Bemba Lessons

Learn the Bemba language

73 Ways to Say Hello – Bemba Lesson 34

Villagers greeting each other

It is commonly known that Zambia has 73 languages. If you are like me, you will be familiar with a handful of them but not all of them. I don’t know of anyone who understands all 73 languages. When it comes to greetings, however, we can make some progress by pooling together and teaching each…

Bemba Lesson 33 – The Head – Umutwe

Umutwe - The Head

ENGLISH BEMBA BEMBA (Singular) (Plural) Head Mutwe Mitwe Hair Mushishi Mishishi Grey hair Lufwi Mfwi Body hair Ipipi Bupipi Bald patch Pala Mapala Forehead Mpumi Mpumi Crease Lukanshi Nkanshi Eye Linso Menso Eyelash Lukopyo Nkopyo Eyelid Cipa ca linso Fipa fya menso Eyebrow Cikumbi Fikumbi Jaw Isaya Masaya Tears Cilamba Filamba Nose Môna Myona Ear…

Bemba Lesson 31: Welcoming The In-laws

pexels-august-de-richelieu-4261791

Welcoming the in-laws can be a daunting experience. Welcoming them in a second language adds to the excitement! As in other situations where a person makes an effort to communicate in the other person’s language, this creates a sense of appreciation of the effort you are putting in. You don’t have to be perfect to…

Bemba Lesson 29 – How is …?

How are you? Muli shani? (pl.) Uli shani?(sing.) How is your family? Ulupwa luli shani? How is the baby?  Umwana ali shani? How are the children? Abana bali shani? How is Bwalya? Ba Bwalya bali shani?(pl.) Bwalya ali shani?(sing.) How is work? Incito ili shani? How is the fruit? Ifisabo fili shani? How is the…

Bemba Lesson 27: Emergencies

Emergency Bemba Phrases

Bemba Phrases to Use in Emergencies.In this lesson you will learn some phrases that will come in handy in emergency situations. It will help you to understand what someone may be trying to communicate to you in an emergency. It can also prepare you to communicate in Bemba when you are faced with an emergency. If…

Bemba Lesson 25: Describing Places and Space

Bemba Lesson 25 - Adverbs of Space and Place

Adverbs of Place and Space Space and places are described using different adverbs. In some cases, more than one word is available. Where this is the case, the words are here separated by a coma. Examples show how the words can be used. In front, forward, before = Kuntanshi, Pantanshi She is standing in front of…

Bemba Lesson 24 – Nouns and Adjectives

Bemba Lesson 24_Nouns and Adjectives

In this short video lesson, we will look at the way adjectives are used in Bemba, as compared to English.   A noun is a part of a sentence that names a person, place, thing, idea, action or quality. Examples: Itaba = cob of maize Umuntu = person Kapenta = a type of small fish…

Bemba Lesson 22 – ROMANCE

Rose

If you went out on the streets of Kitwe and asked a hundred people what “Nsalankwale yandi” means, you will be lucky if you got one or two who knew that it means “my rose.” If, on the other hand you asked what “iluba lyandi” means, everybody will tell you it means “my flower.” This…