Looking for practical NKo to Bemba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the NKo 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 NKo 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.
ᎣᏍᏆ
Shani(Oscha)
ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ
Natotela(Ascadodi)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᎡᏚᏙᏗ
Muli shani(Oscha Edodhi)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᎠᏧᏍᏆᏗ
Muli shani(Oscha Atsachadi)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᎦᏚᏗ
Muli shani(Oscha Dagadudi)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᏥᏍᏆ
Shalenipo bwino(Oscha Datsicha)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᎦᏙᏗ
Tukakutana(Oscha Dagadodi)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᏁᏙᏗ
Twalumba(Oscha Danodi)
ᎯᏍᏆ ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ ᎢᏳᏍᏆ?
Iwe ulishani?(Hisch Ascadodi Iyuscha?)
ᎠᏓ ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ ᎠᏍᏆ ᏥᏍᏆ
Ndefwaya John(Ada Ascadodi Ascha Tischa)
ᎯᏍᏆ ᎯᏍᏆ?
Uli bwanji?(Hisch Hisch?)
ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ ᏓᏥᏍᏆ
Nashitasha kukumona(Ascadodi Tischa)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߡߊ߬ߟߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߡߊ߬ߟߊ߬ ߗߊ߬ߓߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߡߊ߬ߟߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߓߊ߬
Ndefwaya kumfwa(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߗߊ߬ߓߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Ningaloleleko?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Ili kuti ikalamba?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Fumya kumwendo(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Fumya kumwendo(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Enda pamo(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Kuli shani ifyabukata?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Ticket imwe, nomba(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Kuli lishilu ukulya?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Ndi lost(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢
Eya
𞤈𞤢𞤣
Awe
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢
Panga
𞤉𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢𞤲𞤢
Ndi bwino
𞤉𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢𞤲𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
Ndi bwino na
𞤈𞤢𞤣 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
Ilyo lishibukile
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
Uchite shani?
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤉𞤢𞤣𞤢
Ushakufwa?
𞤉𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
Leka ifi
𞤉𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Nshakufwa
𞤈𞤢𞤣 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Takwaba shani
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Nshakufwa bwino
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߛߌ߬ߟߊ߬ߙߌ߬
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߛߌ߬ߟߊ߬ߙߌ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߛߌ߬ߟߊ߬ߙߌ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬
Ninshi ni platform iyi?(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߛߌ߬ߟߊ߬ߙߌ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬
Ninshi ikalamba?(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬
Ili pamo na pano.(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬
Ili lishilu na pano.(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬
Ushibukishe pa mape?(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬
Leka pano, chonde.(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬
Kuli shani?(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.