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Common Krio to Bemba phrases

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

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Looking for practical Krio to Bemba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Krio 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: when a Bemba phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Krio wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Krio 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. Hello

    Shani

  2. Tenki

    Natotela

  3. Gud mɔnin

    Muli shani

  4. Gud aftanun

    Muli shani

  5. Gud ivnin

    Muli shani

  6. Gud nait

    Shalenipo bwino

  7. Si yu leta

    Tukakutana

  8. Bai

    Twalumba

  9. Wetɛn na yu neym?

    Iwe ulishani?

  10. Ma neym na John

    Ndefwaya John

  11. Ow yu de?

    Uli bwanji?

  12. Naes fo mit yu

    Nashitasha kukumona

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Yu sabi English?

    Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?

  2. A no sabi Hindi well.

    Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino

  3. A no sabi.

    Ndefwaya kumfwa

  4. Plis, tok slow.

    Nimwandi ulukanda buteko

  5. Yu fit tok dat again?

    Ningaloleleko?

  6. Weh na di toilet?

    Ili kuti ikalamba?

  7. Ow A go fit reach di city center?

    Ningalileka shani ku city center?

  8. Turn left.

    Fumya kumwendo

  9. Turn right.

    Fumya kumwendo

  10. Go straight.

    Enda pamo

  11. Ow much na di fare?

    Kuli shani ifyabukata?

  12. One ticket, plis.

    Ticket imwe, nomba

  13. E far from ya?

    Kuli lishilu ukulya?

  14. A don lost.

    Ndi lost

  15. Weh A go fit buy SIM card?

    Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Yes

    Eya

  2. No

    Awe

  3. Maybe

    Panga

  4. A mi agree

    Ndi bwino

  5. A no agree

    Ndi bwino na

  6. Dat na fine

    Ilyo lishibukile

  7. Wet in you tink?

    Uchite shani?

  8. You fit help me?

    Ushakufwa?

  9. A need help

    Ndefwaya ifyakufwa

  10. Wait small

    Leka ifi

  11. A sorry

    Nshakufwa

  12. No problem

    Takwaba shani

  13. Congratulations

    Nshakufwa bwino

  14. Happy birthday

    Nashala bwino mu mwaka

  15. Get safe trip

    Ube na mulimo wabwino

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Weh na di train station?

    Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?

  2. Weh na di bus stop?

    Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?

  3. Which platform na im?

    Ninshi ni platform iyi?

  4. Wetin time e go lef?

    Ninshi ikalamba?

  5. Dis na di right way?

    Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?

  6. E dey near here

    Ili pamo na pano.

  7. E far from here

    Ili lishilu na pano.

  8. Yu fit show me pan di map?

    Ushibukishe pa mape?

  9. Stop here, pliz

    Leka pano, chonde.

  10. How long e go tek?

    Kuli shani?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. How much dis cost?

    Ili shani? (Ili shani?)

  2. Dat too expensive.

    Ili lya kuli (Ili lya kuli)

  3. You get anytin wey cheaper?

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

  4. I fit pay by card?

    Ningakupanga na kadi? (Ningakupanga na kadi?)

  5. I wan table for two.

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

  6. Di bill, please.

    Icilanga, tapali (Icilanga, tapali)

  7. Service dey include?

    Ubufyashi bwakupanga? (Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)

  8. I na vegetarian.

    Ndi mvegetarian (Ndi mvegetarian)

  9. No spicy food, please.

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

  10. Dis dey sweet.

    Ili lya bwino (Ili lya bwino)

  11. I fit get di menu?

    Ningakonda ifyalo? (Ningakonda ifyalo?)

  12. A glass of water, please.

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

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Call di police

    Tuma abashitisha

  2. Call ambulance

    Tuma ambulance

  3. A need doctor

    Nshikala na doctor

  4. A dey feel sick

    Nshikala bwino

  5. A get allergy for peanuts

    Ndi na allergy ku nsalu

  6. Weh di nearest hospital de?

    Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?

  7. E dey pain here

    Kuli ububi pano

  8. A don lose mi passport

    Nashitile passport yangu

  9. You fit call mi hotel?

    Nawe tuma hotel yangu?

  10. Help!

    Chikondi!

Work and business

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

  1. Na nice for meet you

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

  2. Make we plan wan meeting

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

  3. Wetin time go work for you?

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

  4. A go send di report tiday

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

  5. We go fit talk tomorrow?

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

  6. Abeg find di file wey attach

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

  7. Tenki for your time

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

  8. A dey look forward for work with you

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

  9. You fit clarify dat point?

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

  10. Make I get back to you

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

  11. Di deadline na Friday

    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. Wetin na di taim?

    Ninshi ilya shani? (Ninshi ilya shani?)

  2. E na tri o'clock

    Kuli nomba itatu. (Kuli nomba itatu.)

  3. Tudeh

    Lelo. (Lelo.)

  4. Tomo

    Mwaume. (Mwaume.)

  5. Yestideh

    Kale. (Kale.)

  6. Mandeh

    Lwandi. (Lwandi.)

  7. Tuzdeh

    Lwakabamba. (Lwakabamba.)

  8. Wenesdeh

    Lwapili. (Lwapili.)

  9. Wan

    Imwe. (Imwe.)

  10. Tu

    Ibili. (Ibili.)

  11. Tri

    Itatu. (Itatu.)

  12. Ten

    Icumi. (Icumi.)

  13. Wan hunda

    Cikumi. (Cikumi.)

  14. Haf

    Pafya. (Pafya.)

  15. Mo

    Ilyo. (Ilyo.)

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