Phrases Our Kids Asked to Learn Get off the wall. Jigi koko kan. Literally: Jigi koko kan. Decend wall on. Do you have a bike? I be negeso bolo Literally: I be negeso bolo? You are bike arm? (Maybe like, "Have you got a bike on you? Possession is strongly emphasized over ownership.) Pet a chicken. Shaé momo. Literally: Shaé momo. Chicken pet. It is…

A common conversation that can be used to learn many things in Bambara. What's your name? I togo be di? My name is Jacob. Ne togo ye Yacouba. What's this (that)? Ni yé mun yé? A chair. Sigilan. A chair? Sigilan wa? Yes. Awo. What's a chair? Sigilan ye mun yé? People sit on it. Mogo be sigi a kan. What's he doing? A bé mun kera? He's planting corn. …

Typical morning greetings Good morning. I ni sogoma. Hey, did you have a peaceful night? M'ba (male response to a greeting.) Here sira wa? Peace only. Here doron. How's your family? Somogo dun? No trouble. Torro té. Is your wife healthy? Muso ka kené? She's healthy. A ka kené. How are your children? Denmiewsen don? U be di. They're good. Good. God …

I am from the United States. Ne bora États Unis. Now, I live in Kadiolo Koko. Sisan, ne be Kadiolo Koko. I want to learn your language and your culture. Ne b'a fe ka aw ka kan ani aw ka ladalako kalan. I left here in the year 2000. Ne bora ya san ba fila. I really like Malians, so I decided to spend some time here. Mali mogow djiara ne ye, o koson …

I want to learn Bambara. Ne b'a fe ka Bamanakan kalan. I don't understand Bambara yet. Ne te Bamanakan men folo. Give me the road. (Meaning: I would like to go now.) Sira di. I want to be going. Ne be fe ka taga. See you later. K'an ben kofé. (kofé also means behind) God give you a peaceful day. Ala ka tilé heré I agree. (Response to a blessing) Am…