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English to Bemba Translator

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How English and Bemba compare

Shared writing system

English and Bemba are both written in Latin, so the translated output uses characters you already recognise. You can usually read the result aloud without transliteration, though spelling conventions and accented characters still differ.

Unrelated language families

English belongs to the Indo-European family while Bemba belongs to the Niger-Congo family. With no shared ancestry there are few cognates to fall back on, so idioms and fixed expressions rarely map word-for-word. Short, literal sentences translate more accurately than figurative ones.

Matching sentence structure

Both languages follow subject-verb-object (SVO) order, so clauses usually keep their shape during translation. Words tend to land in a similar position, which makes it easier to check a translation against the original even without fluency.

Speakers

English: Approximately 1.5 billion people speak English to varying degrees of proficiency, with around 360 million native speakers. Bemba: Approximately 4 to 5 million speakers, including both native and second-language speakers. It is one of the most widely spoken languages in Zambia and used as a lingua franca in many urban areas.

Common English phrases in Bemba

Everyday phrases translated from English to Bemba — useful for travel, conversation and learning.

Greetings

Greetings: English phrases and their Bemba translations
EnglishBemba
HelloMwapoleni
Good morningMube ulucelo ulusuma
Good afternoonUbushiku ubusuma
Good eveningUbushiku ubusuma
Good nightUbushiku ubusuma
GoodbyeMube bwino
See you laterTukamonana panuma
See you tomorrowTukamonana mailo
WelcomeMwapokelelwe
How are you?Muli shani?
I am fine, thank youNdi bwino, twatasha
Have a good dayMube no bushiku ubusuma

Courtesy

Courtesy: English phrases and their Bemba translations
EnglishBemba
PleaseNdefwaya
Thank youTwatasha
Thank you very muchTwatasha nga nshi
You are welcomeMwapokelelwa
YesEe
NoAwe
Excuse meNjeleleniko
I am sorryNdelomba ubwelelo
No problemTapali ubwafya
Of courseCa cine
CongratulationsMwabombeni
Good luckMube ne nsansa

Introductions

Introductions: English phrases and their Bemba translations
EnglishBemba
What is your name?Ni shani ishina lyobe?
Nice to meet youNalitemwa ukukumanya
Where are you from?Bushe mwafuma kwi?
How old are you?Ukwete imyaka inga?
I am a studentNine musambi
I am here on holidayNali pano pa nshiku sha kusefya
I am here for workNaisa pano pa mulandu wa ncito
This is my friendUyu ni cibusa wandi

Numbers

Numbers: English phrases and their Bemba translations
EnglishBemba
OneUmo
TwoIfibili
ThreeIfitatu
FourShine
FiveIfisano
SixMutanda
SevenCinkubali
EightCine
NineCisanda
TenIkumi
One hundredUmwanda umo
One thousandInkana imo

Time and dates

Time and dates: English phrases and their Bemba translations
EnglishBemba
TodayPali lelo
TomorrowMailo
YesterdayIlelo
NowNomba
LaterPa numa
What time is it?Ni nshita nshi?
In the morningMu cungulo
In the eveningMu cungulo
MondayPali Cimo
FridayPali Cisano
Next weekUmulungu uleisa
One hourInsa imo

Directions and travel

Directions and travel: English phrases and their Bemba translations
EnglishBemba
Where is the bathroom?Bushe icifulo ca kusambamo cili kwi?
Where is the train station?Ni kwi kuli icifulo ca citima?
Where is the airport?Ni kwi kuli icifulo ca ndeke?
How do I get there?Bushe kuti nafika shani kulya?
Turn leftUkupilibukila ku kulyo
Turn rightUkupilibukila ku kulyo
Go straight aheadKabiyeni ukwalungama ku ntanshi
It is nearCali mupepi
It is farCali ukutali
I am lostNaluba
I need a taxiNdefwaya taxi
Where can I buy a ticket?Ni kwi ningashita tikiti?
How much is the ticket?Bushe tikiti ali shani?
Is it safe to walk?Bushe caliba fye bwino ukwenda?

Food and restaurants

Food and restaurants: English phrases and their Bemba translations
EnglishBemba
I am hungryNdi ne nsala
I am thirstyNdi ne cilaka
Water, pleaseAmanshi, napapata
A table for two, pleaseItebulo lya bantu babili, napapata
The menu, pleaseIfyakulya, napapata
What do you recommend?Bushe kuti mwapanda amano shani?
I would like thisNatemwa ici
It is deliciousCilomfwika
The bill, pleaseIcipe, napapata
I do not eat meatNshalya umunani wa nama
I have a food allergyNalikwata ubulwele bwa fyakulya
CoffeeKoofi
TeaTiyi
BreadUmukate

Shopping and money

Shopping and money: English phrases and their Bemba translations
EnglishBemba
How much does this cost?Bushe ici cilashita shani?
It is too expensiveCalicindama nga nshi
Do you accept credit cards?Bushe mulapokelela amakaadi ya nkongole?
I am just lookingNdefwayafye
I will take itNkacipoka
OpenIsuleni
ClosedIcaisalwa
EntranceUkwingila
ExitFuma
Where is the market?Bushe umusika uli kwi?

Emergency and health

Emergency and health: English phrases and their Bemba translations
EnglishBemba
HelpUkwafwilisha
Call a doctorIta dokota
Call the policeItani bakapokola
I need helpNalekabila ukwafwilisha
I am sickNalwala
Where is the hospital?Bushe icipatala cili kwi?
Where is the pharmacy?Ni kwi kuli umuti wa miti?
It hurts hereCilakalipisha apa
I need a doctorNdefwaya dokota
Is there a hospital nearby?Bushe kuli icipatala mupepi?

Getting help with language

Getting help with language: English phrases and their Bemba translations
EnglishBemba
Do you speak English?Bushe mulalanda iciNgeleshi?
I do not understandNshiumfwikisha
I understandNaumfwikisha
Please speak slowlyMukwai landeni panono-panono
Please repeat thatMukwai bwelelenipo ifyo
Please write it downMukwai lembeni
What does this mean?Bushe ici cipilibula shani?
How do you say this?Bushe kuti mwalanda shani ici?
I am learningNdesambilila
I speak a littleNalanda panono
Can you help me?Bushe kuti mwanjafwa?
I do not knowIne nshishibe

Translations are generated automatically and may vary by region or context.

About Bemba Language

Geographical Distribution

Bemba is primarily spoken in Zambia, particularly in the Northern, Luapula, Copperbelt, and Muchinga provinces. It is also spoken by Bemba diaspora communities in other parts of Zambia and neighboring countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania.

Alphabet

Uses the Latin alphabet, adapted to represent Bemba phonology. The standard orthography consists of 19 letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, S, T, U, W, Y.

Vowels

a, e, i, o, uAll vowels are pronounced clearly and consistently:a – like 'ah' in fathere – like 'e' in bedi – like 'ee' in seeo – like 'o' in potu – like 'oo' in moon

Consonants

b, c, d, f, g, k, l, m, n, p, s, t, w, yDigraphs and prenasalized consonants such as 'ch', 'mb', 'nd', 'ng', 'nt', 'sh' are common. 'C' is typically pronounced as /tʃ/ (like 'ch').

Phonetics

Bemba is a tonal language with two primary tones: high and low. Tone affects the meaning of words and grammatical forms. It has a typical Bantu phonological structure, allowing for CV (consonant-vowel) syllables, with prenasalized consonants being phonemic.

Grammar and Syntax

Follows Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) word order. Bemba is highly agglutinative, with extensive noun class systems and verb morphology. Verbs carry prefixes and suffixes to mark tense, aspect, mood, negation, and subject-object agreement.

Loanwords

Includes loanwords from English, due to colonial and modern contact, as well as from Swahili and neighboring Bantu languages.

Language Family

Belongs to the Bantu branch of the Niger-Congo language family, specifically classified as a Central Bantu language (Zone M.40, Guthrie code M.42).

Writing Systems

Written in a standardized Latin-based orthography. Used widely in education, media, and literature in Zambia.

Writing System History

The Latin script was introduced by missionaries in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Standardized spelling and grammar rules were developed and are promoted by educational institutions and linguistic bodies in Zambia.

Total Number of Speakers

Approximately 4 to 5 million speakers, including both native and second-language speakers. It is one of the most widely spoken languages in Zambia and used as a lingua franca in many urban areas.

About English Language

Geographical Distribution

English is a global language, spoken as a first language in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It is also widely used as a second language worldwide.

Alphabet

Uses the Latin alphabet. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z

Vowels

aeiousometimes y

Consonants

bcdfghjklmnpqrstvwxyz

Phonetics

Features a complex phonetic system with significant variations in accent and pronunciation across different regions. Includes around 44 phonemes in Received Pronunciation and diphthongs and triphthongs.

Grammar and Syntax

Typically follows a subject-verb-object (SVO) word order. Known for its relatively flexible syntax and extensive use of auxiliary verbs.

Loanwords

English vocabulary includes a vast number of loanwords from Latin, French, Norse, and many other languages, reflecting its historical development and adaptability.

Language Family

Part of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family.

Writing Systems

Currently uses the Latin script, with a history of using other scripts such as Old English runes and the Anglo-Saxon futhorc

Writing System History

The Latin script was adopted during the medieval period, replacing the earlier runic alphabets used by Anglo-Saxon settlers.

Total Number of Speakers

Approximately 1.5 billion people speak English to varying degrees of proficiency, with around 360 million native speakers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about our translation service

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