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Common Luo to Bemba phrases

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

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

    Shani (Naki)

  2. Asante

    Natotela (Asante)

  3. Naki chuo

    Muli shani (Naki chuo)

  4. Naki ng'ato

    Muli shani (Naki ng'ato)

  5. Naki owadgi

    Muli shani (Naki owadgi)

  6. Naki buya

    Shalenipo bwino (Naki buya)

  7. Ting' kendo

    Tukakutana (Ting' kendo)

  8. Naki

    Twalumba (Naki)

  9. Ine ng'ama in?

    Iwe ulishani? (Ine ng'ama in?)

  10. Inyalo John

    Ndefwaya John (Inyalo John)

  11. Okwere?

    Uli bwanji? (Okwere?)

  12. Naki konyo

    Nashitasha kukumona (Naki konyo)

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Naki konyo English?

    Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?

  2. Naki konyo Hindi mako.

    Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino

  3. Nyingi.

    Ndefwaya kumfwa

  4. Tende konyo chalo.

    Nimwandi ulukanda buteko

  5. Naki konyo to?

    Ningaloleleko?

  6. Ith gi toilet?

    Ili kuti ikalamba?

  7. Ning'eyo konyo city center?

    Ningalileka shani ku city center?

  8. Konyo chike.

    Fumya kumwendo

  9. Konyo duto.

    Fumya kumwendo

  10. Yie chalo.

    Enda pamo

  11. Ning'eyo koro?

    Kuli shani ifyabukata?

  12. Ticket moko, ndalo.

    Ticket imwe, nomba

  13. Nia ng'ato kendo?

    Kuli lishilu ukulya?

  14. Nin gi chalo.

    Ndi lost

  15. Ith gi SIM card?

    Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ee

    Eya

  2. Ayi

    Awe

  3. Kaka

    Panga

  4. Akwong'

    Ndi bwino

  5. Ayi Akwong'

    Ndi bwino na

  6. Ong'eyo

    Ilyo lishibukile

  7. Ine owuon?

    Uchite shani?

  8. Naki gi chalo?

    Ushakufwa?

  9. Nind gi chalo

    Ndefwaya ifyakufwa

  10. Chakre

    Leka ifi

  11. Naki

    Nshakufwa

  12. Ayi koro

    Takwaba shani

  13. Naki chalo

    Nshakufwa bwino

  14. Naki buo

    Nashala bwino mu mwaka

  15. Naki chalo gi chalo

    Ube na mulimo wabwino

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Naki yieng' ma train?

    Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?

  2. Naki yieng' ma bus?

    Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?

  3. Naki platform ng'eyo?

    Ninshi ni platform iyi?

  4. Naki koro ng'ato?

    Ninshi ikalamba?

  5. Ning'eyo ni ng'ato?

    Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?

  6. Niko neno.

    Ili pamo na pano.

  7. Niko piny.

    Ili lishilu na pano.

  8. Okwong' ni on map?

    Ushibukishe pa mape?

  9. Dhi here, please.

    Leka pano, chonde.

  10. Naki koro ng'ato?

    Kuli shani?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Nia ni?

    Ili shani? (Ili shani?)

  2. Owino ni gi chalo.

    Ili lya kuli (Ili lya kuli)

  3. I konyo kanyo?

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

  4. Inyalo nind gi kad?

    Ningakupanga na kadi? (Ningakupanga na kadi?)

  5. Nin gi chula mar duong'.

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

  6. Chakruok, plis.

    Icilanga, tapali (Icilanga, tapali)

  7. Isango ni gi?

    Ubufyashi bwakupanga? (Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)

  8. Nin gi vegeterian.

    Ndi mvegetarian (Ndi mvegetarian)

  9. Naki chalo chalo, plis.

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

  10. Owino ni gi dho.

    Ili lya bwino (Ili lya bwino)

  11. Inyalo nind gi menu?

    Ningakonda ifyalo? (Ningakonda ifyalo?)

  12. Gik konyo mar maji, plis.

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

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Nedhi polisi

    Tuma abashitisha

  2. Nedhi ambulance

    Tuma ambulance

  3. Aneedo daktari

    Nshikala na doctor

  4. Akwong' gi chalo

    Nshikala bwino

  5. An gi allergy kuom peanuts

    Ndi na allergy ku nsalu

  6. Naki hospital mar koro?

    Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?

  7. Okwong' mana

    Kuli ububi pano

  8. Nying' my passport

    Nashitile passport yangu

  9. Inyalo nedhi hotel ang'wen?

    Nawe tuma hotel yangu?

  10. Konyo!

    Chikondi!

Work and business

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

  1. Naki konyo

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

  2. Nying' konyo joma

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

  3. Naki konyo nigi?

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

  4. Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka

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

  5. Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?

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

  6. Chieng' ni file ni

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

  7. Asante gi chako

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

  8. Nying' konyo gi nyaka

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

  9. Ning'eyo konyo ni?

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

  10. Ning'eyo konyo nind gi

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

  11. Dede ni 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. Naki ng'ato?

    Ninshi ilya shani? (Ninshi ilya shani?)

  2. Nye kendo ng'ato tati

    Kuli nomba itatu. (Kuli nomba itatu.)

  3. Nia

    Lelo. (Lelo.)

  4. Nia ng'ato

    Mwaume. (Mwaume.)

  5. Nia kendo

    Kale. (Kale.)

  6. Juma

    Lwandi. (Lwandi.)

  7. Juma mar ariyo

    Lwakabamba. (Lwakabamba.)

  8. Juma mar achiel

    Lwapili. (Lwapili.)

  9. Piny

    Imwe. (Imwe.)

  10. Dhiang'

    Ibili. (Ibili.)

  11. Tati

    Itatu. (Itatu.)

  12. Polo

    Icumi. (Icumi.)

  13. Piny ng'ato

    Cikumi. (Cikumi.)

  14. Nyang'

    Pafya. (Pafya.)

  15. Dhi

    Ilyo. (Ilyo.)

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