Looking for practical Tswana to Bemba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana 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 Tswana 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 Tswana 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.
Dumela
Shani
Ke a leboga
Natotela
Dumelang
Muli shani
Dumela mo afternoon
Muli shani
Dumela mo evening
Muli shani
Borai
Shalenipo bwino
Tsamaya sentle
Tukakutana
Tsamaya sentle
Twalumba
O na le leina mang?
Iwe ulishani?
Leina la me ke John
Ndefwaya John
O kae?
Uli bwanji?
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Nashitasha kukumona
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
A o bua Seisemane?
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Ningaloleleko?
Borai bo kae?
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Fumya kumwendo
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Fumya kumwendo
Tswelela ka fao
Enda pamo
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Ticket imwe, nomba
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
Ke a latlhela
Ndi lost
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Eya
Nnyaa
Awe
Mafoko
Panga
Ke a dumela
Ndi bwino
Ke sitwa go dumela
Ndi bwino na
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Ilyo lishibukile
O akanya eng?
Uchite shani?
O ka nthusa?
Ushakufwa?
Ke tlhoka thuso
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Emisa motsotso
Leka ifi
Ke maswabi
Nshakufwa
Ga go na bothata
Takwaba shani
A re amogele
Nshakufwa bwino
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae borai jwa terene?
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ke phetogo efe?
Ninshi ni platform iyi?(ke phetogo efe)
Nako efe e tlogang?
Ninshi ikalamba?(nako efe e tlogang)
A ke tsela e e siameng?
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
E kgaogang fa
Ili pamo na pano.(e kgaogang fa)
E le kgakala le fa
Ili lishilu na pano.(e le kgakala le fa)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?
Ushibukishe pa mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Leka pano, chonde.(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E tsaya nako e kae?
Kuli shani?(e tsaya nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.