Looking for practical Tamazight (Tifinagh) to Bemba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tamazight (Tifinagh) 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 Tamazight (Tifinagh) 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 Tamazight (Tifinagh) 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.
ⵣⵓⵍ
Shani(zul)
ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵏ
Natotela(nighin)
ⵉⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵎⵎⵓⵙ
Muli shani(isin immus)
ⵉⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵉⵙ
Muli shani(isin inis)
ⵉⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵉⵙ
Muli shani(isin inis)
ⵉⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵉⵙ
Shalenipo bwino(isin inis)
ⵉⵎⵎⵓⵙ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵏ
Tukakutana(immus nighin)
ⵙⵉⵏⵉⵏ
Twalumba(sinin)
ⵉⵙ ⵉⵏⵉⵙ ⵅⵉⵙ?
Iwe ulishani?(is inis his?)
ⵉⵙ ⵏⵉⵙ ⵊⵓⵏ
Ndefwaya John(is inis John)
ⵉⵙ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵏ?
Uli bwanji?(is nighin?)
ⵉⵙ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵏ
Nashitasha kukumona(is nighin)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
ⴰⵎⵓⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍⵉⵏ?
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?(amun issin inghilin?)
ⴰⵎⵓⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵃⵉⵏⴷⵉ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍⵉⵏ
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino(amun issin Hindi inghilin)
ⴰⵎⵓⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵙⵓⵏⵏ
Ndefwaya kumfwa(amun issin insunnen)
ⴰⵎⵓⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵙⵉⵏ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵍ
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko(amun issin insin nighil)
ⴰⵎⵓⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍⵉⵏ ⵄⵉⵏ?
Ningaloleleko?(amun issin inghilin in?)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵍ?
Ili kuti ikalamba?(asin issin nighil?)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵍ ⵏⴰⵙⵉⵏ?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?(asin issin nighil nasin?)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍ ⵉⵏⴰⵏ
Fumya kumwendo(asin issin inghil inan)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍ ⵉⵏⵉⵏ
Fumya kumwendo(asin issin inghil inin)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍ ⵉⵏⵙⵉⵏ
Enda pamo(asin issin inghil insin)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵍ ⵉⵏⵙⵉⵏ?
Kuli shani ifyabukata?(asin issin nighil insin?)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍⵉⵏ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵍ
Ticket imwe, nomba(asin issin inghilin nighil)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵍ ⵉⵏⵙⵉⵏ?
Kuli lishilu ukulya?(asin issin nighil insin?)
ⴰⵎⵓⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍ
Ndi lost(amun issin inghil)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵍ ⵉⵏⵙⵉⵏ ⵄⵉⵏ?
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?(asin issin nighil in sin?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
ⴰⵣⵓⵍ
Eya(azul)
ⴰⵏⵏ
Awe(ann)
ⴰⵣⵉⵍ
Panga(azil)
ⴰⵣⵉⵏⵉ
Ndi bwino(azini)
ⴰⵏⵉⵏⵉ
Ndi bwino na(anini)
ⴰⵣⵉⵏⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ
Ilyo lishibukile(azina anna)
ⴰⵎⵓⵔⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ?
Uchite shani?(amura anna?)
ⴰⵣⵉⵍⵍⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ?
Ushakufwa?(azilla anna?)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa(asina anna)
ⴰⵣⵉⵍⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ
Leka ifi(azila anna)
ⴰⵣⵉⵍⴰ
Nshakufwa(azila)
ⴰⵏⵏ ⴰⵣⵉⵍ
Takwaba shani(ann azil)
ⴰⵣⵉⵍⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ
Nshakufwa bwino(azila anna)
ⴰⵣⵉⵍⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ
Nashala bwino mu mwaka(azila anna)
ⴰⵣⵉⵍⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ
Ube na mulimo wabwino(azila anna)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
ⵜⵉⵏⵉⵏ ⵏⵉ ⵏⵉⵖⵏⵉⵏ
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?(tinin nni nighnin)
ⵜⵉⵏⵉⵏ ⵏⵉ ⵏⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?(tinin nni nissin)
ⵜⵉⵏⵉⵏ ⵏⵉ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ
Ninshi ni platform iyi?(tinin nni issin)
ⵉⵙ ⵉⵏⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ?
Ninshi ikalamba?(is inissin?)
ⵜⵉⵏⵉⵏ ⵏⵉ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵙ?
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?(tinin nni nighis?)
ⵉⵙ ⵏⵉⵔ ⵉⵏⵉ
Ili pamo na pano.(is nir ini)
ⵉⵙ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵏ ⵏⵉ
Ili lishilu na pano.(is nighin ni)
ⴰⵏⵉⵙⵙ ⵏⵉ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵏⵉ ⵉⵏⵏⵉⵏ?
Ushibukishe pa mape?(anis nni issin ni innin?)
ⴰⵏⵉⵙⵙ ⵏⵉ ⵉⵏⵉ, ⵉⵎⵉⵙ
Leka pano, chonde.(anis nni ini, imis)
ⵉⵙ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵏ ⵏⵉ?
Kuli shani?(is nighin ni?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.