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Common Bemba to Zulu phrases

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

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

Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Zulu-speaking trip in a few weeks.

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

    Sawubona

  2. Natotela

    Ngiyabonga

  3. Muli shani

    Sawubona

  4. Muli shani

    Good afternoon

  5. Muli shani

    Ubusuku obuhle

  6. Shalenipo bwino

    Lala kahle

  7. Tukakutana

    Sizobonana

  8. Twalumba

    Hamba kahle

  9. Iwe ulishani?

    Ubani igama lakho?

  10. Ndefwaya John

    Igama lami nginguJohn

  11. Uli bwanji?

    Unjani?

  12. Nashitasha kukumona

    Ngiyajabula ukukwazi

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?

    Ukhuluma isiNgisi?

  2. Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino

    Angikhulumi kahle isiHindi.

  3. Ndefwaya kumfwa

    Angiqondi.

  4. Nimwandi ulukanda buteko

    Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.

  5. Ningaloleleko?

    Ungakuphinda lokho?

  6. Ili kuti ikalamba?

    Iphi indlu yangasese?

  7. Ningalileka shani ku city center?

    Ngiyawufika kanjani emaphandleni?

  8. Fumya kumwendo

    Jika kwesobunxele.

  9. Fumya kumwendo

    Jika kwesokudla.

  10. Enda pamo

    Hamba phambili.

  11. Kuli shani ifyabukata?

    Inani lokuhamba lingakanani?

  12. Ticket imwe, nomba

    Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela.

  13. Kuli lishilu ukulya?

    Ingabe kude lapha?

  14. Ndi lost

    Ngilahlekile.

  15. Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?

    Ngaphi engingathenga khona i-SIM card?

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Eya

    Yebo

  2. Awe

    Cha

  3. Panga

    Mhlawumbe

  4. Ndi bwino

    Ngiyavuma

  5. Ndi bwino na

    Angivumi

  6. Ilyo lishibukile

    Lokho kuzwakala kahle

  7. Uchite shani?

    Ucabanga ukuthini?

  8. Ushakufwa?

    Ungangisiza?

  9. Ndefwaya ifyakufwa

    Ngidinga usizo

  10. Leka ifi

    Linda umzuzu

  11. Nshakufwa

    Ngiyaxolisa

  12. Takwaba shani

    Akukho nkinga

  13. Nshakufwa bwino

    Halala

  14. Nashala bwino mu mwaka

    Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

  15. Ube na mulimo wabwino

    Uhambo olunempilo

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?

    Iphi isitishi sesitimela? (iphi isitishi sesitimela)

  2. Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?

    Iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi? (iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi)

  3. Ninshi ni platform iyi?

    Iphi ipulatifomu? (iphi ipulatifomu)

  4. Ninshi ikalamba?

    Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba? (ithini isikhathi sokuhamba)

  5. Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?

    Ingabe le yindlela efanele? (ingabe le yindlela efanele)

  6. Ili pamo na pano.

    Ikhaya lapha eduze (ikhaya lapha eduze)

  7. Ili lishilu na pano.

    Ikude lapha (ikude lapha)

  8. Ushibukishe pa mape?

    Ungangikhombisa emmaphini? (ungangikhombisa emmaphini)

  9. Leka pano, chonde.

    Misa lapha, ngiyacela (misa lapha, ngiyacela)

  10. Kuli shani?

    Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani? (kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Ili shani?

    Kubiza malini lokhu? (Ili shani?)

  2. Ili lya kuli

    Lokho kubiza kakhulu. (Ili lya kuli)

  3. Muli na chimo chibulu?

    Unayo yini ethengiswa ngentengo ephansi? (Muli na chimo chibulu?)

  4. Ningakupanga na kadi?

    Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi? (Ningakupanga na kadi?)

  5. Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili

    Ngifuna itafula labantu ababili. (Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili)

  6. Icilanga, tapali

    Ibhili, ngiyacela. (Icilanga, tapali)

  7. Ubufyashi bwakupanga?

    Inkonzo ifakiwe? (Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)

  8. Ndi mvegetarian

    Ngiyisithuthuthu. (Ndi mvegetarian)

  9. Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali

    Ngicela ukudla okungashisayo. (Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali)

  10. Ili lya bwino

    Lokhu kuhle. (Ili lya bwino)

  11. Ningakonda ifyalo?

    Ngicela imenyu? (Ningakonda ifyalo?)

  12. Icupa ca mvula, tapali

    Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela. (Icupa ca mvula, tapali)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Tuma abashitisha

    Shayela amaphoyisa

  2. Tuma ambulance

    Shayela i-ambulensi

  3. Nshikala na doctor

    Ngidinga udokotela

  4. Nshikala bwino

    Ngizizwa ngigula

  5. Ndi na allergy ku nsalu

    Ngine-allergy kumantongomane

  6. Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?

    Iphi isibhedlela esiseduze?

  7. Kuli ububi pano

    Kubuhlungu lapha

  8. Nashitile passport yangu

    Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami

  9. Nawe tuma hotel yangu?

    Ungashayela ihhotela lami?

  10. Chikondi!

    Usizo!

Work and business

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

  1. Nashamukeni

    Ngiyajabula ukukwazi (na-sha-mu-ke-ni)

  2. Tulefwaya ukusanga

    Masihlele umhlangano (tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)

  3. Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?

    Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele? (nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)

  4. Nizakutuma ifishina lelo

    Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla (ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)

  5. Twafwaya ukusambilila lero?

    Singakhuluma kusasa? (twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)

  6. Nomba fwebo file iliko

    Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunywe (nom-ba fwe-bo fi-le i-li-ko)

  7. Natotela pa nshita

    Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi (na-to-te-la pa nshi-ta)

  8. Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe

    Ngibheke phambili ekusebenzeni nawe (ni-fwa-ya u-ku-shan-da na i-we)

  9. Wakosa ukufumya icikomo?

    Ungacacisa leyo ndaba? (wa-ko-sa u-ku-fum-ya i-ci-ko-mo)

  10. Nizakukumbusha

    Ngizobuyela kuwe (ni-za-ku-kum-bu-sha)

  11. Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula

    Usuku lokugcina nguLwesihlanu (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?

    Kuyini isikhathi? (ku-yee-nee ee-sih-khah-teh?)

  2. Kuli nomba itatu.

    Kuyisithathu (koo-yee-see-thah-thu)

  3. Lelo.

    Namuhla (nah-moo-hlah)

  4. Mwaume.

    Kusasa (koo-sah-sah)

  5. Kale.

    Izolo (ee-zoh-loh)

  6. Lwandi.

    uMsombuluko (oom-sohm-boo-loo-koh)

  7. Lwakabamba.

    uMsombuluko (oom-sohm-boo-loo-koh)

  8. Lwapili.

    uLwesithathu (ool-weh-see-thah-thu)

  9. Imwe.

    Kunye (koon-yeh)

  10. Ibili.

    Kubili (koo-bee-lee)

  11. Itatu.

    Kuthathu (koo-thah-thu)

  12. Icumi.

    Ishumi (ee-shoo-mee)

  13. Cikumi.

    Ishumi elinhlanu (ee-shoo-mee eh-leen-hlah-noo)

  14. Pafya.

    Iphinifa (ee-pee-nee-fah)

  15. Ilyo.

    Okuningi (oh-koo-neen-gee)

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