Personal Pronouns

In Bemba, the personal pronoun changes depending on:

1. Whether it is used as the subject or the object of a sentence
2. The tense
3. The negative

The personal pronoun can be used as the subject or as an object of a sentence. This will determine how it is said.

When used as the subject, it can be abbreviated by not saying “Ine”

Personal Pronoun as the Subject

Ine

e.g “(Ine) nkesa pa Cibelushi.” = “I will come on Saturday.”

Ine nd…

e.g. “(Ine) ndefwaya menshi.” = “I want water”

“Ine ndafwaya menshi” = “I always want water.”

Ine na…

e.g. “Ine nalefwaya menshi.” = “I wanted water.”

Ine nk…

e.g. “Ine nkafwaya menshi.” = “I will be wanting water.”

The expression changes for the negatives:

Ine nd…   Ine nsh…

“Ine nshilefwaya menshi” = “I don’t want water”

“Ine nshifwaya menshi” = “I never want water”

Ine na…   Ine nsh…

“Ine nshalefwaya menshi” = “I didn’t want water”

Ine nk…   Ine nsh…

“Ine nshakafwaye menshi” = “I will not be wanting water”

I = Ine, …ne

I want this = Ndefwaye ci (Ndefwaya ici)

I want to go = Ndefayo kuya (Ndefwaya ukuya)

I want to come along = Ndefwayo kukonka (Ndefwaya ukukonka)

I want to sleep = Ndefwayo kusendama (Ndefwaya  ukusendama)

 I am = Ndi

I am here = Ndi kuno / Ndi pano

My = …ndi

My wife = Mukashi wandi

My wives = Abakashi bandi

My book = Icitabo candi (I “book” lyandi)

My books = Ifitabo fyandi

My little cat = Ka puushi kandi

My little cats = Ba puushi bandi

My job = Incito yandi

My jobs = Incito shandi

My little job = Akacito kandi

My little jobs = Utucito twandi

John is my love = Joni ecitemwikwa candi / emutemwikwa  wandi

John my love = Joni, citemwikwa candi / mutemwikwa wandi

John my everlasting = Joni wa lyonse

You (singular) and I = Iwe na ine

You (plural) and I = Imwe na ine

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