Languages · Africa
What Language Do They Speak in Mali?
The official language of Mali is French. In total about 77 living languages are spoken there, the most common being Bambara (46%), French (17%) and Eastern Maninkakan (16%).
1
Official language
77
Living languages · #27
0
Regional official languages
9
Endangered languages
Official languages of Mali
Most spoken languages in Mali
46%
French Official
17%8%
6%
Kita Maninkakan
5%Koyraboro Senni Songhai
3%Mamara Senoufo
3%Senara Sénoufo
3%Share of the population who speak the language (first or second language).
Languages commonly listed for Mali
Languages of neighbouring countries
All languages of Mali (77)
| Language | Speakers here | Family | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bambara | 10,115,676 · 46% | Mande | Safe |
| French | 3,738,402 · 17% | Indo-European | Official |
| Eastern Maninkakan | 3,600,000 · 16% | Mande | Safe |
| Fulah | 1,714,000 · 8% | Atlantic-Congo | — |
| Maasina Fulfulde | 1,693,276 · 8% | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
| Western Maninkakan | 1,300,000 · 6% | Mande | Safe |
| Soninke | 1,297,445 · 6% | Mande | Safe |
| Kita Maninkakan | 1,099,530 · 5% | Mande | Safe |
| Koyraboro Senni Songhai | 747,680 · 3% | Songhay | Safe |
| Mamara Senoufo | 740,000 · 3% | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
| Cebaara Senoufo | 605,000 · 3% | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
| Senara Sénoufo | 605,000 · 3% | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
| Nyarafolo Senoufo | 605,000 · 3% | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
| Tamasheq | 500,000 · 2% | Afro-Asiatic | Safe |
| Tamashek | 461,802 · 2% | — | — |
| Supyire Senoufo | 460,000 · 2% | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
| Koyra Chiini Songhay | 373,840 · 2% | Songhay | Safe |
| Tomo Kan Dogon | 241,896 · 1% | Dogon | Safe |
| Tiemacèwè Bozo | 230,000 · 1% | Mande | Safe |
| Tiéyaxo Bozo | 230,000 · 1% | Mande | Safe |
| Kɛlɛngaxo Bozo | 230,000 · 1% | Mande | Safe |
| Xaasongaxango | 219,906 · 1% | Mande | Safe |
| Arabic | 197,915 · 0.9% | Afro-Asiatic | — |
| Bomu | 189,119 · 0.86% | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
| Jenaama Bozo | 186,920 · 0.85% | Mande | Safe |
| Donno So Dogon | 160,000 · 0.73% | Dogon | Safe |
| Toro So Dogon | 160,000 · 0.73% | Dogon | Safe |
| Syenara Senoufo | 160,000 · 0.73% | — | — |
| Jamsay Dogon | 130,000 · 0.59% | Dogon | Safe |
| Tene Kan Dogon | 130,000 · 0.59% | Dogon | Safe |
| Hassaniyya | 123,000 · 0.56% | Afro-Asiatic | Safe |
| Wojenaka | 120,000 · 0.55% | Mande | Safe |
| Tadaksahak | 100,000 · 0.45% | Songhay | Safe |
| Duungooma | 70,000 · 0.32% | Mande | Safe |
| Koyaga | 60,000 · 0.27% | Mande | Safe |
| Tommo So Dogon | 50,000 · 0.23% | Dogon | Safe |
| Nanerigé Sénoufo | 50,000 · 0.23% | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
| Northern Bobo Madaré | 40,000 · 0.18% | Mande | Safe |
| Humburi Senni Songhay | 34,000 · 0.15% | Songhay | Safe |
| Bondum Dom Dogon | 25,000 · 0.11% | Dogon | Threatened |
| Mombo Dogon | 19,000 · 0.09% | Dogon | Threatened |
| Dogul Dom Dogon | 16,000 · 0.07% | Dogon | Threatened |
| Kagoro | 15,000 · 0.07% | Mande | Threatened |
| Siamou | 10,000 · 0.05% | — | Safe |
| Jowulu | 10,000 · 0.05% | Mande | Safe |
| Kalamsé | 6,000 · 0.03% | Atlantic-Congo | Vulnerable |
| Bankagooma | 6,000 · 0.03% | Mande | Vulnerable |
| Ampari Dogon | 5,200 · 0.02% | Dogon | Vulnerable |
| Tiranige Diga Dogon | 4,200 · 0.02% | Dogon | Vulnerable |
| Pana (Burkina Faso) | 4,000 · 0.02% | Atlantic-Congo | Vulnerable |
| Bangime | 3,500 · 0.02% | — | Vulnerable |
| Ben Tey Dogon | 3,000 · 0.01% | Dogon | Vulnerable |
| Tebul Ure Dogon | 3,000 · 0.01% | Dogon | Threatened |
| Nanga Dama Dogon | 3,000 · 0.01% | Dogon | Vulnerable |
| Tondi Songway Kiini | 3,000 · 0.01% | Songhay | Vulnerable |
| Sìcìté Sénoufo | 3,000 · 0.01% | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
| Toro Tegu Dogon | 2,900 · 0.01% | Dogon | Safe |
| Yanda Dom Dogon | 2,000 · 0.01% | Dogon | Vulnerable |
| Bankan Tey Dogon | 1,300 · 0.01% | Dogon | Vulnerable |
| Bunoge Dogon | 1,000 · 0% | Dogon | Vulnerable |
| Ana Tinga Dogon | 500 · 0% | Dogon | Threatened |
| Jahanka | 500 · 0% | Mande | Safe |
| Sankaran Maninka | — | Mande | Threatened |
| Tagwana Senoufo | — | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
| Mahou | — | Mande | Safe |
| Southern Bobo Madaré | — | Mande | Safe |
| Konyanka Maninka | — | Mande | Safe |
| Tahaggart Tamahaq | — | Afro-Asiatic | Threatened |
| Manya | — | Mande | Safe |
| Djimini Senoufo | — | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
| Eastern Karaboro | — | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
| Koro (Côte d'Ivoire) | — | Mande | Threatened |
| Nafaanra | — | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
| Western Karaboro | — | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
| Wara | — | Atlantic-Congo | Vulnerable |
| Worodougou | — | Mande | Safe |
| Palaka Senoufo | — | Atlantic-Congo | Safe |
Nothing matches your search.
Frequently asked questions
What language do they speak in Mali?
The official language of Mali is French. In total about 77 living languages are spoken there, the most common being Bambara (46%), French (17%) and Eastern Maninkakan (16%).
What is the official language of Mali?
French.
Is English spoken in Mali?
English is not widely spoken in Mali — learn a few words of French before you go.
How many languages are spoken in Mali?
About 77 living languages — #27 in the world for linguistic diversity. 9 of them are endangered.
Data: Languages of the World dataset (MIT) — ISO 639-3, Glottolog (CC BY 4.0), Unicode CLDR, Google LinguaMeta (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata; country lists: samayo/country-json (MIT).