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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