ChiBemba
Bemba
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu)
Bemba (ChiBemba) is the most widely spoken Zambian language and a major lingua franca of the Copperbelt. It has 5 vowels with phonemic length contrast, 7 noun classes, and serves as a Bantu reference language in linguistic study.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Bemba
Water
amenshi
/amenʃi/
Fire
umulilo
/umulilo/
Sun
akasuba
/akasuba/
Moon
umweshi
/umweʃi/
Mother
bamayo
/bamajo/
Father
bataata
/bataːta/
Eat
ukulya
/ukulja/
Drink
ukunwa
/ukunwa/
Love
ukutemwa
/ukutemwa/
Heart
umutima
/umutima/
Tree
icimuti
/itʃimuti/
House
ing'anda
/iŋːanda/
Dog
imbwa
/imbwa/
Cat
pushi
/puʃi/
Hand
ukuboko
/ukuboko/
Eye
ilinso
/ilinso/
Hello
muli shani
/muli ʃani/
Thank you
natotela
/natotela/
One
cimo
/tʃimo/
Good
chisuma
/tʃisuma/
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu) languages
| Meaning | Bemba | Sangu | Tonga (Zambia) | Nyaturu | Kaonde | Kirundi | Tumbuka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | amenshi /amenʃi/ | ameenzi /ameːnzi/ | meenda /meːnda/ | maazi /maːzi/ | mema /mema/ | amazi /amaːzi/ | maji /madʒi/ |
| Fire | umulilo /umulilo/ | umoto /umoto/ | mulilo /mulilo/ | moto /moto/ | mujilo /mudʒilo/ | umuriro /umuɾiɾo/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | akasuba /akasuba/ | liluga /liluɡa/ | zuba /zuba/ | nzua /nzua/ | juba /dʒuba/ | izuba /izuba/ | zuwa /zuwa/ |
| Moon | umweshi /umweʃi/ | umwesi /umwesi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | umweri /umweɾi/ | ñondo /ɲondo/ | ukwezi /ukwezi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ |
| Mother | bamayo /bamajo/ | mama /mama/ | bama /bama/ | mama /mama/ | bama /bama/ | mama /maːma/ | amama /amama/ |
| Father | bataata /bataːta/ | baba /baba/ | bataata /bataːta/ | tata /tata/ | batata /batata/ | data /data/ | adada /adada/ |
| Eat | ukulya /ukulja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kulja/ | kuria /kuɾia/ | kuja /kudʒa/ | kurya /kuɾja/ | kurya /kuɾja/ |
| Drink | ukunwa /ukunwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kutoma /kutoma/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ |
| Love | ukutemwa /ukutemwa/ | ulungu /uluŋɡu/ | luyando /lujando/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | butemwe /butemwe/ | urukundo /uɾukundo/ | kutemwa /kutemwa/ |
| Heart | umutima /umutima/ | umutima /umutima/ | moyo /mojo/ | umutima /umutima/ | muchima /mutʃima/ | umutima /umutima/ | mtima /mtima/ |
| Tree | icimuti /itʃimuti/ | umuti /umuti/ | cisamu /tʃisamu/ | umuti /umuti/ | kichi /kitʃi/ | igiti /iɡiti/ | khuni /kʰuni/ |
| House | ing'anda /iŋːanda/ | inyumba /iɲumba/ | ng'anda /ŋanda/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nzubo /nzubo/ | inzu /inzu/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Dog | imbwa /imbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | muvwa /muvwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | ncheŵe /ntʃewe/ |
| Cat | pushi /puʃi/ | paka /paka/ | kaaze /kaːze/ | paka /paka/ | kapuso /kapuso/ | akayabu /akajabu/ | chona /tʃona/ |
| Hand | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | kuboko /kuboko/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | kuboko /kuboko/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | woko /woko/ |
| Eye | ilinso /ilinso/ | iliho /iliho/ | liso /liso/ | iriiso /iɾiːso/ | jiso /dʒiso/ | ijisho /idʒiʃo/ | jiso /dʒiso/ |
| Hello | muli shani /muli ʃani/ | mbasala /mbasala/ | mwabuka buti /mwabuka buti/ | mbukire /mbukiɾe/ | mwapoñai /mwapoɲai/ | amahoro /amahoɾo/ | monire /moniɾe/ |
| Thank you | natotela /natotela/ | nashukulu /naʃukulu/ | twalumba /twalumba/ | ahsante /ahsante/ | nasakwilila /nasakwilila/ | murakoze /muɾakoze/ | yewo /jewo/ |
| One | cimo /tʃimo/ | imo /imo/ | -mwi /mwi/ | umwe /umwe/ | umo /umo/ | rimwe /ɾimwe/ | cimoza /tʃimoza/ |
| Good | chisuma /tʃisuma/ | kwifwa /kwifwa/ | kabotu /kabotu/ | kihi /kihi/ | kyawama /kjawama/ | nziza /nziza/ | cwemi /tʃwemi/ |
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