na, kǤnǤsogonin y’i sigi. 

Waraba den kasira ko kǤnǤsogonin ka wuli ka dǤnkε tuguni. 

KǤnǤsogonin wulila, nka a dǤnkεtǤ sen cunna waraba den kan kan, k’a faga. 

Waraba muso kulela ko ka kǤnǤsogonin minε. 

O fǤlen, kǤnǤsogonin ye kεnε minε. U m’a sǤrǤ. 

Sonsannin ko: “A ma tiȂε! Ni kǤnǤsogonin ma sǤrǤ, a y’a fa minε. 

O fǤlen, suruku k’ale den tε! Barisa kǤnǤ ni wara tε kelen ye. 

Kama b’a la, kama t’ale la. KǤnǤsogonin sen ye fila, sen naani b’ale suruku fε. 

Mun y’ale ni kǤnǤsogonin kε kelen? 

N’u ka misi kama don, u bε se k’o minε. ” 

Surukuba y’a dǤn k’a tε Ȃε cogo si la n’ale ma minε. 

Suruku y’u to mankan na ka fiȂε minε. 

A ye gǤngǤn wuli, ka bobilen kalanman seri waraba muso Ȃεda la. 

U ye surukuba fana Ȃinin ka dεsε. 

Sonsannin tεmεtǤ ye kǤrǤ suruku Ȃε bilen ye tu la. 

Sonsannin ko: “Ee, n kǤrǤ, e ni kǤnǤsogonin tε siya kelen, munna e bolila?” 

Surukuba y’a jaabi k’ale taalen, jǤn minεna ale kǤ. 


155

NSIIRIN: BAMA NI FALI. 

NSIIRIN 

NAAMU !!! 

N y’a da bama ni fali la! 

Don dǤ bama bǤra ji la k’a bε taa i senna yaala. 

A taara fo yǤrǤ jan. A segin tuma, a filila sira ma, a munumununa ka munumunu. 

A sεgεnnen taara i da jalasunba dǤ kǤrǤ. 

Fali nana se bama ma jalasunba kǤrǤ. 

Fali kabakoyara, a ko bama ma: “εε! N dǤgǤ mun y’i se yan bi? Yan ni baji ka jan dε!” 

Bama ko fali ma: “N kǤrǤ ne yεrε tε se ka foyi fǤ nin ko in na bilen. 

N taara n senna yaala, n tununna, n t’a dǤn n bε segin so cogo o cogo.” 

Fali ko a bε taa so tuma min, bama y’a fǤ a ye “n kǤrǤ, kana nin kε ne na, 

i bε taa cogodi ka ne to yan? I b’a lajε ka n lase bada la.” 

Fali k’o tε baasi ye; a gεrεla bama la, bama yεlεnna fali kǤ la. 

U selen dankan na fali ko bama ka jigin 

nga bama y’a fǤ fali ye k’a k’i jija ka se n’a ye ji cεmancε la. 

U selen ji cεmancε la bama jiginna, a y’i da fa fali kǤsen na o yǤrǤ bεε. 

Fali ko a ma: “Aah e jo don, ne de jalaki don.” 

Bama y’a jaabi: “I kεra jalakitigi ye o, i kεra jotigi ye o, nin si tε ne ka sira ye, ne bε e dun bi.” 

K’u to kuma na nsonzanin nana; a ko: “n kǤrǤ fali! Fo ji cεmancε la tan! Mun kεra? ” 

Fali y’a jaabi ko: “Ne Ȃuman kεtǤ de kεlen bε kara ye ne da la. 

Bama tununna, ne y’a dεmε ka na ji la. 

A selen ji la, a ye ne minε k’a bε ne dun.” 

Nsonzanin y’i min k’i kanto fali ma yǤrǤ jan fε: “N kǤrǤ fali, i tε se k’i puruti wa?” 

Fali ko: “N bε se kε!” 

Fali y’i pan ka bama tan a da la fo ka bama yεlεma a kǤ kan. 

Fali bolila ka taa so. 

N’i ye maa min ka sumun furakε, o b’i ka tigasi ȂȂȂȂimi. 


156

Communicative Task - Mali

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