Bemba Lesson 13: Days, Weeks, Months, Seasons
The following are the terms used to describe the days of the week. We follow this up with some examples of common usage.
WEEK DAYS
The prefix “Pali” means “On” , e.g. “On Monday” ,except for Saturday and Sunday when “pa” is used:
MONDAY – Pali Cimo
TUESDAY – Pali Cibili
WEDNESDAY – Pali Citatu
THURSDAY – Pali Cine
FRIDAY – Pali Cisano
SATURDAY – Pa Cibelushi
SUNDAY – Pa Mulungu
Today is ……..
Today is Monday = Lelo nipali Cimo
Today is Tuesday = Lelo nipali Cibili
Today is Wednesday = Lelo nipali Citatu
Today is Thursday = Lelo nipali Cine
Today is Friday = Lelo nipali Cisano
Today is Saturday = Lelo nipa Cibelushi
Today is Sunday = Lelo nipa Mulungu
I’m coming on ………
I’m coming on Monday – Nkêsa pali Cimo
I’m coming on Tuesday – Nkêsa pali Cibili
I’m coming on Wednesday – Nkêsa pali Citatu
I’m coming on Thursday – Nkêsa pali Cine
I’m coming on Friday – Nkêsa pali Cisano
I’m coming on Saturday – Nkêsa pa Cibelushi
I’m coming on Sunday – Nkêsa pa Mulungu
I came on ………
I came on Monday = Naishile pali Cimo
I came on Tuesday = Naishile pali Cibili
I came on Wednesday = Naishile pali Citatu
I came on Thursday = Naishile pali Cine
I came on Friday = Naishile pali Cisano
I came on Saturday = Naishile pa Cibelushi
I came on Sunday = Naishile pa Mulungu
I’m not coming on………
I’m not coming on Monday = Nshakêse pali Cimo
I’m not coming on Tuesday = Nshakêse pali Cibili
I’m not coming on Wednesday = Nshakêse pali Citatu
I’m not coming on Thursday = Nshakêse pali Cine
I’m not coming on Friday = Nshakêse pali Cisano
I’m not coming on Saturday = Nshakêse pa Cibelushi
I’m not coming on Sunday = Nshakêse pa Mulungu
I didn’t come on ….….
I didn’t come on Monday = Nshaishile pali Cimo
I didn’t come on Tuesday = Nshaishile pali Cibili
I didn’t come on Wednesday = Nshaishile pali Citatu
I didn’t come on Thursday = Nshaishile pali Cine
I didn’t come on Friday = Nshaishile pali Cisano
I didn’t come on Saturday = Nshaishile pa Cibelushi
I didn’t come on Sunday = Nshaishile pa Mulungu
I might come on ……
I might come on Monday = Nalimo nkêsa pali Cimo
I might come on Tuesday = Nalimo nkêsa pali Cibili
I might come on Wednesday = Nalimo nkêsa pali Citatu
I might come on Thursday = Nalimo nkêsa pali Cine
I might come on Friday = Nalimo nkêsa pali Cisano
I might come on Saturday = Nalimo nkêsa pa Cibelushi
I might come on Sunday = Nalimo nkêsa pa Mulungu
They are coming on ………
They are coming on Monday = Bakêsa pali Cimo
They are coming on on Tuesday = Bakêsa pali Cibili
They are coming on Wednesday = Bakêsa pali Citatu
They are coming on Thursday = Bakêsa pali Cine
They are coming on Friday = Bakêsa pali Cisano
They are coming on Saturday = Bakêsa pa Cibelushi
They are coming on Sunday = Bakêsa pa Mulungu
He / she is coming on …..
He (or she) is coming on Monday = Akêsa pali Cimo
He (or she) is coming on Tuesday = Akêsa pali Cibili
He (or she) is coming on Wednesday = Akêsa pali Citatu
He (or she) is coming on Thursday = Akêsa pali Cine
He (or she) is coming on Friday = Akêsa pali Cisano
He (or she) is coming on Saturday = Akêsa pa Cibelushi
He (or she) is coming on Sunday = Akêsa pa Mulungu
Are they coming on ……?
Are they coming on Monday? = Bushe bakêsa pali Cimo?
Are they coming on Tuesday = Bushe bakêsa pali Cibili?
Are they coming on Wednesday = Bushe bakêsa pali Citatu?
Are they coming on Thursday = Bushe bakêsa pali Cine?
Are they coming on Friday = Bushe bakêsa pali Cisano?
Are they coming on Saturday = Bushe bakêsa pa Cibelushi?
Are they coming on Sunday = Bushe bakêsa pa Mulungu?
Is he / she coming on ……..?
Is he (or she) coming on Monday? = Bushe akêsa pali Cimo?
Is he (or she) coming on Tuesday = Bushe akêsa pali Cibili?
Is he (or she) coming on Wednesday = Bushe akêsa pali Citatu?
Is he (or she) coming on Thursday = Bushe akêsa pali Cine?
Is he (or she) coming on Friday = Bushe akêsa pali Cisano?
Is he (or she) coming on Saturday = Bushe akêsa pa Cibelushi?
Is he (or she) coming on Sunday = Bushe akêsa pa Mulungu?
Can they come on ……? = Bushe kuti baisa pa……….?
How could they come on …….? = Bushe kuti baisa shani pa ………?
MONTHS
Month = Mweshi
January = Kabengele kanôno
February = Kabengele kakalamba
March = Kutumpu
April = Shinde
May = Kapepo kanôno
June = Kapepo kakalamba
July = Cikungulupepo
August = Kasakantobo
September = Lusuba lunôno
October = Lusuba lukalamba
November = Cinshikubili / Mwanganamfula
December = Mupundu-milimo
BIRTHDAY
I was born in ……….. = Nafyelwe mu ……….
The day I was born = Ubushiku nafyelwe
He / She was born in ………. = Afyelwe mu ……
We were born in …………..= Twafyelwe mu ……..
When were you born? = Mwafyelwe lilali? (plural)
When were you born? = Wafyelwe lilali? =(singular)
Where were you born? = Mwafyalilwe kwisa?
Happy Birthday = Sefyeni ubushiku mwafyelwe (plural)
Happy Birthday = Sefya ubushiku wafyelwe (singular)
SEASONS
Wet season / Rainy season = Mainsa
Summer / Hot season / Dry season = Lusuba
Winter / Cold season = Mpepo
Each ….
Today = Lêlo
Daily = Cila bushiku
Weekly = Cila mulungu
Monthly = Cila mweshi
Yearly / Annually = Cila mwaka
Day = Bushiku
One day = Bushiku bumo
One week = Mulungu umo
One month = Mweshi umo
One year = Mwaka umo
Week = Mulungu
This week = Uno mulungu
Last week = Mulungu wapwile
Next week = Mulungu uleisa
That week = Ulya mulungu
Month = Mweshi
This month = Uno mweshi
Last month = Mweshi wapwile
Next month = Mweshi uleisa
That month = Ulya mweshi
Year = Mwaka
This year = Uno mwaka
Last year = Mwaka wapwile
Next year = Mwaka uleisa
That year = Ulya mwaka
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Bushe takwabako ishina limbi ilyabushiku bwa ‘Sunday” ubo twita ati “Pa Mulungu”? Naumfwile ba Shikulu baletila ati “Citamfi” ebushiku bwa Sunday. Ngaimwe muletipo shani pali ico?
impressing. I love this for its helping. Keep on
Kuti natemwa mwabikapo notushimi an mapinda
Nga langashe mweshinshi?
Thank you for your chibemba lessons.
I am trying to learn Bemba.
I am from South Africa… but work i Lusaka.
Your pagws are very helpful… keep up the good efforts.