Continuing the discussion from Kora vs Korying Bato:
Thank you @Kamaradeni for the awesome translations and examples.
I am curious now to learn Mandinkakan because of how similar it is to Bambara. In your example you gave, I noticed that the grammer is similar.
My questions are linked below as separate topics.
There is “be” in Mandinka. It is used to describe the state of things or people.
Eg: Kamaradeni be siirin.( Kamaradeni is sitting)
Kulun tilaa" the flying boat"( plane) be tiikan
( the plane is flying)
Baltimore be Amerik Kono
( Baltimore is in the US) ( location)
Kedugu be senegal tiliboyo
( Kédougou is in the south of Sénégal)…
Beteyaata is a static verb which can also be used as an adjective. It is conjugated the same way as intransitive verbs( verbs without a direct object) in the past and simple present tense:
Infinitive: ka beteyaa
Rule: noun+ root verb+ ta
Ex: Abdou taata Bamako( Abdou went to Bamako)
Ala domoo diyaata ( his/ her food is/ was good)
Meeta means meena in Bambara and “Baake” means a lot.
The rule for the ongoing present in Mandinka is: Noun/ pronoun + ka+ verb.
I wrote a language manual and dictionary in Bambara and Mandinka, but that is when I was LCF( Language and Cross Culture Facilitator)_ so it is PC property.