Bambara/Dioula Dictionary

Manding (Bambara/Jula)

Y - y

-ya₁ suff. abstraction suffix that expresses a state (e.g, -ness; -hood), quality or process; suffixe d'abstraction avec une valeure d'état, qualité ou processus. teri -> teriya friend -> friendship. ami - >amitié. nùmu -> nùmùya blacksmith -> the condition of blacksmiths. forgeron -> la condition de forgeron. dɔgɔ -> dɔgɔya small -> smallness; make/become small. petit -> petit; rendre/devenir petit.

yaa See: yala ‘interrogative particle’.

yaala vi. 1 • walk, stroll, wander; marcher, se promener, flâner, traîner.

vt. 1 • wander, cross; parcourir.

2 • seek, look for; chercher. Usage: This meaning of 'seek' is more typically Jula.

3 • hit on; get around with guys/girls; draguer; courrir les hommes/femmes.

yaala-yaala stroll, take a walk.

yaala n. 1 • stroll; ramble; promenade.

2 • act of being on the romantic prowl; drague.

yaasa See: walasa ‘in order to’.

yàfa vi. pardon, forgive; pardonner, excuser. Sim: hàkɛ̀to.

yàfa [m] mǎ forgive [sb]; pardonner [qqn]. I ka yàfà n mà! Forgive me! Pardonne-moi !

yàfa n. forgiveness, pardon; pardon, rémission. Sim: hàkɛ̀to.

yala part. interrogative particule; particule d'interrogation ('est-ce que'). Usage: Often used with wà or another question word. Yala tì͏ɲɛ ̀ dòn wà? Is it true? Est-ce que c'est vrai ? Variant: yali; yaa.

yalasa See: walasa ‘so that’.

yali See: yala ‘interrogative particule’.

yàmàrùya n. authorization, permission; autorisation, permission. From: Ar. Variant: yàmàrìya; yàmàri; yàmàru.

yàmàrùya vt. authorize, permit; autoriser, permettre. From: Ar. Variant: yàmàrìya; yamari; yamaru.

yǎn n/adv. here; ici. À di yan! Give it here! Donne-le-moi ! Cpart: yěn ‘there’.

yànni conj. 1 • before; avant. Yànni ka bamanankan ̀ dègè, n tùn bɛ tùbàbùkan ̀ fɔ Màli la. Before learning Bambara, I spoke French in Mali. Avant d'apprendre le bambara, je parlais le français au Mali.

2 • instead of; au lieu de. Yànni ka n filɛ, i ka n dɛ̀mɛ̀! Instead of watching me, you should help me! Plutôt que de me regarder, tu devrais m'aider ! Variant: sanni; sani.

yàtiimɛ̌ n. orphan; orphelin. Usage: This term comes from an Arabic word that historically may have meant "fatherless" and as such some speakers may use it primarily to refer to a child with only one parent. Syn: falatɔ. From: Ar. Variant: yàtiima.

yàtiimɛden orphan; orphelin.

ye₁ mp. transitive perfective marker; marque de l'accompli transitive. Ù ye ji ̀ min. They drank water. Ils ont bu de l'eau.

cop.

ye₂ cop. identification copula; copule équative. Adama ye sɛ̀nɛ̀kɛ̀la ̀ ye. Adama is a farmer. Adama est un cultivateur. N tɔgɔ ̀ ye ko Abi. My name is Abi. Mon prénom est Abi. Variant: bɛ ‘Jula’.

ye₃ pp. formal post-position with various meanings (often "benefactive"); post-position formelle avec des sens divers (souvent "bénéfactif"). Adama y'à fɔ n ye. Adama said it to me. Adama me l'a dit. Kàràmɔgɔ ̀ ye kìtàbu ̀ kàlàn à kàlàndenw ye. The teacher read the book for their students. Le maître a lu le livre pour ses étudiants.

...ni X ye 1 • a so-called "comitative" meaning that represents accompaniment; can often be translated as "with"; avec. Nà ni ji ̀ ye! Bring some water! Apporte de l'eau !

2 • an instrumental meaning; can often be translated as "with"; avec. Kuma ni fànga ̀ ye! Speak up! (lit. "Speak with strength"). Parle plus fort !

X ka VQ (ni) Y ye construction using qualitative verbs and "(ni)...ye" to express a comparative value (e.g., X is bigger/taller etc.) The ni can be dropped. E ̀ ka bòn ni n ye! You're fatter than me! Tu es plus gros que moi !

ye₄ mp. imperative marker with 2nd person plural a; marque de l'impératif pluriel. A ye taa so kɔnɔ! Go inside the house! Allez dans la maison !

ye₅ vt. see; voir. U ye ɲɔgɔn ye sugu ̀ la. They saw each other at the market. Ils se sont vus au marché.

yeli act of seeing, view, vision; acte de voir, vue, vision.

yèele vt. 1 • melt, liquify; fondre.

2 • disolve; dissoudre. Variant: yèelen.

yeelen n. light; lumière.

yeelen bɔ shine a light; éclairer.

yěn n/adv. there; là-bas. Bɔ yèn! Get out of here! Va t'en ! ("Quitte là-bas !") Cpart: yǎn ‘here’.

yɛlɛ vi. 1 • laugh; rire.

2 • smile; sourire. Variant: yɛlɛko ‘Jula’.

yɛlɛ [m] la laugh at [sb]; rire de [qqn]. Kàna yɛlɛ n na sa! Don't laugh at me, man! Ne ris pas de moi !

yɛlɛ [m] fɛ̌ laugh with [sb]; rire avec [qqn]. À yɛlɛla ne ̀ fɛ̀. He/she laughed with me. Il/elle a rit avec moi.

yɛlɛ [m] mà mock [sb], make fun of [sb]; se moquer de [qqn]. Mùsow bɛ yɛlɛ à ma. The woman mock him/her.

yɛlɛ n. 1 • laughter, laugh, laughing; rire.

2 • smile, grin, smiling; sourire.

yɛlɛmisɛn n. smile, smiling, grin; sourire.

yɛlɛ bɔ [X] la laugh at [X]; rire de [X].

yɛlɛko₁ Usage: Jula See: yɛlɛ ‘laugh’.

yɛlɛko₂ n. laughing matter; quelque chose qui fait rire. Morph: yɛlɛ‑ko. Lit: laugh-affair

yɛ̀lɛ̀ma vt. 1 • turn over, flip; retourner, renverser.

2 • change, transform; changer, transformer. À ye n ka kuma ̀ yɛ̀lɛ̀mà. He/she changed my words. Il/elle a dénaturé mes propos.

3 • translate; traduire.

vi/vr. 1 • turn around, turn over; se retourner. I yɛ̀lɛ̀ma! Turn around! Retourne-toi !

2 • change, transform; se transformer.

3 • move; déménager. Sim: bayɛ̀lɛ̀ma.

[f] yɛ̀lɛ̀ma [m] fɛ̌ transmit [sth] to [sb].

[f/m] yɛ̀lɛ̀ma ka kɛ [f] ye transform [sb/sth] into [sth]; transformer [qqch/qqn] en [qqch]. À y'i yɛ̀lɛ̀ma kà kɛ kɔ̀nɔ ̀ ye. He/she transformed into a bird. Il/elle s'est transformé en oiseau.

yɛ̀lɛ̀màni n. change; changement.

yɛ̀lɛn₁ vt. open; ouvrir. Bùtìki ̀ da ̀ ma yɛ̀lɛn fɔlɔ? The store hasn't opened yet?

yɛ̀lɛn₂ vi. climb, go up; monter, grimper. Variant: yɛ̀lɛ.

yɛ̀rɛ₂ part. self; même.

yɛrɛkɛ vt. spread, spread out, sprawl, disperse, diffuse; diffuser, disperser. Syn: jɛnsɛn.

yɛ̀rɛ̀kun det. oneself; soi-même.

yɛ̀rɛ̀minɛ n. 1 • self-control; maîtrise de soi.

2 • abstention, abstaining; abstention, abstinence.

yɛ̀rɛ̀ta n. 1 • independence; indépendance nationale.

2 • indépendance économique personnelle.

yɛ̀rɛ̀wolo n. legitimate child; enfant légitime.

yɛrɛyɛrɛ vi. tremble, shake, quiver; trembler, frissonner.

yɛ̀rɛ'₁ det. 1 • even; même, en personne.

2 • truly; tout à fait, absolumment, pas du tout.

yɛ̀rɛyɛ̀rɛ adj. authentic, original, pure.

yìra Usage: Jula See: jìra ‘show’.

yiran Usage: Jula See: jiran ‘roast; fry’.

yiranyiran vi. hesitate, be reluctant, be perplexed; hésiter, être perplexe.

yiri Variant: yirisun. Usage: Jula See: jiri ‘tree’.

yiriden Usage: Jula See: jiriden ‘fruit’.

yirika det. a lot, number of; beaucoup, nombre de.

yiriwa vi. develop, grow, mature; développer, mûrir.

vt. develop, increase, augment, strengthen, foster; augmenter, renforcer, développer.

yiriwali n. development; développement.

yoba vt. loosen, unscrew; déserrer.

yɔ̀lìyɔli vi. tiptoe, walk silently; crépir.

yɔrɔ n. place, spot, space; endroit, coin, espace.

yuguyugu₁ n. used clothes; habits à l'occasion.

adj. second hand; à l'occasion.

yuguyugu₂ vt. shake; secouer.

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