Language/Bambara/Grammar/Pronouns
Hi Bambara learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about pronouns in Bambara grammar! Pronouns are words that substitute for a noun or a noun phrase. They allow you to avoid repeating the same word over and over again.
Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Adjectives & Conditional Mood.
Personal Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Personal pronouns are different depending on whether they are the subject or the object of the sentence. Here are the subject pronouns and the object pronouns:
| Bambara | Pronunciation | English (Subject Pronouns) | English (Object Pronouns) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mɔgɔ | /mɔ̀.gɔ́/ | I | Me |
| Aw | /àw/ | You (singular) | You (singular) |
| I ni / O ni | /ì̀ nì/ /ò nì/ | He/She/It | Him/Her/It |
| Aw ni / I ni / O ni | /à nì/ /ì nì/ /ò nì/ | We | Us |
| A ka / Mu ka | /à ká/ /mù ká/ | You (plural) | You (plural) |
| I ye / O ye | /ì yé/ /ò yé/ | They | Them |
Here are some examples of how to use personal pronouns:
- Nka kɔrɔ ka mɔgɔ. (I am eating the rice.)
- Aw bɛɛ ɲuman. (You want water.)
- I ni don ka kuma. (He is going to the market.)
- Aw ni te kwɛle bi. (We saw the beautiful moon.)
- A ka jumusow te. (You all are studying today.)
- O ye dɔgɔmɔgɔn fe. (They are dancing together.)
Here we see some Bambara nouns and their corresponding pronouns.
| Bambara | Pronunciation | English !Pronoun | English (Subject Pronouns) | English (Object Pronouns) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| juma | /ʒù.mà/ | classroom | Aw ka juma. | You (singular) are in the classroom. | Aw bɛ juma ye. | You (singular) saw him in the classroom. |
| kadi | /kà.dì/ | book | I ka kadi. | He is reading a book. | Mu diya fara kadi. | You (plural) took my book. |
| kafo | /kà.fò/ | coffee | O kafo so. | She drinks coffee. | I diya kafo. | They gave it to him. |
Now that you know some personal pronouns, let's move on to the next type of pronoun: the possessive pronoun.
Possessive Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Possessive pronouns are used to show ownership or possession of an object or person. Here are the possessive pronouns:
| Bambara | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ka | /ká/ | My |
| Ni | /ní/ | Your (singular) |
| I | /í/ | His/Her/Its |
| Ton | /tɔ̀ŋ/ | Our |
| Nu | /nú/ | Your (plural) |
| On | /ɔ́n/ | Their |
Here are some examples of how to use possessive pronouns:
- Ka kuma ne? (Is this my market?)
- Ni ɲare ka. (This is your food.)
- I ce keni. (This is his/her bike.)
- Ton Mali ye ka. (Mali is our country.)
- Nu ka jinisin te. (You all have your own opinions.)
- On bεε jirin kawu. (Their house is very big.)
Here, you see some examples of using possessive pronouns in a context:
- Person 1: A ye kuma ye kelen ye. ("They" own the market place.)
- Person 2: A ye kuma ye dɔrɔ ye ka. ("Their" market place is very large.)
Now you know how to use possessive pronouns in a sentence!
Demonstrative Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Demonstrative pronouns are used to indicate a specific object, person or place. They often replace the use of an article in Bambara language. Here are the demonstrative pronouns:
| Bambara | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| I ni / O ni | /ì̀ nì/ /ò nì/ | This/That/It |
| I nyɔgɔ / O nyɔgɔ | /ì nyà.gɔ́ / /ò nyà.gɔ́/ | These/Those |
Here are some examples of how to use demonstrative pronouns:
- O ni siranw da. (That is a beautiful flower.)
- I si na te. (This is my bag.)
- I nyɔgɔw da kuna te. (Those are big bananas.)
- O nyɔgɔw da ce kelen fe. (Those chickens belong to them.)
Interrogative Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions. Here are the interrogative pronouns:
| Bambara | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ŋɔ / Ŋumu | /ŋɔ́/ / ŋùmú/ | Who |
| Nɛnɛn | /nɛ̀.nɛ́n/ | What |
| Kɔnɔ | /kɔ́nɔ̀ / | Where |
| Kolo | /kɔ́.lɔ́/ | How |
Here are some examples of how to use interrogative pronouns:
- Ŋɔ kɛlɛyan te? (Who is singing?)
- Nɛnɛn sigi ye ka le? (What is inside the box?)
- Kɔnɔ ye bεε ye? (Where are you all from?)
- Kolo ye juma ye? (How is the classroom?)
Indefinite Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Indefinite pronouns are used to refer to non-specific people or things. Here are the indefinite pronouns:
| Bambara | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Aw | /àw/ | Someone |
| I biye | /ì byɛ́/ | Anyone |
| Aw biye | /à byɛ́/ | Everyone |
| Kanan | /kà nàŋ/ | Something |
| I fɛ | /ì fɛ́/ | Anything |
| Ton fɛ | /tɔ̀n fɛ́/ | Everything |
Here are some examples of how to use indefinite pronouns:
- Aw bεεw da a waati. (Someone called you.)
- I biye don kuno. (Anyone can come.)
- Aw biyew ye ka. (Everyone knows this.)
- Kanan ye ye wayo. (Something is over there.)
- I fɛ dana ye ka. (Anything can happen.)
- Ton fɛ ko kan ye. (Everything is okay.)
Congratulations! Now you know all about the different types of pronouns in Bambara language.
To improve your Bambara Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Sources[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Questions
- Plurals
- How to Use Be
- Give your Opinion
- Adjectives
- How to Use Have
- Conditional Mood
- Negation