Looking for practical Iban to Bemba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Iban 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Bemba-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Iban 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.
Selamat
Shani
Terima kasih
Natotela
Selamat pagi
Muli shani
Selamat petang
Muli shani
Selamat malam
Muli shani
Selamat malam
Shalenipo bwino
Jumpa lagi
Tukakutana
Selamat tinggal
Twalumba
Siapa nama kamu?
Iwe ulishani?
Nama saya John
Ndefwaya John
Apa khabar?
Uli bwanji?
Senang berjumpa dengan kamu
Nashitasha kukumona
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Adakah kamu boleh bercakap bahasa Inggeris?
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
Aku tidak pandai bercakap Hindi.
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Aku tidak faham.
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Sila bercakap perlahan.
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Bolehkah kamu cakap lagi?
Ningaloleleko?
Di mana tandas?
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Macam mana aku nak pergi ke pusat bandar?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
Pusing kiri.
Fumya kumwendo
Pusing kanan.
Fumya kumwendo
Pergi terus.
Enda pamo
Berapa tambangnya?
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
Satu tiket, sila.
Ticket imwe, nomba
Adakah ia jauh dari sini?
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
Aku tersesat.
Ndi lost
Di mana aku boleh beli kad SIM?
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ya
Eya
Tidak
Awe
Mungkin
Panga
Aku setuju
Ndi bwino
Aku tidak setuju
Ndi bwino na
Itu kedengaran baik
Ilyo lishibukile
Apa pendapatmu?
Uchite shani?
Boleh kah kamu bantu aku?
Ushakufwa?
Aku perlukan bantuan
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Tunggu sebentar
Leka ifi
Aku minta maaf
Nshakufwa
Tiada masalah
Takwaba shani
Tahniah
Nshakufwa bwino
Selamat hari jadi
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
Semoga perjalananmu selamat
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Di mana stesen kereta api?
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?(Di mana stesen kereta api?)
Di mana perhentian bas?
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?(Di mana perhentian bas?)
Platform mana?
Ninshi ni platform iyi?(Platform mana?)
Pukul berapa ia bertolak?
Ninshi ikalamba?(Pukul berapa ia bertolak?)
Adakah ini jalan yang betul?
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?(Adakah ini jalan yang betul?)
Ia dekat sini
Ili pamo na pano.(Ia dekat sini)
Ia jauh dari sini
Ili lishilu na pano.(Ia jauh dari sini)
Bolehkah anda tunjukkan saya di peta?
Ushibukishe pa mape?(Bolehkah anda tunjukkan saya di peta?)
Berhenti di sini, sila
Leka pano, chonde.(Berhenti di sini, sila)
Berapa lama ia mengambil masa?
Kuli shani?(Berapa lama ia mengambil masa?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.