Looking for practical Santali (Ol Chiki) to Bemba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Santali (Ol Chiki) 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: read the Bemba line out loud three times, then cover the Santali (Ol Chiki) side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Santali (Ol Chiki) 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.
ᱨᱤᱡᱤᱭ
Shani(rikiya)
ᱟᱹᱦᱚᱜᱟ
Natotela(ahojaga)
ᱟᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱵᱟᱨᱚ
Muli shani(ahor boro)
ᱟᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱯᱟᱭ
Muli shani(ahor apay)
ᱟᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱢᱟᱭ
Muli shani(ahor amay)
ᱟᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱢᱟᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ
Shalenipo bwino(ahor amay anaa)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ
Tukakutana(ahor anaa)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ
Twalumba(ahor anaa)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ ᱟᱹᱲᱟ?
Iwe ulishani?(ahor anaa ada?)
ᱟᱹᱱᱟ ᱟᱹᱲᱟ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ ᱟᱹᱲᱟ
Ndefwaya John(anaa ada anaa John)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ?
Uli bwanji?(ahor anaa?)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱡᱚᱱᱟ
Nashitasha kukumona(ahor jona)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Tuhun English bolang?
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?(tuhun English bolang)
Maan Hindi bhal nahi bolang
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino(maan Hindi bhal nahi bolang)
Maan samjha nahi
Ndefwaya kumfwa(maan samjha nahi)
Dohar dhire bolang
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko(dohar dhire bolang)
Tuhun ohu bar bar bolang?
Ningaloleleko?(tuhun ohu bar bar bolang)
Ghar gela kaha?
Ili kuti ikalamba?(ghar gela kaha)
Maan nagar kendraka katha jabo?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?(maan nagar kendraka katha jabo)
Bamra gela
Fumya kumwendo(bamra gela)
Dahra gela
Fumya kumwendo(dahra gela)
Sidha jabo
Enda pamo(sidha jabo)
Kota kharch?
Kuli shani ifyabukata?(kota kharch)
Ek ticket, dohar
Ticket imwe, nomba(ek ticket, dohar)
Ika duraka?
Kuli lishilu ukulya?(ika duraka)
Maan khoya gelam
Ndi lost(maan khoya gelam)
Maan SIM card kahan kinabo?
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?(maan SIM card kahan kinabo)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹ
Eya
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Awe
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ
Panga
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Ndi bwino
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ
Ndi bwino na
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ
Ilyo lishibukile
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ?
Uchite shani?
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ?
Ushakufwa?
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Leka ifi
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Nshakufwa
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Takwaba shani
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Nshakufwa bwino
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱨᱩᱛᱤ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞᱤ?
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?(aruḷ aruṭi arulī?)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱨᱩᱛᱤ ᱵᱚᱥ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞᱤ?
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?(aruḷ aruṭi bos arulī?)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱨᱩᱛᱤ ᱡᱤᱡᱤ?
Ninshi ni platform iyi?(aruḷ aruṭi jiji?)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱨᱩᱛᱤ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱥᱤᱡᱤ?
Ninshi ikalamba?(aruḷ aruṭi aruḷ arul siḱi?)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱨᱩᱛᱤ ᱡᱩᱭᱤ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ?
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?(aruḷ aruṭi cuyi arul?)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ.
Ili pamo na pano.(aruḷ arul arul arul.)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱥᱟᱦᱤ.
Ili lishilu na pano.(aruḷ arul arul sahi.)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱨᱩᱛᱤ ᱢᱟᱯ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ?
Ushibukishe pa mape?(aruḷ aruṭi map arul arul?)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ, ᱵᱟᱹᱨᱤ.
Leka pano, chonde.(aruḷ arul arul, bari.)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱨᱩᱛᱤ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ?
Kuli shani?(aruḷ aruṭi arul arul arul?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.