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Common Zulu to Bemba phrases

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

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Looking for practical Zulu to Bemba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Zulu 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: pick five Bemba phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Zulu 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. Sawubona

    Shani

  2. Ngiyabonga

    Natotela

  3. Sawubona

    Muli shani

  4. Good afternoon

    Muli shani

  5. Ubusuku obuhle

    Muli shani

  6. Lala kahle

    Shalenipo bwino

  7. Sizobonana

    Tukakutana

  8. Hamba kahle

    Twalumba

  9. Ubani igama lakho?

    Iwe ulishani?

  10. Igama lami nginguJohn

    Ndefwaya John

  11. Unjani?

    Uli bwanji?

  12. Ngiyajabula ukukwazi

    Nashitasha kukumona

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Ukhuluma isiNgisi?

    Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?

  2. Angikhulumi kahle isiHindi.

    Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino

  3. Angiqondi.

    Ndefwaya kumfwa

  4. Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.

    Nimwandi ulukanda buteko

  5. Ungakuphinda lokho?

    Ningaloleleko?

  6. Iphi indlu yangasese?

    Ili kuti ikalamba?

  7. Ngiyawufika kanjani emaphandleni?

    Ningalileka shani ku city center?

  8. Jika kwesobunxele.

    Fumya kumwendo

  9. Jika kwesokudla.

    Fumya kumwendo

  10. Hamba phambili.

    Enda pamo

  11. Inani lokuhamba lingakanani?

    Kuli shani ifyabukata?

  12. Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela.

    Ticket imwe, nomba

  13. Ingabe kude lapha?

    Kuli lishilu ukulya?

  14. Ngilahlekile.

    Ndi lost

  15. Ngaphi engingathenga khona i-SIM card?

    Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Yebo

    Eya

  2. Cha

    Awe

  3. Mhlawumbe

    Panga

  4. Ngiyavuma

    Ndi bwino

  5. Angivumi

    Ndi bwino na

  6. Lokho kuzwakala kahle

    Ilyo lishibukile

  7. Ucabanga ukuthini?

    Uchite shani?

  8. Ungangisiza?

    Ushakufwa?

  9. Ngidinga usizo

    Ndefwaya ifyakufwa

  10. Linda umzuzu

    Leka ifi

  11. Ngiyaxolisa

    Nshakufwa

  12. Akukho nkinga

    Takwaba shani

  13. Halala

    Nshakufwa bwino

  14. Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

    Nashala bwino mu mwaka

  15. Uhambo olunempilo

    Ube na mulimo wabwino

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Iphi isitishi sesitimela?

    Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima? (iphi isitishi sesitimela)

  2. Iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi?

    Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi? (iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi)

  3. Iphi ipulatifomu?

    Ninshi ni platform iyi? (iphi ipulatifomu)

  4. Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba?

    Ninshi ikalamba? (ithini isikhathi sokuhamba)

  5. Ingabe le yindlela efanele?

    Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino? (ingabe le yindlela efanele)

  6. Ikhaya lapha eduze

    Ili pamo na pano. (ikhaya lapha eduze)

  7. Ikude lapha

    Ili lishilu na pano. (ikude lapha)

  8. Ungangikhombisa emmaphini?

    Ushibukishe pa mape? (ungangikhombisa emmaphini)

  9. Misa lapha, ngiyacela

    Leka pano, chonde. (misa lapha, ngiyacela)

  10. Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani?

    Kuli shani? (kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Kubiza malini lokhu?

    Ili shani? (Ili shani?)

  2. Lokho kubiza kakhulu.

    Ili lya kuli (Ili lya kuli)

  3. Unayo yini ethengiswa ngentengo ephansi?

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

  4. Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi?

    Ningakupanga na kadi? (Ningakupanga na kadi?)

  5. Ngifuna itafula labantu ababili.

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

  6. Ibhili, ngiyacela.

    Icilanga, tapali (Icilanga, tapali)

  7. Inkonzo ifakiwe?

    Ubufyashi bwakupanga? (Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)

  8. Ngiyisithuthuthu.

    Ndi mvegetarian (Ndi mvegetarian)

  9. Ngicela ukudla okungashisayo.

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

  10. Lokhu kuhle.

    Ili lya bwino (Ili lya bwino)

  11. Ngicela imenyu?

    Ningakonda ifyalo? (Ningakonda ifyalo?)

  12. Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela.

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

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Shayela amaphoyisa

    Tuma abashitisha

  2. Shayela i-ambulensi

    Tuma ambulance

  3. Ngidinga udokotela

    Nshikala na doctor

  4. Ngizizwa ngigula

    Nshikala bwino

  5. Ngine-allergy kumantongomane

    Ndi na allergy ku nsalu

  6. Iphi isibhedlela esiseduze?

    Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?

  7. Kubuhlungu lapha

    Kuli ububi pano

  8. Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami

    Nashitile passport yangu

  9. Ungashayela ihhotela lami?

    Nawe tuma hotel yangu?

  10. Usizo!

    Chikondi!

Work and business

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

  1. Ngiyajabula ukukwazi

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

  2. Masihlele umhlangano

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

  3. Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele?

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

  4. Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla

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

  5. Singakhuluma kusasa?

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

  6. Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunywe

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

  7. Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi

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

  8. Ngibheke phambili ekusebenzeni nawe

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

  9. Ungacacisa leyo ndaba?

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

  10. Ngizobuyela kuwe

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

  11. Usuku lokugcina nguLwesihlanu

    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. Kuyini isikhathi?

    Ninshi ilya shani? (Ninshi ilya shani?)

  2. Kuyisithathu

    Kuli nomba itatu. (Kuli nomba itatu.)

  3. Namuhla

    Lelo. (Lelo.)

  4. Kusasa

    Mwaume. (Mwaume.)

  5. Izolo

    Kale. (Kale.)

  6. uMsombuluko

    Lwandi. (Lwandi.)

  7. uMsombuluko

    Lwakabamba. (Lwakabamba.)

  8. uLwesithathu

    Lwapili. (Lwapili.)

  9. Kunye

    Imwe. (Imwe.)

  10. Kubili

    Ibili. (Ibili.)

  11. Kuthathu

    Itatu. (Itatu.)

  12. Ishumi

    Icumi. (Icumi.)

  13. Ishumi elinhlanu

    Cikumi. (Cikumi.)

  14. Iphinifa

    Pafya. (Pafya.)

  15. Okuningi

    Ilyo. (Ilyo.)

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