Bambara language facts for kids

Bambara is an important language spoken in the country of Mali, in West Africa. More than 6 million people speak Bambara, including those who use it as a second language. In its own language, Bambara is called Bamanankan.

Bambara is very similar to another language called Dioula. While Dioula is spoken by fewer people, you can hear it in countries like Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Gambia. Most people who speak Bambara belong to the Bambara ethnic group. This group has about 2.7 million people. However, many other groups in Mali also use Bambara.

Bambara belongs to the Manding language family. Languages in this family are quite similar to each other. The Manding family is part of an even bigger group called the Mandé languages. Bambara uses a special sentence structure called SOV. This means sentences are built with the subject first, then the object, and finally the verb. For example, instead of "I eat apples," it would be "I apples eat." Bambara also has two tones, which means the pitch of your voice can change the meaning of a word.

Speaking Bambara: Sounds and Words

The Bambara language has seven different vowel sounds. These are 'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', and 'u'. There are also two other special vowels that are not found in English.

How Sentences Work

As we learned, Bambara is an SOV language. This is different from English, which is a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) language. Understanding this helps you see how sentences are put together in Bambara.

Different Ways to Speak Bambara

Just like English has different accents and ways of speaking, Bambara has many local dialects. Some of these dialects include Somono, Segou, San, Beledugu, Ganadugu, and Wasulu and Sikasso. Even with these differences, most speakers can understand each other.

Bambara's History and Importance

Writing in Bambara began during the time when France ruled Mali. There aren't many old books or written works in Bambara. However, there is a rich tradition of oral literature. This means stories, poems, and songs were passed down by speaking and listening, not by writing.

The Griots: Storytellers and Singers

Special people called Griot are the keepers of these oral traditions. They are like historians, musicians, and poets all rolled into one! Griots tell amazing stories about ancient kings and brave heroes. They also sing religious songs. Many of their songs are very old, some possibly from the time of the powerful Mali Empire.

A National Language

Today, Bambara is one of the national languages of Mali. It is also the most widely understood language across the country. This makes it very important for communication and culture in Mali.

Images for kids

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  Page from Francis Delaforge's Grammaire et méthode Bambara (1949)

See also

In Spanish: Idioma bambara para niños