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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