Looking for practical Mam to Bemba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Mam 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 Mam 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.
Xo'j
Shani(sho'j)
Tz'ik
Natotela(tz'ik)
Xo'j nax
Muli shani(sho'j nax)
Xo'j q'ij
Muli shani(sho'j q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Muli shani(sho'j k'ux)
Xo'j k'ux nax
Shalenipo bwino(sho'j k'ux nax)
K'ux q'ij
Tukakutana(k'ux q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Twalumba(sho'j k'ux)
Ja' k'ux nax?
Iwe ulishani?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Ja' k'ux nax John
Ndefwaya John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Jach' k'ux?
Uli bwanji?(hach' k'ux?)
Nab' k'ux
Nashitasha kukumona(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Ningaloleleko?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Ili kuti ikalamba?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
K'utun k'ux.
Fumya kumwendo
K'utun k'ux.
Fumya kumwendo
K'utun k'ux.
Enda pamo
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Ticket imwe, nomba
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Ndi lost
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Juj
Eya(hoo)
Man
Awe(mah)
K'ux
Panga(k'ush)
Juj k'ux
Ndi bwino(hoo k'ush)
Man k'ux
Ndi bwino na(mah k'ush)
K'ux juj
Ilyo lishibukile(k'ush hoo)
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?
Uchite shani?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?
Ushakufwa?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux k'ut
Leka ifi(k'ush k'ut)
Juj k'ux k'ut
Nshakufwa(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Man k'ux k'ut
Takwaba shani(mah k'ush k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut
Nshakufwa bwino(k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Nashala bwino mu mwaka(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Ube na mulimo wabwino(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Ninshi ikalamba?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
Ri k'ut pa ri.
Ili pamo na pano.
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
Ili lishilu na pano.
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
Ushibukishe pa mape?
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Leka pano, chonde.
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Kuli shani?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.