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Common Kanuri to Bemba phrases

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

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Looking for practical Kanuri to Bemba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kanuri 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 Kanuri 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. Sannu

    Shani

  2. Nagode

    Natotela

  3. Ina kwana

    Muli shani

  4. Ina yamma

    Muli shani

  5. Ina dare

    Muli shani

  6. Sai da safe

    Shalenipo bwino

  7. Zan ganka

    Tukakutana

  8. Sai anjima

    Twalumba

  9. Menene sunanka?

    Iwe ulishani?

  10. Sunana John

    Ndefwaya John

  11. Lafiya lau?

    Uli bwanji?

  12. Na ji dadin haduwa da kai

    Nashitasha kukumona

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Kuna magana da Turanci?

    Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?

  2. Ba na magana da Hindi sosai.

    Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino

  3. Ba na fahimta.

    Ndefwaya kumfwa

  4. Don Allah, ku yi magana a hankali.

    Nimwandi ulukanda buteko

  5. Za ku iya faɗin hakan sake?

    Ningaloleleko?

  6. Ina wanka?

    Ili kuti ikalamba?

  7. Ta yaya zan isa tsakiyar birni?

    Ningalileka shani ku city center?

  8. Juya hagu.

    Fumya kumwendo

  9. Juya dama.

    Fumya kumwendo

  10. Tafiya kai tsaye.

    Enda pamo

  11. Nawa ne farashin?

    Kuli shani ifyabukata?

  12. Tiket ɗaya, don Allah.

    Ticket imwe, nomba

  13. Shin yana da nisa daga nan?

    Kuli lishilu ukulya?

  14. Na ɓace.

    Ndi lost

  15. Ina zan iya sayen kati na SIM?

    Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Eey

    Eya (ee-y)

  2. A'a

    Awe (ah-ah)

  3. Wata

    Panga (wah-tah)

  4. Na amu

    Ndi bwino (nah ah-moo)

  5. Na a'a amu

    Ndi bwino na (nah ah-ah ah-moo)

  6. Iya na

    Ilyo lishibukile (ee-yah nah)

  7. Kaya ka yi tunani?

    Uchite shani? (kah-yah kah yee too-nah-nee)

  8. Za ka iya taimaka min?

    Ushakufwa? (zah kah ee-yah tie-mah-kah meen)

  9. Na bukaci taimako

    Ndefwaya ifyakufwa (nah boo-kah-chee tie-mah-koh)

  10. Duba dan lokaci

    Leka ifi (doo-bah dahn loh-kah-chee)

  11. Na yi hakuri

    Nshakufwa (nah yee hah-koo-ree)

  12. Babu matsala

    Takwaba shani (bah-boo maht-sah-lah)

  13. Taya murna

    Nshakufwa bwino (tah-yah moor-nah)

  14. Barka da haihuwa

    Nashala bwino mu mwaka (bar-kah dah hai-hoo-wah)

  15. Ka yi tafiya lafiya

    Ube na mulimo wabwino (kah yee tah-fee-yah lah-fee-yah)

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Nye boko na gari?

    Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?

  2. Nye boko na bas?

    Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?

  3. Wane boko na?

    Ninshi ni platform iyi?

  4. Wane lokaci ya tafi?

    Ninshi ikalamba?

  5. Shin wannan hanya ce?

    Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?

  6. Yana kusa da nan

    Ili pamo na pano.

  7. Yana nesa da nan

    Ili lishilu na pano.

  8. Za ka iya nuna mini a taswirar?

    Ushibukishe pa mape?

  9. Tsaida nan, don Allah

    Leka pano, chonde.

  10. Yaya tsawon lokaci?

    Kuli shani?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Nayi na kudi?

    Ili shani? (Ili shani?)

  2. Wannan ya yi tsada sosai.

    Ili lya kuli (Ili lya kuli)

  3. Shin kuna da wani abu mai rahusa?

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

  4. Zan iya biyan kudi da kati?

    Ningakupanga na kadi? (Ningakupanga na kadi?)

  5. Ina so tebur don biyu.

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

  6. Lissafi, don Allah.

    Icilanga, tapali (Icilanga, tapali)

  7. Shin sabis ya haɗa?

    Ubufyashi bwakupanga? (Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)

  8. Ni mai ganyayyaki ne.

    Ndi mvegetarian (Ndi mvegetarian)

  9. Ba tare da zaki ba, don Allah.

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

  10. Wannan yana da dadi.

    Ili lya bwino (Ili lya bwino)

  11. Zan iya samun menu?

    Ningakonda ifyalo? (Ningakonda ifyalo?)

  12. Kofin ruwa, don Allah.

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

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Dawari janga

    Tuma abashitisha (Dawari janga)

  2. Dawari ambulan

    Tuma ambulance (Dawari ambulan)

  3. Ni na doctor

    Nshikala na doctor (Ni na doctor)

  4. Ni na jaga

    Nshikala bwino (Ni na jaga)

  5. Ni na haji goro

    Ndi na allergy ku nsalu (Ni na haji goro)

  6. Ina asibiti na kusa?

    Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi? (Ina asibiti na kusa?)

  7. Yana ciwo a nan

    Kuli ububi pano (Yana ciwo a nan)

  8. Ni na rasa passport na

    Nashitile passport yangu (Ni na rasa passport na)

  9. Za ka iya dawari otel na?

    Nawe tuma hotel yangu? (Za ka iya dawari otel na?)

  10. Taimako!

    Chikondi!

Work and business

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

  1. Nde gaishe

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

  2. Mu gaishe taro

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

  3. Wai gaishe lokaci?

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

  4. Zan tura rahoto yau

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

  5. Zamu iya magana gobe?

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

  6. Don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala

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

  7. Na gode da lokacinka

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

  8. Ina fatan aiki tare da kai

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

  9. Za ka iya fayyace wannan batu?

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

  10. Bari in dawo gare ka

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

  11. Kwanan karshe ranar Jumma'a

    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. Nya kulu?

    Ninshi ilya shani? (Ninshi ilya shani?)

  2. Iye tati kulu

    Kuli nomba itatu. (Kuli nomba itatu.)

  3. Gurmi

    Lelo. (Lelo.)

  4. Biyu

    Mwaume. (Mwaume.)

  5. Kwanan

    Kale. (Kale.)

  6. Litinin

    Lwandi. (Lwandi.)

  7. Talata

    Lwakabamba. (Lwakabamba.)

  8. Laraba

    Lwapili. (Lwapili.)

  9. Daya

    Imwe. (Imwe.)

  10. Biyu

    Ibili. (Ibili.)

  11. Tati

    Itatu. (Itatu.)

  12. Goma

    Icumi. (Icumi.)

  13. Dari

    Cikumi. (Cikumi.)

  14. Rabi

    Pafya. (Pafya.)

  15. Fiye

    Ilyo. (Ilyo.)

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