Aw ni ce! I'm happy to announce the latest installment of the Jaati interview-lesson series.
In this episode, titled "Five Bambara Proverbs You Should Know," I teamed up with my friend Alima, the author of a trilingual (Bambara-English-French) book of proverbs (which are called nsana [plural nsanaw] in Bambara), to break down—and act out—some proverbs that any student of Bambara can incorporate into their speech
What Do We Cover?
The video goes over the meaning and usage of the following proverbs:
Proverb #1: Dɔɔnin-dɔɔnin kɔnɔ b'à ɲaga da = Little by little the bird build its nest
Proverb #2: N'i ma ɲɛ, i bɛ to ji la, i ka taa ba la = If you must perish, go to the river
Proverb #3: Bɛɛ wulituma ye i ka sɔgɔmada ye = Everyone’s time of rising is their morning
Proverb #4: Mɔgɔ mabɔ bɛ mɔgɔ ko diya = Distance from people makes relations pleasing
Proverb #5: Bɔrɔ lankolon tɛ jɔ = An empty sack doesn’t stand
Extra Resources
Need extra help studying these proverbs? Or need to review the grammar behind them? Check out the following:
Get Exercises: Intermediate Subscription
Full Online Course: Learn Bambara/Jula
Discover Alima's Book of Proverbs: [Link coming soon!]
What do Ivoirians in the streets have to say about social media?