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Common Somali to Bemba phrases

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

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

    Shani

  2. Mahadsanid

    Natotela

  3. Subax wanaagsan

    Muli shani

  4. Duhur wanaagsan

    Muli shani

  5. Habeen wanaagsan

    Muli shani

  6. Habeen wanaagsan

    Shalenipo bwino

  7. Ilaa dambe

    Tukakutana

  8. Nabad gelyo

    Twalumba

  9. Magacaa maxay tahay?

    Iwe ulishani?

  10. Magacaygu waa John

    Ndefwaya John

  11. Sidee tahay?

    Uli bwanji?

  12. Aad ayaan ugu faraxsanahay in aan ku arko

    Nashitasha kukumona

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Ma ku hadashaa Ingiriisi?

    Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza? (Ma ku hadashaa Ingiriisi?)

  2. Hindi si fiican uma hadlo

    Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino

  3. Ma fahmin

    Ndefwaya kumfwa

  4. Fadlan si tartiib ah u hadal

    Nimwandi ulukanda buteko

  5. Ma ku celin kartaa?

    Ningaloleleko?

  6. Musqusha xaggee buu yaalaa?

    Ili kuti ikalamba?

  7. Sideen ku gaari karaa xarunta magaalada?

    Ningalileka shani ku city center?

  8. Bidix u leexo

    Fumya kumwendo

  9. Midig u leexo

    Fumya kumwendo

  10. Toos u soco

    Enda pamo

  11. Immisa ayey tahay lacagta?

    Kuli shani ifyabukata?

  12. Hal tigidh, fadlan

    Ticket imwe, nomba

  13. Ma fog tahay halkan?

    Kuli lishilu ukulya?

  14. Waan lumay

    Ndi lost

  15. Xaggee ka iibsan karaa kaarka SIM?

    Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Haa

    Eya

  2. Maya

    Awe

  3. Malaha

    Panga

  4. Waan ku raacsanahay

    Ndi bwino

  5. Waan ku raacsaneyn

    Ndi bwino na

  6. Taasi waa wax fiican

    Ilyo lishibukile

  7. Maxaad u malaynaysaa?

    Uchite shani?

  8. Ma i caawin kartaa?

    Ushakufwa?

  9. Waxaan u baahanahay caawimaad

    Ndefwaya ifyakufwa

  10. Sug daqiiqad

    Leka ifi

  11. Waan ka xumahay

    Nshakufwa

  12. Dhib malahan

    Takwaba shani

  13. Hambalyo

    Nshakufwa bwino

  14. Dhalasho wacan

    Nashala bwino mu mwaka

  15. Safar wanaagsan

    Ube na mulimo wabwino

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Xagee buu tareenka jooga?

    Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?

  2. Xagee buu basaska jooga?

    Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?

  3. Keenka sidee buu yahay?

    Ninshi ni platform iyi?

  4. Goormee ayuu baxayaa?

    Ninshi ikalamba?

  5. Ma tan saxda ah?

    Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?

  6. Waa halkan u dhow

    Ili pamo na pano.

  7. Waa halkan fog

    Ili lishilu na pano.

  8. Ma ii muujin kartaa khariidada?

    Ushibukishe pa mape?

  9. Halkan joog, fadlan

    Leka pano, chonde.

  10. Immisa waqti ayey qaadaneysaa?

    Kuli shani?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Imisa ayuu ku kacayaa?

    Ili shani? (Ili shani?)

  2. Taasi waa qaali aad u badan.

    Ili lya kuli (Ili lya kuli)

  3. Ma haysta wax ka jaban?

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

  4. Ma bixin karaa kaarka?

    Ningakupanga na kadi? (Ningakupanga na kadi?)

  5. Waxaan jeclaan lahaa miis laba qof ah.

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

  6. Fadlan, biilka.

    Icilanga, tapali (Icilanga, tapali)

  7. Ma ku jirtaa adeegga?

    Ubufyashi bwakupanga? (Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)

  8. Anigu waxaan ahay khudradeed.

    Ndi mvegetarian (Ndi mvegetarian)

  9. Fadlan, cunto aan xawaash lahayn.

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

  10. Tani waa macaan.

    Ili lya bwino (Ili lya bwino)

  11. Ma heli karaa menu?

    Ningakonda ifyalo? (Ningakonda ifyalo?)

  12. Fadlan, koob biyo ah.

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

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Wac booliiska

    Tuma abashitisha

  2. Wac ambalaas

    Tuma ambulance

  3. Waxaan u baahanahay dhakhtar

    Nshikala na doctor

  4. Waxaan dareemayaa xanuun

    Nshikala bwino

  5. Waxaan leeyahay xasaasiyad lowska

    Ndi na allergy ku nsalu

  6. Isbitaalka ugu dhow xagee buu yaalaa?

    Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?

  7. Halkaan ayaa i xanuunaya

    Kuli ububi pano

  8. Dukumeentigayga safarka ayaan lumiyay

    Nashitile passport yangu

  9. Ma wici kartaa hoteelkeyga?

    Nawe tuma hotel yangu?

  10. Caawimaad!

    Chikondi!

Work and business

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

  1. Aad baan ugu faraxsanahay in aan ku arko

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

  2. Aan qorshayno kulan

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

  3. Waa maxay waqtiga ku habboon adiga?

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

  4. Waxaan maanta soo diri doonaa warbixinta

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

  5. Ma ka hadli karnaa berri?

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

  6. Fadlan eeg faylka ku lifaaqan

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

  7. Waad ku mahadsan tahay waqtigaaga

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

  8. Waxaan rajeynayaa in aan kula shaqeeyo

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

  9. Ma faahfaahin kartaa dhibicdaas?

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

  10. Aan ku soo laabto

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

  11. Waqtiga kama dambaysta ah waa Jimcaha

    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. Waa imisa saac?

    Ninshi ilya shani? (Ninshi ilya shani?)

  2. Waa seddex saac

    Kuli nomba itatu. (Kuli nomba itatu.)

  3. Maanta

    Lelo. (Lelo.)

  4. Berri

    Mwaume. (Mwaume.)

  5. Shalay

    Kale. (Kale.)

  6. Isniin

    Lwandi. (Lwandi.)

  7. Talaado

    Lwakabamba. (Lwakabamba.)

  8. Arbaco

    Lwapili. (Lwapili.)

  9. Hal

    Imwe. (Imwe.)

  10. Laba

    Ibili. (Ibili.)

  11. Seddex

    Itatu. (Itatu.)

  12. Toban

    Icumi. (Icumi.)

  13. Boqol

    Cikumi. (Cikumi.)

  14. Nus

    Pafya. (Pafya.)

  15. Aynu

    Ilyo. (Ilyo.)

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