Looking for practical Bemba to Afrikaans phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba phrase first, then the Afrikaans translation (Afrikaans) — 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 Afrikaans.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Afrikaans-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bemba to Afrikaans 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.
Shani
Hallo
Natotela
Dankie
Muli shani
Goeie more
Muli shani
Goeie middag
Muli shani
Goeie naand
Shalenipo bwino
Goeie nag
Tukakutana
Sien jou later
Twalumba
Totsiens
Iwe ulishani?
Wat is jou naam?
Ndefwaya John
My naam is John
Uli bwanji?
Hoe gaan dit?
Nashitasha kukumona
Lekker om jou te ontmoet
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
Praat jy Engels?
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Ek praat nie goed Hindi nie.
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Ek verstaan nie.
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Praat asseblief stadig.
Ningaloleleko?
Kan jy dit weer sê?
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Waar is die badkamer?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
Hoe kom ek by die stadsentrum?
Fumya kumwendo
Draai links.
Fumya kumwendo
Draai regs.
Enda pamo
Gaan reguit.
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
Hoeveel is die tarief?
Ticket imwe, nomba
Een kaartjie, asseblief.
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
Is dit ver van hier?
Ndi lost
Ek is verlore.
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
Waar kan ek 'n SIM-kaart koop?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eya
Ja
Awe
Nee
Panga
Miskien
Ndi bwino
Ek stem saam
Ndi bwino na
Ek stem nie saam nie
Ilyo lishibukile
Dit klink goed
Uchite shani?
Wat dink jy?
Ushakufwa?
Kan jy my help?
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Ek het hulp nodig
Leka ifi
Wag 'n oomblik
Nshakufwa
Ek is jammer
Takwaba shani
Geen probleem
Nshakufwa bwino
Geluk
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
Gelukkige verjaarsdag
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Veilige reis
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
Waar is die treinstasie?
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
Waar is die busstop?
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
Watter platform is dit?
Ninshi ikalamba?
Watter tyd vertrek dit?
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
Is dit die regte pad?
Ili pamo na pano.
Dit is naby hier.
Ili lishilu na pano.
Dit is ver van hier.
Ushibukishe pa mape?
Kan jy dit op die kaart wys?
Leka pano, chonde.
Stop hier, asseblief.
Kuli shani?
Hoe lank neem dit?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ili shani?
Hoeveel kos dit?(Ili shani?)
Ili lya kuli
Dit is te duur.(Ili lya kuli)
Muli na chimo chibulu?
Het julle iets goedkoper?(Muli na chimo chibulu?)
Ningakupanga na kadi?
Kan ek met 'n kaart betaal?(Ningakupanga na kadi?)
Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili
Ek wil 'n tafel vir twee hê.(Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili)
Icilanga, tapali
Die rekening, asseblief.(Icilanga, tapali)
Ubufyashi bwakupanga?
Is diens ingesluit?(Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)
Ndi mvegetarian
Ek is 'n vegetariër.(Ndi mvegetarian)
Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali
Geen pittige kos, asseblief.(Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali)
Ili lya bwino
Dit is heerlik.(Ili lya bwino)
Ningakonda ifyalo?
Kan ek die spyskaart kry?(Ningakonda ifyalo?)
Icupa ca mvula, tapali
‘n Glas water, asseblief.(Icupa ca mvula, tapali)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tuma abashitisha
Bel die polisie
Tuma ambulance
Bel 'n ambulans
Nshikala na doctor
Ek het 'n dokter nodig
Nshikala bwino
Ek voel siek
Ndi na allergy ku nsalu
Ek is allergies vir grondboontjies
Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?
Waar is die naaste hospitaal?
Kuli ububi pano
Dit seergemaak hier
Nashitile passport yangu
Ek het my paspoort verloor
Nawe tuma hotel yangu?
Kan jy my hotel bel?
Chikondi!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nashamukeni
Lekker om jou te ontmoet(na-sha-mu-ke-ni)
Tulefwaya ukusanga
Kom ons skeduleer 'n vergadering(tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)
Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?
Watter tyd werk vir jou?(nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)
Nizakutuma ifishina lelo
Ek sal die verslag vandag stuur(ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)
Twafwaya ukusambilila lero?
Kan ons môre praat?(twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)
Nomba fwebo file iliko
Asseblief vind die lêer aangeheg(nom-ba fwe-bo fi-le i-li-ko)
Natotela pa nshita
Dankie vir jou tyd(na-to-te-la pa nshi-ta)
Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe
Ek sien uit daarna om saam met jou te werk(ni-fwa-ya u-ku-shan-da na i-we)
Wakosa ukufumya icikomo?
Kan jy daardie punt verduidelik?(wa-ko-sa u-ku-fum-ya i-ci-ko-mo)
Nizakukumbusha
Laat ek jou terugbel(ni-za-ku-kum-bu-sha)
Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula
Die sperdatum is Vrydag(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.