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Common Bemba to Chichewa phrases

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

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Looking for practical Bemba to Chichewa phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba phrase first, then the Chichewa translation (Chichewa) — 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 Chichewa.

Tip: when a Chichewa phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Bemba wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bemba to Chichewa 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. Shani

    Moni

  2. Natotela

    Zikomo

  3. Muli shani

    M'mawa wabwino

  4. Muli shani

    Masana abwino

  5. Muli shani

    Madziwabwino

  6. Shalenipo bwino

    Usiku wabwino

  7. Tukakutana

    Tiwonana

  8. Twalumba

    Tsalani bwino

  9. Iwe ulishani?

    Dzina lako ndi ndani?

  10. Ndefwaya John

    Dzina langa ndi John

  11. Uli bwanji?

    Muli bwanji?

  12. Nashitasha kukumona

    Ndikufuna kukumana nanu

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?

    Mukulankhula Chingerezi? (Mukulankhula Chingerezi?)

  2. Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino

    Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino (Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino)

  3. Ndefwaya kumfwa

    Sindikumva (Sindikumva)

  4. Nimwandi ulukanda buteko

    Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono (Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono)

  5. Ningaloleleko?

    Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri? (Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?)

  6. Ili kuti ikalamba?

    Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi? (Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?)

  7. Ningalileka shani ku city center?

    Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda? (Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?)

  8. Fumya kumwendo

    Pangani kumanzere (Pangani kumanzere)

  9. Fumya kumwendo

    Pangani kumanzere (Pangani kumanzere)

  10. Enda pamo

    Pitani mwachindunji (Pitani mwachindunji)

  11. Kuli shani ifyabukata?

    Ndi ndalama zingati? (Ndi ndalama zingati?)

  12. Ticket imwe, nomba

    Tiket imodzi, chonde (Tiket imodzi, chonde)

  13. Kuli lishilu ukulya?

    Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano? (Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?)

  14. Ndi lost

    Ndakhalapo (Ndakhalapo)

  15. Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?

    Ndingatengere kuti SIM card? (Ndingatengere kuti SIM card?)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Eya

    Inde

  2. Awe

    Ayi

  3. Panga

    Mwina

  4. Ndi bwino

    Ndikugwirizana

  5. Ndi bwino na

    Sindikugwirizana

  6. Ilyo lishibukile

    Zimakoma

  7. Uchite shani?

    Mumaganiza chiyani?

  8. Ushakufwa?

    Mungandithandize?

  9. Ndefwaya ifyakufwa

    Ndikufuna thandizo

  10. Leka ifi

    Dikirani pang'ono

  11. Nshakufwa

    Ndikupemphera

  12. Takwaba shani

    Palibe vuto

  13. Nshakufwa bwino

    Zikomo

  14. Nashala bwino mu mwaka

    Tsiku lobadwa labwino

  15. Ube na mulimo wabwino

    Pita bwino

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?

    Kuti ndi kuti sitima?

  2. Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?

    Kuti ndi kuti malo otsetsereka?

  3. Ninshi ni platform iyi?

    Ndi chigawo chiti?

  4. Ninshi ikalamba?

    Ndi nthawi iti imatenga?

  5. Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?

    Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?

  6. Ili pamo na pano.

    Ili pafupi pano

  7. Ili lishilu na pano.

    Ili kutali pano

  8. Ushibukishe pa mape?

    Kodi mungandionetse pa mapu?

  9. Leka pano, chonde.

    Khalani pano, chonde

  10. Kuli shani?

    Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Ili shani?

    Zimatenga ndalama zingati? (Ili shani?)

  2. Ili lya kuli

    Izi ndizokwera mtengo kwambiri. (Ili lya kuli)

  3. Muli na chimo chibulu?

    Kodi muli ndi chinthu chotsika mtengo? (Muli na chimo chibulu?)

  4. Ningakupanga na kadi?

    Ndingathe kulipira ndi khadi? (Ningakupanga na kadi?)

  5. Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili

    Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri. (Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili)

  6. Icilanga, tapali

    Chikonthe, chonde. (Icilanga, tapali)

  7. Ubufyashi bwakupanga?

    Kodi ntchito yakhala mu mtengo? (Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)

  8. Ndi mvegetarian

    Ndine mvegetarian. (Ndi mvegetarian)

  9. Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali

    Osati chakudya chotentha, chonde. (Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali)

  10. Ili lya bwino

    Izi ndizochuluka. (Ili lya bwino)

  11. Ningakonda ifyalo?

    Ndingathe kupeza menyu? (Ningakonda ifyalo?)

  12. Icupa ca mvula, tapali

    Galasi ya madzi, chonde. (Icupa ca mvula, tapali)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Tuma abashitisha

    Fufuzani apolisi

  2. Tuma ambulance

    Fufuzani ambulansi

  3. Nshikala na doctor

    Ndikufuna dokotala

  4. Nshikala bwino

    Ndikumva kutopa

  5. Ndi na allergy ku nsalu

    Ndine wosokoneza ndi ma nuts a phala

  6. Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?

    Kuti ndi kuti chibadwe chachikondi?

  7. Kuli ububi pano

    Kukonda apa

  8. Nashitile passport yangu

    Ndapeza pasipoti yanga

  9. Nawe tuma hotel yangu?

    Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

  10. Chikondi!

    Thandizani!

Work and business

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

  1. Nashamukeni

    Ndikuyamikira kukumana nanu (na-sha-mu-ke-ni)

  2. Tulefwaya ukusanga

    Tiyeni tikhazikitse meeting (tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)

  3. Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?

    Ndi nthawi yanji yomwe ikugwira ntchito kwa inu? (nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)

  4. Nizakutuma ifishina lelo

    Ndzatumiza lipoti lero (ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)

  5. Twafwaya ukusambilila lero?

    Tingathe kulankhula mawa? (twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)

  6. Nomba fwebo file iliko

    Chonde pezani fayilo yowonjezedwa (nom-ba fwe-bo fi-le i-li-ko)

  7. Natotela pa nshita

    Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu (na-to-te-la pa nshi-ta)

  8. Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe

    Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu (ni-fwa-ya u-ku-shan-da na i-we)

  9. Wakosa ukufumya icikomo?

    Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyo? (wa-ko-sa u-ku-fum-ya i-ci-ko-mo)

  10. Nizakukumbusha

    Nditheke kubwerera kwa inu (ni-za-ku-kum-bu-sha)

  11. Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula

    Nthawi yotsiriza ndi Lachisanu (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. Ninshi ilya shani?

    Ndi nthawi yanji? (Ninshi ilya shani?)

  2. Kuli nomba itatu.

    Ndi nthawi itatu. (Kuli nomba itatu.)

  3. Lelo.

    Lero (Lelo.)

  4. Mwaume.

    Mawa (Mwaume.)

  5. Kale.

    Ch yesterday (Kale.)

  6. Lwandi.

    Lolemba (Lwandi.)

  7. Lwakabamba.

    Lachiwiri (Lwakabamba.)

  8. Lwapili.

    Lachitatu (Lwapili.)

  9. Imwe.

    Chimodzi (Imwe.)

  10. Ibili.

    Chiwiri (Ibili.)

  11. Itatu.

    Chitatu (Itatu.)

  12. Icumi.

    Kumi (Icumi.)

  13. Cikumi.

    Zana (Cikumi.)

  14. Pafya.

    Pafupifupi (Pafya.)

  15. Ilyo.

    Zambiri (Ilyo.)

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