Looking for practical Sesotho to Bemba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sesotho 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 Sesotho 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 Sesotho 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.
Lumelang
Shani
Kea leboha
Natotela
Dumelang
Muli shani
Molo
Muli shani
Dumelang
Muli shani
Borai
Shalenipo bwino
Re tla kopana hamorao
Tukakutana
Tsamaya hantle
Twalumba
O na le lebitso lefe?
Iwe ulishani?
Lebitso la ka ke John
Ndefwaya John
O kae?
Uli bwanji?
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Nashitasha kukumona
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Na u bua Senyesemane?
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Ka kopo bua butle
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Na u ka boela ua re?
Ningaloleleko?
Ntloana e kae?
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Fumya kumwendo
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Fumya kumwendo
Eya ka pela
Enda pamo
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Ticket imwe, nomba
Na e hole le mona?
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
Ke lahlehile
Ndi lost
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Eya
Che
Awe
Mohlomong
Panga
Ke lumela
Ndi bwino
Ke sitwa
Ndi bwino na
Seo se utloahala hantle
Ilyo lishibukile
O nahana eng?
Uchite shani?
Na o ka nthusa?
Ushakufwa?
Ke hloka thuso
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Emisa motsotso
Leka ifi
Ke maswabi
Nshakufwa
Ha ho bothata
Takwaba shani
O amohelehile
Nshakufwa bwino
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Ke kae borai?
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?(ke kae borai)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Ninshi ni platform iyi?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Nako e kae e tlohang?
Ninshi ikalamba?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
E haufi le mona
Ili pamo na pano.(e haufi le mona)
E hole le mona
Ili lishilu na pano.(e hole le mona)
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?
Ushibukishe pa mape?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Emisa mona, ka kopo
Leka pano, chonde.(emisa mona, ka kopo)
E nka nako e kae?
Kuli shani?(e nka nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.