Subject-specific tag: #bemba-pronouns-third-person-plural-bantu-noun-classes-zambian-language
Welcome to Lesson 24 of the Latinum Institute Bemba Course. In this lesson, we explore the third person plural pronoun “they” in Bemba, which manifests as aba (independent form) and ba- (subject concord prefix). Understanding this pronoun is essential for discussing groups of people and expressing collective action—concepts deeply embedded in Zambian Bemba culture.
Unlike English, which has a single word “they,” Bemba expresses third person plural through the Bantu noun class system. The form aba belongs to Class 2, which specifically refers to groups of people (the plural of Class 1 umu-, which denotes a single person). When functioning as a subject in a sentence, “they” appears as the prefix ba- attached directly to the verb, following the typical Bantu agglutinative structure: Subject + Tense + Verb + Object.
In our 30 examples, you’ll see aba/ba- in various contexts: people working together, children playing, families gathering, and communities cooperating. These examples reflect the communal nature of Bemba society, where collective activities and group decision-making are fundamental to daily life. You’ll learn how “they” combines with different tense markers (present, past, future, continuous) and how the pronoun agrees with Class 2 nouns (people, humans).
This lesson draws from the universal language learning CSV, systematically building your vocabulary while introducing authentic Bemba sentence patterns. Each example includes granular word-by-word glossing to help you understand the internal structure of Bemba sentences.
Course index:
https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
FAQ Schema: Q: What does “they” mean in Bemba? A: In Bemba, “they” (referring to people) is expressed as aba when used independently or ba- when used as a subject prefix on verbs. This form belongs to noun Class 2, the plural class for human beings.
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aba = independent pronoun “they” (Class 2 - human plural) -
ba- = subject concord prefix “they” (attached to verbs) -
Bemba is pro-drop: the prefix ba- alone often suffices without needing aba -
Class 2 agreement: nouns like abantu (people), abaana (children), abakashi (women) all trigger ba- verb agreement -
Word order: Subject + Tense Marker + Verb + Object -
The use of “they” reflects communal values in Bemba culture
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24.1a Aba (aba) they baleya (ba-le-ya) they-PRES-go ku (ku) to shikola (shi-ko-la) school
24.1b Aba (aba) they baleya (ba-le-ya) they-PRES-go ku (ku) to shikola (shi-ko-la) school
24.2a Abaana (a-ba-a-na) the-PL-children balebomba (ba-le-bo-mba) they-PRES-work mu (mu) in munda (mu-nda) garden
24.2b Abaana (a-ba-a-na) the-PL-children balebomba (ba-le-bo-mba) they-PRES-work mu (mu) in munda (mu-nda) garden
24.3a Abantu (a-ba-ntu) the-PL-people bali (ba-li) they-are pa (pa) at ng’anda (ng’a-nda) home
24.3b Abantu (a-ba-ntu) the-PL-people bali (ba-li) they-are pa (pa) at ng’anda (ng’a-nda) home
24.4a Aba (aba) they baalile (ba-a-li-le) they-PAST-eat-PERF ubwali (u-bwa-li) nshima ne (ne) with umunani (u-mu-na-ni) relish
24.4b Aba (aba) they baalile (ba-a-li-le) they-PAST-eat-PERF ubwali (u-bwa-li) nshima ne (ne) with umunani (u-mu-na-ni) relish
24.5a Abakashi (a-ba-ka-shi) the-PL-women baleenda (ba-le-e-nda) they-PRES-walk ku (ku) to cisaka (ci-sa-ka) market
24.5b Abakashi (a-ba-ka-shi) the-PL-women baleenda (ba-le-e-nda) they-PRES-walk ku (ku) to cisaka (ci-sa-ka) market
24.6a Abaume (a-ba-u-me) the-PL-men balebomba (ba-le-bo-mba) they-PRES-work mu (mu) in mabala (ma-ba-la) fields
24.6b Abaume (a-ba-u-me) the-PL-men balebomba (ba-le-bo-mba) they-PRES-work mu (mu) in mabala (ma-ba-la) fields
24.7a Aba (aba) they bakaleesha (ba-ka-le-e-sha) they-FUT-buy amasaka (a-ma-sa-ka) maize lelo (le-lo) today
24.7b Aba (aba) they bakaleesha (ba-ka-le-e-sha) they-FUT-buy amasaka (a-ma-sa-ka) maize lelo (le-lo) today
24.8a Abalimi (a-ba-li-mi) the-PL-farmers balikosa (ba-li-ko-sa) they-PAST-harvest amalangala (a-ma-la-nga-la) pumpkins mayo (ma-yo) yesterday
24.8b Abalimi (a-ba-li-mi) the-PL-farmers balikosa (ba-li-ko-sa) they-PAST-harvest amalangala (a-ma-la-nga-la) pumpkins mayo (ma-yo) yesterday
24.9a Aba (aba) they balikwata (ba-li-kwa-ta) they-have amano (a-ma-no) reason na (na) and amatontonkanyo (a-ma-to-nto-nka-nyo) conscience
24.9b Aba (aba) they balikwata (ba-li-kwa-ta) they-have amano (a-ma-no) reason na (na) and amatontonkanyo (a-ma-to-nto-nka-nyo) conscience
24.10a Abasambilisha (a-ba-sa-mbi-li-sha) the-PL-teachers balelanda (ba-le-la-nda) they-PRES-speak iciBemba (i-ci-Be-mba) Bemba bwino (bwi-no) well
24.10b Abasambilisha (a-ba-sa-mbi-li-sha) the-PL-teachers balelanda (ba-le-la-nda) they-PRES-speak iciBemba (i-ci-Be-mba) Bemba bwino (bwi-no) well
24.11a Aba (aba) they balefwaya (ba-le-fwa-ya) they-PRES-want ukuya (u-ku-ya) to-go ku (ku) to Lusaka (Lu-sa-ka) Lusaka manda (ma-nda) tomorrow
24.11b Aba (aba) they balefwaya (ba-le-fwa-ya) they-PRES-want ukuya (u-ku-ya) to-go ku (ku) to Lusaka (Lu-sa-ka) Lusaka manda (ma-nda) tomorrow
24.12a Abaice (a-ba-i-ce) the-PL-children balebwala (ba-le-bwa-la) they-PRES-play panse (pa-nse) outside mu (mu) in musana (mu-sa-na) sunshine
24.12b Abaice (a-ba-i-ce) the-PL-children balebwala (ba-le-bwa-la) they-PRES-play panse (pa-nse) outside mu (mu) in musana (mu-sa-na) sunshine
24.13a Aba (aba) they balesambilila (ba-le-sa-mbi-li-la) they-PRES-study mu (mu) in libulukutu (li-bu-lu-ku-tu) library cila (ci-la) every bushiku (bu-shi-ku) day
24.13b Aba (aba) they balesambilila (ba-le-sa-mbi-li-la) they-PRES-study mu (mu) in libulukutu (li-bu-lu-ku-tu) library cila (ci-la) every bushiku (bu-shi-ku) day
24.14a Abafyashi (a-ba-fya-shi) the-PL-parents baletungilila (ba-le-tu-ngi-li-la) they-PRES-care-for abaana (a-ba-a-na) the-PL-children babo (ba-bo) their na (na) with uluse (u-lu-se) love
24.14b Abafyashi (a-ba-fya-shi) the-PL-parents baletungilila (ba-le-tu-ngi-li-la) they-PRES-care-for abaana (a-ba-a-na) the-PL-children babo (ba-bo) their na (na) with uluse (u-lu-se) love
24.15a Aba (aba) they bafwile (ba-fwi-le) they-should ukulacita (u-ku-la-ci-ta) to-do ifintu (i-fi-ntu) things ku (ku) to banabo (ba-na-bo) others mu (mu) in mutima (mu-ti-ma) spirit wa (wa) of bwananyina (bwa-na-nyi-na) brotherhood
24.15b Aba (aba) they bafwile (ba-fwi-le) they-should ukulacita (u-ku-la-ci-ta) to-do ifintu (i-fi-ntu) things ku (ku) to banabo (ba-na-bo) others mu (mu) in mutima (mu-ti-ma) spirit wa (wa) of bwananyina (bwa-na-nyi-na) brotherhood
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24.1 Aba baleya ku shikola. “They are going to school.”
24.2 Abaana balebomba mu munda. “The children are working in the garden.”
24.3 Abantu bali pa ng’anda. “The people are at home.”
24.4 Aba baalile ubwali ne umunani. “They ate nshima with relish.”
24.5 Abakashi baleenda ku cisaka. “The women are walking to the market.”
24.6 Abaume balebomba mu mabala. “The men are working in the fields.”
24.7 Aba bakaleesha amasaka lelo. “They will buy maize today.”
24.8 Abalimi balikosa amalangala mayo. “The farmers harvested pumpkins yesterday.”
24.9 Aba balikwata amano na amatontonkanyo. “They have reason and conscience.”
24.10 Abasambilisha balelanda iciBemba bwino. “The teachers speak Bemba well.”
24.11 Aba balefwaya ukuya ku Lusaka manda. “They want to go to Lusaka tomorrow.”
24.12 Abaice balebwala panse mu musana. “The children are playing outside in the sunshine.”
24.13 Aba balesambilila mu libulukutu cila bushiku. “They study in the library every day.”
24.14 Abafyashi baletungilila abaana babo na uluse. “The parents care for their children with love.”
24.15 Aba bafwile ukulacita ifintu ku banabo mu mutima wa bwananyina. “They should do things to others in a spirit of brotherhood.”
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24.1 Aba baleya ku shikola.
24.2 Abaana balebomba mu munda.
24.3 Abantu bali pa ng’anda.
24.4 Aba baalile ubwali ne umunani.
24.5 Abakashi baleenda ku cisaka.
24.6 Abaume balebomba mu mabala.
24.7 Aba bakaleesha amasaka lelo.
24.8 Abalimi balikosa amalangala mayo.
24.9 Aba balikwata amano na amatontonkanyo.
24.10 Abasambilisha balelanda iciBemba bwino.
24.11 Aba balefwaya ukuya ku Lusaka manda.
24.12 Abaice balebwala panse mu musana.
24.13 Aba balesambilila mu libulukutu cila bushiku.
24.14 Abafyashi baletungilila abaana babo na uluse.
24.15 Aba bafwile ukulacita ifintu ku banabo mu mutima wa bwananyina.
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The third person plural pronoun “they” in Bemba operates within the Bantu noun class system and has two primary forms:
1. Independent Pronoun: aba
The standalone form aba is used when you need to emphasize “they” or when the pronoun stands alone without a verb: -
Aba bali bene? “Who are they?” -
Ni aba. “It’s them.” -
Aba bonse. “All of them.”
2. Subject Concord: ba-
More commonly, “they” appears as the prefix ba- attached directly to the verb. This is the agglutinative pattern typical of Bantu languages:
Structure: ba- + tense marker + verb stem + final vowel
Examples with different tenses: -
ba-le-ya = they are going (present progressive) -
ba-a-li-le = they ate (past perfect) -
ba-ka-leesha = they will buy (future) -
ba-li-kwata = they have (present stative)
3. Noun Class Agreement
The ba- prefix corresponds to Class 2 nouns, which are the plural forms of Class 1 (people):
Class 1 (Singular) Class 2 (Plural) Verb Agreement umuntu (person) abantu (people) ba- umwana (child) abaana (children) ba- umukashi (woman) abakashi (women) ba- umulume (man) abaume (men) ba-
4. Pro-Drop Language
Bemba is a pro-drop language, meaning the subject pronoun can be omitted when the verb prefix makes it clear: -
Baleya ku shikola. = “(They) are going to school.” -
Baalile ubwali. = “(They) ate nshima.”
The standalone aba is only necessary for emphasis or clarity.
5. Negative Formation
To make a negative sentence with “they,” add ta- before the ba- prefix: -
Tabaleya. = “They are not going.” -
Tabaalile. = “They did not eat.” -
Tabakaleesha. = “They will not buy.”
6. Other Noun Classes
Note that “they” in Bemba changes depending on the noun class: -
Class 2 (people): ba- → abantu baleya (people go) -
Class 4 (plants): fi- → ifimuti fikula (trees grow) -
Class 6 (things): ya- → amashi yapya (water is hot) -
Class 8 (things): fi- → ifintu fingi (many things)
This lesson focuses on Class 2 (people), the most common usage of “they.”
Mistake 1: Using the wrong class concord
❌ Incorrect: Ifimuti balikula. (trees grow - using ba- instead of fi-) ✓ Correct: Ifimuti filikula. (trees grow - using fi- for Class 4)
Mistake 2: Forgetting the subject prefix entirely
❌ Incorrect: Leya ku shikola. (missing the ba-) ✓ Correct: Baleya ku shikola. (they are going to school)
Mistake 3: Double-marking the subject
❌ Incorrect: Aba abantu baleya. (redundant - both aba and abantu) ✓ Correct: Abantu baleya. OR Aba baleya. (choose one)
Mistake 4: Confusing singular and plural verb forms
❌ Incorrect: Abantu aleya. (people go - using singular a- instead of ba-) ✓ Correct: Abantu baleya. (people go - using plural ba-)
Mistake 5: Mixing class agreements
❌ Incorrect: Abakashi fileya. (women go - using Class 4 fi- instead of ba-) ✓ Correct: Abakashi baleya. (women go - using Class 2 ba-)
English has a simple invariable pronoun “they” that works for all plural subjects (people, animals, things). Bemba’s system is more complex: -
English: they (singular form for all plurals) -
Bemba: Multiple forms depending on noun class -
People: ba- (Class 2) -
Things: fi- (Class 4 or 8) -
Liquid/mass: ya- (Class 6)
This reflects the Bantu worldview that categorizes reality into different semantic classes, each with its own grammatical behavior.
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Identify your subject: Are you talking about people? → Use Class 2 -
Choose standalone or prefix: -
Emphasis needed? → Use aba -
Normal statement? → Just use ba- on the verb -
Add tense marker: ba- + le (present) / a (past) / ka (future) -
Add verb stem: The action word (e.g., -ya “go”, -bomba “work”) -
Add final vowel: Usually -a -
Add objects/complements: ku shikola “to school”, etc.
Example construction: -
They + are going + to school -
ba + le + y + a + ku shikola -
Baleya ku shikola.
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The third person plural “they” holds special significance in Bemba culture, which emphasizes communal living, collective decision-making, and group identity. Unlike highly individualistic cultures, Bemba society traditionally operates on principles of ubuntu (humanity toward others) and bwananyina (brotherhood/sisterhood).
Communal Living:
In traditional Bemba villages, activities are rarely solitary. The pronoun “they” constantly appears in everyday speech: -
Balebomba pamo. “They work together.” -
Balifika bonse. “They all arrived.” -
Balepanga. “They are meeting/deciding.”
This reflects the practical reality that farming, fishing, building, and most domestic tasks involve group effort.
Formal vs. Informal Contexts:
The use of aba/ba- remains consistent across registers, but the contexts differ: -
Formal/Respectful: Abakalamba balelanda. “The elders are speaking.” -
Informal/Familiar: Abaice balebwala. “The kids are playing.”
In formal settings, especially when referring to chiefs, elders, or officials, speakers may avoid the pronoun entirely and use full titles repeatedly to show respect.
Regional Variations:
Bemba is spoken across Northern Province, Luapula, Copperbelt, and parts of Central Province in Zambia. Minor dialectal variations exist: -
Standard Bemba: Baleya (they are going) -
Copperbelt “Town Bemba”: Sometimes incorporates English: Ba-ya (simplified) -
Rural dialects: May use fuller forms: Balikuya (they are going)
The standard form taught in schools and used in literature is baleya with the progressive marker -le-.
Gender Neutrality:
Unlike English, which increasingly uses “they” as a gender-neutral singular, Bemba’s aba/ba- is strictly plural. However, the system is inherently gender-neutral for groups: -
Abaume (men) → baleya -
Abakashi (women) → baleya -
Abaume na abakashi (men and women) → baleya
The verb agreement doesn’t change based on the gender composition of the group—all Class 2 human plurals use ba-.
Idiomatic Expressions:
Several Bemba proverbs feature “they”: -
Balebomba pamo bafika pa citente. “Those who work together reach the anthill.” (Unity is strength) -
Bakabona bonse. “They will see all of them.” (Truth will prevail) -
Tabakwata umutwe umo. “They don’t share one head.” (People have different opinions)
The Bemba language area covers a vast region, and each zone has subtle variations:
Northern Province (Kasama, Mbala): Considered the “standard” or “deep” Bemba. Pronunciation is clear, and grammatical structures follow classical patterns. This is the Bemba used in literature and formal education.
Copperbelt Province (Ndola, Kitwe): “Town Bemba” or “Copperbelt Bemba” shows more English and Swahili influence. Some speakers simplify verb structures, but ba- agreement remains consistent.
Luapula Province: Closer to Luba languages of DRC. Some vocabulary differs, but the pronoun system is identical.
Word Order Flexibility:
While the standard order is Subject-Verb-Object, Bemba allows some flexibility for emphasis: -
Standard: Abantu baleya ku shikola. “The people are going to school.” -
Emphasized: Ku shikola, abantu baleya. “To school, the people are going.” -
Topicalized: Baleya, abantu, ku shikola. “They’re going, the people, to school.”
In all cases, the ba- prefix remains attached to the verb.
Question Formation:
Questions with “they” simply add rising intonation or question words: -
Baleya? “Are they going?” (rising intonation) -
Baleya na? “Are they going?” (with na question particle) -
Baleyapi? “Where are they going?” -
Baleya shani? “How are they going?”
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From Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Bemba (official UN translation):
Abantu (a-ba-ntu) the-PL-people bonse (bo-nse) all bafyalwa (ba-fya-lwa) they-are-born abalubuka (a-ba-lu-bu-ka) the-PL-free nokulingana (no-ku-li-nga-na) and-to-equal mu (mu) in mucinshi (mu-ci-nshi) dignity nensambu (ne-nsa-mbu) and-rights Balikwata (ba-li-kwa-ta) they-have amano (a-ma-no) reason nokutontonkanya (no-ku-to-nto-nka-nya) and-conscience eico (e-i-co) therefore bafwile (ba-fwi-le) they-should ukulacita (u-ku-la-ci-ta) to-do ifintu (i-fi-ntu) things ku (ku) to banabo (ba-na-bo) others mu (mu) in mutima (mu-ti-ma) spirit wa (wa) of bwananyina (bwa-na-nyi-na) brotherhood
Abantu bonse bafyalwa abalubuka nokulingana mu mucinshi nensambu. Balikwata amano nokutontonkanya, eico bafwile ukulacita ifintu ku banabo mu mutima wa bwananyina.
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”
Abantu bonse bafyalwa abalubuka nokulingana mu mucinshi nensambu. Balikwata amano nokutontonkanya, eico bafwile ukulacita ifintu ku banabo mu mutima wa bwananyina.
This passage demonstrates several key uses of the third person plural:
bafyalwa (they are born) - passive construction with ba- subject prefix Balikwata (They have) - ba- + li (present stative) + kwata (hold/have) bafwile (they should) - modal verb with ba- prefix expressing obligation
Key vocabulary: -
bonse = all (agrees with Class 2) -
abalubuka = free ones (Class 2 adjective) -
nokulingana = and to equal (infinitive with copulative na-) -
amano = reason, understanding (Class 6 noun) -
bwananyina = brotherhood (abstract noun, literally “state of being siblings”)
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights translation into Bemba was completed as part of the United Nations’ effort to make human rights accessible in all major world languages. The Bemba version uses formal, elevated language appropriate for a legal document.
Notice how the passage uses “they” (ba-) six times to describe all humanity collectively. This reflects both the universal nature of human rights and the Bemba cultural emphasis on communal identity. The concept of bwananyina (brotherhood/siblinghood) is deeply rooted in Bemba philosophy, where all people are considered part of an extended family.
The verb bafwile (they should/must) carries moral weight. Unlike a simple future tense, this modal construction expresses ethical obligation—a concept central to Bemba social structure, where individuals have duties to their community.
This text is widely used in Bemba language education as an example of formal written Bemba and appears in civic education materials throughout Zambia.
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The following narrative demonstrates “they” in a coherent story about village life, showing how collective action is described in Bemba.
24.16a Mu (mu) in musumba (mu-su-mba) village wa (wa) of Chishimba (Chi-shi-mba) Chishimba abantu (a-ba-ntu) the-PL-people balefwaya (ba-le-fwa-ya) they-PRES-want ukwakila (u-kwa-ki-la) to-build shikola (shi-ko-la) school shopya (sho-pya) new
24.16b Mu (mu) in musumba (mu-su-mba) village wa (wa) of Chishimba (Chi-shi-mba) Chishimba abantu (a-ba-ntu) the-PL-people balefwaya (ba-le-fwa-ya) they-PRES-want ukwakila (u-kwa-ki-la) to-build shikola (shi-ko-la) school shopya (sho-pya) new
24.17a Abaume (a-ba-u-me) the-PL-men balebomba (ba-le-bo-mba) they-PRES-work ukuceka (u-ku-ce-ka) to-cut imiti (i-mi-ti) the-PL-trees elyo (e-lyo) and-then baleetwala (ba-le-e-twa-la) they-PRES-carry ifinkuni (i-fi-nku-ni) the-PL-logs
24.17b Abaume (a-ba-u-me) the-PL-men balebomba (ba-le-bo-mba) they-PRES-work ukuceka (u-ku-ce-ka) to-cut imiti (i-mi-ti) the-PL-trees elyo (e-lyo) and-then baleetwala (ba-le-e-twa-la) they-PRES-carry ifinkuni (i-fi-nku-ni) the-PL-logs
24.18a Abakashi (a-ba-ka-shi) the-PL-women baletungulula (ba-le-tu-ngu-lu-la) they-PRES-prepare ifyakulya (i-fya-ku-lya) the-PL-food fya (fya) for abalimi (a-ba-li-mi) the-PL-workers bonse (bo-nse) all
24.18b Abakashi (a-ba-ka-shi) the-PL-women baletungulula (ba-le-tu-ngu-lu-la) they-PRES-prepare ifyakulya (i-fya-ku-lya) the-PL-food fya (fya) for abalimi (a-ba-li-mi) the-PL-workers bonse (bo-nse) all
24.19a Abaice (a-ba-i-ce) the-PL-children balebikila (ba-le-bi-ki-la) they-PRES-help ukufwila (u-ku-fwi-la) to-carry amenshi (a-me-nshi) the-PL-water ku (ku) to basambilishi (ba-sa-mbi-li-shi) the-PL-workers
24.19b Abaice (a-ba-i-ce) the-PL-children balebikila (ba-le-bi-ki-la) they-PRES-help ukufwila (u-ku-fwi-la) to-carry amenshi (a-me-nshi) the-PL-water ku (ku) to basambilishi (ba-sa-mbi-li-shi) the-PL-workers
24.20a Abakalamba (a-ba-ka-la-mba) the-PL-elders baleikalala (ba-le-i-ka-la-la) they-PRES-sit panse (pa-nse) down elyo (e-lyo) and balebapa (ba-le-ba-pa) they-PRES-give amano (a-ma-no) advice
24.20b Abakalamba (a-ba-ka-la-mba) the-PL-elders baleikalala (ba-le-i-ka-la-la) they-PRES-sit panse (pa-nse) down elyo (e-lyo) and balebapa (ba-le-ba-pa) they-PRES-give amano (a-ma-no) advice
24.21a Bonse (bo-nse) all balebomba (ba-le-bo-mba) they-PRES-work pamo (pa-mo) together na (na) with umutima (u-mu-ti-ma) spirit umo (u-mo) one
24.21b Bonse (bo-nse) all balebomba (ba-le-bo-mba) they-PRES-work pamo (pa-mo) together na (na) with umutima (u-mu-ti-ma) spirit umo (u-mo) one
24.22a Pali (pa-li) after imyaka (i-mya-ka) the-PL-weeks ingi (i-ngi) many shikola (shi-ko-la) school shalikwiikilwa (sha-li-kwi-i-ki-lwa) it-PAST-finish-PASS elyo (e-lyo) and-then balemona (ba-le-mo-na) they-PRES-see ishintu (i-shi-ntu) the-thing shabene (sha-be-ne) their
24.22b Pali (pa-li) after imyaka (i-mya-ka) the-PL-weeks ingi (i-ngi) many shikola (shi-ko-la) school shalikwiikilwa (sha-li-kwi-i-ki-lwa) it-PAST-finish-PASS elyo (e-lyo) and-then balemona (ba-le-mo-na) they-PRES-see ishintu (i-shi-ntu) the-thing shabene (sha-be-ne) their
24.23a Umukulu (u-mu-ku-lu) the-chief aleshika (a-le-shi-ka) he-PRES-arrive pa (pa) at nshitano (nshi-ta-no) ceremony elyo (e-lyo) and aba (aba) they bonse (bo-nse) all baleimba (ba-le-i-mba) they-PRES-sing na (na) with cinsansa (ci-nsa-nsa) joy
24.23b Umukulu (u-mu-ku-lu) the-chief aleshika (a-le-shi-ka) he-PRES-arrive pa (pa) at nshitano (nshi-ta-no) ceremony elyo (e-lyo) and aba (aba) they bonse (bo-nse) all baleimba (ba-le-i-mba) they-PRES-sing na (na) with cinsansa (ci-nsa-nsa) joy
24.24a Aba (aba) they balatongela (ba-la-to-nge-la) they-thank Lesa (Le-sa) God pakuti (pa-ku-ti) because balebomba (ba-le-bo-mba) they-work pamo (pa-mo) together bwino (bwi-no) well
24.24b Aba (aba) they balatongela (ba-la-to-nge-la) they-thank Lesa (Le-sa) God pakuti (pa-ku-ti) because balebomba (ba-le-bo-mba) they-work pamo (pa-mo) together bwino (bwi-no) well
24.25a Abaana (a-ba-a-na) the-PL-children baleya (ba-le-ya) they-PRES-go mu (mu) into shikola (shi-ko-la) school shopya (sho-pya) new elyo (e-lyo) and balesambilila (ba-le-sa-mbi-li-la) they-PRES-study ukubalila (u-ku-ba-li-la) to-read na (na) and ukulemba (u-ku-le-mba) to-write
24.25b Abaana (a-ba-a-na) the-PL-children baleya (ba-le-ya) they-PRES-go mu (mu) into shikola (shi-ko-la) school shopya (sho-pya) new elyo (e-lyo) and balesambilila (ba-le-sa-mbi-li-la) they-PRES-study ukubalila (u-ku-ba-li-la) to-read na (na) and ukulemba (u-ku-le-mba) to-write
24.26a Abasambilisha (a-ba-sa-mbi-li-sha) the-PL-teachers bafuma (ba-fu-ma) they-come ku (ku) from tauni (ta-u-ni) town elyo (e-lyo) and baletontonkanya (ba-le-to-nto-nka-nya) they-PRES-teach abaice (a-ba-i-ce) the-PL-children na (na) with uluse (u-lu-se) love
24.26b Abasambilisha (a-ba-sa-mbi-li-sha) the-PL-teachers bafuma (ba-fu-ma) they-come ku (ku) from tauni (ta-u-ni) town elyo (e-lyo) and baletontonkanya (ba-le-to-nto-nka-nya) they-PRES-teach abaice (a-ba-i-ce) the-PL-children na (na) with uluse (u-lu-se) love
24.27a Cila (ci-la) every cikolo (ci-ko-lo) morning abaana (a-ba-a-na) the-PL-children baleimba (ba-le-i-mba) they-PRES-sing inyimbo (i-nyi-mbo) the-PL-songs sha (sha) of Zambia (Za-mbia) Zambia elyo (e-lyo) and baleya (ba-le-ya) they-PRES-go mu (mu) into makalasi (ma-ka-la-si) the-PL-classes
24.27b Cila (ci-la) every cikolo (ci-ko-lo) morning abaana (a-ba-a-na) the-PL-children baleimba (ba-le-i-mba) they-PRES-sing inyimbo (i-nyi-mbo) the-PL-songs sha (sha) of Zambia (Za-mbia) Zambia elyo (e-lyo) and baleya (ba-le-ya) they-PRES-go mu (mu) into makalasi (ma-ka-la-si) the-PL-classes
24.28a Abafyashi (a-ba-fya-shi) the-PL-parents balemona (ba-le-mo-na) they-PRES-see ukucinja (u-ku-ci-nja) the-change mu (mu) in musumba (mu-su-mba) village elyo (e-lyo) and balefwaya (ba-le-fwa-ya) they-PRES-want ukushitila (u-ku-shi-ti-la) to-continue ukubomba (u-ku-bo-mba) to-work pamo (pa-mo) together
24.28b Abafyashi (a-ba-fya-shi) the-PL-parents balemona (ba-le-mo-na) they-PRES-see ukucinja (u-ku-ci-nja) the-change mu (mu) in musumba (mu-su-mba) village elyo (e-lyo) and balefwaya (ba-le-fwa-ya) they-PRES-want ukushitila (u-ku-shi-ti-la) to-continue ukubomba (u-ku-bo-mba) to-work pamo (pa-mo) together
24.29a Abakalamba (a-ba-ka-la-mba) the-PL-elders balanda (ba-la-nda) they-say ukuti (u-ku-ti) that nga (nga) when abantu (a-ba-ntu) the-PL-people balebomba (ba-le-bo-mba) they-work pamo (pa-mo) together tabali (ta-ba-li) not-they-are icilema (i-ci-le-ma) the-difficulty cikulu (ci-ku-lu) big
24.29b Abakalamba (a-ba-ka-la-mba) the-PL-elders balanda (ba-la-nda) they-say ukuti (u-ku-ti) that nga (nga) when abantu (a-ba-ntu) the-PL-people balebomba (ba-le-bo-mba) they-work pamo (pa-mo) together tabali (ta-ba-li) not-they-are icilema (i-ci-le-ma) the-difficulty cikulu (ci-ku-lu) big
24.30a Aba (aba) they bonse (bo-nse) all mu (mu) in musumba (mu-su-mba) village balefwaya (ba-le-fwa-ya) they-PRES-want ukutungilila (u-ku-tu-ngi-li-la) to-care-for abaana (a-ba-a-na) the-PL-children na (na) with ukubapa (u-ku-ba-pa) to-give-them isambililo (i-sa-mbi-li-lo) education shabene (sha-be-ne) their
24.30b Aba (aba) they bonse (bo-nse) all mu (mu) in musumba (mu-su-mba) village balefwaya (ba-le-fwa-ya) they-PRES-want ukutungilila (u-ku-tu-ngi-li-la) to-care-for abaana (a-ba-a-na) the-PL-children na (na) with ukubapa (u-ku-ba-pa) to-give-them isambililo (i-sa-mbi-li-lo) education shabene (sha-be-ne) their
24.16 Mu musumba wa Chishimba, abantu balefwaya ukwakila shikola shopya. “In Chishimba village, the people want to build a new school.”
24.17 Abaume balebomba ukuceka imiti elyo baleetwala ifinkuni. “The men work cutting trees and then they carry the logs.”
24.18 Abakashi baletungulula ifyakulya fya abalimi bonse. “The women prepare food for all the workers.”
24.19 Abaice balebikila ukufwila amenshi ku basambilishi. “The children help to carry water to the workers.”
24.20 Abakalamba baleikalala panse elyo balebapa amano. “The elders sit down and they give advice.”
24.21 Bonse balebomba pamo na umutima umo. “All of them work together with one spirit.”
24.22 Pali imyaka ingi, shikola shalikwiikilwa elyo balemona ishintu shabene. “After many weeks, the school was finished and they see their accomplishment.”
24.23 Umukulu aleshika pa nshitano elyo aba bonse baleimba na cinsansa. “The chief arrives at the ceremony and they all sing with joy.”
24.24 Aba balatongela Lesa pakuti balebomba pamo bwino. “They thank God because they work together well.”
24.25 Abaana baleya mu shikola shopya elyo balesambilila ukubalila na ukulemba. “The children go into the new school and they study reading and writing.”
24.26 Abasambilisha bafuma ku tauni elyo baletontonkanya abaice na uluse. “The teachers come from town and they teach the children with love.”
24.27 Cila cikolo, abaana baleimba inyimbo sha Zambia elyo baleya mu makalasi. “Every morning, the children sing Zambian songs and they go into classes.”
24.28 Abafyashi balemona ukucinja mu musumba elyo balefwaya ukushitila ukubomba pamo. “The parents see the change in the village and they want to continue working together.”
24.29 Abakalamba balanda ukuti nga abantu balebomba pamo, tabali icilema cikulu. “The elders say that when people work together, there is no great difficulty.”
24.30 Aba bonse mu musumba balefwaya ukutungilila abaana na ukubapa isambililo shabene. “They all in the village want to care for the children and give them their education.”
24.16 Mu musumba wa Chishimba, abantu balefwaya ukwakila shikola shopya.
24.17 Abaume balebomba ukuceka imiti elyo baleetwala ifinkuni.
24.18 Abakashi baletungulula ifyakulya fya abalimi bonse.
24.19 Abaice balebikila ukufwila amenshi ku basambilishi.
24.20 Abakalamba baleikalala panse elyo balebapa amano.
24.21 Bonse balebomba pamo na umutima umo.
24.22 Pali imyaka ingi, shikola shalikwiikilwa elyo balemona ishintu shabene.
24.23 Umukulu aleshika pa nshitano elyo aba bonse baleimba na cinsansa.
24.24 Aba balatongela Lesa pakuti balebomba pamo bwino.
24.25 Abaana baleya mu shikola shopya elyo balesambilila ukubalila na ukulemba.
24.26 Abasambilisha bafuma ku tauni elyo baletontonkanya abaice na uluse.
24.27 Cila cikolo, abaana baleimba inyimbo sha Zambia elyo baleya mu makalasi.
24.28 Abafyashi balemona ukucinja mu musumba elyo balefwaya ukushitila ukubomba pamo.
24.29 Abakalamba balanda ukuti nga abantu balebomba pamo, tabali icilema cikulu.
24.30 Aba bonse mu musumba balefwaya ukutungilila abaana na ukubapa isambililo shabene.
This narrative section demonstrates several important patterns with “they”:
Collective Action Verbs: -
balebomba pamo = they work together (pamo = together) -
baletungulula = they prepare (causative extension) -
balebikila = they help (applicative -il- shows beneficiary)
Sequential Connectors: The conjunction elyo (and then) appears frequently, showing the sequential nature of community activities. This is characteristic of Bemba narrative style.
Universal Quantifiers: -
bonse = all of them (agrees with Class 2) -
abantu bonse = all people -
aba bonse = all of them
Tense Variation: -
Present progressive: ba-le- (ongoing action) -
Simple past: ba-a- (completed action) -
Present stative: ba-li- (current state)
Noun Class Switching: Notice how the narrative switches between different subject classes: -
People (Class 2): ba- -
School (Class 7): sha- (shalikwiikilwa = it was finished) -
Food (Class 8): fya- (ifyakulya)
This demonstrates that while this lesson focuses on “they” for people, Bemba uses different concords for different noun classes.
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This lesson is part of the Latinum Institute Modern Language Course series for Bemba (iciBemba), the most widely spoken language in Zambia. The course follows a systematic, CSV-based progression through the 1000 most frequent words in English, teaching you how each concept is expressed in authentic Bemba.
The Latinum Institute Methodology:
Since 2006, the Latinum Institute has pioneered the use of interlinear glossed texts for autodidact language learners. This method allows you to see the exact correspondence between words in the target language and English, making grammar patterns transparent and memorable.
For Bemba, an agglutinative Bantu language, this approach is particularly effective. By seeing how prefixes, stems, and suffixes combine (e.g., ba-le-bo-mba = they-PRES-work), you internalize the grammatical system naturally without memorizing abstract rules.
Why Interlinear Glossing Works:
Traditional language courses often hide the structure of sentences behind smooth translations. The Latinum Institute method shows you every morpheme, every grammatical marker, every element of meaning. This: -
Accelerates comprehension: You see patterns immediately -
Builds accurate mental models: You understand WHY sentences work -
Enables independent reading: You can analyze new sentences yourself -
Respects linguistic structure: You learn Bemba as Bemba, not as “English with different words”
About Bemba:
Bemba (iciBemba) is spoken by approximately 4 million people as a first language and many more as a second language across Zambia. It belongs to the Bantu language family (Zone M.42) and features: -
18 noun classes with concordial agreement -
Agglutinative morphology (building words from meaningful parts) -
Subject-Verb-Object word order -
Rich verbal system with tense, aspect, mood, and voice distinctions -
Phonetic Latin-script orthography
The language is used in education, media, government, and daily life throughout Northern Province, Luapula Province, Copperbelt, and parts of Central Province.
Course Resources: -
Main course index:
https://latinum.substack.com/p/index -
Latinum Institute:
https://latinum.org.uk -
Trustpilot reviews: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
Learning Path:
Each lesson builds systematically on previous vocabulary and structures. The CSV progression ensures you learn the most useful words first, while the interlinear format ensures you understand the grammatical system deeply.
We encourage you to: -
Read through each section multiple times -
Cover the English glosses and test yourself -
Create your own sentences using the patterns -
Seek out authentic Bemba materials to read -
Practice with native speakers whenever possible
Cultural Authenticity:
All examples in this course reflect authentic Bemba usage patterns. Where possible, we draw on real Bemba literature, official documents (like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights), and consultation with native speakers. This ensures you’re learning real Bemba as it’s actually spoken and written, not artificial “textbook” language.
The Latinum Institute has been creating materials for autodidact learners since 2006, serving thousands of students worldwide in their journey toward linguistic proficiency.
Mweende kabotu! (Go well!)
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