The languages spoken there reflect ancient settlement patterns, migrations, and its long history.

One, Tebul Sign Language, is found in a village with a high incidence of congenital deafness.

Another, Bamako Sign Language, developed in the after-work tea circles of the cities; it is threatened by the educational use of ASL.

Mande, Senufo, and Dogon stand out among Niger–Congo because of their divergent SOV basic word order.

The Gur languages are represented by Bomu on the Bani River of Mali and Burkina Faso.

Fulfulde, spoken throughout West Africa, is a member of the Senegambian branch.

According to the Loi 96-049 of 1996 thirteen indigenous languages are recognised by the government as national languages: Bamanankan, Bomu, Bozo, Dɔgɔsɔ, Fulfulde, Hassaniya Arabic, Mamara, Maninkakan, Soninke, Soŋoy, Syenara, Tamasheq, Xaasongaxanŋo.

Activists are also teaching literacy to speakers of Manding languages (Bambara, Malinke, Maninkakan, Dyula) in the standardized N'Ko form.