Language/Bambara/Vocabulary/Feelings-and-Emotions

Bambara Vocabulary - Feelings and Emotions

Hi Bambara learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn how to express our feelings and emotions in Bambara. It is important to be able to talk about our emotions as it helps us communicate better and understand others better. Let's get started!

Basic Emotions

Let's start with some basic emotions that we all feel:

Bambara	Pronunciation	English
i dɔn	ee dohn	I am happy
i kɛlɛtan	ee keh-leh-tan	I am sad
i tɛmun	ee teh-mun	I am afraid
i fɔlɔ	ee foh-loh	I am angry

Here are some examples of how to use these words in context:

• Person 1: I dɔn. (I am happy.)
• Person 2: I ka barika la. (That's good to hear.)

Other Emotions

In addition to the basic emotions, there are other emotions that we may feel:

Bambara	Pronunciation	English
i jiɲɛn	ee jee-nyen	I am surprised
i tɛrɛkan	ee teh-reh-kahn	I am nervous
i mɛn	ee mehn	I am tired
i yɛrɛwolo	ee yeh-reh-woh-loh	I am confused
i yenya	ee yehn-yah	I am ashamed

Here are some examples of how to use these words in context:

• Person 1: I jiɲɛn kan na. (I am surprised.)
• Person 2: A kɔrɔ. (What happened?)

Analogies and Cultural Information

In Bambara culture, it is important to show respect and avoid confrontations. Therefore, it is common to use analogies to express one's emotions instead of directly saying how one feels. For example, instead of saying "I am angry", one may say "My hair is standing up". Here are some examples:

Bambara	Pronunciation	English
i ka bolo	ee kah boh-loh	I am feeling down
nya taara	nyah tah-rah	I am nervous
i ka ɲɛgɛ	ee kah jeh-geh	I am feeling hot
ka gɔkɔŋ o wa	kah goh-kohng oh wah	I am feeling playful
i barala	ee bah-rah-lah	I am feeling lazy

Here are some examples of how to use these analogies in context:

• Person 1: Nya taara. (I am nervous.)
• Person 2: Ka saraba da. (Just take it easy.)

Expressions with Emotions

There are some expressions in Bambara that are used to convey emotions. Here are some examples:

Bambara	Pronunciation	English
duga la	doo-gah lah	Happily
ka barika la	kah bah-ree-kah lah	That's good to hear
aw be wari la	ahw beh wah-ree lah	Sorry
amadadu la	ah-mah-dah-doo lah	Welcome
dañgɔyɔrɔ la	dahng-oh-yoh-roh lah	Very cool

Here are some examples of how to use these expressions in context:

• Person 1: Duga la. (Happily.)
• Person 2: Ka be baara kelen ye. (You are doing well.)

Practice Dialogue

• Person 1: I dɔn. (I am happy.)
• Person 2: Ka barika la. (That's good to hear.)
• Person 1: I tɛmun. (I am afraid.)
• Person 2: Ka na ne nana. (Don't worry.)
• Person 1: I ka ɲɛgɛ. (I am feeling hot.)
• Person 2: Mogo la. (Take it easy.)
• Person 1: I ka bolo. (I am feeling down.)
• Person 2: Ka lɛ. (Cheer up.)

To improve your Bambara Vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Sources

• Bambara language
• Bambara people
• West African culture

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