Looking for practical Bemba to Papiamento phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba phrase first, then the Papiamento translation (Papiamento) — 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 Papiamento.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Papiamento-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bemba to Papiamento 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
Halo
Natotela
Dank'i
Muli shani
Bon dia
Muli shani
Bon tardi
Muli shani
Bon nochi
Shalenipo bwino
Bon nochi
Tukakutana
Hasta luego
Twalumba
Ayo
Iwe ulishani?
Kiko ta bo nòmber?
Ndefwaya John
Mi nòmber ta John
Uli bwanji?
Kon ta bai?
Nashitasha kukumona
Dushi pa konosé bo
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
Bo ta papia Ingles?(Bo ta papia Ingles?)
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Mi no ta papia Hindi bon(Mi no ta papia Hindi bon)
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Mi no ta komprondé(Mi no ta komprondé)
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Por fabor, papia lentamente(Por fabor, papia lentamente)
Ningaloleleko?
Podé bo duna e palabra otro vez?(Podé bo duna e palabra otro vez?)
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Unda ta e baño?(Unda ta e baño?)
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
Kiko mi mester hasi pa yega na centro di ciudad?(Kiko mi mester hasi pa yega na centro di ciudad?)
Fumya kumwendo
Duna ku left(Duna ku left)
Fumya kumwendo
Duna ku right(Duna ku right)
Enda pamo
Bai straight(Bai straight)
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
Kantu ta e tarifa?(Kantu ta e tarifa?)
Ticket imwe, nomba
Un tiket, por fabor(Un tiket, por fabor)
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
Ta leu for di aki?(Ta leu for di aki?)
Ndi lost
Mi ta perdo(Mi ta perdo)
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
Unda mi por komprá un SIM card?(Unda mi por komprá un SIM card?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eya
Si
Awe
No
Panga
Quizás
Ndi bwino
Mi ta akordá
Ndi bwino na
Mi no ta akordá
Ilyo lishibukile
Esaki ta suena bon
Uchite shani?
Kiko bo ta pensa?
Ushakufwa?
Bo por yuda mi?
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Mi mester yuda
Leka ifi
Spera un momentu
Nshakufwa
Mi ta diskulpa
Takwaba shani
No tin problema
Nshakufwa bwino
Felicidades
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
Feliz cumpleaños
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Ten un viahe seguro
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
Unda ta e stasyon di tren?
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
Unda ta e parada di bus?
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
Kual plataforma ta?
Ninshi ikalamba?
Kico ora e ta bai?
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
Esaki ta e manera correctu?
Ili pamo na pano.
E ta cerca aki
Ili lishilu na pano.
E ta leu for di aki
Ushibukishe pa mape?
Poei mostra mi na e mapa?
Leka pano, chonde.
Para aki, por fabor
Kuli shani?
Kantu tempu e ta tuma?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ili shani?
Kiko ta e precio di esaki?(Ili shani?)
Ili lya kuli
Esaki ta demasiado caro.(Ili lya kuli)
Muli na chimo chibulu?
Bo tin algo mas barato?(Muli na chimo chibulu?)
Ningakupanga na kadi?
Porke mi por paga ku tarjeta?(Ningakupanga na kadi?)
Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili
Mi ke un mesa pa dos.(Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili)
Icilanga, tapali
E cuenta, por fabor.(Icilanga, tapali)
Ubufyashi bwakupanga?
E servicio ta inkludí?(Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)
Ndi mvegetarian
Mi ta vegetariano.(Ndi mvegetarian)
Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali
No komida picante, por fabor.(Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali)
Ili lya bwino
Esaki ta sabroso.(Ili lya bwino)
Ningakonda ifyalo?
Porke mi por tin e menu?(Ningakonda ifyalo?)
Icupa ca mvula, tapali
Un bashi di awa, por fabor.(Icupa ca mvula, tapali)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tuma abashitisha
Llama polis
Tuma ambulance
Llama un ambulansia
Nshikala na doctor
Mi mester un doktor
Nshikala bwino
Mi ta sinti mal
Ndi na allergy ku nsalu
Mi ta alergiko pa maní
Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?
Unda ta e hospital mas cercano?
Kuli ububi pano
Ta doli aki
Nashitile passport yangu
Mi a perde mi pasaporte
Nawe tuma hotel yangu?
Bo por llama mi hotel?
Chikondi!
Yuda!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nashamukeni
Bon dii pa conoce bo(na-sha-mu-ke-ni)
Tulefwaya ukusanga
Deja nos programa un reuníon(tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)
Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?
Kiko ora ta bon pa bo?(nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)
Nizakutuma ifishina lelo
Mi ta manda e report di awor(ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)
Twafwaya ukusambilila lero?
Por ta papia mañan?(twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)
Nomba fwebo file iliko
Por fabor, haya e file anexa(nom-ba fwe-bo fi-le i-li-ko)
Natotela pa nshita
Danki pa bo tempo(na-to-te-la pa nshi-ta)
Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe
Mi ta spera pa traha ku bo(ni-fwa-ya u-ku-shan-da na i-we)
Wakosa ukufumya icikomo?
Bo por klarifica esaki?(wa-ko-sa u-ku-fum-ya i-ci-ko-mo)
Nizakukumbusha
Deja mi a volve na bo(ni-za-ku-kum-bu-sha)
Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula
E deadline ta dia dushi(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.