To talk about your family in Bambara: parents, children, brothers and sisters. 14 words checked against reference sources (Bambara of Mali, official spelling (tones not written)).
1
Family words
bamother
fafather
denchild
musowoman, wife
cɛalso: kɛman, husband
Kɔrɔcɛelder brother
kɔrɔmusoalso: kɔɔ.muso, kɔsoelder sister
Dɔgɔcɛyounger brother
dɔgɔmusoalso: dwa.muso, jwa.musoyounger sister
Balimasibling, relative
mɔkɛgrandfather
mɔmusoalso: mamusograndmother
denbayafamily
somɔgɔfamily member (somɔgɔw = the family)
Test yourself
1. What does “fa” mean?
2. What does “cɛ” mean?
3. What does “Dɔgɔcɛ” mean?
4. What does “mɔkɛ” mean?
Where do these words come from?
The words in this article come from: Peace Corps Mali Bambara courses, Bamadaba dictionary (Corpus Bambara de Référence). They are copied with their exact spelling; when two sources disagree, the variant is shown. Do you speak this language and spot a mistake? Write to us.
The words in this article come from: Peace Corps Mali Bambara courses, Bamadaba dictionary (Corpus Bambara de Référence). They are copied with their exact spelling; when two sources disagree, the variant is shown. Do you speak this language and spot a mistake? Write to us.