Looking for practical Bemba to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba phrase first, then the Yoruba translation (Yoruba) — 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 Yoruba.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Yoruba-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bemba to Yoruba 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
Bawo(bawoh)
Natotela
O seun(oh shayoon)
Muli shani
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Muli shani
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Muli shani
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Shalenipo bwino
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
Tukakutana
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Twalumba
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
Iwe ulishani?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Ndefwaya John
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
Uli bwanji?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Nashitasha kukumona
Inu mi dun lati pade e(ee-noo mee doon lah-tee pah-deh eh)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
Ningaloleleko?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Fumya kumwendo
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Fumya kumwendo
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Enda pamo
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Ticket imwe, nomba
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Ndi lost
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
Nibo ni mo ti le ra kaadi SIM?(Nee-boh nee moh tee leh rah kah-dee SIM)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eya
Bẹẹni
Awe
Rara
Panga
Bóyá
Ndi bwino
Mo gba
Ndi bwino na
Mo kọ
Ilyo lishibukile
Iyẹn dára
Uchite shani?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
Ushakufwa?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Leka ifi
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Nshakufwa
Mo bínú
Takwaba shani
Kò sí ìṣòro
Nshakufwa bwino
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
Ninshi ikalamba?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
Ili pamo na pano.
O sunmọ ibi yi
Ili lishilu na pano.
O jinna si ibi yi
Ushibukishe pa mape?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
Leka pano, chonde.
Duro nibi, jọwọ
Kuli shani?
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ili shani?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
Ili lya kuli
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
Muli na chimo chibulu?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
Ningakupanga na kadi?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Icilanga, tapali
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
Ubufyashi bwakupanga?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
Ndi mvegetarian
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
Ili lya bwino
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
Ningakonda ifyalo?
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
Icupa ca mvula, tapali
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tuma abashitisha
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
Tuma ambulance
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Nshikala na doctor
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
Nshikala bwino
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Ndi na allergy ku nsalu
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
Kuli ububi pano
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Nashitile passport yangu
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
Nawe tuma hotel yangu?
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
Chikondi!
I ranlọwọ!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nashamukeni
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
Tulefwaya ukusanga
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade(tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)
Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?(nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)
Nizakutuma ifishina lelo
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni(ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)
Twafwaya ukusambilila lero?
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?(twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)
Nomba fwebo file iliko
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́(nom-ba fwe-bo fi-le i-li-ko)
Natotela pa nshita
O seun fun akoko rẹ(na-to-te-la pa nshi-ta)
Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ(ni-fwa-ya u-ku-shan-da na i-we)
Wakosa ukufumya icikomo?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?(wa-ko-sa u-ku-fum-ya i-ci-ko-mo)
Nizakukumbusha
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ(ni-za-ku-kum-bu-sha)
Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula
Akoko ipari ni Friday(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.