Looking for practical Bemba to Swahili phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba phrase first, then the Swahili translation (Swahili) — 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 Swahili.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Swahili-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bemba to Swahili 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
Habari
Natotela
Asante
Muli shani
Habari ya asubuhi
Muli shani
Habari ya mchana
Muli shani
Habari ya jioni
Shalenipo bwino
Usiku mwema
Tukakutana
Tutaonana baadaye
Twalumba
Kwaheri
Iwe ulishani?
Jina lako nani?
Ndefwaya John
Jina langu ni John
Uli bwanji?
Habari gani?
Nashitasha kukumona
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Sielewi.
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Ningaloleleko?
Unaweza kusema tena?
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Choo kiko wapi?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Fumya kumwendo
Geuka kushoto.
Fumya kumwendo
Geuka kulia.
Enda pamo
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Ticket imwe, nomba
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Ndi lost
Nimepotea.
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eya
Ndio
Awe
Hapana
Panga
Pengine
Ndi bwino
Ninakubaliana
Ndi bwino na
Sikubaliani
Ilyo lishibukile
Inasikika vizuri
Uchite shani?
Unafikiriaje?
Ushakufwa?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Nahitaji msaada
Leka ifi
Subiri kidogo
Nshakufwa
Ninasikitika
Takwaba shani
Hakuna shida
Nshakufwa bwino
Hongera
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Safari njema
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
Ni jukwaa gani?
Ninshi ikalamba?
Inatoka saa ngapi?
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?
Ili pamo na pano.
Iko karibu hapa
Ili lishilu na pano.
Iko mbali na hapa
Ushibukishe pa mape?
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?
Leka pano, chonde.
Simama hapa, tafadhali
Kuli shani?
Inachukua muda gani?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ili shani?
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?(Ili shani?)
Ili lya kuli
Hiyo ni ghali sana(Ili lya kuli)
Muli na chimo chibulu?
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?(Muli na chimo chibulu?)
Ningakupanga na kadi?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?(Ningakupanga na kadi?)
Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili(Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili)
Icilanga, tapali
Tafadhali, bili(Icilanga, tapali)
Ubufyashi bwakupanga?
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?(Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)
Ndi mvegetarian
Mimi ni mboga(Ndi mvegetarian)
Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili(Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali)
Ili lya bwino
Hii ni tamu(Ili lya bwino)
Ningakonda ifyalo?
Naweza kupata menyu?(Ningakonda ifyalo?)
Icupa ca mvula, tapali
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji(Icupa ca mvula, tapali)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tuma abashitisha
Piga simu polisi
Tuma ambulance
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Nshikala na doctor
Nahitaji daktari
Nshikala bwino
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Ndi na allergy ku nsalu
Nina mzio wa karanga
Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Kuli ububi pano
Inaniuma hapa
Nashitile passport yangu
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Nawe tuma hotel yangu?
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Chikondi!
Nisaidie!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nashamukeni
Nafurahi kukutana nawe(na-sha-mu-ke-ni)
Tulefwaya ukusanga
Tuweke mkutano(tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)
Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?(nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)