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Common Bambara to Bemba phrases

100 practical Bambara to Bemba phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Bambara to Bemba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bambara phrase first, then the Bemba translation (Bemba) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.

The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Bemba.

Tip: pick five Bemba phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bambara to Bemba translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.

Greetings and pleasantries

Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.

  1. I ni ce

    Shani

  2. I ni sogoma

    Natotela

  3. I ni bɔ

    Muli shani

  4. I ni kɛ

    Muli shani

  5. I ni sɔgɔ

    Muli shani

  6. I ni tulu

    Shalenipo bwino

  7. N bɛ se ka

    Tukakutana

  8. A bɛ se ka

    Twalumba

  9. Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?

    Iwe ulishani?

  10. N bɛ tɔgɔ John

    Ndefwaya John

  11. I ni fɛ?

    Uli bwanji?

  12. N bɛ se ka i fɛ

    Nashitasha kukumona

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. I ni ce English?

    Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza? (ee nee che English)

  2. N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ

    Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino (N mo-go beh Hindi keh)

  3. N mɔgɔ bɛ

    Ndefwaya kumfwa (N mo-go beh)

  4. Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ

    Nimwandi ulukanda buteko (Sebene, keh-leh keh)

  5. I ka fɔ a la?

    Ningaloleleko? (Ee kah fo ah lah)

  6. Bamanakan kɛn na?

    Ili kuti ikalamba? (Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)

  7. N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?

    Ningalileka shani ku city center? (N beh fo koh-roh-boh)

  8. Kɛlɛn bɔ

    Fumya kumwendo (Keh-lehn boh)

  9. Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ

    Fumya kumwendo (Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)

  10. Fɔ kɛlɛn

    Enda pamo (Fo keh-lehn)

  11. Fɛ kɛ?

    Kuli shani ifyabukata? (Feh keh)

  12. Kɛnɛ ticket, please

    Ticket imwe, nomba (Ken-eh ticket, please)

  13. I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?

    Kuli lishilu ukulya? (Ee keh fo keh-neh)

  14. N tɛ bɔ

    Ndi lost (N teh boh)

  15. N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?

    Ili kuti nindeke SIM card? (N beh fo SIM card ken)

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Aye

    Eya

  2. Ala

    Awe

  3. Bara

    Panga

  4. N bɛ bɔ

    Ndi bwino

  5. N bɛ fɔ

    Ndi bwino na

  6. I bɛ sɛbɛn

    Ilyo lishibukile

  7. I ka fɛ kɛ?

    Uchite shani?

  8. I bɛ ma n bɔ?

    Ushakufwa?

  9. N bɛ fɔ n bɔ

    Ndefwaya ifyakufwa

  10. Sira kɛ

    Leka ifi

  11. N tɛgɛ

    Nshakufwa

  12. Ala ka fɔ

    Takwaba shani

  13. I ni kɛ

    Nshakufwa bwino

  14. I ni tɔgɔ kɛ

    Nashala bwino mu mwaka

  15. I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ

    Ube na mulimo wabwino

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Fôlô kôkô tîgê?

    Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?

  2. Fôlô bôgô tîgê?

    Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?

  3. I ni tîgê kô?

    Ninshi ni platform iyi?

  4. Kô tîgê bô?

    Ninshi ikalamba?

  5. I ni tîgê bô?

    Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?

  6. I tîgê kâ.

    Ili pamo na pano.

  7. I tîgê kâ fô.

    Ili lishilu na pano.

  8. I bô kô tîgê fô?

    Ushibukishe pa mape?

  9. Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.

    Leka pano, chonde.

  10. Kô tîgê kô?

    Kuli shani?

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. I ni ce?

    Ili shani? (Ili shani?)

  2. O ye fɛɛrɛ.

    Ili lya kuli (Ili lya kuli)

  3. I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?

    Muli na chimo chibulu? (Muli na chimo chibulu?)

  4. N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?

    Ningakupanga na kadi? (Ningakupanga na kadi?)

  5. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.

    Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili (Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili)

  6. Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.

    Icilanga, tapali (Icilanga, tapali)

  7. Sɛbɛ ka fo?

    Ubufyashi bwakupanga? (Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)

  8. N bɛ sɔgɔma.

    Ndi mvegetarian (Ndi mvegetarian)

  9. Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.

    Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali (Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali)

  10. I ye sɔgɔ.

    Ili lya bwino (Ili lya bwino)

  11. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?

    Ningakonda ifyalo? (Ningakonda ifyalo?)

  12. N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.

    Icupa ca mvula, tapali (Icupa ca mvula, tapali)

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ

    Tuma abashitisha (nogo folo)

  2. Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ

    Tuma ambulance (nogo koro)

  3. N bɛ sɔrɔ

    Nshikala na doctor (n be soro)

  4. N bɛ tɛgɛn

    Nshikala bwino (n be tegen)

  5. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ

    Ndi na allergy ku nsalu (n be folokele)

  6. N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?

    Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi? (n be koro folo)

  7. I tɛgɛ fɛ

    Kuli ububi pano (i tege fe)

  8. N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ

    Nashitile passport yangu (n be kele folo)

  9. I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?

    Nawe tuma hotel yangu? (i be nogo koro folo)

  10. Tɛgɛ!

    Chikondi! (tege)

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ

    Nashamukeni (na-sha-mu-ke-ni)

  2. Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ

    Tulefwaya ukusanga (tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)

  3. I ni bɔ a la?

    Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe? (nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)

  4. N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ

    Nizakutuma ifishina lelo (ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)

  5. N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?

    Twafwaya ukusambilila lero? (twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)

  6. Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ

    Nomba fwebo file iliko (nom-ba fwe-bo fi-le i-li-ko)

  7. I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ

    Natotela pa nshita (na-to-te-la pa nshi-ta)

  8. N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ

    Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe (ni-fwa-ya u-ku-shan-da na i-we)

  9. I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?

    Wakosa ukufumya icikomo? (wa-ko-sa u-ku-fum-ya i-ci-ko-mo)

  10. N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ

    Nizakukumbusha (ni-za-ku-kum-bu-sha)

  11. Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday

    Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula (i-shi-na lya-ku-pe-la ni Lwa-pu-la)

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Ala ka kɛnɛ?

    Ninshi ilya shani? (Ninshi ilya shani?)

  2. I ye kelen kelen.

    Kuli nomba itatu. (Kuli nomba itatu.)

  3. N bɔ

    Lelo. (Lelo.)

  4. N bɔ kɛ

    Mwaume. (Mwaume.)

  5. N bɔ fɛ

    Kale. (Kale.)

  6. Tɔgɔ

    Lwandi. (Lwandi.)

  7. Tɛgɛ

    Lwakabamba. (Lwakabamba.)

  8. Alakɔ

    Lwapili. (Lwapili.)

  9. Kelen

    Imwe. (Imwe.)

  10. Duo

    Ibili. (Ibili.)

  11. Tati

    Itatu. (Itatu.)

  12. Folo

    Icumi. (Icumi.)

  13. Dugukelen

    Cikumi. (Cikumi.)

  14. Kelen fɛ

    Pafya. (Pafya.)

  15. Kɛ

    Ilyo. (Ilyo.)

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