Bemba for beginners

My culture and Bemba course started in Lusaka. The first days I really enjoyed. I am going there every morning with my bike, which takes me about 45 minutes to go there. On one hand I like the exercice I get through this, on the other hand its though, cycling in the heat of the day and the dusty roads. I swallowed at leat have a pound of dust yesterday! ;)

Meine Sprachschule und der Kulturkurs haben nun endlich begonnen. Es gefällt mir sehr gut. Jeden Morgen fahre ich mit dem Fahrrad 45 vMinuten durch die afrikanische Hitze. Der Staub und Sand der Straße gelangt überall hin. Auf der einen Seite genieße ich das Fahrrad fahren - endlich mal wieder Sport treiben zu können, aber es strengt auf diesen Straßen und dem Wind mit Sandverwehungen echt an.

Here some insights in my Bemba learning (Actually, I knew already most of the things we learned the first day)

Hier ein paar Einblicke in unsere erste Bembalektion. (Das meißte kannte ich schon- ein tolles Gefühl mal was zu wissen ;)

Bemba for Beginners

Greetings of the day

the greetings in Zambia depend on what a person is doing the moment you meet him/her! So here just the most common of them

(add „mukwai“ as title of respect to all greetings for adults!)

Mwapoleni mukwai – general greeting, used if you see somebody the first time or after some days

(„may you be well“; kupola = to heal, become well, be well)

(Used like the English: „How are you?“

Response: eya mukwai (or endita mukwai). Mwapoleni na imwe?

Mwaiseni mukwai welcome

Response: eya mukwai

Mwashibukeni - greeting early in the morning (kushibuka = to wake up)

Response: eya mukwai mwashibukeni?

Mwabuuka shani? - How did you wake up?

Response: Nabuuka fye bwino (I woke up well)

Muli shani? - how are you?

Response (depending on how you are feeling):

*ndi fye bwino (bwino--> short form) = fine

*panono = somehow not feeling well

*eyefilayaku = half-half, somehow fine

*nshile bwino = I am not fine

Mwaliileni mukwai – greeting refering to habit of eating, How are you enjoyed food?“ but meaning of „How are you enjoy life?“

It comes from the background that without food you do not feel well, so if you had food you are fine.

Response:

*eya mukwai. Mwaliileni na imwe?“ = Good , and you?

*panono = not well

*tafimoneka = there is no food to be seen! Nothing to enjoy

Icungulu mukwai – greeting in the afternoon ( icungulo = afternoon)

Response: eya mukwai. Icungulo mukwai

Sendamenipo mukwai – „good night“ (sleep well), kusendama = to sleep)

(to someone staying, if you are leaving)

Response: eya mukwai. Sendamenipo.

* Kasendamenipo (if you stay and the other goes.)

Mwabombeni mukwai – greeting when somebody is working (kubomba = to work)

Response: eya mukwai (add another greeting)

Mwaikaleni mukwai – greeting for someone who is sitting (ukwikala = to sit, to stay)

Response: eya mukwai. Mwatandaleni (if the other person is walking or visiting)

Shalenipo mukwai – good bye (saying to the person who remains (Kushala = to remain)

meaning of „remain well at this place!“

Response: eya mukwai kafikenipo

Kafikenipo mukwai – good bye (saying to perso who leaves) meaning „going and reach well“

Mwende bwino – have a good journey. Go well

Response: eya mukwai. Na imwe mushale bwino („Thank you. Stay well“

Mwaculeni – greeting for somebody who is sick or at a funeral (kucula = to suffer)

At a funeral people also say mwaloosheni mukwai

Response: Eya mukwai. Mwaloosheni (kuloosha = to mourn)

Mwatandaleni – greeting for somebody who is walking (kutandala = to walk; to go and visit)

Some say instead „Mwafakasheni“