Like many countries in Africa, Mali is a multilingual country, where several languages and dialects are spoken demonstrating antique settlements, migrations, and a vast history where ethnic groups and tribes lived together.

From its people, Bambara are the biggest ethnic group with 33% of the population, Fulani with 10%, Senoufo around 9%, Songhay 7%, Malinke with 6%, Tuareg 5%, and Dogon the smallest faction with 4% of the population.

From the 50 languages in Mali, French is the official one and Bambara is the most extensively spoken. Overall, 13 of the native language of Mali have the legal status of national language.

Official language

French (Standard)
National languages

Bambara
Bomu
Tieyaxo Bozo
Toro So Dogon
Maasina Fulfulde
Hasanya Arabic
Mamara Senoufo
Kita Maninkakan
Soninke
Koyraboro Senni Songhay
Syenara Senoufo
Tamasheq
Xaasongaxango

Lingua francas

Bambara
French
Fula
Songhai

All languages and dialects of Mali

(language name, dialect, family group, total speakers)

French, Indo-European, 9,000
Hasanya, dialect Arabic, Afro-Asiatic / Semitic, 106,100
Bambara or Bamanankan, dialect Manding, Niger-Congo / Mande, 2,700,000
Bomu, Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 102,000
Tiéyaxo, dialect Bozo, Niger-Congo / Mande, 117,696
Toro So, dialect Dogon, Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 50,000
Fulfulde, Maasina, dialect Fula, Niger-Congo / Atlantic, 911,200
Maninkakan & Kita, dialect Manding, Niger-Congo / Mande, 600,000
Mamara, dialect Senufo, Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 737,802
Syenara, dialect Senufo, Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 136,500
Koyraboro Senni, dialect Songhay, Nilo-Saharan, 400,000
Soninke, Niger-Congo / Mande National, 700,000
Tamasheq, dialect Tamashek, Afro-Asiatic / Berber, 250,000
Xaasongaxango, Khassonke, dialect Manding, Niger-Congo / Mande, 120,000
Bankagooma, Niger-Congo / Mande, 5,085
Bobo Madaré, Niger-Congo / Mande, 18,400
Hainyaxo, dialect Bozo, Niger-Congo / Mande, 117,696
Jenaama, dialect Bozo, Niger-Congo / Mande, 100,000
Tièma Cièwè, dialect Bozo, Niger-Congo / Mande, 2,500
Bangeri Me, dialect Dogon, Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 1,200
Bondum Dom, dialect Dogon, Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 24,700
Dogul Dom, dialect Dogon, Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 15,700
Donno So, dialect Dogon, family Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 45,300
Jamsay, dialect Dogon, family Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 130,000
Kolum So, dialect Dogon, family Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 24,000
Tene Kan, dialect Dogon, family Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 127,000
Tomo Kan, dialect Dogon, family Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 132,800
Toro Tegu, dialect Dogon, Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 2,900
Duungooma, Niger-Congo / Mande, 70,000
Jahanka, Niger-Congo / Mande, 500
Jalunga, Dyalonke, Niger-Congo / Mande, 9,000
Jowulu, Niger-Congo / Mande, 10,000
Jula, Dioula Manding, Niger-Congo, 50,000
Kagoro Manding, Niger-Congo / Mande, 15,000
Koromfé, Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 100
Maninkakan, dialect Manding, Niger-Congo / Mande, 100,000
Marka, Niger-Congo / Mande, 25,000
Mòoré, Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 17,000
Pana, Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 2,800
Pulaar, dialect Fula, Niger-Congo / Atlantic, 175,000
Pular, dialect Fula, Niger-Congo / Atlantic, 50,000
Sàmòmá, Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 6 villages
Sìcìté, dialect Senufo, Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 4 villages
Supyire, dialect Senufo, Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo, 364,000
Humburi Senni, dialect Songhay, Nilo-Saharan, 15,000
Koyra Chiini, dialect Songhay, Nilo-Saharan, 200,000
Tadaksahak, dialect Songhay, Nilo-Saharan, 30,000
Tamajaq, dialect Tamashek, Afro-Asiatic / Berber, 190,000
Zarmaci, dialect Songhay, Nilo-Saharan, 2 villages