Looking for practical Bemba to Mam phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba phrase first, then the Mam translation (Mam) — 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 Mam.
Tip: pick five Mam 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 Bemba to Mam 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
Xo'j(sho'j)
Natotela
Tz'ik(tz'ik)
Muli shani
Xo'j nax(sho'j nax)
Muli shani
Xo'j q'ij(sho'j q'ij)
Muli shani
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Shalenipo bwino
Xo'j k'ux nax(sho'j k'ux nax)
Tukakutana
K'ux q'ij(k'ux q'ij)
Twalumba
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Iwe ulishani?
Ja' k'ux nax?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Ndefwaya John
Ja' k'ux nax John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Uli bwanji?
Jach' k'ux?(hach' k'ux?)
Nashitasha kukumona
Nab' k'ux(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Ningaloleleko?
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Ili kuti ikalamba?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Fumya kumwendo
K'utun k'ux.
Fumya kumwendo
K'utun k'ux.
Enda pamo
K'utun k'ux.
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Ticket imwe, nomba
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
Ndi lost
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eya
Juj(hoo)
Awe
Man(mah)
Panga
K'ux(k'ush)
Ndi bwino
Juj k'ux(hoo k'ush)
Ndi bwino na
Man k'ux(mah k'ush)
Ilyo lishibukile
K'ux juj(k'ush hoo)
Uchite shani?
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
Ushakufwa?
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
Leka ifi
K'ux k'ut(k'ush k'ut)
Nshakufwa
Juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Takwaba shani
Man k'ux k'ut(mah k'ush k'ut)
Nshakufwa bwino
K'ux juj k'ut(k'ush hoo k'ut)
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Ube na mulimo wabwino
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Ninshi ikalamba?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
Ili pamo na pano.
Ri k'ut pa ri.
Ili lishilu na pano.
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
Ushibukishe pa mape?
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
Leka pano, chonde.
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Kuli shani?
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.