Learn Gambian Mandinka: Start Here

Gambian Mandinka is the Mandinka of The Gambia. It is close to the Mandinka spoken in Senegal, Guinea and Mali, but it is not the same, and most of what you find online mixes them. Everything on this site is Gambian Mandinka, written by a native speaker from Basse, in the Upper River Region.

1. Greet people first

In The Gambia every conversation starts with a greeting. Learn the greetings for every time of day: How to greet someone in Gambian Mandinka.

2. Count

Markets, prices, ages: Gambian Mandinka numbers 1 to 20.

3. Learn one word a day

Small and daily beats big and rare: the Gambian Mandinka word of the day.

4. Hear how people think

Proverbs carry the wisdom of the language: 10 Gambian Mandinka proverbs and their meanings.

5. Practise with the free AI tutor

Ask questions and practise any time: Mandinka AI tutor.

6. Learn it properly, step by step

When you are ready to go further than single words, the books take you from your first greeting to real conversations.

Questions people ask

Is there an English to Mandinka translator?

Machine translators often mix Gambian Mandinka with other varieties. For single words, use the Full Dictionary (13,848 entries, searchable, offline). A free word finder is coming to this site.

How do I say hello in Mandinka?

Say Salaa maaleekum (“peace be with you”). The answer is Maaleekumsalaam. Then greet by the time of day: I saama in the morning, I tiinya in the afternoon, I wulaara in the evening.

How do I say how are you in Mandinka?

Kori tana te jee?: literally “I hope there is no trouble there?”

How do I say my name is in Mandinka?

N too mu Aamadu le ti means “My name is Aamadu”. Use your own name.

How do I say thank you in Mandinka?

Abaraka. For “thank you very much”, Abaraka baake.

Where can I buy the books?

As instant downloads on Gumroad, and in paperback on Amazon.

A new Gambian Mandinka word every day, Monday to Saturday, on Facebook.