LIST OF BEMBA LESSONS AVAILABLE:
Click on a choice to open the lesson.
- Giving Instructions in Bemba – Bemba Lesson 1
- Common Verbs – Bemba Lesson 2
- Learn How To Count In Bemba – Bemba Lesson 3
- Visiting A Friend – Bemba Lesson 4
- Learn To Speak Bemba Online Using The Bible – Bemba Lesson 5
- Greetings – Bemba Lesson 6
- Asking Questions – Bemba Lesson 7
- Pronounciation & Reading – Bemba Lesson 8
- At the Restaurant – Bemba Lesson 9
- At the Hospital – Bemba Lesson 10
- Visiting Grandma – Bemba Lesson 11
- Introducing Yourself – Bemba Lesson 12
- Days, Weeks, Months and Seasons in Bemba – Bemba Lesson 13
- Personal Pronouns – I, Me, My. – Bemba Lesson 14
- How to Ask a Question:
- Small Talk – Bemba Lesson 16
- At the Hotel – Bemba Lesson 17
- Around the House – Bemba Lesson 18
- Basics of iciBemba: Vowels, Consonants and Syllables – Bemba Lesson 19
- Romance – Bemba Lesson 20
- At the Market Place – Bemba Lesson 21
- Nouns and Adjectives – Bemba Lesson 22
- At the Market Place (Video) – Bemba Lesson 23
- Nouns and Adjectives (Video) – Bemba Lesson 24
- Describing Places and Space – Bemba Lesson 25
- Human Anatomy – Bemba Lesson 26
- Emergencies – Bemba Lesson 27
- Living Room Conversation – Bemba Lesson 28
- “How Is …?” – Bemba Lesson 29
- On The Phone In Bemba – Bemba Lesson 30
- Welcoming The In-laws – Bemba Lesson 31
- Use Bemba Bible Audio To Learn Bemba Language Online – Bemba Lesson 32
- The Head – Umutwe – Bemba Lesson 33
- 73 Ways To Say Hello – Bemba Lesson 34
- Cooking Verbs – Bemba Lesson 35
- Bemba Sentence Structure – Bemba Lesson 36
- Bemba Greetings Mastery
Student cartoon
Learning a new language can be a lot of fun. A visitor who makes an effort to learn the local language comes across as being genuinely interested in getting along with local people.
While it is true that Zambians are a very welcoming people who will receive visitors with open arms regardless of the language they speak, it is still a good idea to learn a local language. It is more fun and enables you to communicate with those who do not understand your language.
There are several options you can look at when learning a new language:
- A native language speaker who is willing to teach you in your own time
- A phrase book
- Foreign language eBooks that you can carry along on your eBook reader or your mobile phone
- A dictionary
- Smart phone Apps that translate from your language into a foreign language of your choice. These are not currently available for Zambian languages
- Manuals
Zambian languages currently only have some of these resources.
Kitwe Online is compiling common phrases and simple sentences that you are likely to use in common day to day situations. We are depending on you to send in suggestions about the words you would like to see translated into English.
Starting with Bemba, we eventually aim to cover other Zambian languages.
DO YOU SPEAK A ZAMBIAN LANGUAGE?
WE ARE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WITH OUR LANGUAGE PROJECTS.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH US, LEAVE YOUR MOBILE No. and/or EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW.
nde fwaya ukubomba naimwe mukwai
Ba Salasini,
We are always looking for people who are keen to work with us.
We have sent you a Personal Message by email. Please check your Junk folder if you have not yet seen it.
Thanks.
awesome, I just emailed you a few minutes ago and just realised you have made this post. Cool looks like I just came here at the right time 🙂
Andrew,
Thanks for your email response. I will Skype you.
Hello John,
I have a few ideas about things which could be done with dictionaries – your own English-Bemba dictionary, and also some old Nyanja dictionaries on the Web Archive, if you would like to send me an e-mail.
Best wishes,
Caoimhín Ó Donnaíle
Hi Caoimhín,
Thanks for your message.
I have sent you a Private Message.
Hello JS I would love to learn the Bemba language for i would like to visit Zambia as well soon so i know what i am saying when i go if you can please email me would be great thanks.
Hi Will,
I sent you a message as you requested.
As you are wanting to learn Bemba, you could also have a look at my podcast, which is a bilingual Bemba- English podcast, and will allow you to hear and practice bemba as well.
https://akashimi.podbean.com/
Hello! I have a question about a zambian proverb I’ve heard, but sadly forgotten about. What is the origin and the meaning of “Icikwanka bacimwena kumampalanya” in your opinion? Love your site and best regards, Sus.
Ba Editor,
What does mwandi chalishupa mean?
Natotela
Hi Corie,
“Mwandi chalishupa” means “It is difficult”
hi can you please translate the following words for me?
hour
couple (man & woman)
Cement Concrete
Cloth/Shoes/Accessories
Colonial
Composition
concrete
deposit
minute
second
natasha
mutale
Hello!
I always thought Kia Mena meant my house. Is that correct?
I have a friend who is originally from Kitwe. I’ve been successful in translating some words using this site. My friend has no idea how I am translating. He responded to me with “Iyo Gideon mune uli munandi wachishinka. Mfwile fye nakusenda Ku Zambia Ku vacation”. What did he say to me?
Hi Gideon,
“Iyo Gideon mune” = “Well, Gideon my friend”
“uli munandi wachishinka” = “You are a true friend”
“Mfwile fye nakusenda” = “I should just take you with me”
“ku Zambia ku vacation” = “to Zambia on vacation.”
Ba Editor,
What does kangala in English?
Natotela,
Corrie
Hi,
Kangala could be a noun or it could mean “Player.” Not sure.
Kangala is also a name for a type of local beer made from sorghum or millet.
Hi Can you please help me translate boma ya fika to english?
Thank you
Hi Mac,
Boma yafika = The government is here.
Thank you for your reply. If this was said to someone, would this be an insult?
How do u say Crystal in bemba thak u
Hi could you do a segment on farm life.
Asking how much of a certain crop is grown.
What kind of animals do they own.
How many of these animals are there.
The income of the person you’re talking to.
With any such additions deemed necessary
Before next week ends would be so fantastic
Thank you very much.
Atupala, That sounds like a topic we could cover. Whether we could do it in a week is doubtful.
What does walisa nolubuli mean in English
It means you have come with trouble or you’ve just come to annoy me.
What does “awe kwena twatandala mukwai ” means
awe kwena is an exlammation like “oh my”
twatandala: we have travelled, visited
basically saying “oh my or oh wow, we have visited, travelled”
check out my podcast for more bemba
https://akashimi.podbean.com/
can someone translate to me in english jk’s song nafikilisha meaning
Hi,
What does this mean in English please?
Iwe Befalo I sent u a birthday wish n nalikutumina fon,ifimynfu!
This is really useful, thanks.
I love that I stumbled upon this site!!! I’m a Half Bemba (Batata) half ngoni (bamayo) living in Hawaii. Not much opportunity to speak Bemba for my children to learn. I will use this site to strengthen my own language and incorporate it in our homeschool lessons. So excited, mahalo!!!
Hi Mwenya,
Thanks for your feedback. It’s great to know you find the content useful.
Thank you! I’m a British born Zambian with a Bemba speaking family and I really appreciate the lessons!
Chengo, it’s great to get your feedback.
Dear people,
I’m fascinated but unsure about the difference between the following two words:
Efichichika
Filachichika
Could anybody help me clarify this, please?
Twatasha sana,
Edwin
Hi Edwin,
“Efichitika” = “That’s what happens. ”
“Filachitika” = “That actually happens” and also as in “That’s life.”
Looking for a tutor, can you please assist.
I’m looking for a Bemba teacher! Do you have any suggestions!
I married a woman born in Zambia her Moms side and moved to Zimbobue as a teen to her Dads side. She speaks some of about 11 languages fluent in Bemba and Lala which were her Moms languages and Shona from her Dads side. I am going to try to learn Bemba so I can talk to her Mom when we go. She is in Luanshya. She gets tickled on the phone when I stumble through a phrase or two my wife taught me. Thank you for the site. If you need more volunteers my wife is fantastic with languages.
Learning another language is a good way of reaching other people. We would love volunteers to help us with languages. Your wife can reach us on the Contact page. Thanks.
This is such a great resource, with so many wonderful conversations going on in the comments box.
If anyone wants more exposure to bemba, and especially the opportunity to hear pronounciations. You can check out my podcast. A Bemba-English bilingual story podcast.
https://akashimi.podbean.com/