Search

ka₁   mp. predicate marker for qualitative verbs; marque prédicative des verbes qualitatifs. I ka kɛnɛ? Are you healthy? Es-tu bien-portant? Ant: man.

ka₂   mp. optative (or "subjective") predicate marker; marque optative.

1 • expresses the wish of the speaker ("optative"). Bànà jugu ̀ ka à mìnɛ̀! May a serious illness overcome him!

2 • expresses a non-categorical order (with a second person pronoun). Aw ka dǒn yàn. You all should enter this way. Entrez ici. I ka n dɛ̀mɛ̀! You must help me! Tu dois m'aider! I ka taa! You should go! Que tu partes!

3 • expresses an indirect order (with a third person pronoun). À ka nǎ yàn! He should come here! (as in, "Have him cover here! I need to see him.")

4 • expresses an exhortation (with the first person plural pronoun an). An ka taa! Let's go! On y va! Ant: kàna.

ka₃   pp. alienable possessive marker; marque de la possession aliénable. Usage: Generally for relationships of possession that are considered transient (most typically, but not exclusively, this means things other than family members and body parts). N ka nɛ̀gɛ̀so ̀ dòn. It's my bike. C'est mon vélo. À ka dùgu ̀ His/her town/village. Sa ville/village. Emph: ta.

kà   inf. infinitive marker for verbs; marque de l'infinitif. kà taa to go. aller. Ka yaala, o ka di. To wander is pleasant. Flâner, c'est sympa. N bɛ se ka jùlàkan ̀ fɔ. I can speak Jula. Je peux parler dioula.

1 • and; et. À furula kà taga Abidjan. She got married and went to Abidjan.

2 • to; in order to; pour. À taara Bouaké k'à bamuso ̀ ye. He went to Abidjan to see his mom. Il est allé à Bouaké pour voir sa mère.

X bɛ kà Y   progressive construction ("X is Y-ing" or "X is doing Y"); progressive construction signifying that "X is Y-ing" or "X is doing Y". N bɛ kà taa sugu ̀ la. I am going to the market.

àbarika   See main entry: barika.

ala.ka.mùrùjan₁   n. rainbow; arc-en-ciel.

ala.ka.mùrùjan₂   n. praying mantis; mante religieuse.

alimɛtikala   n. See: alimɛti ‘match’.

balikukalan   n. literacy activities, literacy campaigns, literacy, "alphabétisation"; alphabétisation des adultes.

bamanankan   n. Bamana or Bambara language; langue bambara.

barika   interj. 1 • thanks; merci. I barika! Thank you (to one person). Aw barika! Thank you (to multiple people).

2 • interjection while bartering that signifies that the stated price of something is too expensive and should be lowered; exclamation signifiant que le prix proposé est trop élevé (lors d'un marchandage). Usage: Sometimes pronounced with a leading "a": àbarika. Barika! / Àbarika! Lower the price! Baisse le prix! Variant: àbarika.

barìka   n. 1 • blessing; bénédiction.

2 • strength, power; force, puissance.

3 • value; valeur.

barìka da [m.] ye   vt.con. thank [sb]; remercier [qqn]. An bɛ barika da Ala ye! We thank God! Nous remercions Dieu ! From: Ar. baraka 'blessing'.

barìka   vi. grow strong, powerful, or sturdy; devenir puissant; rendre puissant.

bèn.n.kàn.ni   Usage: Jula See: bìn.n.kà.ni ‘attack ; rape’.

bɛ kà   mp. predicate marker that expresses the progressive; marque prédicative qui exprime le progressif. This predicate market is a hybrid of bɛ and the infinitive marker kà. By convention, it is typically written as two words. N tɛ se ka nà. N bɛ kà baara kɛ. I can't come. I'm working. Je ne peux pas venir. Je suis en train de travailler. Morph: bɛ‑kà.

bìn.n.kàn.ni   n. 1 • attack, aggression; attaque.

2 • rape; viol. Variant: bèn.n.kàn.ni ‘Jula’.

dakala   n. jaw; mâchoire.

dakan   n. destiny; destin. Syn: nàkan. Variant: dankan ‘Jula’.

dankan   Usage: Jula See: dakan ‘destiny’.

dàràka   n. breakfast; petit-déjeuner.

galaka   n. ribs, side (of one's body); côte, côtes.

gɛ̀nɛ̀nkala   [gwɛ̀lɛ̀nkala] n. shin; tibia. Variant: gɛ̀lɛ̀nkala; gɛ̀nɛn; gwɛ̀nɛ̀nkala.

gwɛ̀nɛ̀nkala    See: gɛnɛnkala ‘shin’.

jakabɔ   vt. ridicule; se moquer de.

jùlàkan   n. Jula language; langue Jula.

-ka   suff. 'resident of' suffix; suffixe 'habitant de'. Bamakɔka person from Bamako; "Bamakois". Bamakois. Amerikika American; a person from America. Américain(e). I ye yɔrɔ-jumɛn-ka ̀ ye? Where you are from? (lit. "You are a which-placer?") Variant: -kan ‘Jula’.

kaadɔ   n. Dogon ethnic group, Dogon; ethnie dogon. Syn: dɔgɔn. Usage: potentially pejorative

kaafiri   n. 1 • infidel, heathen; infidel.

2 • pagan; païen. Usage: Pejorative Variant: kafiri.

kàari   n. phlegm, spit, loogie; glaire. kà kàari ̀ tu

k'à tu   

kaba₁   n. stone; pierre. Syn: kabakùru.

kaba₂   vi. s'etonner. N kabala à nàli ̀ la. Je me suis étonné de son arrivée.

kàba₁   n. corn; maïs.

kàba₂   n. sky, clouds; ciel, nuages.

kàbàfin   cloud; nuage.

kabako   n. surprising, extraordinary, amazing, or astonishing affair; affaire extraordinaire, chose incroyable.

kabakùru   n. rock, pebble, stone; pierre, caillou.

kàban   adv. Morph: kà‑ban. already; déjà. Lit: infinitive finish N y'à kɛ kàban. I already did it. Je l'ai déjà fait. See: ban₂ ‘finish, end’.

kàbi   prep. since; depuis. Variant: kàbìni.

kàbini   prep. since; depuis. Variant: kàbi.

kàbini sisan   henceforth, from now on. See: kàbi ‘since’.

kaburu   n. grave, tomb; tombe, tombeau.

kaburudon   n. cemetery; cimitière. Variant: kaburudo.

kàfo₁   n. region, canton, county; canton.

kàfo₂   vt. group up, assemble, come together; rassembler, se réunir.

vi. group up, assemble, come together; rassembler, se réunir.

kala   vt. sew; coudre. kà kalali ̀ kɛ sew. Variant: kalan ‘Jula’.

kàla₁   n. 1 • stick, twig; bâton.

2 • handle; poignée, manche.

...mǎ   informed of, aware of, in the know; être au courant de.

kàla₂   ? erreur à enlever?

kalali   n. sewing; couture.

kalan   vq. hot, warm; chaud. Syn: gǎn, gòni; Adj: kalanman; V/N: kalanya.

kalan   Usage: Jula See: kala ‘sew’.

kàlan₁   n. studies, studying, reading; études, recherche, lecture. kà kàlan ̀ kɛ study, read.

kàlan₂   vt. 1 • read; lire. An ka gafe ̀ dɔ kalan! Let's read a book! Lisons un livre!

2 • study; étudier. I ye bamanankan kalan yanni kà se yàn? Did you study Bambara before arriving here? As-tu étudié le bambara avant d'arriver ici?

3 • teach; enseigner, apprendre. Jɔ̀n y'i kàlàn? Who tought you?

kàlànba   n. female teacher; enseignante.

kàlànbali   adj. uneducated, illiterate; illettré, analphabète.

kàlànden   n. student, pupil; étudiant, élève.

kàlànfa   n. male teacher or professor; enseignant, professeur.

kàlànso   n. school house, school; école.

kalaya   1 • vt. heat, heat up; chauffer.

2 • vi. get hot, heat up; chauffer.

3 • vi. hurry; se dépêcher. Variant: kalanya.

kàle   Usage: Jula See: kàli ‘swear’.

kàli   vr. 1 • swear, make an oath; jurer.

2 • bet.

...la/kǎn   swear on, make a bet on; parier. Variant: kale; kalen ‘Jula’.

kàlìfa₁   vt. entrust, consign; confier.

...la/mǎ   entrust to, consign to.

kàlìfa₂   n. custody, care, keeping, protection; garde, charge, protéction.

kalo   n. 1 • moon; lune.

2 • month; mois.

kalodibi   

kaloyeelen   moonlight.

kàlon    See: nkàlon ‘lie’.

kamǎ   ppc. for, because of (with the nuance of the action being for the benefit of or with an eye to the person or thing in question); pour, pour la bénéfice de. Ù y'à kɛ wari ̀kanmà. They did it for money. Sim: kosɔ̌n. Variant: kanmǎ.

kamalen   n. 1 • bachelor; célibataire.

2 • young man; jeune homme.

3 • boyfriend, lover; copain, amant. Variant: kanbele.

kamalenba   n. playboy, player; play-boy.

kàman   n. 1 • shoulder; épaule.

2 • wing; aile. Variant: gàman ‘Jula’.

kàmànkɔ̀rɔ̀la   n. armpit; aisselle.

kàmànkun   n. elbow; coude.

kàmi   n. Guinea Fowl bird; pintade.

kan₁   n. 1 • throat, neck, throat, neck; gorge, cou.

2 • language; langue, parler.

3 • voice, sound, voice, sound; voix, son.

pp. on, on top of.

kan₂   vq. equal, same; égal.

...ka kan kà...   1 • have to, obliged to. I ka kan kà taa. You have to go.

2 • should, supposed to. Musà ka kan kà nǎ bì. Musa should be coming today.

-kan   Usage: Jula See: -ka ‘marker of being from a place’.

kǎn₁   ppl. on, on top of, upon; sur, au-dessus de, sur. I b'à kàn? You doing good? (Lit. 'Are you on it?'). Tu vas bien ? (Lit. 'Tu es là-dessus ?').

X bɛ à kǎn kà Y   Auxiliary construction expressing that X is the midst of Y. N bɛ à kǎn kà taa! I'm in the midst of leaving!

kǎn₂   vt. cut, scythe (grass); faucher.

kanà   Usage: Jula See: kána ‘prohibitive marker’.

kàna   mp. prohibitive marker; marqueur prohibitive. Ant: ka₂. Variant: kanà ‘Jula’.

kanbele    See: kamalen ‘young man ; bachelor’.

kanmǎ    See: kamǎ ‘for, because of’.

kanna   ppc. on, upon; sur, dessus.

kanto   vr. retort, answer back, respond, address; répondre, s'adresser.

kànu   vt. love; aimer. Variant: kànun.

kànu   n. love, desire, adoration; amour, désir, adoration. Variant: kànun.

kànubàgànci   n. fan, admirer; admirateur, passionné.

kàràma   n. consideration, respect; considération, respect. Syn: bònya1b. From: Ar.

kàràmɔgɔ   n. 1 • teacher; enseignant.

2 • koranic teacher; maître koranique.

kàràta   n. secco, thatch grass wall; chaume, secco.

kari   n. Sunday; dimanche. Syn: dimansi.

kari₂   vi. break; casser, briser. À bɛ kari. It'll break.

vt. break; casser, briser. N b'à kari. I'll break it.

kàri    See: kàrisa ‘someone’.

kàrìjakuma   n. 1 • eclipse; éclipse.

2 • type of tree thats leaves are used during an eclipse; arbe dont les baies sont disposées en grappe. Variant: kàrijàkuma.

karikari   n. final offer, breaking price; prix de cession.

kàrisa   n. someone, somebody, such person; quelqu'un, un tel. Variant: kàri.

kasa   n. smell, odor; odeur, senteur, parfum. Syn: suma.

kàsaara   From: Ar. n. 1 • accident, car accident; accident, accident de route.

2 • misfortune, disaster; malheur, désastre. Variant: kàsara.

kasanke   vt. 1 • shroud; envelopper.

2 • bury; enterrer.

kasanke   n. shroud, funeral cloth; linceul, voile d'enterrement.

kàsara   n. accident.

kàsi   vi. cry; pleurer.

kàso   n. jail, prison; prison.

kati   n. character; caractère. À kati ka gɛ̀lɛn Il est obstiné.

katigɛlɛn   n. obstinate, intransigent, uncompromising; obstiné, dur, intransigeant.

kàtugu   conj. because; parce que, car.

kawule   n. end of the rainy season (October-ish); fin de saison des pluies (octobre).

kɛ̀ɲɛ̀ka   n. north; nord. Syn: sahɛli.

kɔkàn   ppc. exterior; extérieur.

kukala   n. tail; queue (d'animal). Syn: ku.

lakàli   v. tell, divulge; raconter, diffuser. Variant: lakàle.

lakana   vt. protect; protéger.

màkari   n. mercy; clémence, compassion. Syn: hinɛ.

mànìnka   n. Malinké, Maninka; malinké, maninka.

mànkan   n. 1 • noise; bruit.

2 • commotion, trouble.

màràka   n. Soninké; Soninké.

morikalan   n. Islamic school, Islamic schooling, Koranic school; école coranique.

mùsàka   n. expense, fee, cost; dépense, frais.

nàkan   n. destiny; destin. Syn: dakan.

nkà   conj. but; mais. Variant: ngà.

nkàlon   n. lie, fib; mensonge. Syn: wuya. Variant: gàlon ‘Jula’; kàlon.

nkàlòntigi   n. liar; menteur. Variant: gàlòntigi ‘Jula’.

nkàlon tìgɛ   vt.con. lie, tell a lie; mentir. Lit: cut a lie

nɔ̀kànda   adj. successor, one that follows; suivant, successeur.

ɲàmàkala   n. casted person; personne de caste.

ɲɛkansi   n. eyebrow; sourcil.

ɲìnìnka   vt. ask, question; demander, interroger.

ɲìnìnkàli   n. question; question.

saraka₁   n. alm, offering, sacrifice; offrande donnée en sacrifice. kà saraka ̀ bɔ make a sacrifice (or offer charity after a funeral). faire un sacrifice.

saraka₂   vt. offer in sacrifice; offrir en sacrifice.

sènkala   n. leg (between the knee and foot); jambe.

sukaro   n. sugar; sucre.

sunkalo   n. month of Ramadan; le mois de ramadan.

suraka   n. Moor; Maure.

takala   n. match; alumette.

tùbàbùkan   n. French language; langue française.

walaka   vt. take apart, disassemble, take down, destroy; démonter, défaire, détruire.

wàlàka   n. chalkboard slate, wooden slate for Islamic studies; ardoise. Variant: wàlan.

wuli-kà-jɔ̀   n. 1 • mobilization, up-rising.

2 • protest, demonstration; manifestation. Variant: wulikajɔ; wulikalɔ ‘Jula’.

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