Language/Bambara/Vocabulary/Colors

Bambara Vocabulary - Colors

Hi Bambara learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about the different colors in Bambara. Colors are an integral part of any language and culture. By learning colors in Bambara, you'll be able to describe things around you in more detail, and also understand the cultural significance of colors in Bambara speaking communities.

Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: Useful phrases, How to say Good Bye? & Eat.

Basic Colors

Let's start with the basic colors:

Bambara	Pronunciation	English
Nyaama	/ɲaːma/	Black
Bolokelen	/bolokeːlɛn/	White
Sorowbe	/sorowbe/	Yellow
Kurubuka	/kuruːbuka/	Red
Waati	/waːti/	Blue
Fara	/fara/	Green

Here are some examples of how to use these colors in sentences:

• Nyaama tun = The raven is black.
• Bolokelen a ka = The snow is white.
• Sorowbe dugu = The sun is yellow.
• Kurubuka wululaw = The blood is red.
• Waati ka kun = The sky is blue.
• Fara tunw taa = The tree is green.

Advanced Colors

Now let's learn about some advanced colors.

Bambara	Pronunciation	English
Nkul	/ŋkulu/	Brown
Selenge	/selenge/	Grey
Kulanja	/kulanja/	Purple
Kuma	/kuma/	Pink
Gana	/gana/	Gold
Kouloubaliya	/kuluːbaliya/	Silver

Here's how you can use advanced colors in sentences:

• Nkul kamea sa = Her hair is brown.
• Selenge nouma = The clouds are grey.
• Kulanja kafalo = The flowers are purple.
• Kuma koro taa = The shirt is pink.
• Gana be sigi = The necklace is gold.
• Kouloubaliya a ka = The car is silver.

Cultural Significance of Colors in Bambara Language

Colors hold an important place in many cultures and traditions, and the Bambara culture is no different. Some colors have specific cultural meanings or associations.

For example, the color white is often associated with mourning and is worn to funerals. It is traditional for family members to wear white during funerals as a symbol of their grief and respect for the deceased.

Gold (gana) is also an important color in Mali and other West African countries. It is a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Anyone wearing gold, be it jewelry or clothing, is perceived to be financially well off.

Similarly, the color green (fara) is often associated with agriculture and farming as it represents fertility and growth. And the color red (kurubuka) is associated with danger and warning, which is why you often find red on warning signs and traffic signals.

Learning the cultural significance of colors in Bambara language will not only help you understand the language better but also make cultural references in your conversations.

Dialogue

Here's a dialogue between two friends, Adama and Sira discussing colors:

• Adama: I ni ce sorowbe nya? (What's the color of the sun?)
• Sira: Sorowbe ka dugu. (The sun is yellow.)
• Adama: Ni wa kora waati togo? (What color is your car?)
• Sira: Fiiri kouloubaliya k'a ka. (My car is silver.)
• Adama: Awa bolo kele ka tun muso. (The snow on the mountain is white.)
• Sira: Bolokelen diya sa. (The snow is white.)

Practice

To practice your vocabulary, try describing the colors of everyday objects around you in Bambara. To improve your Bambara vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Other Lessons

• Useful phrases
• How to say Good Bye?
• How to Say Hello and Greetings
• Express Surprise
• Animals
• Count to 10
• Feelings and Emotions
• Education
• Drink
• Days of the Week

Sources

• Learn Bambara - Colors
• Bambara phrasebook - Wikitravel