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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Bushe takwabako ishina limbi ilyabushiku bwa ‘Sunday” ubo twita ati “Pa Mulungu”? Naumfwile ba Shikulu baletila ati “Citamfi” ebushiku bwa Sunday. Ngaimwe muletipo shani pali ico?
impressing. I love this for its helping. Keep on
Kuti natemwa mwabikapo notushimi an mapinda
Nga langashe mweshinshi?
Thank you for your chibemba lessons.
I am trying to learn Bemba.
I am from South Africa… but work i Lusaka.
Your pagws are very helpful… keep up the good efforts.