Connect to mysql from bash

[btdrizzle]

XAMPP is up and running, I can connect and work with the sql server with phpMyAdmin and it works fine.
I cannot connect to the sql server via bash.
When I type:
mysql -u root I get the error message:
bash: mysql: command not found. . .
Packages providing this file are:
'community-mysql'
'mariadb'
I don't understand... this is the only way I can find to work with the server from the command line. Please help?

[Nobbie]

Enter /opt/lampp/bin/mysql instead of only mysql. Or append /opt/lampp/bin to your PATH. Thats very very basic linux knowlegde.