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Languages in Mali and Bamako: Bambara, French and national languages (2023 Constitution)

Dozens of languages are spoken in Mali, and the place of French changed with the 2023 Constitution. In Bamako, the language of the street, the market and transport is Bambara. Here is what you need to know.

Key points (checked on 18 October 2026)

  • Constitution of 22 July 2023, article 31: "The national languages are the official languages of Mali." French is the working language.
  • Bambara (bamanankan) is the lingua franca of the country and of Bamako.
  • In Bamako in 2014, 44.7% of residents aged 15 and over could speak and understand French.

What the Constitution says

Article 31 of the Constitution promulgated on 22 July 2023 (decree no. 2023-0401/PT-RM, Official Journal special no. 13) provides that:

  • the national languages are the official languages of Mali;
  • an organic law sets the conditions and arrangements for their use;
  • French is the working language;
  • the State may adopt any other language as a working language.

In practice, administration, education and official texts, including the Official Journal and procedure sheets, are still written in French. Mali has thirteen national languages, according to Wikipedia.

Bambara, the language of Bamako

According to Wikipedia, drawing on census data:

  • Mali has between 58 and 78 African languages;
  • Bambara is the main mother tongue (about 46%) and the most widely spoken (about 52%), though it is not evenly spread across the country;
  • in the 1987 census, among people over 6, Bambara came first (50.3%), ahead of Fula (10.7%), Dogon (6.9%), Songhay (6.3%) and Soninke (6.3%);
  • Bambara dominates in the Ségou and Koulikoro regions, Fula in Mopti, Songhay in Timbuktu and Soninke in Kayes.

In Bamako, Bambara is the everyday language: markets, Sotrama minibuses, neighbours.

French in Bamako

French is the mother tongue of less than 1% of Malians, but it is the language of school and administration. In Bamako:

IndicatorValue
Residents aged 15+ who speak and understand French (2014)44.7%
Residents aged 15+ who read and write French (2014)47.7%
Residents aged 12+ who can read and write (2009 census)70%

For Mali as a whole, Wikipedia gives about 3.7 million French speakers out of 21.5 million people in 2022, making French the second best-known language after Bambara.

Frequently asked questions

What is the official language of Mali?

Since the Constitution of 22 July 2023, the national languages; French is the working language (article 31).

Is French still used in Mali?

Yes: it remains the working language of administration and education. In Bamako, nearly half of adults speak or read it.

What language is spoken in Bamako?

Bambara is Bamako's lingua franca, used every day; French is the language of administration and school.

Sources (checked on 18 October 2026)