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Common Chichewa to Bemba phrases

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

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

Tip: pick five Bemba 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 Chichewa to Bemba 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. Moni

    Shani

  2. Zikomo

    Natotela

  3. M'mawa wabwino

    Muli shani

  4. Masana abwino

    Muli shani

  5. Madziwabwino

    Muli shani

  6. Usiku wabwino

    Shalenipo bwino

  7. Tiwonana

    Tukakutana

  8. Tsalani bwino

    Twalumba

  9. Dzina lako ndi ndani?

    Iwe ulishani?

  10. Dzina langa ndi John

    Ndefwaya John

  11. Muli bwanji?

    Uli bwanji?

  12. Ndikufuna kukumana nanu

    Nashitasha kukumona

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Mukulankhula Chingerezi?

    Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza? (Mukulankhula Chingerezi?)

  2. Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino

    Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino (Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino)

  3. Sindikumva

    Ndefwaya kumfwa (Sindikumva)

  4. Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono

    Nimwandi ulukanda buteko (Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono)

  5. Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?

    Ningaloleleko? (Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?)

  6. Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?

    Ili kuti ikalamba? (Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?)

  7. Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?

    Ningalileka shani ku city center? (Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?)

  8. Pangani kumanzere

    Fumya kumwendo (Pangani kumanzere)

  9. Pangani kumanzere

    Fumya kumwendo (Pangani kumanzere)

  10. Pitani mwachindunji

    Enda pamo (Pitani mwachindunji)

  11. Ndi ndalama zingati?

    Kuli shani ifyabukata? (Ndi ndalama zingati?)

  12. Tiket imodzi, chonde

    Ticket imwe, nomba (Tiket imodzi, chonde)

  13. Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?

    Kuli lishilu ukulya? (Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?)

  14. Ndakhalapo

    Ndi lost (Ndakhalapo)

  15. Ndingatengere kuti SIM card?

    Ili kuti nindeke SIM card? (Ndingatengere kuti SIM card?)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Inde

    Eya

  2. Ayi

    Awe

  3. Mwina

    Panga

  4. Ndikugwirizana

    Ndi bwino

  5. Sindikugwirizana

    Ndi bwino na

  6. Zimakoma

    Ilyo lishibukile

  7. Mumaganiza chiyani?

    Uchite shani?

  8. Mungandithandize?

    Ushakufwa?

  9. Ndikufuna thandizo

    Ndefwaya ifyakufwa

  10. Dikirani pang'ono

    Leka ifi

  11. Ndikupemphera

    Nshakufwa

  12. Palibe vuto

    Takwaba shani

  13. Zikomo

    Nshakufwa bwino

  14. Tsiku lobadwa labwino

    Nashala bwino mu mwaka

  15. Pita bwino

    Ube na mulimo wabwino

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Kuti ndi kuti sitima?

    Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?

  2. Kuti ndi kuti malo otsetsereka?

    Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?

  3. Ndi chigawo chiti?

    Ninshi ni platform iyi?

  4. Ndi nthawi iti imatenga?

    Ninshi ikalamba?

  5. Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?

    Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?

  6. Ili pafupi pano

    Ili pamo na pano.

  7. Ili kutali pano

    Ili lishilu na pano.

  8. Kodi mungandionetse pa mapu?

    Ushibukishe pa mape?

  9. Khalani pano, chonde

    Leka pano, chonde.

  10. Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?

    Kuli shani?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Zimatenga ndalama zingati?

    Ili shani? (Ili shani?)

  2. Izi ndizokwera mtengo kwambiri.

    Ili lya kuli (Ili lya kuli)

  3. Kodi muli ndi chinthu chotsika mtengo?

    Muli na chimo chibulu? (Muli na chimo chibulu?)

  4. Ndingathe kulipira ndi khadi?

    Ningakupanga na kadi? (Ningakupanga na kadi?)

  5. Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri.

    Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili (Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili)

  6. Chikonthe, chonde.

    Icilanga, tapali (Icilanga, tapali)

  7. Kodi ntchito yakhala mu mtengo?

    Ubufyashi bwakupanga? (Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)

  8. Ndine mvegetarian.

    Ndi mvegetarian (Ndi mvegetarian)

  9. Osati chakudya chotentha, chonde.

    Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali (Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali)

  10. Izi ndizochuluka.

    Ili lya bwino (Ili lya bwino)

  11. Ndingathe kupeza menyu?

    Ningakonda ifyalo? (Ningakonda ifyalo?)

  12. Galasi ya madzi, chonde.

    Icupa ca mvula, tapali (Icupa ca mvula, tapali)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Fufuzani apolisi

    Tuma abashitisha

  2. Fufuzani ambulansi

    Tuma ambulance

  3. Ndikufuna dokotala

    Nshikala na doctor

  4. Ndikumva kutopa

    Nshikala bwino

  5. Ndine wosokoneza ndi ma nuts a phala

    Ndi na allergy ku nsalu

  6. Kuti ndi kuti chibadwe chachikondi?

    Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?

  7. Kukonda apa

    Kuli ububi pano

  8. Ndapeza pasipoti yanga

    Nashitile passport yangu

  9. Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

    Nawe tuma hotel yangu?

  10. Thandizani!

    Chikondi!

Work and business

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

  1. Ndikuyamikira kukumana nanu

    Nashamukeni (na-sha-mu-ke-ni)

  2. Tiyeni tikhazikitse meeting

    Tulefwaya ukusanga (tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)

  3. Ndi nthawi yanji yomwe ikugwira ntchito kwa inu?

    Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe? (nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)

  4. Ndzatumiza lipoti lero

    Nizakutuma ifishina lelo (ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)

  5. Tingathe kulankhula mawa?

    Twafwaya ukusambilila lero? (twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)

  6. Chonde pezani fayilo yowonjezedwa

    Nomba fwebo file iliko (nom-ba fwe-bo fi-le i-li-ko)

  7. Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu

    Natotela pa nshita (na-to-te-la pa nshi-ta)

  8. Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu

    Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe (ni-fwa-ya u-ku-shan-da na i-we)

  9. Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyo?

    Wakosa ukufumya icikomo? (wa-ko-sa u-ku-fum-ya i-ci-ko-mo)

  10. Nditheke kubwerera kwa inu

    Nizakukumbusha (ni-za-ku-kum-bu-sha)

  11. Nthawi yotsiriza ndi Lachisanu

    Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula (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. Ndi nthawi yanji?

    Ninshi ilya shani? (Ninshi ilya shani?)

  2. Ndi nthawi itatu.

    Kuli nomba itatu. (Kuli nomba itatu.)

  3. Lero

    Lelo. (Lelo.)

  4. Mawa

    Mwaume. (Mwaume.)

  5. Ch yesterday

    Kale. (Kale.)

  6. Lolemba

    Lwandi. (Lwandi.)

  7. Lachiwiri

    Lwakabamba. (Lwakabamba.)

  8. Lachitatu

    Lwapili. (Lwapili.)

  9. Chimodzi

    Imwe. (Imwe.)

  10. Chiwiri

    Ibili. (Ibili.)

  11. Chitatu

    Itatu. (Itatu.)

  12. Kumi

    Icumi. (Icumi.)

  13. Zana

    Cikumi. (Cikumi.)

  14. Pafupifupi

    Pafya. (Pafya.)

  15. Zambiri

    Ilyo. (Ilyo.)

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