The phone is a modern appliance and has no traditional Bemba terminology to match.
English words are used in Bemba conversation for a lot of technical terms, even though this may sometimes just be limited to a corrupted pronunciation, e.g. Phone Foni.
Examples of such terms include:
- Phone
- Mobile
- Internet
- Sim card
- Charger
- Screen
- Number
- Network
This direct adaptation of new terms has also led to the use of sounds that are not part of the traditional Bemba group of sounds, eg. Charger Chaja.
It goes without saying that there are more grammatically correct ways of expressing the following expressions in the Bemba language. What we offer here is “Town Bemba” which is commonly used in the Copperbelt province of Zambia. The aim is to help facilitate basic communications. The fact that there are so many non-Bemba people using the language on the Copperbelt makes it easier to adopt more superficial versions of the Bemba language. This is similar to what has happened to the English language over the years, where you find a wide incorporation of words from Latin, Greek, French, German, Japanese and other languages.
Feel free to contribute your version of the following terms to help deepen the meanings for our readers. What other phrases do you like to use on the phone? Leave a comment below.
ENGLISH BEMBA
Hello “Hello“
My name is …. Nine ….
It’s …. Ni ….
Can I speak to … ? Kuti nalandako na ba ……..?
I would like to speak to … Ndefwaya ukulandako na ba ……..
I can hear you Ndeumfwa
I can’t hear you Nshileumfwa
Can you hear me? Mulen’gumfwa / Fileumfwika?
I heard that …. Naumfwile ati ….
We heard that …. Twaumfwile ati ….
Did you hear that …… Mwali umfwa ati ….
You’ll just hear that ….. Mukomfwa fye ati …
We just heard that …. Twaumfwile fye ati ….
Can I leave a message? Kuti nalaishako amashiwi?
Please tell him/her/them that …. Mubebe ati …..
I’ll call back later (today) Ndetumako inshita imbi
I’ll call back later Nalatumako limbi
I’ll call back another day (time) Nkatumako ubushiku bumbi
I’ll call on …… (Monday) Nkatuma pa ….. Monday / pali Chimo
He / she / they called (on ……) Balítuma (pa ….)
Call me Ntumineni / Muntumine
I want to call …… Ndefwaya ukutumina ba …..
Should I call? Ntume?
Call him / her / them (now) Batumineni
Call him / her / them (later today) Mubatumine
Call him / her / them (another day) Mukabatumine
Have you talked to him/her/them?(today) Namulanda nabo?
Did you talk to him / her / them?(in the past) Mwalilanda nabo?
Will you talk to him / her / them? (today) Mwalalanda nabo?
Will you talk to him / her / them? (in future) Mukalanda nabo?
What’s your number? I namba yenu nishani?
Give me your number Mpeniko inamba yenu
Give me his / her / their number Mpeniko inamba yabo
The number is… I namba ni …..
I don’t have their contact number Nshikwete inamba yabo
I don’t know the number Nshishibe inamba
Do you know his number? Mwalishiba inamba yabo?
Where can I find a (public) phone? Nikwisa ninga sanga foni?
I’d like to know the number for …. Ndefwaya ukwishiba inamba ya …….
I want to make a call Ndefwaya ukutuma foni
I want to buy a phone card / credit Ndefwaya ukushita “talk time“
How much is …. Ni shinga …….?
What’s the area code for ……? “Area Code” ya ……. nishani?
What’s the country code? “Country code” nishani?
It’s engaged Ili “busy”
I can’t get through (now) Foni taile ikata
I couldn’t get through (then) Foni tayaleikata
I’ve been cut off Yaputuka
The connection is bad “Network” taili bwino
He / she / they are not picking up Tabale asuka
My phone is about to die (go off) Foni yandi yalashima
The battery is low “Battery” taikwete amaka
I want to charge my phone Ndefwaya uku chaja foni yandi
Where did I leave my phone? Nikwisa nshíle foni yandi?
I have lost my phone Nalufya / Nindufya foni yandi
Let’s stay in touch by phone Tuletumishanya (ama foni)
Turn off the phone Shimyeni foni
Turn off your phones please Shimyeni ama foni yenu mukwai
I have turned off my phone Ninshimya foni (yandi)
Should I turn it off? Nshimye?
TEXTS
I have received a message Napokelela “message”
I received a message Nalipokelela “message”
Have you received a / the text? Namupokelela “text”?
He/she/they received a message Balipokelela “message”
I’ll just text Nalatuma fye “text” / “message”
I have just sent a text Natuma fye “text”
He / She has sent a text Nábatuma “text”
I will send a text (later today) Ndetuma / nalatuma “text”
I will send a text (tomorrow) Nkatuma “text”
Ok Chísuma
Oh my God! Owe Tata Lesa!
Really? Chacine?
No! Awe!
Say hi to the family Posheniko ulupwa
Say hi to David Posheniko ba “David”
Bye Shalenipo
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The work of imfumu,bafiloola and mwine-mushi
I need help in translating audio from Bemba to English
Hi Victor. You can get in touch with our best translator: Joseph Mwila Bwembya
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Zambian Translators International
Website: http://www.zamtransinternational.weebly.com
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Beautiful translation