"I di an samba, huh?"

A Maninka Study Guide
for
Guinea

Introduction

First of all, we want to say that not everything in this study guide is perfect.  We hold no illusions that this is the definitive guide but is simply a brain spillage of two guys who had nothing better to do with their time than to try to catalog the entire maninka language.  

Seriously, we do hope that this provides an insight to the language from an english speaker's perspective.  This study guide is intended to supplement training, and not be a stand-alone study guide.  It will also serve as a useful reference at site.  We don't want you to have to learn all this stuff the hard way, as we had to do in our villages.

We redefined a few maninka rules of spelling (for those few that exist), just because it's often difficult for an english speaker to hear or pronounce certain sounds.  In maninka, there are two "o" sounds and two "e" sounds, all which can be expressed in written french but not in english.  The "o" sounds are written as "o" and "ö."  The two "e" sounds are written as "é" and "è."  In this guide, we have taken liberty to reduce the writing to "o" and "e."  We have assumed that in training, you have learned pronunciation.

We have also used several abbreviations to represent parts of speech.  These are: S for "subject"; V for "verb"; VR for "verb radical" (note that a verb radical is the verb minus the "ka"); INF for "verb infinitive"; DO for "direct object"; and IO for "indirect object."

Remember that maninka is a language, and there is a lot of vocabulary, most of which is not in this guide, and most of which changes depending on region.  It is not easy to learn, but is far from impossible.  With some patience, and time (which you will have plenty of), you too can become conversant in maninka.  Elders and petites will become very important to you in the learning process.  

Also, when learning maninka, let people close to you know that you want to learn and need to be corrected.  Choose one or two "mentors" to whom you direct the majority of your questions; villagers are not used to answering the types of questions you will be asking.  Mentors, however, will pick up on how you learn and your thought process, and in this way, will better help you.  

We want to thank the communities of Tiro, Faranah and Gberedou-Banarama, Kankan for supporting us throughout our 2 years in Guinea.  Without their help, kindness to strangers, and their dealing with our endless series of stupid questions, this book would not have been possible.  They will serve as reminders to us on how to act when we meet strangers who are trying to learn english.  

Finally, we want to wish you good luck in your quest to become maninka speakers.  It is not an easy thing to do but the learning process can be rewarding as well as frustrating.  Remember, as somebody once said, "a language must be murdered before it can be mastered."  Don't lose heart, even when the maninkas laugh at you (they aren't laughing at you, they're laughing with you); and before too long you'll be able to silence the laughter with a few choice words.  
Aaron Sharghi & Tony Gemignani 
Greetings & Simple Phrases 
Hello Baby!  Greetings
Greetings are extremely important in the maninka culture.  It is considered impolite not to greet a person.  This is why it is essential to know the greetings well.  Here is a list of most maninka greeting phrases.

You will notice that the lists below are divided into sections on when to use them.  Some phrases are used only in the morning, others only in the afternoon and evening, and some can be used at all times of the day.

Morning (Sunrise - Noon)
Opening Greeting
I ni sooma - 
(pronounced ii sooma)   	Good morning	

Questions
Tana ma si? -	Did you sleep without evil?	
Here sira? -	Did you sleep in peace?	
I kende sira? -	Did you sleep in health?	
I sen nani sira? -	Did you sleep with four legs?	

General Responses
(See "General Responses" in "Anytime" section below)

Day and Evening (Not morning)
Note:  These opening greetings are used seldomly, or not at all in (as in some regions, like Faranah).  Usually people use "I ni ke" for all times of day, especially day and evening.

Opening Greetings
I ni tele -	Good afternoon (noon - 4PM)	
I ni wura -	Good evening (4PM - 10PM)	
I ni su -	Good night (after 10 PM)	

Questions
Tana ma tele? -	Is there no evil in your day?	
Here tele na? -	Did you pass the day in peace?	

General Responses
(See "General Responses" in "Anytime" section below)

Anytime
Opening Greetings
I ni ke / I ni wale -	What up?	
I ni se / I ni sene -	Welcome (after long absence)	

Questions
Ta na te? -	Is there no evil?	
Ta na te ____? -	Is there no evil ____?	
...ye? -	...there?	
...yan? -	...here?	
...Kankan? -	...Kankan?	
...lu ma? -	...at home?	
...i bada? -	...at your place?	
...denbaya la? -	...in the family?	

Note: "Ta na te ye/yan?" uses the pronunciation "ti" for "te."

General Responses
These responses work as a response to any greeting.

Tana si te / Tana si te la -	There's no evil / There's no evil there	
Alla tando -	Thank God (Praise God)	
Alhamdulilaay -	Thanks to God!	
Uh-huh-uh -	Nope, absolutely no evil	

Anytime Questions and Responses
Note: See "General Responses" in the previous section for other possible responses in addition to those listed below.

Question:  ____ ye yen? -
I na... -
I fa... -
I la moo... -
(Moo)... -	____ is there?  (How is _____?)
...your mother
...your father
...your people, companions
...(person)	
		
Responses:  a ye/ a ye yen - 
a ko ka i fo -
ko n ye i fo -	He/she is there. (They are well)
He/she said to greet you.
He/she said to greet you.	

Question: i ka kende? -	are you healthy?  are you well? 	

 Responses: N ka kende -	I am healthy.	
N ma kende -	I am not healthy.	

Greeting Interjections
Note:  Around Faranah, these are not used much except for men saying "Mba."

Man's Interjections	 Woman's Interjections	
mba
m bara ha ba
arabusedi	n see
n ma soron
n ne jon
see di	

Example Dialogues
	Morning 	Afternoon or Evening
Ansoumane:	I ni sooma.	Ansoumane:	I ni ke.	
Seyfollaye:	I ni sooma.  Tana ma si?	Seyfollaye:	I ni ke.  Tana te?	
Ansoumane:	Uh-huh-uh.  Tana ma si?	Ansoumane:	Tana si te.	
Seyfollaye:	Tana si te.	Seyfollaye:	Tana te i bada?	
Ansoumane:	Here sira?	Ansoumane:	Tana si te la.	
Seyfollaye:	Alla tando!	Seyfollaye:	I ka kande?	
Ansoumane:	Mba.	Ansoumane:	Alla tando.  Tana ma tele?	
		Seyfollaye:	Tana si te.	
		Ansoumane:	I na ye yen?	
		Seyfollaye:	Tana si te la.	
		Ansoumane:	I fa ye yen?	
		Seyfollaye:	Alla tando.	

Saying Goodbye
So you want to say goodbye.  Happy Trails.  Ciao.  There are 50 ways to leave your lover, and there are just a few more ways than that to say goodbye in maninka.  Here's just a few:
I ni samanu -	See you later	
I ni sefalo -	See you later	
OO-OO-OO!! -	Goodbye!  (Informal)	
		
An be ____ -	See you ____	
   ...kofe/ kola -	...later	
   ...sinin -	...tomorrow	
   ...sooma -	...tomorrow (can refer to any indefinite time)	
...telero -	...in the afternoon	
...wurala -	...in the evening	
   ...sisen -	...soon	
   ...wo tuma -	...that time	
   ...waati gbere -	...another hour	
   ...lon gbere -	...another day	
...juma lon -	...Friday	

Benedictions
Like greetings, benedictions are a crucial element of day-to-day maninka conversation.  They are often strung together into a long series which people will spout out in rapid succession.  

Benedictions are usually recognizable from the "Alla" with which most of them begin.  When you hear Alla, simply be on your toes to respond with the maninka response to a benediction "Amina," which means "Amen."  In practical usage:

May God grant you with a good understanding of this section...

"AMINA!"

Benedictions in everyday conversation
ka tele kayira -	may you pass the day well	
Alla i kendeya -	may God make you healthy	
Alla i here ye fulen -	may God release happiness to you	
Alla kayeran di i ma -	may God give you luck	
Alla ye duba i ye -	may God bless you	
Alla si jan di i ma -	may God give you a long life	

Alla ye i so ____ la/na -	May God grant you ____	
Alla ____ di i ma -	May God give you ____
	
   ...wodi ba -	...lots of money	
   ...sinoon nyuman -	...good sleep	
   ...kende -	...health	
   ...hankili -	...intelligence	
   ...lodiya / ...loyoro -	...responsibility	
   ...kera kuntiiba -	...an important responsibility	
   ...fanka -	...strength	
   ...here -	...happiness, peace	
   ...sila diya -	...a good road	

Benedictions used at baptisms
Alla ma den balora -	may God nourish the child	
Alla ma den sora si la -	may God give the child long life	
Alla ma den nakandara -	may God protect the child	
Alla ma den na fadi dokendeyara -	may God give good health to the mother	

Benedictions used at funerals
Ka a nye kayira -	May the peace go with her.	
Ka a ko kayira -	May he leave peace behind him. 	
Ka banku suma a koro - 	May the soil be cool.  	
Alla ma alla hinera a la -	May God have pity on her. 	
Alla ma jafira furenin ma -	May God forgive the deceased.	

Benedictions used before a trip
Ka taama diya -	May your travels be good.	
Alla i la kanda -	May God protect you.	

Benedictions used before going to sleep
Ka su kayira -	May you pass the night well	
Alla ma an bora suro -	May God give us a good night	
Alla ma an kelen kelen wulira -	May God wake us up one by one.	

Benedictions used under other circumstances
Alla suman i kono -	May God cool your stomach (after eating)	
Alla ma fudu sabatira -	May God make the marriage a success (weddings)	
Alla ma tunye lakenema yara -	May God show us the clear truth (meetings)	
Alla a noya ke -	May God make you better (illness)	

Note: A response to :Alla a noya ke" can be "Amina," but also "Alla an be noya," or "May God make us all better."

Simple Phrases
We've all been stuck in that situation where we knew exactly what we wanted to say, but didn't know how to say it.  So, we've put together a list of just some common (and not so common) phrases you may want to use in the village.  We couldn't fit everything, so we were unable to include even important things like "Kono bara bo ke n kun do," or "A bird shat on my head."  Sorry...

My name is...
I too di? -	What is your name?	
N too le ... (name) -	My name is ... (name)	
I jamun duman? / I si? -	What is your last name?	
N ... (last name) -	I am a (last name)	

Do you speak maninka?
I ye maninka kan fola? -	Do you speak maninka?	
I ye maninka kan men na? -	Do you understand maninka?	
I ku san maninkakan fola? -	Are you able to speak maninka?	
N ye maninka kan fola donin -	I speak maninka a little	
N ye a fola donin -	I speak it a little.	
		
I ku san maninka kan fola? -	Are you able to speak maninka?	
N ku san maninka kan fola donin -	I am able to speak maninka a little.	

Your work
I la baara ye mun di? - 
I ye mun baara ke la? -	What (work) do you do?
What (work) do you do?	
Lekolikaramoo le n di -	I am a teacher	
Dootoro le n di -	I am a doctor	

Coming and going
I bonin min? / I ye bola min? -	Where are you (coming) from?	
N bonin ameriki -	I am from America	
I wato min? -	Where are you going?	

Marriage
I bara fudu (ke)? -	Are you married?	
N bara fudu (ke) -	I am married	
N ma fudu (ke) folo -	I am not married yet	

Note: Men use the term "fudu ke" and women use the term "fudu."

Bring me something
Before the trip...
I di n samba (huh)? -	Will you bring me a gift?	
N di i samba nyinin -	I'll look for a gift for you	
Awa -	OK	
After the trip...
I ka n samba? -	Did you bring me a gift?	
I ka n samba mun na? -	What gift did you bring me?	
I ka nyasii? -	Did you keep something for me?	
N ka i samba -	I brought you a gift	
N ka i samba n yere le la -	I brought you myself. (as a gift)	
N ma i samba soron -	I didn't bring you a gift	
N ma fen soron -
N ma i soron -	I didn't get you anything
I didn't get you anything	
Taama ma diya -	I brought nothing (the trip wasn't good)	
N ka i samba, koni a bara fa sila kan -	I got you a gift, but it died on the road	

Returning from a trip
I ni tunun / I bara tunun -	You've been lost. (I haven't seen you)	
I tun bara men yen / I bara men -	You've been (there) a long time	
I fana ni tunun -	You have also been lost 	
N tun/tere te yan -	I haven't been here	
N ma men kosebe -	I haven't been gone very long	

True and false
Tunya/tunye -	True	
Wuya -	False	
Tunya le -	That's right. (correct)	
Wuya le -	That's wrong. (false)	
Sebero -	Really	
Ni Alla -	I swear to God	

Pardon
Haketo -	Excuse me.	
Hake t'i ma -	You're excused.	
I jo -
Jafa  -	pardon (often accompanied with pleading)
pardon (often accompanied with pleading)	

Expressing gratitude
Saying thanks
I ni ke (huh?) -	Thank you	
Ko baaraka -	Thank you (when someone gives you food)	
Enigba -	Thank you (when someone makes something for you)	

Saying you're welcome
Wo te fosi di -	It's nothing	
Wo ma n ke bo -	It's less than I should do	
Baaraka lai -	Thank God (as a response to "ko baaraka")	

Responding to beggars
Alla kelen pe di i so -	Only God will provide for you.	
Wodi te yan -	There's no money here.	
Fosi te yan -	There's nothing here.	

Managing petites
I bo yen! -
I to yen! -
I to ten! -
A bila! -	Get out!  Scram!
Leave it!
Leave it!
Leave it!	
Note:  The "Words you might not want to know" section has appropriate terms for managing petites.  For example, it may be extremely appropriate to tell a boy that if he doesn't shut up, you'll cut his, well, you know what, off.		

In meetings
I makun -
Alu ye alu makun -	Be quiet! (1 person)
Be quiet! (people)	
I sabari -
Alu ye sabari -	Be silent! (1 person)
Be silent! (people)	
I da la tun -	Close your mouth	
Alla sawo, i sawo -	You have the honor (after God)	
Namu -	(an all purpose response)	

OK
Tomado / Puteteri -	Maybe	
Awa -	Okay	
A le le ye wo di -	Okay / That's it. (C'est ça.)	
N'Alla sonda -	God willing	

Aaron Sharghi
Tony Gemignani
June, 2000

 Z OBJECT PRONOUNS Z
Object Pronoun Summary
Standard Object Pronouns
Whether it be subject, indirect object, direct object, or reflexive, the following are used in maninka:

1 Sing (I) 	N	1 Plur (We)	An	
2 Sing (you)	I	2 Plur (You)	Alu	
3 Sing (He/She/It)	A	3 Plur (They)	Alu	

Notes on 2nd and 3rd person plurals:
•	They look like the same thing.
•	Maninka scholars will tell you that these are differentiated by their tones.  The meaning, however, can most often be detected by context, or a hand motion toward the person you're talking to (you) or away from the two of you (they).
•	The 3rd person plural is not used as often as you might think.  Many people often use "a" even when they speak in the plural.

Disjunctive Emphatic Pronouns
1 Sing (I) 	N ne
(or N de)	1 Plur (We)	An ne
(or An de)	
2 Sing (you)	I le	2 Plur (You)	Alu le	
3 Sing (He/She/It)	A le	3 Plur (They)	Alu le	

Other 3rd Person Pronouns
Men/Nyin - This, he, she (person or thing)
Wo - That, he, she (person or thing)

Direct Objects (DO)
These are the objects of transitive verbs.  They are directly affected by the action.

DO nouns are always found before the verb.  DO pronouns replace the noun, thus are also placed before the verb.

Pronoun DO	Noun DO	
N di a damun.
I will eat it.
	N ye leteri sebe la.
I am writing a letter.	
A bara n fo.
He greeted me.
	Da la tun!
Close the door!	
I ka wo lon?
Do you know that?	N di lafen gbangban.
I will nail the bed.	

Note:  There are some verbs that require getting used to because they have DO's that wouldn't be direct in English.  For example:

ka so - to give, share, provide
Namasa ye i bolo!  I di n so!
You have bananas!  Share with me!

ka samba - to bring something
I ka n samba?
Did you bring something for me?
Indirect Objects (IO)
These are objects of transitive or intransitive verbs, expressed with a preposition.

The IO is found before the preposition.  An IO pronoun simply replaces the noun, thus it is also found before the preposition.

Pronoun DO	Noun DO	
N na di telefoni a ma.
My mother will telephone him.
	N ka photo dun dandan na.
I hung the photo on the wall.	
I kodomuso bara wa a di.
Your big sister went away with it.
	N wato lu ma..
I'm going home.	
Wodi yira n na!
Show me the money!
	Den bara fen bila a da ro.
The kid put something in his mouth.	

Prepositions
Note the word preposition, seems to indicate that this part of speech comes in the "pre" position, or before the object.  However, most prepositions come after their object:

koro - under	tema - between	
kan - on	dafe, tofe, torofe - near	
kono - in	nyafe - in front of	
di - with (accompanying)	kofe - behind, after	
ma - at (action toward something)	fanfe - toward	
la/na - in, with	ko - behind, following	
do/ro - in, into	ye - to	

The following prepositions come before their object:

foo/han - until	kabi - since	
iko - like	fo - except	

Selected Uses of Prepositions
di - with
Na a di
Come with it.	la/na - in
wurala - in the evening
somadala - in the morning
bonna - in the house
	
ko - behind, following
N bara bila mobili ko.
I followed the car.

A bara wa Fanta ko.
He followed Fanta.	ro/do - in
giro - in the water
baro - in the river
waro - in the bush
telero - in the afternoon
suro - in the night
daro - in the mouth	
haan - until
N wara haan Gueckadou.
I went all the way to Gueckadou.	aro - in it
senero - in the fields
lofero - in the market
Maninka kan do - in Maninka language	

ATTENTION!
Proper use of prepositions requires some knowledge of the prepositions, but also knowing which of these prepositions to use with which verbs.  For example, the preposition "la" means, usually "in" or "with".  "Ma" means "at".  They both have many uses.  For example, used with the verb "ka ke" - to do:

Using ma...  "N di torosi ke i ma" means literally "I am going to do the flashlight at you," or I'm going to shine the flashlight at you.

Using la... "N di torosi ke i la" means literally "I'm going to do the flashlight in you," or I'm going to shove this flashlight up your ass.

One of these is proper, the other an insult.  Any questions?
Disjunctive or Emphatic Pronouns
These words are disjoined from the verb - they stand alone for emphasis.  Try saying "me?" in maninka.  "N?"  It doesn't do much for emphasis, does it?  Sort of like using the pronoun "me" in French; "moi" is considered the emphatic pronoun.

Three uses of emphatic pronouns
1)  Used to emphasize the subject.
Jon le?  N de.
Who is it?  It is me.

N de?  N te wa la.
Me?  I'm not going.

I le?  I ka n na diriki sunya?  I komo!
You?  You stole my shirt?  You're an idiot!
	
2)  Used to say "Me too." or "And you?"
Lekolkarimoo le i di?  N de fana.
You're a teacher?  I am too.

Mamadi Camara di wa Ameriki.  I le don?
Mamadi Camara is going to America.  And you?
	
3)  Used in double subjects
N de ni i le, an di wa so kono.
Me and you, let's go to town.

A le ani a fa bara mankoro kadi telero.
He and his father picked mangoes in the afternoon.	

Pronouns using "yere" (Expressing Self)
Adding "yere" to a pronoun means "self." 

N yere ka wo ke.
I myself did that.	A yere nada kunun.
He himself came yesterday.	

Possession and Possessive Adjectives
There are 2 ways to express possession in Maninka.  The general rule places every noun into one of the two following groups:

1)  family members and body parts (inalienable)
2)  everything else (alienable)

Inalienable
This group includes those things that will always be a part of your possessions.  Toward the Faranah region, some nouns (i.e. ke-husband, muso- wife, den-child) fall into the second group while toward Kankan, they fall in this group.  

The possessor is placed just before the possession.  If a pronoun is used, simply replace the noun with its appropriate pronoun:

1 Sing (My) 	N	1 Plur (Our)	An	
2 Sing (Your)	I	2 Plur (Your)	Alu	
3 Sing (His/Her/Its)	A	3 Plur (Their)	Alu	

Pronoun Possessor	Noun Possessor	
N bolo bara funu.
My hand has swollen.
	Tubabu kunsi ka nyin.
Tubabu's hair is good.	
Amerikika le a na di.
His mother is from America.	Mamadi domuso ye a ko la.
Mamadi's little sister is bathing.	

Alienable
This group includes those possessions that can be lost or sold - things you acquired during your life.  This group requires an additional syllable between the possessor and possession.  Put la (na for 1st person nasals) between the possessor and possession.

1 Sing (My) 	N na	1 Plur (Our)	An na	
2 Sing (Your)	I la	2 Plur (Your)	Alu la	
3 Sing (His/Her/Its)	A la	3 Plur (Their)	Alu la	

Pronoun Possessor	Noun Possessor	
An di wa n na bonna.
Let's go in my house.
	Ousmane la mobili bara tinya.
Ousmane's car is broke down.	
N na fanin bara no.
My clothes are dirty.	Assane la fula bara be kolonda.
Assane's hat fell in the well.	

Compound Possession
To say... "My big brother's dog"...   N kodoke la wulu

To say...  "It is the principal's mother's house" - Principali na la bon le wo di.
or
Principali na, a la bon le wo di.

Possessive Pronouns
The possessive pronoun is formed by adding "ta" to the subject pronoun.

1 Sing (Mine) 	N ta	1 Plur (Ours)	An ta	
2 Sing (Yours)	I ta	2 Plur (Yours)	Alu ta	
3 Sing (His/Hers/Its)	A ta	3 Plur (Theirs)	Alu ta	

Possessive pronouns are used in maninka as in English:
Jon ta le?  N ta le.
Who's is it?  It's mine.

Or with comparisons:
N ta ka bon i ta di!
Mine is bigger than yours!

 The Verb "To Be" (Ye) 
Conjugation of "To be"
Note first that there is no conjugation of this verb.  All tenses remain the same no matter what the subject.

	Present	Past	Future	
Affirmative	ye	tere / tun	(see note)	
Negative	te	tere te / tun te	te	

Note:  The future tense does not exist.  When a present tense uses "ye," the future tense will require a different verb, such as "ka soron," "ka mina," "ka tere," or "ka ke."  These verbs are described below.
Simple Use of "To be"
In using the verb "ye" alone, there is really only one use, which is to express the location of something with or without a preposition.

N ye yan. - I am here.
N dinyoon tere Ameriki. - My friend was in America.
N tere te yan kununsinin. - I wasn't here the day before yesterday.
A ye tabali kan. - It's on the table.
Soferi ke ye so kono. - The chauffeur is in town.

Notes
•	To describe a noun with another noun (e.g. I am an American) , see later in this section the use of "le."
•	It is used to form many  verb tenses.  See the section on verb tenses for its usage.
•	Unlike the english language, this verb is not used to express states of being with adjectives such as "I am angry," "We are tired," "The cat is dead," or "He is tall."  Formation of these types of phrases is found in the adjective section.

Future Tense
To express future tense of "to be," one can use the verbs "ka tere" or "ka soron", both meaning "to find (someone)."  These may be used interchangeably.  Also, one could use "ka ke" meaning "to do."

I di n tere yan.
You will find me here.	Sinin, n di i soron i bada?
Tomorrow, will I find you at your house?
	
Lokun kunyo, n di Labe ke.
Next week, I will do (be in) Labe.
	San nato, n di Ameriki ke fanaan.
Next year, I will do (be in) America again.	

To Express Physical or Mental States
The maninka use a special structure to express physical conditions or mental attitudes.  This structure is also used to indicate a lack or desire for something.

Basic Structure
Structure: ____ + ye/te + (NOUN) + la/na

Note:  To form past tense, one can change the "ye" to "tere."

Examples:
Konko ye n na.
I am hungry.
	Nene ye dotoro la.
The doctor is cold.	
Tara te Ousmane na.
Ousmane is not hot.
	Sinoo ye n denyoon na.
My friend is sleepy.	
Sasa ye n na la.
My mother is congested (a cold).
	Ji loo te nyari la.
The cat is not thirsty.	
Jankaro ye sous-prefet la.
The sous-prefet is sick.		

Expressing Lack or Desire (Loo)
Structure:    ______  + loo + ye/te + (NOUN) + la

This structure is used to convey lack or want of something, like the French expression "avoir envie."  

Examples:
Cigireti loo te n na.
I don't want a cigarette.
	Suna ke loo ye n na.
I want to urinate.	
N denbaya loo ye n na.
I miss my family.	Burger King loo ye n na.
I miss Burger King.	

Future Tense
To form future tense, the maninka use the verb "ka mina" translated as "to take."  One could also form an alternative present tense with "ka mina" by changing "di" to "bara."  (e.g.  "Konko bara n mina." or "Hunger has taken me")

Examples
Ni n te domunin ke la, konko di n mina.
If I don't eat, I will be hungry. (Hunger will take me.)

N ba wa Ameriki, alu loo di n mina.
When I go to America, I will miss you. 
Use of "le"
The word "le can be translated as "It is."  It has, at least, three different uses.

1)  To say that "something" (a noun) is "something" (another noun)
2)  To express "It is"
3)  Translated as "who," as in "It is (someone) who did (something)"

Describing nouns with nouns (...le/te...di)
Structure: (NOUN) + le/te + (NOUN) + di

This is the structure used anytime one noun is described as another noun.  Note the placement of the subject.

Examples
Lekolkaramoo le n kodoke di.
My big brother is a teacher. 
	Luke, i fa le n di.
Luke, I am your father.	
N muso te Fanta di.
Fanta is not my wife.	Luke, i muso te n di.
Luke, I am not your wife.	

Future Tense
The manika use the verb "ka ke" (to do) to express "to become."  One could also form an alternative present tense with "ka ke" by changing "di" to "bara."  (e.g.  "N bara ke maninka di" or "I have become maninka")

Examples
A di ke kun tii ba di.
He will become a big boss.
	N dinyoon di ke dootoro di.
My friend will become a doctor	

"It is"
The use of "le" expresses "it is."
Mamadi le. - It is Mamadi.
I na le? - Is that your mother?

Optional:  Add "ten" or "wo di" (that).
N ta le wo di - That's mine.
Wulu le ten - That's a dog.
Nyari te - That's not a cat.	The use of "te" expresses "it is not."
N na te. - That is not my mother.

Past tense is formed with "le tere"
Wulu le tere - It was a dog.
N na bon le tere - It was my hut.	

And, if Ed McMahon were maninka, he might say one of three things:

Johnny le!	
Johnny le ten!  ---------------->
Johnny le wo di!	
Here's Johnny!	

Translated as "who"
Structure: S + le + V

Examples:
N na kun tii le ye kuma la.
It is my boss who is speaking.
	N de le ka tiya san.
It is me who bought the peanuts.	
Sory le tere n na kalasi kono.
It's Sory who was in my class.	I le di nyani jahanama la.
It is you who will burn in hell.	

Expressing "To Want"
The structure of "I want" changes depending on whether it is used with a simple direct object, with an infinitive, or with an entire sentence.

1)  To want (something)  (with Direct Object)

Structure: S + ye + DO + fe

Examples (with direct object)
N ye keme loolu fe.
I want 500 (worth of something).	N te jii fe.
I don't want water.	

2)  To want (to do something)  (with Infinitive)

Structure: S + ye + a + fe + INF

Examples (with infinitive)
N ye a fe ka buru san.
I want to buy bread.	A tere te a fe ka ninsi bidi.
He didn't want to milk the cow.	

3)  To want (someone to do something)  (with sentence)

Structure: S + ye + a + fe + sentence

Examples (with sentence)
N ye a fe i ye wo ke.
I want that you do that.	a te a fe n di sun don.
She doesn't want that I fast.	

Note:  "I want" can also express sexual desire or desire for marriage.  For example:
Sekouba:  N ye i fe.  I ye n fe?
Dousou:  N ye i fe.
Sekouba:  Awa, an taa bonna.

Or, in walking down the street, you see a woman with a child and she says to you:  "I ye a fe," referring to the child.  She then continues her parole, asking you to take the child to America, telling you that even though the child is small today, assures you that the child will grow up.
Expressing "To Have"
There are three primary ways to express "to have"
1) Use of...ye/te...bolo
2) Use of A ye yen/yan
3) Use of "Tii" - owner

...ye/te...bolo
Structure:  (NOUN) + ye/te + (NOUN) + bolo

"Bolo" means hand.  Thus, to say "I have a house," you really say "House is my hand."  Note the placement of the subject in this structure.

Examples
A ye n bolo.
I have it.
	Fen te n bolo.
I have nothing.	
N na biki ye Assana bolo.
Assana has my bic (pen).	Mun ye i  bolo?
What do you have?	

Note:  "bolo" can be replaced by "kun" (literally menaing "head") in some regions.  As in: muru ye i kun? (Do you have a knife?)

Future tense
To express any of these in future tense, the maninka use the verb "ka soron" translated as "to receive."

Examples:
N di monbili soron.
I will have a car.
	N ba wodi ba soron, n di wa ameriki.
When I have a lot of money, I will go to America.

A ye yen/yan
Yen means there.  Yan means here.  They are opposites in Maninka, like night and day, sun and moon, and the Chinese ying and yang (but don't get them confused.)

Structures:
S + ye yan - (Something) is here.
S + ye yen - (Something) is there.

These are most commonly used in the rice bar or boutique:

Situation 1 - Rice bar
Moussa: Kinin ye yen?
Muso: Huh, Kinin ye yan.
Moussa: Awa, n ye pileti kelen fe.	Situation 2 - Boutique
Fatim: Coca sumanin ye yen?
Jula ke: Huh, a ye yan.
Fatim: Awa, n ye coca fila fe.	

Tii - owner
The word "tii" expresses possession or ownership and follows the item possessed, like a suffix.  It is absolutely unrelated to the verb "to be," yet didn't fit well into any other section of this book.

Examples
fen tii - thing owner (a wealthy person)
hake tii - sin owner (sinner)
kun tii - boss (chef)
bon tii - landlord
basi tii - witch doctor
pumpi tii - head of the water pump
so tii, du tii - chief of the village
jamana tii - chief of the region

N na kun tii nato sinin - My boss (Regional rep. or APCD) is coming tomorrow.
Expressing "To Think"
There is a verb "to think" that is "ka miri," however this usually indicates that someone is being pensive.  There is another meaning of "to think" in English that expresses some doubt or opinion.  In maninka, this idea is expressed:  

A ye n kono - I think (It is in me)

Examples
A ye n kono a nato araba lon.
I think he's coming Wednesday.	A ye n kono sanji te na la.
I think it's not going to rain.	

Z Verb Tenses Z

For a list of all tenses and their constructions, see appendix A.
Present Progressive
This tense is the same as the english  "I am ____ing."

Positive Structure: S + ye + VR + la/na

Examples
N ye bon mafiran na.
I am sweeping the house.
	Sory ye lemunun maka la.
Sory is peeling an orange	
Bakary fa ye sinoo la.
Bakary's father is sleeping.	N ye tolon na.
I'm playing (joking).	

Negative Structure: S + te + VR + la/na

Examples
A den te kasi la.
Her child is not crying.
	N te fosi san na.
I'm not buying anything.	
Men te wa la.
This is not going.	N kun te dimin na bi.
My head is not hurting today.	
Present Habituative
This tense expresses repeated action in the present or a general statement of fact.

Notes:  
•	"be" is used interchangably with "di" around Kankan but used rarely around Faranah.
•	This form is exactly the same as the future tense.  English uses the future tense as well to express general statement of fact (e.g. "Cows will eat grass.")

Positive Structure: S + di/be + VR

Moo di wo ke.
People will do that.	Su-su, n di liburu karan.
Every night, I read.	

Negative Structure: S + te + VR

N te cigaretti min.
I don't smoke.	An te too damun ameriki la.
We don't eat too in America.	

Simple Past
This tense describes a finished action that occurred well in the past. (ou bien relatively long ago.  This is ambiguous - we know.)

Positive Structure 1: S + ka + VR
Positive Structure 2: S + VR + ra/da/na (without DO only)

Note: 
•	After a nasalized vowel, ra becomes na or da.
•	Structure 2 can only be used with an intransitive verb (verbs without direct objects).

Structure 1 Examples:
Lokun tamanin, n na ka telefoni n ma.
Last week, my mother called me.

Kunun, moo ka saa fa n na bonna.
Yesterday, people killed a snake in my hut.

Structure 2 Examples:
I fara?
Are you full?
	Muso wara loofero.
The woman went to the market.	
N'allah sonda!
If God accepts! (God willing)	N soronna Ameriki.
I was born in America.	

Negative Structure: S + ma + VR

Examples:
N ma i la boro sinka.
I didn't borrow your bag.	N ma wa.
I didn't go.	
Recent Past Perfect
This tense describes a recent past action, or implies continuation.

Note: This tense can also have the meaning of having become.  For an explanation of this see the Adjectives section, Form 3 of the Adjective.

Positive Structure: S + bara + VR

As a recent past action - Examples:
I bara na?
You have come?	Mamadi na bara den soron.
Mamadi's mother had a baby.	

As an implication of continuation - Examples:
I bara nyaye?
Did you understand? (and do you still?)
	
Mobili bara tinya.
The car has broke down. (and hasn't been repaired yet)	

Negative Structure: S + ma + VR

As a recent past action - Examples:
A ma wa.
She didn't go.	A ma a kunun haan telero.
He didn't wake up until the afternoon.	

As an implication of continuation - Examples:
N ma lon.
I didn't know. (and still don't)	A ma na folo.
She hasn't come yet.	

Pluperfect
This tense is like a past tense in the past tense.  It consists of the recent past tense adding tere or tun.

Note: Verbs that are normally expressed in recent past tense with an implication of continuing action require the pluperfect tense in order to express past action.   For example, "n ma wo lon" (I don't know that) is already in past tense construction (but expressing present state).  In the pluperfect tense this would become, "Kunun, n tere ma wo lon" (Yesterday, I didn't know that) and thus expressing a state in the past. 
 
Positive Structure: S +  tere/tun + bara + VR.

Examples:
I tun bara men!
You had taken a long time!
	
N sera ye tuma men, n koro ke tun bara wa.
I arrived there when my older brother had (already) gone.	

Negative Structure: S + tere/tun + ma + VR

Examples:
A tere ma sali.
He had not prayed.	N tere yen, koni a tere ma na folo.
I was there, but he had not come yet.

Past Progressive/Past Habituative
Past Progressive expresses continued action in the past as in "I was _______-ing".

Past Habituative expresses repeated action in the past, what one "used to" do or "would" do, but does no longer. It has no negation. 

Past Progressive
Positive Structure: S + tere/tun + VR + la

Examples:
N tere wo ke la.
I was doing that.
	An tere baara la.
We were working.
	
A tere na la tuma men a jankarora.
He was coming when he got sick.	

Negative Structure: S + tere te/tun te + VR + la

Examples:
Torosi tere te taama la.
The flashlight wasn't working.	N tun te sinoo la.
I wasn't sleeping.	

Past Habituative
Positive Structure: S + tere/tun + VR + la

Examples:
Sooma-sooma n tere wa la lekoli.
Every morning, I used to go to school.
	
Kelen-kelen, n ka 1000 saran ka mankoron san Ameriki la.
Occasionally I would spend 1000 (francs) to buy a mango in America.	

Future
This tense describes something that hasn't happened yet, but will (God willing, of course!)

Note: "be" is used interchangably with "di" around Kankan but rarely around Faranah.

Positive Structure: S + di/be + VR

Examples:
N di wa Tiro almisa kunyo.
I'm going to Tiro next Thursday.	Lon don, an be di sise damun.
One day, we will all eat chicken.	

Negative Structure: S + te + VR

Examples:
N te son wo ma.
I won't accept that.	Bintou te jankaro, n'allah sonna.
Bintou will not get sick, God willing.	

Future Indicative
This tense expresses an action which will happen in the future before another action.  It sounds fancy, but you'll use it a lot.  To form this tense, the maninka use the helper "ba," which can be translated as "when."  

There are two clauses in a sentence using this tense.  The dependent clause uses "ba" while the independent clause uses the future tense with "di."  There is no negation of this verb tense.

Structure: S + ba + VR, S + di + VR

Examples:
N ba wa Conakry, n di i samba.
When I go to Conakry, I will bring you something.
	
A ba ban,  Aboubacar di ko ke mafen na.
When that's done, Aboubacar will do (put) salt in the sauce.
	
I ba na, an fila di wa sous-prefet bada.
When you comes, the two of us will go to the sous-prefet's house.	

Conditional
This tense describes an action that would happen if not for other circumstances.  It is used with an "if" clause in simple past tense almost always (if not always).

Positive Structure: Ni..., S + di/be + VR.

Examples:
Ni  maninka ke le tere n di, n di si Kankan.
If I were a Malinke man, I would live in Kankan.
	
Ni n ka wodi soron, n di djimbe san.
If I received money, I would buy a djimbe.	

Negative Structure: Ni..., S + te + VR.

Examples:
Ni n ma wa looro, damunin fen te n bolo.
If I didn't go to the market, I wouldn't have food.
	
Ni i ma i la sobo damun, i te pudding do soron.
If you didn't eat your meat, you wouldn't get any pudding.
(How can you have any pudding, if you don't eat your meat?)	

Past Conditional
This tense describes an action that would have happened if it were not for other circumstances.  It is often used with an "if" clause in simple past tense.

Note: There are no structures for these - examples are all we can give you.  Note that the positive "would have" translates as "tun di" or "tere di."  The words "would not have" translates as "tere te" or "tun te."

Positive
Examples
A tere di na, koni a bara jankaro.
He would have come, but he became sick.
	
Ni i ma huit bila, n tere di ganye.
If you hadn't played the eight, I would have won.	

Negative
Examples
A tun te to ye, koni sanji nara.
He wouldn't have stayed there, but it rained.	

Imperative
There are three forms of imperatives depending on the verb and presence of a direct object:
1)  Non-reflexive verbs
2)  Non-reflexive verbs with direct object
3)  Reflexive verbs

Let's look first at the formation of the 2nd person singular ("you") since this is the most commonly used, then the 1st and 2nd person plurals.

"You" singular imperative
Positive Structure 1: VR
Positive Structure 2: DO + VR
Positive Structure 3: "I" + VR

1)  Non-reflexive verbs
Examples:
Na yan!
Come here!	Wa luma!
Go home!	Wa sinoo.
Go to sleep.	Na damunin ke.
Come eat.	

2)  Non-reflexive verbs with direct object
Examples:
Biki ta.
Take the bic (pen).	A bila mobeli kofe.
Put it in the back of the car.	

3)  Reflexive verbs
Examples:
I sii.
Sit down.
	I lo.
Stop.	I wuli.
Get up.
	
I tolo malo.
Listen.	I bo yen!
Go away!	I don.
Enter.	

Negative Structure 1: I + kana + VR
Negative Structure 2: I + kana + DO + VR
Negative Structure 3: I + kana + i + VR

General structure: I + kana + (Positive imperative structure)

1)  Non-reflexive verbs
Examples:
I kana kuma.
Don't speak.	I kana yele n ma.
Don't laugh at me.	

2)  Non-reflexive verbs with direct object
Examples:
I kana wo fo.
Don't say that.	I kana a bila i kun kan.
Don't put that on your head.	

3)  Reflexive verbs
Examples:
I kana i miri wo ma.
Don't think about that.	I kana i mataamataama.
Don't walk around.	

"We" and "You" plural imperative
The 1st and 2nd person plural imperatives require the subject "An" or "Alu."  Use "ye" or "di" between the subject and verb.

Structure 1: An/Alu + ye/di + VR
Structure 2: An/Alu + ye/di + DO + VR
Structure 3: An/Alu + ye/di + an/alu + VR

Note: To negate any of these structures, replace "ye" or "di" with "kana."

Examples:
An di wa!
Let's go!
	An ye an sii.
Let's sit down.	
Alu ye dabo ke.
(You) eat breakfast.
	An di musolu nyini so kono.
Let's go look for women in town.	
Alu ka na alu la.
(You) don't lay down.	An ka na wa.
Let's not go.	

A more polite imperative in 2nd person singular
There are two ways to form a more polite imperative.
1)  Addition of "I ye" or "I di" before the verb.
2)  Addition of "ba" at the end of the imperative.

Examples:
I ye wa.
Go.
	I di na, yo?
Come here, huh?	
Na yan ba!
Come here!	Jouer ba.
Play.	

Verbs 

For a list of english verbs translated to maninka, see Appendix B.  
For a list of maninka verbs translated to english, see Appendix C.
Special Verbs
"-to" Verbs
Three verbs fall primarily in this category:
•	ka na - to come
•	ka wa – to go
•	ka bo – to go out, to leave

Normal Construction
The present progressive tense of these verbs can be formed like other verbs using the ye ... la construction.

Examples:
Sanji ye na la.
Rain is coming.	An ye wa la Conakry. 
We are going to Conakry.	

"-to" Construction
These verbs are most commonly used in their "-to" form.  Ka bo is also found in its "-nin" form, depending upon region.

Examples:
A nato sinin.
He's coming tomorrow.
	Fanta wato Ameriki.
Fanta went to America.	
I boto min? / I bonin min?
Where are you coming from?	I wato min?
Where are you going?	

"To like" or "To love"
The verb "to like" is expressed in maninka with the adjective "di," which means "sweet."  The "-man" form of this adjective is "duman."

This verb is often used with food, though it might be used to describe good music, a good film, or a pet.  Used with people, it is the closest thing to "to love."

Used alone with a noun, "duman" means that the thing is delicious, good, or sweet, generally speaking.  A noun and the preposition "ye" can be added to specify who likes it (i.e. "n ye" means "to me").

The positive and negative forms are irregular.

Positive Structure:  (noun) + duman  + (noun) + ye

Examples
M. Jackson, a donkili duman!
M. Jackson, his singing is good!
	Tubabu na duman a ye.
The tubabu's mom is sweet to him.
(The tubabu loves his mom.)
	
Mankoron men, a duman ba le!
This mango, it's sweet bigtime!	Tiya duman Maimouna ye.
Peanuts are sweet to Maimouna.
(Maimouna likes peanuts.)	

Negative Structure: (noun) + ma duman + (noun) + ye

Examples:
Spam ma duman farafin ye.
Spam is not sweet to black people.
(Black people don't like spam.)	Ka du damun, wo ma duman.
To eat dirt, that is not sweet.	

Use of "ka di"
So, you got all that?  Well, there is yet another construction, though used less often.  The adjective "ka di" means "to be sweet."  In present tense, "ka di" acts the same as "duman" and "ma duman."  The adjective section describes how to form future and past tenses using the Form 3 of the adjective.

Positive structure:  (noun) + ka di + (noun) + ye
Negative structure: (noun) + ma di  + (noun) + ye

Examples
Fromasi ka di n ye.
Cheese is sweet to me.
(I like cheese.)	Jaro ma di Seyfollaye ye.
African eggplant is not sweet to Seyfollaye.
(Seyfollaye doesn't like African eggplant.)	

"To Be Able"
This is also known as "can."  This word can (is able to) have two separate meanings.  Note the special constructions of both of these verbs, ka kusan and ka se.

Note: Other verb tenses can be constructed normally using the verb bases.  For example, "N tere ka kusan Soso kan fo la" (I knew how to speak Susu.) 

1st meaning - "ka kusan"
This is "to know how to do something."  The Guinean French equivalent is "Je connais" plus infinitive.  (In real French that would be "Je sais" plus infinitive.)  

Positive structure 1: S + kusan + VR + la/na.
Positive structure 2: S + kusan + INF.

Negative structure 1: S + ma kusan + VR + la/na.
Negative structure 2: S + ma kusan + INF.

Examples:
N kusan ka mobili labori.
I can (know how to) drive a car.
	I kusan maninka kan fola.
You know how to speak maninka.	
Fode ma kusan ka don. 
Fode can't (doesn't know how) dance.	N ma kusan wo ke la.
I can't (don't know how) do that. 	
.
2nd meaning - "ka se" 
This is "to be able to do something."  In French you would use the verb "pouvoir".  The verb "ka se" means "to reach or attain". 

Positive structure 1:  S + di se + VR + la/na
Negative structure 1: S + te se + VR + la/na

Positive structure 2:  S + di se + INF
Negative structure 2: S + te se + INF

Examples:
N di se wa la san nato. 
I can go next year.
	N te se sebeli ke la banin n bolo ye dimin na.
I can't write because my hand hurts.
	
Aminata di se ka malo san loofe lon.
Aminata can buy rice on market day.
	Moo te se ka ye dibi kono.
People can't see in the dark.

Still confused?
Phrase 1  "I can't see the hut because it's dark."  
Which meaning of "can" applies here?

That's easy - it's the 2nd meaning because I know how to see it, I just can't, it's too freakin' dark.

Phrase 2  "I can't do that."
Which meaning of "can" applies here?

This would depend upon why you can't do it.  
•	In the first meaning you don't know how.   
•	In the second meaning, you can't do it because there is a little monkey playing an accordian, jumping on your bed yodelling Yankee Doodle Dandee, and flipping you the bird because you haven't gotten any mail.

Got it?

"To need"
This verb is not used as often in Maninka as in English, and is limited to the need of an object, as in "I need a bike" but not "I need to go out."

Note:  To say that you need to do something, there is no good way to say this.  The maninka often just say "I want" to do something.  For example, "I need to go to the bathroom" would be translated "N ye a fe ka wa kabin na."

Positive Structure: S + mako + ye + (object) + la/na

Examples
N mako ye daba kura la.
I need a new hoe.	A mako ye kobokobo la.
I need eggplant.	

Negative Structure: S + mako + te + (object) + la/na

Examples
N mako te a la!
I don't need it!.	Laguineeka mako te fen siyaman na.
Guineans don't need lots of things.	

Passive Voice
Every maninka transitive verb has an active meaning if a direct object is expressed.  When no object is expressed, the verb becomes passive.

Passive Voice
In future or recent past
Compare active and passive voice in the following examples:

Active voice (DO)	Passive voice (No DO)	
I di a gbe.
You will make it white.	I di gbe.
You will become white.
	
A bara a tunuun.
He has lost it.	A bara tunuun.
It is lost.
	
A bara a gbasi.
He beat her.	A bara gbasi.
He was beaten.
	
I di a toro.
You will trouble him.	I di toro.
You will be troubled.	

In simple past
There are two ways to form passive voice in simple past.

Use of tere
Structure:  S + tere + (Nin form of verb)

Notes: 
•	Using tere implies a condition contrary to the past.  
•	The "nin" form of the verb is explained in the adjectives section, Form 2 of the adj.

Examples
N na biki tere tununin.
My bic was lost.
	I la tibon tere nonin.
Your hut was dirty.	
N kun tere te nyaminin dit!
My head was not mixed up!	N na tere sewanin.
My mother was happy.	

Use of (-ra/-na/-da) suffix
Structure:  S + VR + -ra/-na/-da

Examples
N na biki tununda.
My bic was lost.	I la tibon nora.
My hut was dirty.	

Use of "-li" suffix
Adding the "-li" suffix to some verbs changes them to nouns, and then they are used with the verb "ka ke" (to do).  When these verbs are used with a direct object (transitively), the "-li" suffix is dropped.

Following are some examples of verbs that use the "-li" suffix.  (Note that in the examples "moo" means someone; "fen" means something)

Verb meaning	Intransitive Use	Transitive Use	
To eat	ka damuni ke	ka (fen) damun	
To cook	ka tibili ke	ka (fen) tibin	
to write	ka sebeli ke	ka (fen) sebe	
To greet	ka foli ke	ka (moo) fo	
To ask	ka manyinikali ke	ka (moo) manyinika	
To respond, answer	ka jabili ke	ka (moo) jabi	
To hit, beat	ka gbasili ke	ka (moo) gbasi	
To call	ka kilili ka	ka (moo) kili	
To steal	ka sunyali ke	ka (fen) sunya	
To insult	ka nanili ke	ka (moo) nani	
To pound (pilet)	ka susuli ke	ka (fen) susu	
To bring gifts	ka sambali ke	ka (moo) samba	

Why do we need the "-li" suffix with these verbs?  Look at the following examples.  Note the need for the use of the "li" suffix, for if it isn't used, the verb is translated in passive voice.

Intransitive	Transitive	Passive	
A bara tibili ke.
He has done cooking.
(He has cooked.)
	A bara a tibin.
He has cooking it.	A bara tibin.
It is cooked.	
A ye susuli ke.
He is doing pounding. 
(He is pounding.)	A ye a susu ke la.
He pounds it.	A ye susu la.
It is pounded.	

La and Ma Prefixes
The prefix "la-"
The prefix "la-" is used in causative construction (or "na-" after a nasal).  It changes the meaning of the verb, adding the idea "to make to" or "to cause to."

Notes:
•	The verb "ka la meni" (to turn on) does not have a counterpart "ka meni"
•	The verb "ka fa" is used to mean "to kill or murder."  (You might have thought to use "ka lafa" or "ka lasa," but that doesn't work.)

Look at the following verbs, and the causative constructions:

ka fulen -	to become untied	ka sa -	to die	
ka lafulen -	to untie	ka lasa -	to make die, extinguish	
				
ka bo -	to go out	ka bonya -	to get bigger	
ka labo -	to make come out, take out	ka labonya -	to make bigger, enlarge	
				
ka wa -	to go	ka na -	to come	
ka lawa -	to make go, send	ka lana -	to make come, bring	
				
ka be -	to fall	ka ma -	to touch	
ka labe -	to make fall, push	ka lama -	to stir	
				
ka gi -	to lower	ka sewa -	to be happy	
ka lagi -	to make lower	ka lasewa -	to make happy	
				
ka gele -	to laugh	ka bori -	to run	
ka lagele -	to make laugh	ka labori -	to make run, operate	
				
ka no -	to be dirty	ka tun -	to become closed	
ka lano -	to make dirty	ka latun -	to close	

Examples
A bara kinin nabo.
He brought out the rice
	N ka leteri lawa Ameriki.
I sent a letter to America.	
Radio la sa.
Turn off the radio.	Lekolden bara drapeau laji.
The student lowered the flag.	

The prefix "ma-"
The prefix "ma-" is still a puzzling piece of the maninka language..  It too can have a causative effect, but not always.  It is as common, if not more so, than the the prefix "la-."

Examples:  ka mataama; ka maben; ka mayira; ka mako; ka mate; ka madon; ka mase; ka mafiran; ka makaran; ka manyininka; ka masusa; ka mayele; ka maji; ka mafo; ka makasi.
Reflexives & Reciprocals
In high-tech english talk, a reflexive verb can also be referred to as a "pronomial verb."  There are two types of pronomial verbs in Maninka:

•	Reflexive
•	Reciprocal

Their usages are the same as the reflexive and reciprocal verbs in French.  In case you haven't yet become a French master, here's a revision.

Reflexive Verbs
These are verbs that reflect the action back onto the subject itself.  As in French, a reflexive verb doesn't necessarily have to always be used in its reflexive form (though sometimes the reflexive form might change the meaning.)  The reflexive pronoun (the pronomial) can be translated as himself, herself, itself, ourselves, etc.

Following are some examples of reflexive verbs expressed in the 2nd person singular (you).  Don't forget to change the pronomial to match the subject, just like French (e.g. I bara i si; N bara n si; An bara an sii).

Verb	Meaning	Actual Translation  	
ka i sii	to sit	to seat yourself	
ka i la	to lie down	to lie yourself	
ka i ko	to bathe	to bathe yourself	
ka i miri	to think	to think yourself	
ka i lo	to stop, stand up	to construct yourself	
ka i wuli	to be ready, arise	to raise yourself	

Use of "Yere" (Self)
To make clear that a verb is reflexive, especially with verbs not normally used reflexively, you can use "yere" with the pronomial.  "Yere" is translated as "self."

Examples
A bara a yere gbasi.
He hit himself.	Mamadi di a yere toro.
Mamadi will trouble himself.	

Reciprocal Verbs
These are verbs whose subjects do not do something to themselves, as with reflexives, but rather to each other (Get your mind out of the gutter.)  It can be translated as "each other."

To form a reciprocal, the maninka use a helper "nyoon" with the pronomial.

Examples
An bara an nyoon ye so kono.
We saw each other in town.
	Alu di alu nyoon gbasi.
They are going to hit each other.	
An duman an nyoon ye.
We love each other.		

Noun-Verb Twins
There are several verbs that are also used as nouns.  This is useful in that you can learn two words for the price of one.  Be careful - a matching noun and verb don't always have the same meaning, such as "ka gbangban" (to nail, fasten) and "gbangban" (dust).
 
Noun	Meaning	VERB	Meaning	
baara -	work	 ka baara -	to work	
kele -	fight	 ka kele -	to fight	
sara -	price	 ka sara -	to pay	
bagi -	vomit	 ka bagi -	to vomit	
donkili -	song, music	 ka donkili -	to sing	
karan -	learning	 ka karan -	to learn, study	
kuma -	speech, parole	ka kuma -	to speak	
sali -	prayer	 ka sali -	to pray	
sino -	sleep	 ka sino -	to sleep	
wuya -	lie	ka wuya -	to spill, lie	
toro -	trouble	 ka toro -	to trouble	

Yet, Already, Still, Almost, and Just
 Use of "folo"
Folo is a word that can mean "first" or "before."  It also means "yet" or "still."

Note:  Folo means yet, still, and first.  In real French, "d'abord" means first.  Note that in Guinean French "d'abord" means yet, still, and first.  Coincidence?  On est la d'abord.

Yet
Put at the end of a sentence in negative simple past tense, "folo" means yet.

Structure:  S + (Negative simple past tense verb) + folo

Examples
N ma fudu ke folo.
I am not married yet.
	N ma n na photo ko folo.
I haven't washed my photos yet.	
A ma na folo.
He hasn't come yet.	Den ma bonya folo.
The child hasn't gotten big yet.	

Already
Put at the end of a sentence in positive simple past tense, "folo" means already.

Structure:  S + (Positive Simple Past Tense Verb) + folo

Examples
A bara wa folo.
He already went.	A bara wo ke folo.
He already did that.	

Still
Put at the end of a sentence in positive present tense, "folo" means still.

Structure:  S + (Positive Present Tense Verb) + folo

Examples
N bolo ye wunya la folo.
My hand still itches.	A ka bon folo.
It is big still.	

Almost using "donin"
To express that something "almost" happened (but didn't), one can use the negative past tense and "Donin" (A little).

Structure:  Donin + S + ma + VR

Examples
Donin, a ma na.
He almost came (but didn't).
(A little, he didn't come)	Donin, n ma a gbasi.
I almost hit her (but didn't)
(A little, I didn't hit her.)	

Just
To express that something "just" happened, one can use "A na san..."  The "na" stems from the verb "ka na" (to come), thus is similar to the French language which uses "venir" to express this same idea, "just."

There are two ways to express "just."  One uses the infinitive, and the other a noun.  It can also be used alone to mean "just arrived."

With Infinitive
Structure:  S + na san + INF

Examples:
N na san ka wodi soron.
I just received money.
	Terna na san ka n kunun.
Terna just woke me up.

With Noun
Structure:  S + na san + (place)

To express that someone "just" arrived from somewhere, one can use "A na san..." with a place.

Note:  "na san" is sometimes replaced with "na san de."  It's unclear when to use "na san de,"  and they might be interchangeable.  It seems as though the "de" might actually stem from the French "de" (from).

Examples:
A na san de lekoli la.
He is just coming from school.	A na san Faranah.
He is just coming from Faranah.	

Sometimes, "na" is replace with "bo" to give the same meaning.

Examples:
N fa bo san de lekoli la.
My father just left the school.	N kodo muso bo san.
My big sister just left.	

Negations
Negations of individual verb tenses can be found in the section on verb tenses.  This section is reserved for a few key words.

Fosi, Foi - (Nothing)
These two words are interchangable, though "fosi" is more common.  They are used as pronouns.  Remember when using this that the verb must be in negative construction.  In english, we call this a double negative.  It seems odd at first, and later on, it will still be odd.

Examples
I ma fosi lon!
You don't know nothing!
	Fosi te ye.
There is nothing there.	
I ye mun ke la?  Fosi!
What are you doing?  Nothing!	N te fosi ke la bi.
I am not doing anything today.	

Butuun, Oko - (No longer, Anymore)
These two words are interchangable, though "butuun" is more common.  Like english, the verb tense is in the negative construction.

Examples
N te wo ke la butuun.
I don't do that anymore.
	A ma jan butuun.
It's not far anymore.	
I te na la butuun?
You won't come anymore?	Ka na wa ba la butuun.
Don't go to the river anymore.	

Si - (None, Not one)
"Si" can be used as a pronoun or adjective.  Note how it's used for "nobody" (Moo si).

Examples
Moo si te yan.
There is nobody here.	Si te yan.
Not one is here.	

Habadan (Forever, Never)
Used with a positive verb, "habadan" means "forever."
Used with a negative verb, "habadan" means "never."

Examples
N di sewa habadan.
I will be happy forever.	N te koju ke la habadan.
I will never do bad.	

Use of Diya
Maninka people often express action with a noun in lieu of a verb.  The word "diya" (meaning "place") becomes a helper and is placed after the noun.   

Note: "fan" and "yoro" also mean place, but they are not used as often in this usage.  "bada" (meaning "home") can also mean place (i.e. "i bada" means "your house" but can also mean "the place where you are.")

Cultural Note:  In Maninka culture, when someone comes to visit who is a colleague or other fonctionnaire, it is polite and expected that you walk with that person at least a short distance, when they leave.  It is so much a part of the culture, there is a way to express that "place" where you are going when you walk say, the principal, a little ways.  "N wato principal bila sila diya," or "I am going to the leaving the principal at the road place."

Maninka phrase 
(N wato ...)	Litteral Translation	Actual Translation
(I am going ...")	
Buru san diya	Bread buying place	To buy bread	
Je fa diya	Fish dying place	To fish	
Ko ke diya	Wash doing place	To bathe	
Fanin ko diya	Clothes washing place	To wash clothes	
Karan diya	Study place	To study	
Baara diya	Work place	To work	
Sali diya	Prayer place	To pray	
Damun diya	Eating place	To eat	
Tolon diya	Play place	To "play" at the fete	
Sobo fa diya	Meat dying place	To hunt	
Mafen san diya	Sauce buying place	To buy sauce	
Don diya	Dancing place	To dance	
Taama diya	Walking place	To take a walk	
Sila bila Diya	Road leaving place	(See cultural note.)	

  Adjectives 

For a list of common adjectives, see Appendix D.
Adjective Introduction
This is perhaps the most difficult section to define a set of rules for, and the most difficult to organize!  The exceptions are numerous, the structures are many.  Also, the adjectives are treated the same as verbs.  However, there are some rules for the most frequently used adjectives.  To understand these rules, let's look at two ways to classify adjectives in the english language.  These will define vocabulary for later.

Alone vs. Modifying
Alone
Examples
Rudolph's nose is shiny.	The people are happy.	
The bunny is hopping.	The team is losing.	

If you're good at math, follow this formula:  Subject = Adjective

The adjective is alone in the predicate.  This adjective is describing the subject.  In between the subject and adjective is the verb "to be."  (Reminder that maninka doesn't use "to be" for adjectives, but we'll see more of that later.)

Note the limitations here.  You can't say much about what the subject is doing, only what it is.  It's just a description of somebody or something.

Modifying
Examples
Rudolph had a very shiny nose.	The shiny happy people hold hands.	
The hopping bunny hops down the bunny trail.	The losing team sucks.	

In this case, we can give action to the subjects.  Not only can we describe the noun, but it can do something too.

Note that these adjectives precede the noun that they modify.  In maninka, modifying adjectives follow the noun that they modify.

Simple vs. Verbal Adjectives
Simple
These are adjectives in their natural state, and their root is defined as the adjective.

Examples
He is tall.	They are crazy.	
She is small.	George is funny.	

Verbal
In English, we can change most verbs to an adjective by adding "-ing." 

Examples
He is loving.	They are smiling.	
She is standing.	George is breathing.	

Form 1 - Use with "Ka/Ma" (root form)
In maninka, some of the most common adjectives occur with "ka" (or the negation "ma").  Not all adjectives necessarily can be used with the form.  The common adjectives (all simple adjectives) that are regularly used in this form are:

A ka bon	A ka nyin	A ka jan	A ka sudu	A ka kende	
A ka siya	A ka gbele	A ka gbili	A ka fisa		

Note: This form is useful only for adjectives standing alone, not for modifying adjectives.  "The wolf is bad," but not, "The bad wolf ate the little girl."

Root Form and Present Tense
When learning a new simple adjective, learn it's root form.  The root form of a verb is the verb radical.

To describe things as they are presently, one uses the simple past verb tense.

Positive Structure: S + ka + root
Negative Structure: S + ma + root

Examples
A ma jan.
It's not far.	A ka sewa.
He is not happy.	

Past Tense
To form past tense of this adjective form, use the pluperfect tense structure.

Positive Structure 1:  S + tere + ka + root
Positive Structure 2:  S + ka + root + tere

Negative Structure 1: S + tere + ma + root
Negative Structure 2: S + ma + root + tere

Examples
A tere ka bon.
It was big.	A ma sila tere.
She was not afraid.	

Form 2 - Modifying Adjectives (-man and -nin forms)
To form a modifying adjective, you need to know if it is a simple or verbal adjective, then add the appropriate suffix (-man or -nin, respectively.)  The two forms are then used exactly the same grammatically: as modifying adjectives.  They can be used alone with the noun, or they can modify an adjective in a sentence.

Simple Adjective (root + -man)
Most simple adjectives are changed to a modifying adjective by adding the "-man" suffix.  Note in the examples below how the modifying adjective can be used alone or modifying.

Root	Alone	Modifying	
gbele	Probleme, a gbeleman.
The problem is difficult
	Probleme gbeleman ye i bolo.
You have a difficult problem.
	
fe	Boro feman.
The bag is light.
	Boro feman ye tabali kan.
A light bag is on the table.	

Verbal Adjective (root + -nin)
Almost any verb can be changed to an adjective by adding the "-nin" suffix to the root form (verb radical).  (Just as we would add "-ing" to a verb in english, e,g, "a monkey that frolicks" is "a frolicking monkey.")  Note in the examples below how the modifying adjective can be used alone or modifying.

Root	Alone	Modifying	
sii	Muso siinin.
The woman is sitting.	N ka kobokobo di muso siinin ma.
I gave the eggplant to the sitting woman.
	
sewa	Moo sewanin.
The person is happy.
	Moo sewanin nara kunun.
A happy person came yesterday.	

Negative form (Alone only)
To make the modifying adjective negative, use the following format:

Structure 1: S + Mod. Adj. + te
Structure 2: S + te + Mod. Adj.

Note:  This works for alone adjectives only, and not for adjectives located in the middle of a sentence (a modifying adjective).  This is no different than english, as you would not say "I ate a not huge mango," unless you are a complete moron.

Examples
N na lafen nonin te = N na lafen te nonin
My bed is not dirty.
	A doman te = A te doman
It is not small.

Past Tense (Alone only)
To form past tense, we use the helper "tere."  Note that "tere" suggests that it was, but is no longer.

Positive Structure 1:  S + tere + Mod. Adj.
Positive Structure 2:  S + Mod. Adj. + tere

Examples
Kinin tere duman.
The rice was good.	Coca tere sumanin.
The Coke was cold.	

Negative Structure 1:  S + tere te + Mod. Adj.
Negative Structure 2:  S + Mod. Adj. + tere te

Examples
Muso tere te siyaman.
There were not a lot of women.	N na soloda tere te tunuunin.
My teapot was not lost.	
Form 3 - Use with "bara/di" (root and -ya forms)
When we wish to express a present state or future state with an adjective, we can give the meaning of having become or will become.  Verbal adjectives use the "root" form while simple adjectives use "root + ya" form.  These are then used the same grammatically.

Use with "bara"
This usage is related to the recent past perfect verb tense.  The word "bara" has a sense of continuation to it, thus it is connected to the present and can express the present state.  Something has become, and it still is; thus it is used as present tense rather than the present progressive.  It can be translated as " to have become."

Examples
A bara suduya.
It became short (and still is.)
	A bara kejuya.
He became ugly (and still is.)	
A bara no.
It became dirty (and still is.)	A bara sewa.
He became happy (and still is.)	

Use with "di"
This usage is related to the future verb tense, thus one can use "di" or "be."  It can be translated as "will become."

An english speaker might say "It will get heavy," or "it will become heavy."  In maninka, one says "A di gbiliya."

Examples
A di sila.
He will become scared.
	A di kendeya, n'Allah sonda.
He will get healthy, God willing.	

Formation of Form 3
Simple Adjective (root + -ya)
Add the suffix "-ya" to the root form of the simple adjective.

Examples
A bara doya.
It has gotten small (and still is.)
	A di bonya.
It will become big.	

Verbal Adjective (root)
Use the root form, or the verb radical, simply.

Examples
A bara gbe.
It became white (and still is.)	A di jankaro.
He will become sick.	

Negative Form
Negations are formed just as they would be formed in recent past tense or future tense.

•	"Bara"  becomes  "Ma"
•	 "Di/Be"  becomes  "Te"

Examples
A ma keenya.
It has not become beautiful.	A te koroya.
It won't become old.	

Summary of the 3 forms and the "yanin" ending
Thus, we have three forms of the adjective: simple, verbal, and "yanin," which we introduce here.  A summary of some common adjectives and their three forms can be found in Appendix D.

The following table shows the basic constructions for the three adjective types.

	Form 1 
"Ka/Ma"	Form 2
Modifying	Form 3
"bara/di"	
Simple	root	root + "-man"	root + "-ya"	
Verbal	root	root + "-nin"	root	
"Yanin"	root + "-ya"	root + "yanin"	root + "-ya"	

We have not really ben able to classify the adjectives ending in "-yanin."  There are however several adjectives falling into this category.  They rarely use form 1.  Following are some examples of some "-yanin" adjectives.

Examples
I kolobaliyanin
You're impolite.
	A bara saliya.
He's become lazy.	
A mayanin.
It is soft.	A bara bo te; A te maliya.
She farted; she's not ashamed.	

Verbs of States of Being
Maninka has a lot of verbs that describe a state of being rather than a state of action.  These tend to be simple adjectives in english, but in maninka they are verbs.  As verbs, they take the "-nin" suffix for form 2.

Also, they are the most likely verbs to be used with form 3 and the sense of "having become."  To express present tense, one would not use the present progressive with these verbs.  For example, I am not being happy because I am staring at a computer screen listening to DMB, I simply am happy.  In maninka, I have become happy (assuming that sometime before, I wasn't happy.)  "N bara sewa." (not "N ye sewa la")  

Following is a list of verbs that describe a state of being:

ka sewa -	to be happy	ka jusu fin -	to be sad	
ka no -	to be dirty	ka fin - 	to be black	
ka jankaro -	to be sick	ka gbe -	to be white	
ka kala -	to be hot	ka wulen -	to be red	
ka suma -	to be cold	ka saliya -	to be lazy	
ka sila -	to be afraid	ka fa -	to be full	
ka mo -	to be ripe	ka see -	to be tired	
ka ja -	to be dry	ka dun -	to be deep	

Exceptions
• Some simple adjectives do not use ka/ma, nor do they use the modifying forms.  Look at the following:
A keen -	He's good looking.	
A keju -	He's ugly	
A kura -	It's new	
A koro -	It's old	
A ye fato -	He's crazy	
A konoma -	She's pregnant.	

•	The verbs "ka ban," "ka di," "ka nyin," and "ma nyin" all have irregular modifying and bara/di forms.

•	The colors "ka fin," "ka gbe," and "ka wulen" can all be verbs or adjectives, though mostly they are used as verbs.
Comparisons
Don't touch this section until you've read at least a little about adjectives.  Now that you've read that, we'll use it as a base for comparing things.  To make comparisons, one can use "di," or one can use the verb "ka tamin," meaning to pass.

Use of "di"
"Di" is commonly used to form comparisons, and it is very easy to use!  Recall the three forms of adjectives described earlier and their constructions.  By adding to a noun and the preposition "di," a comparison is formed.

General Structure:  (Normal Adjective Construction) + (noun) + "di"

Notes: 
•	The normal adjective construction is found in the previous sections.  It depends on tense (present, past, or future), negation, and form (1, 2, or 3).
•	"Di" can be replaced by "ko" and have the same meaning.  "A doman men di" or "A doman men ko."

Normal Adjective Construction	Comparison	
Mali ka sudu.
Mali is not far.
	Mali ka sudu Senegal di.
Mali is not as far as Senegal.	
Sekou gbenin.
Sekou is white.
	Sekou gbenin i di.
Sekou is whiter than you.	
A ma jan tere.
He wasn't tall.
	A ma jan tere a fa di.
He wasn't taller than his father.	
Nyin duman.
This is good.
	Nyin duman kinin di.
This is better than rice.	
A tere te ju.
It wasn't bad.
	A tere te ju too di.
It wasn't as bad as too.	
Sinin di fisaya.
Tomorrow will be better.
	Sinin di fisaya bi di.
Tomorrow will be better than today.	
I la den bara kolobaliya.
Your child has become impolite.
	I la den bara kolobaliya n ta di.
Your child has become more impolite than mine.	

Use of the verb "ka tamin"
The verb "ka tamin" (sometimes pronounced "ka tambi") means "to pass or surpass."  Recall the three forms of adjective construction, then add "ka tamin," the noun, and "di."

General Structure: (Normal Adjective Construction) + ka tamin + (noun) + "di"

Notes:
•	Some literature says that you can use "kan," "la," or "ko" in place of "di."
•	In the first two examples the ka tamin is optional because they are comparing the subjects; in the third example it is obligatory because the comparison is made against an indirect object.
	
Examples
Kankan ka nyin (ka tamin) Conakry di.
Kankan is better than Conakry.

N na neso tere keen (ka tamin) i ta di.
My bike was prettier than yours.

Mankoron duman i ye ka tamin n di.
Mangoes are sweeter to you than me. 

Superlatives
Use of "be" (all)
To form the superlative, one can use "__ be" (all of __), "alu be" (all), or "a be" (all) in the comparison.

Note: "be" can also be replaced with "__ tolu" (the rest of ___), "alu to," (the rest), or "a to" (the rest).

Examples
Conakry ka nyin laguinee so be di.
Conakry is better than all other Guinea cities.

Mike Tyson fankaman a be di.
Mike Tyson is stronger than everyone.

Lemunun men duman alu be di.
This orange is sweeter than all those.

Use of "ka dan na tamin"
This phrase means litterally "to pass it's limit."  Added to an adjective construction, it can have a superlative sense, and is translated as a lot or very.

Examples
Kankira wo ka gbili ka dan na tamin.
That box is heavy past its limit.  (It's very heavy!)

N ka kinin damun ka dan na tamin!
I ate rice past my limit!  (I ate a ton of rice!)

Muso wo keju ka dan na tamin!
That woman is butt-ugly!

Egality
There are three expressions for expressing egality.  Translated, they mean "They are the same" (Positive) or "They are not the same" (Negative).  The first is the most common.

Postive	Negative	
A be kelen	A te kelen di	
A ka kan	A ma kan	
A kanyaman	A kanyaman te	

Examples
N na liburu ani i la liburu, a be kelen.
My book and your book, they are the same.

Ameriki la damunin fen ani laguinee la domunin fen, a te kelen di.
America's food and Guinea's food are not the same.

N na ani n donin, a be kelen.
My mother and my younger, they are the same (resemble each other).

Use of iko
Simple Preposition
"Iko" is a preposition meaning "like" or "as."

Example
N fanka ye iko i ta.
My strength is like yours.

Use with expression "A kenin iko..."
This expression means "It's similar to..."  It uses the "-nin" form of the verb "ka ke" meaning "to do."  So literal translation: "It does like..."

Examples
A kenin iko lemunun.
It is like an orange.	Men kenin iko wo.
This is like that.	

Daddi Cool donkili kenin iko Ameriki donkili.
Daddi Cool's music is like American music.

 Z Interrogatives Z

There are three ways to form a question.  These are: 
1.) Use of a trailing question
2.) Use of inflection
3.) Use of the interrogative (e.g.: who, what, why, etc.)
Use of a Trailing Question
You can form a question by adding the trailing question: 

ka? 
nye?

These phrases are usually used when one is expecting a positive response and are used in exactly the same way as the Guineen french phrase "ou bien?"  or a French "n'est-ce pas."  It can be translated as "is it not?"; "isn''t she?"; "aren't you?"; "haven't we?"; etc.

Note:  Also, you could add "do" or "ko" to the end of a sentence, meaning "and?"  "Jeli le ten?  Men ko?"  (How much is this?  And this?)  or "Kinin ye yan?  Sobo do?"  (Is there rice here?  What about meat?)

Examples: 
I tere Kankan, ka?
You were in Kankan, weren't you?

I le ka n kili, nye?
It was you that called me, wasn't it?
Inflection
There is a tonal difference in phrasing a question, but it isn't necessarily a rising intonation.  You just need to listen carefully.

Examples
I te i sii?
Won't you sit down?	I ma a ye?
Don't you see it?	

The Interrogatives
What are the interrogatives?  Well, that's a good question...
 
Who? -	Jon?	
What? -	Mun?	
Which? -	Nyuman?	
How much? How many? -	Jeli?	
When? -	Tuma nyuman?, Lere nyuman?, Waati nyuman?, Lon nyuman?	
Where? -	Min?	
How? -	Di?	
Why? -	Mun na?	

Jon?  (Who?)
Interrogative Pronoun - "Jon" means "Who" and can be used in several different parts of speech:

As a noun:
Jon bara radio lasa?
Who turned off the radio?
	As a direct object:
Moussa ye jon nyinin na?
Who is Moussa looking for.
	
Jon de?
Who is it?
	I ka wo fo jon ye?
Who did you say that to?
	
As an indirect object:
I ka n na jiriki yira jon ma?
Who did you show my shirt to?	As a posessive pronoun:
Jon na kurusi le?
Whose pants are these?	

Mun?  (What?)
Interrogative Pronoun - "Mun" means "What" and can be used in several different parts of speech:

As a noun:
Mun ye wo di?
What is that?
	As a direct object:
I ka mun fo?
What did you say?
	
Mun de? / Mun kenin?
What is it? / What happened?
	I ye a fe ka mun ke?
What do you want to do?
	
As an indirect object:
I ye miri la mun ma?
What are you thinking about?		

Note: Sometimes "mun" is replaced with "mun de" for added emphasis, e.g. "I ka munde fo?" or "I ye miri la munde ma?"

Nyuman?  (Which?)
Interrogative Adjective - "Nyuman" means "Which" and is used with a noun.  It asks for a choice among possibilities and can also be translated as "what".

Interrogative Adjective
Mafen nyuman ye yan bi?
Which (What) sauce is here?	I bonin so nyuman?
You come from which town?	

Jeli?  (How many? / How much?)
Interogative Pronoun or Adjective or Adverb - "Jeli" means "How much" or "How many."  As a pronoun, the word "Jeli" fills in the gap for the number you are searching.  As an adjective, it follows the noun that it modifies.  As an adverb, it comes at the end of the question.

As a noun:
Jeli ye i bolo?
How many do you have?	As a direct object:
I bara jeli la tabali kan?
How many did you leave on the table?
	
As an indirect object:
I ye miri la jeli ma?
How many are you thinking about?		

Interrogative Adjective
I bara karo jeli ke Senegali?
How many months did you spend in Senegal?	Den jeli ye i bolo?
How many kids do you have?	
I bara so jeli ke laguinee kono?
How many towns have you been to in Guinea?	I san jeli?
You are how many years?	

Interrogative Adverb
I ka a san jeli?
How much did you buy that for?		

Tuma Nyuman? / Waati Nyuman?  (When?)
Interrogative Adverb - Note the use of Nyuman (Which) in all of these:

Tuma Nyuman - Which time? (When?)
Lere Nyuman - Which hour? (When?)
Waati Nyuman - Which hour? (When?)
Lon Nyuman - Which day? (When?)

Interrogative Adverb
I nato tuma nyuman?
When are you coming?	Lekoli ye domina la lere nyuman?
When does school start?	

Min?  (Where?)
Interrogative Adverb - "Min" means "Where."  It is usually, if not always, found at the end of the sentence.
Interrogative Adverb
A ye min?
Where is it?
	Sobo ye min?
Where's the beef?

Di?  (How?)
Interrogative Adverb - "Di" means "How."  It is usually, if not always, found at the end of the sentence.
Interrogative Adverb
Den too di?
What is the child's name?
	I di a ke di?
How are you going to do it?
(What are you going to do with it?)	

Mun na?  (Why?)
Interrogative Adverb - "Mun na" means "Why."  It is usually, if not always, found at the end of the sentence.

Interrogative Adverb
I ye n mafene la mun na?
Why are you looking at me?	I te a fe mun na?
Why don't you want it?
	
I ye n majele la mun na?
Why are you making fun of me?	A ye den lasila la mun na?
Why is he scaring the kids?	

Z Relative Pronouns Z
Use of "min" (that, who)
Describing a subject
Describing the subject:  Muso min tere yen, a konoma.
The woman that was here, she is pregnant.

When describing the subject of a sentence,  follow it with "min" and a verb to form the dependent clause.  The independent clause now uses a 3rd person pronoun (e.g. a, wo) which refers to the object indicated with "min."

Note: In this construction, "min" cannot be followed by a noun!!  Because of this, this structure is technically not a relative pronoun (but we included it here anyway.)

Other examples:
Bon min tere lo kunun, a la tii bara tinya.
The house that was built yesterday, it's straw (roof) is damaged.

N na kun ti min ye baara la Conakry, n ka a ye bi.
My boss who works in Conakry, I saw him today.

Describing an object
Describing the direct object:  I ka muso min ye lofero, a konoma.
		You saw that woman in the market, she is pregnant.
(The woman that you saw at the market is pregnant.)

Describing the indirect object:  I ka kuma muso min ye, a konoma.
		You spoke to that woman, she is pregnant.
(The woman that you spoke to is pregnant.)

When describing an object of a sentence, follow it with "min" in the dependent clause.  In the independent clause, use a 3rd person pronoun (e.g. a, wo) which will refer to the object indicated with "min."

Other examples:
I di kinin min damun, a ma tibin folo.
The rice that you will eat is not cooked yet.

I ka nyari min ye kunun, a ye yen.
The cat that you saw yesterday is there.

N ka sambara min san kunun, alu ka bon.
The shoes that I bought yesterday are big.

I ka n samba namasa min na, n ka alu be damun.
The bananas that you brought me, I ate them all.
Use of "min" (what)
As the direct object:  I ka min ke, wo ma nyin.
You did what, that's bad.
(What you did is bad.)

As the subject:  Min taminna, wo ka nyin.
What happened, that's good.

When "min" is used as the direct object or subject, it's meaning becomes "what" (like "ce que" and "ce qui" in French).

Examples:
I ye min fo la, n ma nyaye.
What you said, I don't understand.

A ye min sebe la, a karan kagbele.
What you are writing, It is difficult to read.

Fen min be ka nyin, a keen.
All things that are good, they are beautiful.
(What's good is beautiful.)

Min ye i bolo, a tere n na siifen kan.
What you have, it was on my chair.
Use of "waati nyuman" (when) and "fan min" (where)
Note that these come at the end of the sentence.  "Waati nyuman" means "which hour."  "Fan min" means "place where."  It's possible that one might replace "fan" with yoro or diya, as they both also mean "place."

Examples:
Mosi ma lon a di na waati nyuman!
Nobody knows which hour (when) she will come!

N ma lon a wata fan min!
I don't know where he went.

A ma nyin an tere fan min.
It's bad where we were.
Use of "tuma men" (when)
"Tuma men" (or "waati men") means "time that."  It is used in past tense construction.

Example:
N tere lofero tuma men, n ka Mamadi ye.
I was at the market time which (when) I saw Mamadi.

Z Infinitives Z
Two or more verbs having the same subject
Succesive Action
When the subject does more than one action, apply the proper verb tense to the first verb and then use the infinitive for the second (and third, etc.).

Examples:
I ka wa ka na?
Did you go and come back?

A di loo nyinin, ka ji ta, ka malo susu, ka a tibi.
She will hunt firewood, get water, pound rice, and cook it.

Purpose
This structure is the same as for successive action.  It usually contains two verbs, the first which is conjugated and the second which is in infinitive form.  In French, the infinitive would be preceded by "pour."

Examples:
N ka i kili, ka fo, "i duman n ya."
I just called (you) to say "I love you."
	A bara wa minsiri ka sali.
He went to the mosque to pray.
	
N bara na ka moo demen, ka laguinee ye, ka kan gbere makaran.
I came to help people, to see Guinea, and to learn another language.		

As a Noun
When a noun is an action and expressed with an infinitive, you can begin the sentence with the infinitive.  Then, form a sentence containing "wo" or "a" (3rd person pronouns) that represent the infinitive.

Examples:
Ka Skol min, wo ka nyin!
To drink Skol, that is good!	Ka too sun, a kiseman!
To eat manioc mush, that's brave!	

Use with "Fo" (Except)
Examples:
I ma fosi ke fo ka n toro.
You do nothing but trouble me.	N ka be ke fo ka lemumun maka.
I did everything but peel the orange.	

Demonstratives and Indefinites 
Pronouns
Demonstratives
Let's talk a little bit about "this" and "that":

This -	Nyin, nin, men	
That -	Wo	

These words can be used as a pronoun, or as an adjective.  As adjectives, it is preferable (though not always obligatory depending on region) to place the demonstrative after the noun.  Note that as a pronoun, they can replace things or people.

Note:  For plural forms, add lu/nu to the demonstratives above.  Thus, you get nyinnu, mennu, and wolu.

As Pronouns
Examples:
I ka na wo ke!
Don't do that!	Wo ma nyin!
That's not good!
	
Men ka bon wo di.
This is bigger than that.
	Men too di?
What's the name of this?	
Nyin, son le a di!
Him, he's a thief!	Nyin le tere yan, a wara min?
That which was here, where did it go?	

As Adjectives
Adjective demonstratives normally follow the noun.
Examples:
Wulu men, a ka nyin!
This dog, it is good!	I ye soloda nyin fe?
Do you want this teapot?	
Indefinites
As Pronouns and Adjectives
The following indefinites can be used as adjectives or as pronouns. 

Do -	Some	Donin -	A little	
Dogbere -	Another, Some other	Si -	No, None	
Siyaman - 	Many, a lot			

Do (Some)
Pronoun	Adjective	
Do ye yan.
There is some here.
	Moo do di wo ke.
Some people will do that.	
I ye do fe?
Do you want some?	I ye buru do ta.
Take some bread.	

Dogbere (Another, some other)
Pronoun	Adjective	
I la biki bara ban?  Dogbere san.
Your pen is finished?  Buy another.
	Skol ye n bolo. Skol dogbere di a ma.
I have a Skol.  Give him another Skol.	
Men ma nyin.  Dogbere ta.
This is bad.  Take another.	Montoro dogbere te n bolo.
I don't have another watch.	

Donin (A little bit)
Pronoun	Adjective	
Donin ye n bolo.
I have a little bit.
	Kinin donin ye yan.
There is a little rice  here.	
Sayon ka donin bila mafen do.
Sayon put a little in the sauce.	Nono donin wuyara. (I kana kasi.)
A little milk spilled. (Don't cry.)	

Siyaman (Many)
Pronoun	Adjective	
Siyaman te yan.
There aren't many here.
	Suro, n di dolo siyaman min.
Tonight, I will drink a lot of alcohol.	
N ka siyaman lawa Ameriki la.
I sent a lot to America.	Tubabu siyaman ye Conakry.
There are a lot of tubabus in Conkary. 	

Si
(see "Negations" in the Verbs Section)

Pronouns Only
Fosi/Foi (Nothing, None)
(see "Negations" in the Verbs Section)

Adjectives Only
These indefinites can be used only as adjectives: 

Be -	All	Pe -	Only	
Doron -	Only	Gbere - 	Another	

Be (All)
Some expressions using "be"
Yoro be -	Everywhere	A be -	All of them (it)	
Moo be -	Everybody	Waati be -	Every time	

Examples:
Moo be di "Wang-Chung" tonight.
Everybody "Wang-Chung" tonight.	N bara tiyade be bila mafendo
I put all the peanut butter in the sauce.	

Doron (Only)
Examples:
Skol doron ne bara to.
There is only Skol left.	Toro doron ye yan.
There is only trouble here.	

Pe (Only)
Note: This is used with numbers to express insufficiency.
 
Example:
A be bara sinoora, n kelen pe ye yan.
Everyone went to sleep, I am the only one here.

I kelen pe wato Gberedou-Baranama?
Only you are going to Gberedou-Baranama?

Gbere
Example:
A la ke ba wa, a di ke gbere ta.
When her man's away, she will take another man.

Some indefinites to explore.
We has seen these around, but don't know exactly how to use them.  Feel free to try these out in the village:

Kelenkelen-	An occasional one.	Kelenkelenna -	Each	
Dando -	Several, A few	Gbansan -	Only	
Filabe -	Both	Nyoon -	Like, Such	

  Interrogatives 

There are three ways to form a question.  These are: 
1.) Use of a trailing question
2.) Use of inflection
3.) Use of the interrogative (e.g.: who, what, why, etc.)
Use of a Trailing Question
You can form a question by adding the trailing question: 

ka? 
nye?

These phrases are usually used when one is expecting a positive response and are used in exactly the same way as the Guineen french phrase "ou bien?"  or a French "n'est-ce pas."  It can be translated as "is it not?"; "isn''t she?"; "aren't you?"; "haven't we?"; etc.

Note:  Also, you could add "do" or "ko" to the end of a sentence, meaning "and?"  "Jeli le ten?  Men ko?"  (How much is this?  And this?)  or "Kinin ye yan?  Sobo do?"  (Is there rice here?  What about meat?)

Examples: 
I tere Kankan, ka?
You were in Kankan, weren't you?

I le ka n kili, nye?
It was you that called me, wasn't it?
Inflection
There is a tonal difference in phrasing a question, but it isn't necessarily a rising intonation.  You just need to listen carefully.

Examples
I te i sii?
Won't you sit down?	I ma a ye?
Don't you see it?	

The Interrogatives
What are the interrogatives?  Well, that's a good question...
 
Who? -	Jon?	
What? -	Mun?	
Which? -	Nyuman?	
How much? How many? -	Jeli?	
When? -	Tuma nyuman?, Lere nyuman?, Waati nyuman?, Lon nyuman?	
Where? -	Min?	
How? -	Di?	
Why? -	Mun na?	

Jon?  (Who?)
Interrogative Pronoun - "Jon" means "Who" and can be used in several different parts of speech:

As a noun:
Jon bara radio lasa?
Who turned off the radio?
	As a direct object:
Moussa ye jon nyinin na?
Who is Moussa looking for.
	
Jon de?
Who is it?
	I ka wo fo jon ye?
Who did you say that to?
	
As an indirect object:
I ka n na jiriki yira jon ma?
Who did you show my shirt to?	As a posessive pronoun:
Jon na kurusi le?
Whose pants are these?	

Mun?  (What?)
Interrogative Pronoun - "Mun" means "What" and can be used in several different parts of speech:

As a noun:
Mun ye wo di?
What is that?
	As a direct object:
I ka mun fo?
What did you say?
	
Mun de? / Mun kenin?
What is it? / What happened?
	I ye a fe ka mun ke?
What do you want to do?
	
As an indirect object:
I ye miri la mun ma?
What are you thinking about?		

Note: Sometimes "mun" is replaced with "mun de" for added emphasis, e.g. "I ka munde fo?" or "I ye miri la munde ma?"

Nyuman?  (Which?)
Interrogative Adjective - "Nyuman" means "Which" and is used with a noun.  It asks for a choice among possibilities and can also be translated as "what".

Interrogative Adjective
Mafen nyuman ye yan bi?
Which (What) sauce is here?	I bonin so nyuman?
You come from which town?	

Jeli?  (How many? / How much?)
Interogative Pronoun or Adjective or Adverb - "Jeli" means "How much" or "How many."  As a pronoun, the word "Jeli" fills in the gap for the number you are searching.  As an adjective, it follows the noun that it modifies.  As an adverb, it comes at the end of the question.

As a noun:
Jeli ye i bolo?
How many do you have?	As a direct object:
I bara jeli la tabali kan?
How many did you leave on the table?
	
As an indirect object:
I ye miri la jeli ma?
How many are you thinking about?		

Interrogative Adjective
I bara karo jeli ke Senegali?
How many months did you spend in Senegal?	Den jeli ye i bolo?
How many kids do you have?	
I bara so jeli ke laguinee kono?
How many towns have you been to in Guinea?	I san jeli?
You are how many years?	

Interrogative Adverb
I ka a san jeli?
How much did you buy that for?		

Tuma Nyuman? / Waati Nyuman?  (When?)
Interrogative Adverb - Note the use of Nyuman (Which) in all of these:

Tuma Nyuman - Which time? (When?)
Lere Nyuman - Which hour? (When?)
Waati Nyuman - Which hour? (When?)
Lon Nyuman - Which day? (When?)

Interrogative Adverb
I nato tuma nyuman?
When are you coming?	Lekoli ye domina la lere nyuman?
When does school start?	

Min?  (Where?)
Interrogative Adverb - "Min" means "Where."  It is usually, if not always, found at the end of the sentence.
Interrogative Adverb
A ye min?
Where is it?
	Sobo ye min?
Where's the beef?

Di?  (How?)
Interrogative Adverb - "Di" means "How."  It is usually, if not always, found at the end of the sentence.
Interrogative Adverb
Den too di?
What is the child's name?
	I di a ke di?
How are you going to do it?
(What are you going to do with it?)	

Mun na?  (Why?)
Interrogative Adverb - "Mun na" means "Why."  It is usually, if not always, found at the end of the sentence.

Interrogative Adverb
I ye n mafene la mun na?
Why are you looking at me?	I te a fe mun na?
Why don't you want it?
	
I ye n majele la mun na?
Why are you making fun of me?	A ye den lasila la mun na?
Why is he scaring the kids?	

Relative Pronouns 
Use of "min" (that, who)
Describing a subject
Describing the subject:  Muso min tere yen, a konoma.
The woman that was here, she is pregnant.

When describing the subject of a sentence,  follow it with "min" and a verb to form the dependent clause.  The independent clause now uses a 3rd person pronoun (e.g. a, wo) which refers to the object indicated with "min."

Note: In this construction, "min" cannot be followed by a noun!!  Because of this, this structure is technically not a relative pronoun (but we included it here anyway.)

Other examples:
Bon min tere lo kunun, a la tii bara tinya.
The house that was built yesterday, it's straw (roof) is damaged.

N na kun ti min ye baara la Conakry, n ka a ye bi.
My boss who works in Conakry, I saw him today.

Describing an object
Describing the direct object:  I ka muso min ye lofero, a konoma.
		You saw that woman in the market, she is pregnant.
(The woman that you saw at the market is pregnant.)

Describing the indirect object:  I ka kuma muso min ye, a konoma.
		You spoke to that woman, she is pregnant.
(The woman that you spoke to is pregnant.)

When describing an object of a sentence, follow it with "min" in the dependent clause.  In the independent clause, use a 3rd person pronoun (e.g. a, wo) which will refer to the object indicated with "min."

Other examples:
I di kinin min damun, a ma tibin folo.
The rice that you will eat is not cooked yet.

I ka nyari min ye kunun, a ye yen.
The cat that you saw yesterday is there.

N ka sambara min san kunun, alu ka bon.
The shoes that I bought yesterday are big.

I ka n samba namasa min na, n ka alu be damun.
The bananas that you brought me, I ate them all.
Use of "min" (what)
As the direct object:  I ka min ke, wo ma nyin.
You did what, that's bad.
(What you did is bad.)

As the subject:  Min taminna, wo ka nyin.
What happened, that's good.

When "min" is used as the direct object or subject, it's meaning becomes "what" (like "ce que" and "ce qui" in French).

Examples:
I ye min fo la, n ma nyaye.
What you said, I don't understand.

A ye min sebe la, a karan kagbele.
What you are writing, It is difficult to read.

Fen min be ka nyin, a keen.
All things that are good, they are beautiful.
(What's good is beautiful.)

Min ye i bolo, a tere n na siifen kan.
What you have, it was on my chair.
Use of "waati nyuman" (when) and "fan min" (where)
Note that these come at the end of the sentence.  "Waati nyuman" means "which hour."  "Fan min" means "place where."  It's possible that one might replace "fan" with yoro or diya, as they both also mean "place."

Examples:
Mosi ma lon a di na waati nyuman!
Nobody knows which hour (when) she will come!

N ma lon a wata fan min!
I don't know where he went.

A ma nyin an tere fan min.
It's bad where we were.
Use of "tuma men" (when)
"Tuma men" (or "waati men") means "time that."  It is used in past tense construction.

Example:
N tere lofero tuma men, n ka Mamadi ye.
I was at the market time which (when) I saw Mamadi.

 Infinitives 
Two or more verbs having the same subject
Succesive Action
When the subject does more than one action, apply the proper verb tense to the first verb and then use the infinitive for the second (and third, etc.).

Examples:
I ka wa ka na?
Did you go and come back?

A di loo nyinin, ka ji ta, ka malo susu, ka a tibi.
She will hunt firewood, get water, pound rice, and cook it.

Purpose
This structure is the same as for successive action.  It usually contains two verbs, the first which is conjugated and the second which is in infinitive form.  In French, the infinitive would be preceded by "pour."

Examples:
N ka i kili, ka fo, "i duman n ya."
I just called (you) to say "I love you."
	A bara wa minsiri ka sali.
He went to the mosque to pray.
	
N bara na ka moo demen, ka laguinee ye, ka kan gbere makaran.
I came to help people, to see Guinea, and to learn another language.		

As a Noun
When a noun is an action and expressed with an infinitive, you can begin the sentence with the infinitive.  Then, form a sentence containing "wo" or "a" (3rd person pronouns) that represent the infinitive.

Examples:
Ka Skol min, wo ka nyin!
To drink Skol, that is good!	Ka too sun, a kiseman!
To eat manioc mush, that's brave!	

Use with "Fo" (Except)
Examples:
I ma fosi ke fo ka n toro.
You do nothing but trouble me.	N ka be ke fo ka lemumun maka.
I did everything but peel the orange.	

 Demonstratives and Indefinites 
Pronouns
Demonstratives
Let's talk a little bit about "this" and "that":

This -	Nyin, nin, men	
That -	Wo	

These words can be used as a pronoun, or as an adjective.  As adjectives, it is preferable (though not always obligatory depending on region) to place the demonstrative after the noun.  Note that as a pronoun, they can replace things or people.

Note:  For plural forms, add lu/nu to the demonstratives above.  Thus, you get nyinnu, mennu, and wolu.

As Pronouns
Examples:
I ka na wo ke!
Don't do that!	Wo ma nyin!
That's not good!
	
Men ka bon wo di.
This is bigger than that.
	Men too di?
What's the name of this?	
Nyin, son le a di!
Him, he's a thief!	Nyin le tere yan, a wara min?
That which was here, where did it go?	

As Adjectives
Adjective demonstratives normally follow the noun.
Examples:
Wulu men, a ka nyin!
This dog, it is good!	I ye soloda nyin fe?
Do you want this teapot?	
Indefinites
As Pronouns and Adjectives
The following indefinites can be used as adjectives or as pronouns. 

Do -	Some	Donin -	A little	
Dogbere -	Another, Some other	Si -	No, None	
Siyaman - 	Many, a lot			

Do (Some)
Pronoun	Adjective	
Do ye yan.
There is some here.
	Moo do di wo ke.
Some people will do that.	
I ye do fe?
Do you want some?	I ye buru do ta.
Take some bread.	

Dogbere (Another, some other)
Pronoun	Adjective	
I la biki bara ban?  Dogbere san.
Your pen is finished?  Buy another.
	Skol ye n bolo. Skol dogbere di a ma.
I have a Skol.  Give him another Skol.	
Men ma nyin.  Dogbere ta.
This is bad.  Take another.	Montoro dogbere te n bolo.
I don't have another watch.	

Donin (A little bit)
Pronoun	Adjective	
Donin ye n bolo.
I have a little bit.
	Kinin donin ye yan.
There is a little rice  here.	
Sayon ka donin bila mafen do.
Sayon put a little in the sauce.	Nono donin wuyara. (I kana kasi.)
A little milk spilled. (Don't cry.)	

Siyaman (Many)
Pronoun	Adjective	
Siyaman te yan.
There aren't many here.
	Suro, n di dolo siyaman min.
Tonight, I will drink a lot of alcohol.	
N ka siyaman lawa Ameriki la.
I sent a lot to America.	Tubabu siyaman ye Conakry.
There are a lot of tubabus in Conkary. 	

Si
(see "Negations" in the Verbs Section)

Pronouns Only
Fosi/Foi (Nothing, None)
(see "Negations" in the Verbs Section)

Adjectives Only
These indefinites can be used only as adjectives: 

Be -	All	Pe -	Only	
Doron -	Only	Gbere - 	Another	

Be (All)
Some expressions using "be"
Yoro be -	Everywhere	A be -	All of them (it)	
Moo be -	Everybody	Waati be -	Every time	

Examples:
Moo be di "Wang-Chung" tonight.
Everybody "Wang-Chung" tonight.	N bara tiyade be bila mafendo
I put all the peanut butter in the sauce.	

Doron (Only)
Examples:
Skol doron ne bara to.
There is only Skol left.	Toro doron ye yan.
There is only trouble here.	

Pe (Only)
Note: This is used with numbers to express insufficiency.
 
Example:
A be bara sinoora, n kelen pe ye yan.
Everyone went to sleep, I am the only one here.

I kelen pe wato Gberedou-Baranama?
Only you are going to Gberedou-Baranama?

Gbere
Example:
A la ke ba wa, a di ke gbere ta.
When her man's away, she will take another man.

Some indefinites to explore.
We has seen these around, but don't know exactly how to use them.  Feel free to try these out in the village:

Kelenkelen-	An occasional one.	Kelenkelenna -	Each	
Dando -	Several, A few	Gbansan -	Only	
Filabe -	Both	Nyoon -	Like, Such	

 Overall Language Stuff 
Pronunciation
Tonal Language
Maninka is a tonal language which unfortunately cannot be easily expressed using ink on paper.  The best way to learn the tones of maninka is to listen to the language itself.  You will quickly note that a given word, while it may be written exactly like other unrelated words, is spoken with rising, falling, flat or extended tones.  When you first begin hearing maninka you will have to figure out what is being said by the context within which the words are placed.  Later, when you have an ear for the language you will find yourself using the correct tones based upon how you have heard the words spoken by others.

 Here are three example where intonation is important to the meaning of the word.  Ask a maninka to say these sentences and listen closely.

1.)  Wodi  (over there, money, that)
Tom: Abdoulaye ye min?  Jerry: A ye wodi.  (He is over there.)	
Wodi di n ma.  (Give me money.) 	
A ye wo di.  (It's that.)	
	
2.)  Nyin  (tooth, this, good)
N nyin ye dimin na. (My tooth hurts.)	
Nyin a ka do. (This is small.)	
A ka nyin.  (It is good.)	
	
3.)  Min  (where, drink, this)
Dootoro ye min? (Where is a doctor?)	
I di dolo min? (Will you drink alcohol?)	
Min ye yan, a ka fisa.  (That which is here, it's better.)	

Extended tones
When pronouncing an extended vowel, the vowel sound should be drawn out.  We can sometimes convey this idea in written maninka by writing two of the same vowels next to each other.

	Regular Tone	  Extended Tone	
han (an expression of surprise) -	haan (until)	
ba (big) -	baa (a goat)	
sa (a sheep, to die, to kill) -	saa (a snake)	
je (a fish) -	jee (a squash)	
da (a mouth, a door) -	daa (a cooking pot)	
to (name) -	too (a gelatinous manioc mush)	

Second Syllable Accents
There are a lot of words in maninka that have accents on the second syllable.  An english-speaker would want to put the accent on the first syllable on the first reading.  Following is but a minor smattering of examples:

wulu - dog	ninsi - cow	lolo - star	tiya - peanut	
komo - idiot	jusu - heart	fanin - cloth	sise - chicken	
Contractions
In this book we have written out maninka sentences in their full form to render them more understandable.  Take the sentence "n te a fe ka n ko." (I do not want to bathe.)  This form is grammatically correct, yet is not correct spoken maninka.  The maninka prefer to streamline their language by using contractions.  The phrase above would be spoken "N t'a fe kan ko."  Here are a few rules to help you know when to use contractions:

•	Contractions are used most often when two vowels come in contact with each other.  Since "i" and "a" are commonly used as pronoun objects, they often contracted with vowels that preceed them.  This also applies to "ni" (if).  

	This phrase:	becomes:	
N di a ke.  (I will do it.) -	N d'a ke.	
Ni i ye a fe.  (If you want it.) -	N'ii y'a fe.	
Ni Allah son na. (If God accepts.) -	N'Allah son na.	
N bara i ko. (I washed you.) -	N bar'i ko.	

•	The maninka also often leave out parts of phrases that they deem inessential.  Le, ye and ko get axed in some contracted maninkakan phrases.

	This phrase:	becomes:	
A le le ye wo di. (Okay.) -	A le le wo di.	
N too le ye ko Ousmane. - 
(My name is Ousmane.)	N too le Ousmane.	

•	Words beginning with gb will add the "g"-sound to the end of a preceding vowel.

	This phrase:	becomes:	
A gbasi. (Hit him.) -	A'g basi.	
I gbeleman. (You are difficult.) -	I'g beleman.	

Regional Differences
The maninka language is unfortunately far from universal in pronunciation and vocabulary.  The mandengo languages spread across West Africa.  Maninka is heavily influenced in the north by bambara from Mali.  It is also influenced in the south by kouranko from Sierra Leone.  And in the forest, there is Jula from Ivory Coast.  It is impossible to mention all these differences, but here are a few:
   
•	Some areas prefer "tun" and some prefer "tere" in past tense construction of the verb "to be."

•	Some prefer "be" to "di" in future tense construction.

•	Pronunciation of "te" is often pronounced "ti" and might be different regionally.

•	In the north, bambara influence will change the "k" sound in "I ni ke" to sound a little like "ch," but more like "ty."  I ni tye.

•	There is a large amount of regional variation in pronunciation of words beginning with the letters "y", "g" and "j".

•	Also, in bambara influenced regions, you find syllables buried in words.  For example:

Bambara Influence vs.	Maninka	Meaning	
Moogoo vs.	Moo	Person	
Dogo vs.	Do	Younger, smaller	
Saga vs.	Saa	Sheep	
Dugu vs.	Du	Land	
Negesoo vs.	Neso	Metal Horse (bike)	
Sigi vs.	Sii	Sit	
Sinogo	Sinoo	Sleep	
Nyogon vs.	Noon	Each other	
Faga vs.	Faa	Die, Kill	
Nogo vs.	No	To be dirty, Dirt	
Sege vs.	See	To be tired	

•	There is some regional variation in vocabulary.  For example, the word for corn in the Kouroussa and Faranah areas is "nyo".  If you go to Mandiana and Siguiri "nyo" is the general term for all grains and "kaba" is reserved for corn specifically.  Usually if you use the words that you know, the maninkakan will understand what you are saying and correct you if you are not using the right local word.

•	The suffix indicating possesion differs between regions.  Some regions may use "ta" in place of "na" and vice versa when forming possesions and possesive pronouns.  For example, "N ta" meaning "mine" in the Faranah region is pronounced "N na" in parts of the Kankan area.

NKo Alphabet
The NKo alphabet is a form of written maninka which is used largely between the Kankan and Siguiri regions.  It is written right to left (like arabic), reads phonetically, and is fairly easy to learn.  It is useful in that the seven vowels and twenty consonants describe the sounds of the language in a much clearer fashion than those of our alphabet.  Nko also uses punctuation that describes the tonal differences found in the spoken language.  

For more information on the NKo alphabet, see Appendix E.
The fun stuff
The maninka language is full of small expressions and sounds that are often thrown in to spice up the language.  Here is a sampling:
 
•	Fewu - this word is used for emphasis or agreement.  It is used primarily in positive phrases.  For example "A ka nyin fewu!" (That's damn good!)  Also, Ibrahima: "Tara ye bola" (It's hot);  Mamadi: "Fewu" (Damn right!)

•	Fe fe (fe fe fe fe) - an emphatic like fewu but is used in negative phrases.  Example, "A ma nyin fe fe fe fe!" (That sucks!)

•	Dit! - used for emphasis or to counter someone's argument.  It is somewhat akin to our exclamation point.  Example, "Moo ye se la a ma dit!" (People are arriving at that!) or "Wo te dit!" (Not that!)

•	Huhn! - a sound used when giving somebody something.  You don't need to say anything more, just make the sound and hand it over.

•	Ping-ping! - also used for emphasis.  Example, "N bara fa ping-ping!" (I'm stuffed!)

•	Eh Allah! - a favorite; used as an expression of surprise.  It means "Oh my God!"

•	La hi lai! / wa ha lai! - other expressions of surprise or shock.  Their origins are arabic and come from a full phrase that goes something like: "La hi la wa hi la la Mohamadou rata sutu lai!"

•	Fenke - can't think of the word you're, uh, searching for?  Just replace it with, whatchamacallit, the word fenke.  (It is equivalent to the Guinean french "chose.") 

Examples:
N wato fenke bada... Moussa. (I am going to, uh... Moussa's house.)
   	I bara fenke ye?... n na siifen (Did you see, uh...my chair?)

•	Did you hear? -  We all know the peuls say "naani" like it's going out of style.  In maninka there's no naani except for the number 4.  So what do the maninka say?  Well, you will hear them say "huh" or "yo," as in "I ni ke, huh?"  (The "huh" can help distinguish "Thank you" from a simple "Hello")

	During a longer parole, you can insert "I bara men?" (Did you hear?) or "I bara nyaye" (Did you understand?)
Words you might NOT want to know
Maninka, like all languages of the world, has it's own dirty words.  Here's a vocabulary list of those words you might come across.  To insult someone, just use "I" (You) plus the insult.  Be careful with these.  Them is fightin' words!!

An anatomy lesson		Insults	
ass -	ju	uncircumcised boy -	bilakoro		
asshole -	juwo	heathen -	kafiri / salibali 		
butt crack -	ju fara	slut -	janburu / jalon		
penis -	kaya 	dirty person -	dengba		
testicle -	kili	a bastard child -	nyomooden		
scrotum -	ko kili	idiot -	komo		
vagina -	kese! / be / tutu	"discoboy" -	kamaren ba		
naked -	julakolon	"disquette" -	sunkurun ba		
shit -	bo	dog -	wulu		
		dog penis -	wulu kaya		
		red monkey -	sula wulen		
		red ears (derogatory for tubabu) -	tolo wulen		
		black person (derogatory) -	moo fin		

The forbidden fruits		
alcohol -	dolo		
marijuana -	jambaju / saraba		
to have sex -	ka sogodin ke		

Maledictions
You've heard of benedictions.  Well they work both ways.  You can also wish ill upon someone.  

May God give you ____ -
	Alla ye i so ____		
   ...scabies -	   ...karangba	
   ...fleas -	   ...jatakoli	
   ...lice -	   ...nyimin	
   ...bedbugs -	   ...dabi	
   ...itches -	   ...wanyalu	
   ...biting things -	   ...kinifennu	
   ...rabies -	   ...fatoya	
   ...gonorrhea / the clap -	   ...sopisi / korosila 	
   ...the Guinea worm -	   ...segelen	

 Numbers and Time 
Numbers
To form the ordinal form in maninka (e.g. first, second, third), add "na" to the cardinal form (Note the exception of first - "folo")

English	Cardinal Form	Ordinal Form	
1	kelen	folo	
2 	fila	filana	
3	saba	sabana	
4	naani	naanina	
5	loolu	looluna	
6	woro	worona	
7	woronfila	woronfilana	
8	seyin	seyinna	
9	konondo	konondona	
10	tan	tanna	
11	tan ni kelen	tan ni kelenna	
12	tan ni fila...	tan ni filana...	
			
20	muwan	muwanna	
21	muwan ni kelen	muwan ni kelenna	
22	muwan ni fila...	muwan ni filana...	
			
30	bi saba	bi sabana	
31	bi saba ni kelen...	bi saba ni kelenna...	
			
40	bi naani	bi naanina	
50	bi loolu	bi looluna	
60	bi woro	bi worona	
70	bi woronfila	bi woronfilana	
80	bi seyin	bi seyinna	
90	bi konondo	bi konondona	
100	keme	kemena	
200	keme fila...	keme filana...	
			
1,000	wa kelen	wa kelenna	
2,000	wa fila...	wa filana...	
			
1,000,000	milyon kelen...	milyon kelenna...	
etc.			

Numbers as adjectives
When you want to use a number (cardinal or ordinal) to modify a noun, place the number after the noun in the sentence construction.

Examples:
Doomuso naani ye n bolo.
I have four little sisters.
	N ye bougie saba fe.
I want three candles.
	
N di mobili filana ta.
I will take the second car.	N too filanan le Seyfollaye.
My second name is Seyfollaye.	

Use of "kelen" to mean "same" or "only"
Same
A bee kelen.
It's all the same.
	A te kelen di.
It's not the same.	
Alu fila kelen.
They are both the same.		

Only
Note: "pe" is often used with "kelen" to emphasize "only"

N kelen pe bara wa.
Only I went.	I wato Conakry?  I kelen?
You're going to Conakry?  Just you?	

Use of "fila" to mean "both"
An fila ye wa la so kono.
We're both going into town.	N ye men fila fe.
I want both of these.	

How many times?
To express the number of times something is done, use the word "ko" or "sinya" followed by the number.

You did that two times
I ka wo ke ko fila.  or	I ka wo ke sinya fila.	

Example:
N wara Kankan ko saba lokun taminin
I went to Kankan three times last week.
Time
Dununya, a suduman.  -  "Life is Short"

Times of Day
Here are the times of day in maninka:
morning -	sooma	in the morning -	soomadala	
afternoon -	tele	in the afternoon -	telero	
evening -	wura	in the evening -	wurala	
night -	su	in the night -	suro	

The maninka also describe times of day by the muslim prayer times:
6 h -	subama	16 h -	lansara	
10 h -	walaha	19 h -	fitiri	
14 h -	salifana	20 h -	safo	

Days of the week
monday -	tenen-lon	
tuesday -	talata-lon	
wednesday -	araba-lon	
thursday -	alamisa-lon	
friday -	juma-lon	
saturday -	simedi-lon	
sunday -	dimasi-lon / lahadi-lon	

Note: "lon" (day) is usually used in expressing the day of the week, but not always.

Time Vocabulary
Basic Vocab
hour -	waati	month -	karo	
day -	lon	year -	san	
week -	lonkun/semeni			

Every
Doubling a word gives it the meaning of "every."

Every hour -	waati-waati	Every day -	lon-lon, tele-tele	
Every morning -	sooma-sooma	Every week -	lonkun-lonkun	
Every evening -	wura-wura	Every month -	karo-karo	
Every night -	su-su	Every year -	san-san	

Next or Last
To express "next week" or "next year," use "nato" meaning "coming."
To express "last week" or "last year," use "taminin" meaning "past."

Next week -	lokun nato	Last week - 	lokun taminin	
Next month -	karo nato	Last month -	karo taminin	
Next year -	san nato	Last year -	san taminin	

Note:  There are some fancy names for some of these, such as "sando" (next year), "nyina" (this year), and "saron" (last year).

Before, now, and later
Expressing "now," one must take the cultural difference into account.  "Now" means plus or minus about 6 hours, while "Right now" might be within the hour.  (This is important information to remember at the gare!)

now - sisen	before - folo	
right now - sisen-sisen	in the beginning - folo-folo	
	after - kola / kofe	

Yesterday and Tomorrow
3 days ago -	kunun sinin ko	
Day before yesterday -	kunun sinin	
Yesterday -	kunun	
TODAY -	bi	
tomorrow -	sinin	
the day after tomorrow -	sinin kende	
3 days from now -	sinin kende ko	

Next week using "kunyo"
To express "next week" or "a week from _____," one can use "kunyo" (stress on the second syllable) as in the following examples:
next week -	lokun kunyo	
a week from Monday -	tenen kunyo	
a week from tomorrow -	sinin kunyo	
a week from the fete -	feti kunyo	

Seasons of the year
rainy season -	sanma	
dry season -	telema	

The Date
The maninka use two calendars: farafin karo and tubabou karo.  The "farafin karo" is based upon the lunar cycle and is used for calculating the dates of fêtes and other traditional events.  The other calendar, "tubabou karo," is the western calendar and is used by the government and westerners (of course).  

Tele jeli le bi?
What is the date?

Farafin karo, tele jeli le bi?
What day of the lunar calendar is it today?

A ye farafin karo tele ... (cardinal number) bi.
It is the (number)-th day of the lunar calendar.

A ba ban...
With subject
This structure is the same as that of the future indicative verb tense.  In this construction, though, one uses "ban" in the dependent clause meaning "finished."  Thus, we have "When ... is finished, ..."

Construction:  S + ba ban, (Independent clause in future tense)

Examples:
A ba ban, an di wa
When it is finished, we will go.

Karo fila ba ban, n di wa Conakry.
When two months are finished, I will go to Conakry.

N na baara yan ba ban, n di koseyi Ameriki.
When my work is finished here, I will return to America.
    
With Verb
Using "ban" again, one now wants to express "When (someone) is finished (doing something) ..."

Construction: S + ba ban + VR + la/na, (Independent clause in future tense)

Examples:
N ba ban domuni ke la, an di wa.
When I am done eating, we will go.

I ba ban baara la, an di wa video la.
When you are done working, we will go to the video.

 APPENDIX A - Verb Tense Summary 

	Positive Structure	Negative Structure	
Present Progressive	S + ye + VR + la/na	S + te + VR + la/na	
Present Habituative	S + di + VR	S + te + VR	
Simple Past	S + ka + VR
S + VR + -ra/-na/-da (w/o DO)	S + ma + VR	
Recent Past Perfect	S + bara + VR	S + ma + VR	
Past Progressive and 
Past Habituative	S + tere + VR + la/na
S + tun + VR + la/na	S + tere te + VR + la/na
S + tun te + VR + la/na	
Pluperfect	S + tere + bara + VR	S + tere + ma + VR	
Future	S + di + VR
S + be + VR	S + te + VR	
Future Indicative	S + ba + VR, S + di + VR	N/A	
Conditional	Ni ___, S + di + VR	N/A	
Past Conditional	Ni ___, S + di tere + VR	N/A	
Imperative	VR
An + ye/di + VR
alu + ye/di + VR	I/An/Alu + kana + VR	

APPENDIX B - Verbs 
English to Maninka

to accept	ka son, ka ben	
to accompany	ka malo	
to add (to)	ka la a kan, ka kafu	
to advise	ka lali	
to agree	ka dinye	
to ask	ka manyininkali ke	
to ask for (beg)	ka tara	
to ask someone	ka manyininka	
to avoid	ka matanka	
to be able to	ka kusan, ka se	
to be afraid	ka silan	
to be angry	ka mone, ka diminya	
to be dirty	ka no	
to be happy	ka sewa	
to be in agreement	ka la	
to be quiet	ka sabari	
to be ready	ka wuli (ref.)	
to be troubled	ka toro	
to begin	ka damina	
to believe	ka denkeniya	
to bend over	ka fonke, ka bidin	
to bite	ka kin	
to blacken	ka fin	
to bleed	ka jeli bo	
to bless	ka duba	
to blow ones nose	ka sasa ke	
to borrow	ka sinka	
to break	ka tinya, ka kadi	
to break (into pieces)	ka dote	
to break a promise	ka lahidi tinya	
to breathe	ka lakili	
to bring	ka lana	
to bring (a gift)	ka samba	
to bring closer	ka madon	
to build	ka lon, ka araben	
to bump	ka kudu	
to burn	ka nyani	
to butcher	ka boso	
to buy	ka san	
to call	ka kili	
to care for	ka kanda	
to caress	ka masusu	
to change	ka yeleman	
to change (exchange)	ka falen	
to chase away	ka gben	
to chat	ka bado	
to chew	ka nyimin	
to choose	ka nyanatombon	
to circumcise	ka laji	
to clap hands	ka bolo lafo, ka tera fo	
to close	ka la tun	
to collect	ka mate	
to collect (a debt)	ka makanin	
to come	ka na	
to complain	ka makasi	
to cook	ka tibili ke, ka gba-don	
to cook something	ka tibi	
to cool	ka suman	
to cough	ka soso, ka toto	
to counsel	ka kawandi	
to create	ka dan 	
to crouch (squat)	ka bu	
to cry	ka kasi	
to cultivate	ka sene ke	
to curse	ka danka	
to cut	ka te, ka rate, ka mate	
to cut (harvest)	ka ka	
to dance	ka don	
to detatch	ka fulen 	
to die	ka fa, ka sa	
to dig	ka dosen	
to dip	ka sun	
to disagree (with)	ka soso	
to discipline	ka kolo	
to disobey	ka kuma tinya	
to display	ka mayira	
to divide	ka dofara	
to divide (in half)	ka tala	
to do	ka ke	
to do like this	ka keti	
to dream	ka subo	
to drink	ka min	
to dry	ka ja, ka laja	
to eat	ka damunin ke	
to eat breakfast	ka dabo ke	
to eat dinner	ka wurala ke	
to eat lunch	ka telero ke	
to eat something	ka damun	
to eat too	ka too sun	
to enlarge	ka labonya	
to enter	ka don	
to erase	ka masusa	
to extinguish	ka la sa	
to fail	ka kanya	
to fall	ka be	
to fan	ka mafe, ka mafinfan	
to farm	ka sene	
to fart	ka bote	
to fast	ka sun don	
to favor	ka ladiya	
to feed	ka balo	
to fetch water	ka ji ta	
to fight	ka kele	
to fill	ka fa	
to find	ka tere, ka ye, ka soron	
to finish	ka ban, ka laban	
to fly	ka gban	
to fold	ka kumbe	
to forget	ka nyina	
to forgive	ka makolo	
to fry	ka jilan	
to get	ka soron	
to get bigger	ka bonya, ka bunya	
to get sick	ka jankaro	
to get up	ka wuli	
to get used to	ka dori	
to give	ka di, ka so	
to give birth	ka moyi, ka den soron	
to give medicine	ka basi	
to go	ka wa, ka ta	
to go very fast	ka kodo kodo	
to greet	ka foli ke, ka kondon	
to greet someone	ka fo	
to guard	ka tanka	
to hang	ka dun	
to hate	ka kon	
to have a meeting	ka nyoonye ke 	
to hear (understand)	ka men	
to heat (up)	ka kala, ka sofe	
to help	ka demen	
to hide	ka dokun	
to hit (a person)	ka gbasi	
to hit (beat)	ka gbasili ke	
to hurry	ka dogba	
to hurt	ka dimin, ka dogba	
to hurt (oneself)	ka madinun (ref.)	
to increase	ka bonya	
to inflate	ka funun	
to insult	ka nanin	
to itch	ka wanya	
to join (combine)	ka de	
to joke	ka tolon	
to judge	ka kiti	
to jump	ka gban	
to keep	ka mina, ka tanka	
to keep (a gift)	ka nyasi	
to keep a promise	ka lahidi mina	
to kick	ka tan	
to kick a ball	ka balon te	
to kill	ka fa, ka sa	
to kiss	ka sumbu	
to kneel	ka nyokin	
to know	ka lon	
to lack	ka dese	
to laugh	ka yele	
to leak	ka bo	
to learn	ka karan, ka makaran	
to leave (laisser)	ka to, ka bila	
to leave (sortir)	ka bo	
to lend	ka sinka 	
to let go	ka boloka	
to lick	ka menemu	
to lie	ka wuya fo 	
to lie (oneself) down	ka la (ref.)	
to lie about something	ka wuya	
to light	ka la meni, ka lamenen	
to listen	ka tolo malo	
to listen (to)	ka lamen	
to look at	ka mafele, ka fele, ka dogbe	
to look for	ka nyinin	
to lose	ka tunun	
to love	ka kanin	
to lower	ka ji, ka laki, ka maji	
to make	ka ke, ka dan	
to make (manufacture)	ka ladan	
to make a mistake	ka fili	
to make change	ka sensi	
to make fall	ka labe	
to make fun of	ka mayele	
to make increase	ka labonya	
to make laugh	ka layele	
to make noise	ka gudaguda	
to make tea	ka thé gbasi	
to make the pilgrimage	ka hiji	
to marry 	ka fudu, ka fufu ke	
to mature	ka ko	
to meet	ka lade ke, ks nyoben	
to mess up	ka nyami	
to milk (a cow)	ka bidin	
to mix	ka basan, ka nabasan	
to move away	ka mase	
to multiply	ka jidi	
to nail (fasten)	ka gbangban	
to nurse (upon a mother's breast)	ka sin min	
to open	ka laka	
to operate (a vehicle)	ka bori, ka labori	
to organize	ka doben	
to pardon	ka jafa	
to pass	ka tamin, ka latamin, ka tambi	
to pay for	ka sara	
to peel	ka maka	
to pick (gather fruits)	ka kadi	
to pinch	ka fuden	
to pity	ka kini kini	
to plant	ka la	
to play	ka tolon, ka jouer	
to play (an instrument)	ka fo	
to play the djimbe	ka djimbe fo	
to play the guitar	ka guitari fo	
to point	ka lo	
to pound (w/ mortar and pestle)	ka susu	
to pour	ka bon	
to pray	ka sali	
to prepare	ka maben	
to prepare too	ka too fasa	
to protect	ka kanda, ka lakanda, ka sutura	
to pull	ka sama	
to pursue	ka saran	
to push	ka tuntun, ka di	
to push over	ka labe	
to put	ka bila	
to put out	ka la sa	
to puzzle (perplex)	ka konodofili	
to raise	ka wuli, ka lawuli, ka yele	
to reach	ka se	
to read	ka karan	
to receive	ka soron	
to redden	ka wulen	
to reduce	ka do bo	
to refuse	ka ban	
to regret	ka kasa	
to remember	ka hankili bila	
to remove the husks from rice	ka malo gbasi	
to repair	ka araben, ka doben	
to resemble	ka bo	
to respond	ka jabi, ka jabili ke	
to rest	ka si (ref.), ka dofonye (ref.)	
to rest oneself (relax)	ka nyonyo (ref.)	
to return	ka koseyi	
to ripen	ka mo	
to roll	ka makudukudu	
to roll over	ka kudukudu	
to rub (massage)	ka boro, ka mamun	
to rub in	ka susa	
to ruin	ka tinya	
to rumble (thunder)	ka kulu 	
to run	ka bori	
to save	ka kisi	
to say	ka fo	
to scold	ka jaman	
to scratch	ka masa	
to search	ka nyinin	
to see	ka ye	
to sell	ka fere, ka mayira	
to send	ka lawa	
to separate	ka fara	
to sew (make clothes)	ka kara	
to shake	ka yereyere	
to share	ka so, ka dote, ka rote	
to shave	ka li	
to shit	ka bo ke	
to show	ka yiraka, ka yira	
to silence	ka sabari, ka makun	
to sin	ka hake ke	
to sing	ka donkili	
to sit (oneself) down	ka sii (ref.)	
to sleep	ka sino, ka sunyoo	
to smell	ka sumbu	
to smile	ka yele	
to smoke (a cigarette)	ka cigareti min	
to sneeze	ka tiso	
to snore	ka korondo	
to sow (plant)	ka foi	
to speak	ka kuma	
to spend	ka depenser	
to spend time doing	ka ke	
to spill	ka bon, ka wuya	
to spit	ka daji labo	
to spread	ka fansa	
to spread out	ka fensen	
to stand (wait)	ka lo	
to start a fire	ka ta bila	
to stay	ka si	
to steal	ka sunyali ke	
to steal something	ka sunya	
to stir	ka lama	
to stop	ka fara	
to stop (oneself)	ka lo (ref.)	
to suffer	ka toro	
to surpass	ka dan	
to swallow	ka kunun	
to sweat	ka wasi	
to sweep	ka firan, ka mafiran	
to swell	ka funun	
to take	ka ta, ka mina	
to take a long time	ka men	
to take a picture	ka photo ta	
to take a walk	ka taamataama	
to take out	ka labo	
to talk about someone	ka mafo	
to taste	ka nene	
to teach	ka karan	
to tear	ka fara	
to telephone	ka telefoni	
to tell the truth	ka tunya fo	
to thank	ka tando	
to think	ka miri (ref.)	
to throw away	ka fili	
to tickle	ka nyolinyoli	
to tie, to fasten	ka sidi	
to tighten	ka doja	
to touch	ka ma	
to travel	ka wayasi	
to treat (an illness)	ka danda, ka fida ke	
to trick (deceive)	ka janfa	
to try	ka mafene	
to turn	ka firifiri (ref.), ka yeleman (ref.)	
to turn off (extinguish)	ka la sa	
to turn on	ka la meni	
to understand	ka nyaye, ka famun	
to untie (unwrap)	ka la fulen	
to unwrap	ka fulen	
to urinate	ka suna ke	
to vaccinate	ka bolote	
to vomit	ka baji, ka fono	
to wait	ka makono	
to wake (oneself up)	ka kunun (ref.)	
to walk	ka taama, ka mataama	
to walk around	ka firifiri	
to wander (aimlessly) 	ka yalayala	
to wash (inside of)	ka doko	
to wash (oneself)	ka ko (ref.)	
to wash (outside of)	ka mako	
to waste	ka domun	
to whip	ka bunye ke	
to whiten	ka gbe	
to win (a contest)	ka ganye	
to wipe	ka josi	
to wonder (marvel)	ka kaba, ka kabakoya	
to work	ka baara	
to work (function)	ka taama	
to worry	ka hamin	
to worship	ka bato	
to write	ka sebeli ke	
to write (something)	ka sebe	

APPENDIX C - Verbs 
Maninka to English

ka araben	to repair, to build	
ka baara	to work	
ka bado	to chat	
ka baji	to vomit	
ka balan te	to kick a ball	
ka balo	to feed	
ka balo lafo	to clap hands	
ka ban	to finish, to refuse	
ka basan	to mix	
ka basi	to give medicine	
ka bato	to worship	
ka be	to fall	
ka ben	to accept	
ka bidin	to bend over, to milk (a cow)	
ka bila	to leave, to put	
ka bo	to leave, to resemble, to leak	
ka bo ke	to shit	
ka boloka	to let go	
ka bolote	to vaccinate	
ka bon	to spill, to pour	
ka bonya	to get bigger, to increase	
ka bori	to run, to operate (a vehicle)	
ka boro	to rub (massage)	
ka boso	to butcher	
ka bote	to fart	
ka bu	to crouch (squat)	
ka cigareti min	to smoke (a cigarette)	
ka dabo ke	to eat breakfast	
ka daji labo	to spit	
ka damina	to begin	
ka damun	to eat something	
ka damunin ke	to eat	
ka dan	to make, to create, to surpass	
ka danda	to treat (an illness)	
ka danka	to curse	
ka dari	to get used to	
ka de	to join (combine)	
ka demen	to help	
ka den soron	to give birth	
ka denkeniya	to believe	
ka depenser	to spend	
ka dese	to lack	
ka di	to give, to push	
ka dimin	to hurt	
ka diminya	to be angry	
ka dinye	to agree	
ka djimbe fo	to play the djimbe	
ka do bo	to reduce	
ka doben	to organize, to repair	
ka dofara	to divide	
ka dofonye (ref.)	to rest	
ka dogba	to hurry	
ka dogba	to hurt	
ka dogbe	to look (at)	
ka doja	to tighten	
ka doko	to wash (inside of)	
ka dokun	to hide	
ka domun	to eat, to waste, to bouffer	
ka don	to enter, to dance	
ka donkili	to sing	
ka dori	to get used to	
ka dosen	to dig	
ka dote	to share, break (into pieces)	
ka duba	to bless	
ka dun	to hang	
ka fa	to die, to kill, to fill	
ka falen	to change (exchange)	
ka famun	to understand	
ka fansa	to spread	
ka fara	to stop, to separate, to tear	
ka fele	to look (at)	
ka fensen	to spread out	
ka fere	to sell	
ka fida ke	to treat (an illness)	
ka fidan	to sweep	
ka fili	to make a mistake, to throw away	
ka fin	to blacken	
ka firan	to sweep	
ka firifiri	to turn, to walk around	
ka fo	to greet, to say	
ka fo	to play (an instrument)	
ka foi	to sow (plant)	
ka foli ke	to greet	
ka fonke	to bend over	
ka fono	to vomit	
ka fuden	to pinch	
ka fudu	to marry	
ka fudu ke	to marry	
ka fulen	to unwrap, to detatch	
ka funun	to swell, to inflate	
ka ganye	to win (a contest)	
ka gba-don	to cook	
ka gban	to jump, to fly	
ka gbangban	to nail (fasten)	
ka gbasi	to hit (a person)	
ka gbasili ke	to hit (beat)	
ka gbe	to whiten	
ka gben	to chase away	
ka gudaguda	to make noise	
ka guitari fo	to play the guitar	
ka hake ke	to sin	
ka hamin	to worry	
ka hankili bila	to remember	
ka hiji	to make the pilgrimage	
ka ja	to dry	
ka jabi	to respond (to something)	
ka jabili ke	to respond	
ka jaman	to scold	
ka janfa	to trick (deceive)	
ka jankaro	to get sick	
ka ji	to lower	
ka ji ta	to fetch water	
ka jidi	to multiply	
ka jilan	to fry	
ka josi	to wipe	
ka jouer	to play	
ka ka	to cut (harvest)	
ka kaba	to wonder (marvel)	
ka kabakoya 	to wonder (marvel)	
ka kadi	to pick (gather fruits), to break	
ka kafu	to add (to)	
ka kala	to heat (up)	
ka kanda	to protect, to care for	
ka kanin	to love	
ka kanya	to fail	
ka kara	to sew (make clothes)	
ka karan	to read, to teach, to learn	
ka kasa	to regret	
ka kasi	to cry	
ka kawandi	to counsel	
ka ke	to do, to make, to spend time doing	
ka kele	to fight	
ka keti	to do like this	
ka kili	to call	
ka kin	to bite	
ka kini kini	to pity	
ka kisi	to save	
ka kiti	to judge	
ka ko	to mature	
ka ko	to mature	
ka ko (ref.)	to wash (oneself)	
ka kodo kodo	to go very fast	
ka kon	to hate	
ka kondon	to greet	
ka konodofili	to puzzle (perplex)	
ka kose	to return	
ka koseyi	to return	
ka kudu	to bump	
ka kudukudu	to roll over	
ka kulu 	to rumble (thunder)	
ka kuma	to speak	
ka kuma tinya	to disobey	
ka kumbe	to fold	
ka kunun	to swallow	
ka kunun (ref.)	to wake (oneself up)	
ka kusan	to be able to	
ka la	to be in agreement, to plant	
ka la (ref.)	to lie (oneself) down	
ka la a kan	to add (to)	
ka la fulen	to untie (unwrap)	
ka la meni	to light, to turn on	
ka la sa	to extinguish, to put out, to turn off	
ka la tun	to close	
ka laban	to finish	
ka labe	to push, to make fall	
ka labo	to take out	
ka labonya	to enlarge, to make increase	
ka labori	to operate (a vehicle)	
ka ladan	to make (manufacture)	
ka lade ke	to meet	
ka ladiya	to favor	
ka lahidi mina	to keep a promise	
ka lahidi tinya	to break a promise	
ka laja	to dry	
ka laji	to lower, to circumcise	
ka laka	to open	
ka lakanda	to protect	
ka lakili	to breathe	
ka lali	to advise	
ka lama	to stir	
ka lamen	to listen (to)	
ka lamenen	to light	
ka lana	to bring	
ka latamin	to pass	
ka lawa	to send	
ka lawuli	to raise	
ka layele	to make laugh	
ka li	to shave	
ka lo	to stand (wait), to point	
ka lo (ref.)	to stop (oneself)	
ka lon	to know, to build	
ka ma	to touch	
ka ma karan	to learn	
ka maben	to prepare	
ka madon	to bring closer	
ka mafe	to fan	
ka mafele	to look at	
ka mafene	to try	
ka mafinfan	to fan	
ka mafiran	to sweep	
ka mafo	to talk about someone	
ka maji	to lower	
ka maka	to peel	
ka makanin	to collect (a debt)	
ka makasi	to complain	
ka mako	to wash (outside of)	
ka makolo	to forgive	
ka makono	to wait	
ka makudukudu	to roll	
ka makun	to silence	
ka malo	to accompany	
ka malo gbasi	to remove the husks from rice	
ka mamun	to rub (massage)	
ka manyininka	to ask	
ka manyininkali ke	to ask	
ka masa	to scratch	
ka mase	to move away	
ka masusu	to caress	
ka mataama	to walk	
ka matanka	to avoid	
ka mate	to cut, to collect	
ka mayele	to make fun of	
ka mayira	to display, to sell	
ka men	to hear (understand)	
ka men	to take a long time	
ka menemu	to lick	
ka min	to drink	
ka mina	to keep, to take	
ka miri (ref.)	to think	
ka mo	to ripen	
ka mone	to be angry	
ka moyi	to give birth	
ka na	to come	
ka nanin	to insult	
ka nene	to taste	
ka no	to be dirty	
ka nyami	to mess up	
ka nyanatombon	to choose	
ka nyani	to burn	
ka nyasi	to keep (a gift)	
ka nyaye	to understand	
ka nyimin	to chew	
ka nyina	to forget	
ka nyinin	to search, to look for	
ka nyoben	to meet	
ka nyokin	to stoop (upon bended knees)	
ka nyolinyoli	to tickle	
ka nyonyo (ref.)	to rest oneself (relax)	
ka nyoonye ke 	to have a meeting	
ka photo ta	to take a picture	
ka rate	to cut	
ka rote	to share	
ka sa	to die, to kill	
ka sabari	to silence, to be quiet	
ka sali	to pray	
ka sama	to pull	
ka samba	to bring (a gift)	
ka san	to buy	
ka sara	to pay for	
ka saran	to pursue	
ka sasa ke	to blow ones nose	
ka se	to be able to, to reach	
ka sebe	to write (s'thing)	
ka sebeli ke	to write	
ka sene	to farm	
ka sene ke	to cultivate	
ka sewa	to be happy	
ka si	to rest, to stay	
ka si (ref.)	to sit (oneself) down	
ka sidi	to tie, to fasten	
ka silan	to be afraid	
ka sin min	to nurse (upon a mother's breast)	
ka sinka	to borrow, to lend	
ka sino	to sleep	
ka so	to share, to give	
ka sofe	to heat (up)	
ka son	to accept	
ka soron	to receive, to get, to find	
ka soso	to cough, to disagree (with)	
ka subo	to dream	
ka suma	to cool	
ka sumbu	to kiss, to smell	
ka sun	to dip	
ka sun don	to fast	
ka suna ke	to urinate	
ka sunya	to steal	
ka sunyali ke	to steal	
ka sunyoo	to sleep	
ka susa	to rub (wipe), to rub in	
ka susu	to pound (w/ mortar and pestle)	
ka suune ke	to urinate	
ka ta	to take, to go	
ka ta bila	to start a fire	
ka taama	to walk, to work (function)	
ka taamataama	to take a walk	
ka tala	to divide (in half)	
ka tambi	to pass	
ka tamin	to pass	
ka tan, ka ten	to kick	
ka tando	to thank	
ka tanka	to keep, to guard	
ka tara	to ask for (beg)	
ka te	to cut	
ka telefoni	to telephone	
ka tere	to find, to receive	
ka thé gbasi	to make tea	
ka tibi	to cook	
ka tibili ke	to cook	
ka tinya	to break, to ruin	
ka tiso	to sneeze	
ka to	to leave	
ka tolo malo	to listen	
ka tolon	to play, to joke	
ka too fasa	to prepare too	
ka too sun	to eat too	
ka toro	to suffer, to be troubled	
ka toto	to cough	
ka tuntun	to push	
ka tunun	to lose	
ka tunya fo	to tell the truth	
ka wa	to go	
ka wanya	to itch	
ka wasi	to sweat	
ka wayasi	to travel	
ka wulen	to redden	
ka wuli	to get up, to raise	
ka wuli (ref.)	to be ready	
ka wuya	to lie, to spill	
ka wuya fo 	to lie	
ka yalayala	to wander (aimlessly) 	
ka ye	to see, to find	
ka yele	to laugh, to smile, to raise	
ka yeleman	to change	
ka yeleman (ref.)	to turn	
ka yereyere	to shake	
ka yira	to show	
ka yiraka	to show	

Appendix F:  Missionary Dictionary

to accept	ka son, ka ben	
to accompany	ka malo	
to add (to)	ka la a kan, ka kafu	
to advise	ka lali	
to agree	ka dinye	
to ask	ka manyininkali ke	
to ask for (beg)	ka tara	
to ask someone	ka manyininka	
to avoid	ka matanka	
to be able to	ka kusan, ka se	
to be afraid	ka silan	
to be angry	ka mone, ka diminya	
to be dirty	ka no	
to be happy	ka sewa	
to be in agreement	ka la	
to be quiet	ka sabari	
to be ready	ka wuli (ref.)	
to be troubled	ka toro	
to begin	ka damina	
to believe	ka denkeniya	
to bend over	ka fonke, ka bidin	
to bite	ka kin	
to blacken	ka fin	
to bleed	ka jeli bo	
to bless	ka duba	
to blow ones nose	ka sasa ke	
to borrow	ka sinka	
to break	ka tinya, ka kadi	
to break (into pieces)	ka dote	
to break a promise	ka lahidi tinya	
to breathe	ka lakili	
to bring	ka lana	
to bring (a gift)	ka samba	
to bring closer	ka madon	
to build	ka lon, ka araben	
to bump	ka kudu	
to burn	ka nyani	
to butcher	ka boso	
to buy	ka san	
to call	ka kili	
to care for	ka kanda	
to caress	ka masusu	
to change	ka yeleman	
to change (exchange)	ka falen	
to chase away	ka gben	
to chat	ka bado	
to chew	ka nyimin	
to choose	ka nyanatombon	
to circumcise	ka laji	
to clap hands	ka balo lafo, ka tera fo	
to close	ka la tun	
to collect	ka mate	
to collect (a debt)	ka makanin	
to come	ka na	
to complain	ka makasi	
to cook	ka tibili ke, ka gba-don	
to cook something	ka tibi	
to cool	ka suman	
to cough	ka soso, ka toto	
to counsel	ka kawandi	
to create	ka dan 	
to crouch (squat)	ka bu	
to cry	ka kasi	
to cultivate	ka sene ke	
to curse	ka danka	
to cut	ka te, ka rate, ka mate	
to cut (harvest)	ka ka	
to dance	ka don	
to detatch	ka fulen 	
to die	ka fa, ka sa	
to dig	ka dosen	
to dip	ka sun	
to disagree (with)	ka soso	
to discipline	ka kolo	
to disobey	ka kuma tinya	
to display	ka mayira	
to divide	ka dofara	
to divide (in half)	ka tala	
to do	ka ke	
to do like this	ka keti	
to dream	ka subo	
to drink	ka min	
to dry	ka ja, ka laja	
to eat	ka damunin ke	
to eat breakfast	ka dabo ke	
to eat dinner	ka wurala ke	
to eat lunch	ka telero ke	
to eat something	ka damun	
to eat too	ka too sun	
to enlarge	ka labonya	
to enter	ka don	
to erase	ka masusa	
to extinguish	ka la sa	
to fail	ka kanya	
to fall	ka be	
to fan	ka mafe, ka mafinfan	
to farm	ka sene	
to fart	ka bote	
to fast	ka sun don	
to favor	ka ladiya	
to feed	ka balo	
to fetch water	ka ji ta	
to fight	ka kele	
to fill	ka fa	
to find	ka tere, ka ye, ka soron	
to finish	ka ban, ka laban	
to fly	ka gban	
to fold	ka kumbe	
to forget	ka nyina	
to forgive	ka makolo	
to fry	ka jilan	
to get	ka soron	
to get bigger	ka bonya, ka bunya	
to get sick	ka jankaro	
to get up	ka wuli	
to get used to	ka dori	
to give	ka di, ka so	
to give birth	ka moyi, ka den soron	
to give medicine	ka basi	
to go	ka wa, ka ta	
to go very fast	ka kodo kodo	
to greet	ka foli ke, ka kondon	
to greet someone	ka fo	
to guard	ka tanka	
to hang	ka dun	
to hate	ka kon	
to have a meeting	ka nyoonye ke 	
to hear (understand)	ka men	
to heat (up)	ka kala, ka sofe	
to help	ka demen	
to hide	ka dokun	
to hit (a person)	ka gbasi	
to hit (beat)	ka gbasili ke	
to hurry	ka dogba	
to hurt	ka dimin, ka dogba	
to hurt (oneself)	ka madinun (ref.)	
to increase	ka bonya	
to inflate	ka funun	
to insult	ka nanin	
to itch	ka wanya	
to join (combine)	ka de	
to joke	ka tolon	
to judge	ka kiti	
to jump	ka gban	
to keep	ka mina, ka tanka	
to keep (a gift)	ka nyasi	
to keep a promise	ka lahidi mina	
to kick	ka tan	
to kick a ball	ka balon te	
to kill	ka fa, ka sa	
to kiss	ka sumbu	
to kneel	ka nyokin	
to know	ka lon	
to lack	ka dese	
to laugh	ka yele	
to leak	ka bo	
to learn	ka karan, ka makaran	
to leave (laisser)	ka to, ka bila	
to leave (sortir)	ka bo	
to lend	ka sinka 	
to let go	ka boloka	
to lick	ka menemu	
to lie	ka wuya fo 	
to lie (oneself) down	ka la (ref.)	
to lie about something	ka wuya	
to light	ka la meni, ka lamenen	
to listen	ka tolo malo	
to listen (to)	ka lamen	
to look at	ka mafele, ka fele, ka dogbe	
to look for	ka nyinin	
to lose	ka tunun	
to love	ka kanin	
to lower	ka ji, ka laki, ka maji	
to make	ka ke, ka dan	
to make (manufacture)	ka ladan	
to make a mistake	ka fili	
to make change	ka sensi	
to make fall	ka labe	
to make fun of	ka mayele	
to make increase	ka labonya	
to make laugh	ka layele	
to make noise	ka gudaguda	
to make tea	ka thé gbasi	
to make the pilgrimage	ka hiji	
to marry 	ka fudu, ka fufu ke	
to mature	ka ko	
to meet	ka lade ke, ks nyoben	
to mess up	ka nyami	
to milk (a cow)	ka bidin	
to mix	ka basan, ka nabasan	
to move away	ka mase	
to multiply	ka jidi	
to nail (fasten)	ka gbangban	
to nurse (upon a mother's breast)	ka sin min	
to open	ka laka	
to operate (a vehicle)	ka bori, ka labori	
to organize	ka doben	
to pardon	ka jafa	
to pass	ka tamin, ka latamin, ka tambi	
to pay for	ka sara	
to peel	ka maka	
to pick (gather fruits)	ka kadi	
to pinch	ka fuden	
to pity	ka kini kini	
to plant	ka la	
to play	ka tolon, ka jouer	
to play (an instrument)	ka fo	
to play the djimbe	ka djimbe fo	
to play the guitar	ka guitari fo	
to point	ka lo	
to pound (w/ mortar and pestle)	ka susu	
to pour	ka bon	
to pray	ka sali	
to prepare	ka maben	
to prepare too	ka too fasa	
to protect	ka kanda, ka lakanda, ka sutura	
to pull	ka sama	
to pursue	ka saran	
to push	ka tuntun, ka di	
to push over	ka labe	
to put	ka bila	
to put out	ka la sa	
to puzzle (perplex)	ka konodofili	
to raise	ka wuli, ka lawuli, ka yele	
to reach	ka se	
to read	ka karan	
to receive	ka soron	
to redden	ka wulen	
to reduce	ka do bo	
to refuse	ka ban	
to regret	ka kasa	
to remember	ka hankili bila	
to remove the husks from rice	ka malo gbasi	
to repair	ka araben, ka doben	
to resemble	ka bo	
to respond	ka jabi, ka jabili ke	
to rest	ka si (ref.), ka dofonye (ref.)	
to rest oneself (relax)	ka nyonyo (ref.)	
to return	ka koseyi	
to ripen	ka mo	
to roll	ka makudukudu	
to roll over	ka kudukudu	
to rub (massage)	ka boro, ka mamun	
to rub in	ka susa	
to ruin	ka tinya	
to rumble (thunder)	ka kulu 	
to run	ka bori	
to save	ka kisi	
to say	ka fo	
to scold	ka jaman	
to scratch	ka masa	
to search	ka nyinin	
to see	ka ye	
to sell	ka fere, ka mayira	
to send	ka lawa	
to separate	ka fara	
to sew (make clothes)	ka kara	
to shake	ka yereyere	
to share	ka so, ka dote, ka rote	
to shave	ka li	
to shit	ka bo ke	
to show	ka yiraka, ka yira	
to silence	ka sabari, ka makun	
to sin	ka hake ke	
to sing	ka donkili	
to sit (oneself) down	ka sii (ref.)	
to sleep	ka sino, ka sunyoo	
to smell	ka sumbu	
to smile	ka yele	
to smoke (a cigarette)	ka cigareti min	
to sneeze	ka tiso	
to snore	ka korondo	
to sow (plant)	ka foi	
to speak	ka kuma	
to spend	ka depenser	
to spend time doing	ka ke	
to spill	ka bon, ka wuya	
to spit	ka daji labo	
to spread	ka fansa	
to spread out	ka fensen	
to stand (wait)	ka lo	
to start a fire	ka ta bila	
to stay	ka si	
to steal	ka sunyali ke	
to steal something	ka sunya	
to stir	ka lama	
to stop	ka fara	
to stop (oneself)	ka lo (ref.)	
to suffer	ka toro	
to surpass	ka dan	
to swallow	ka kunun	
to sweat	ka wasi	
to sweep	ka firan, ka mafiran	
to swell	ka funun	
to take	ka ta, ka mina	
to take a long time	ka men	
to take a picture	ka photo ta	
to take a walk	ka taamataama	
to take out	ka labo	
to talk about someone	ka mafo	
to taste	ka nene	
to teach	ka karan	
to tear	ka fara	
to telephone	ka telefoni	
to tell the truth	ka tunya fo	
to thank	ka tando	
to think	ka miri (ref.)	
to throw away	ka fili	
to tickle	ka nyolinyoli	
to tie, to fasten	ka sidi	
to tighten	ka doja	
to touch	ka ma	
to travel	ka wayasi	
to treat (an illness)	ka danda, ka fida ke	
to trick (deceive)	ka janfa	
to try	ka mafene	
to turn	ka firifiri (ref.), ka yeleman (ref.)	
to turn off (extinguish)	ka la sa	
to turn on	ka la meni	
to understand	ka nyaye, ka famun	
to untie (unwrap)	ka la fulen	
to unwrap	ka fulen	
to urinate	ka suna ke	
to vaccinate	ka bolote	
to vomit	ka baji, ka fono	
to wait	ka makono	
to wake (oneself up)	ka kunun (ref.)	
to walk	ka taama, ka mataama	
to walk around	ka firifiri	
to wander (aimlessly) 	ka yalayala	
to wash (inside of)	ka doko	
to wash (oneself)	ka ko (ref.)	
to wash (outside of)	ka mako	
to waste	ka domun	
to whip	ka bunye ke	
to whiten	ka gbe	
to win (a contest)	ka ganye	
to wipe	ka josi	
to wonder (marvel)	ka kaba, ka kabakoya	
to work	ka baara	
to work (function)	ka taama	
to worry	ka hamin	
to worship	ka bato	
to write	ka sebeli ke	
to write (something)	ka sebe