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Link to course index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
The English preposition “at” presents an interesting challenge for English speakers learning Bemba, because Bemba doesn’t use separate preposition words in the same way. Instead, Bemba—like other Bantu languages—expresses location through a sophisticated system of locative prefixes that attach directly to nouns.
While English says “at the house” with a separate preposition, Bemba transforms the noun itself: ng’anda (house) becomes pa ng’anda (at the house). This isn’t just a grammatical quirk—it represents a fundamentally different way of conceptualizing space and location.
The three main locative prefixes in Bemba are: -
pa- = at (specific, identifiable location) -
ku- = to/from/at (general location or direction) -
mu- = in (internal, enclosed location)
These prefixes correspond to noun classes 16, 17, and 18 respectively, and they trigger agreement on verbs, adjectives, and other words in the sentence. Understanding this system is essential for expressing any kind of spatial relationship in Bemba.
In this lesson, we focus on how Bemba speakers express the concept of “at” through these locative constructions, with particular attention to pa- as the most direct equivalent to the English “at.”
FAQ Schema: Q: What does “at” mean in Bemba? A: Bemba expresses “at” primarily through the locative prefix pa-, which attaches to nouns to indicate a specific location. For example, “pa ng’anda” means “at the house,” and “pa sukulu” means “at school.”
Key Takeaways: -
Bemba uses prefixes, not separate words, to express “at” -
pa- indicates specific, identifiable location (most similar to “at”) -
ku- indicates general location or direction (”at/to/from”) -
mu- indicates internal location (”in”) -
These prefixes form a coherent system for expressing spatial relationships -
The choice of prefix depends on how the speaker conceptualizes the location
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26.1a Umwana umwana child ali ali is pa pa at sukulu sukulu school
26.1b Umwana (u-mwa-na) child ali (a-li) is pa (pa) at sukulu (su-ku-lu) school
26.2a Abantu abantu people balikala balikala they-sit pa pa at maliketi maliketi market
26.2b Abantu (a-ba-ntu) people balikala (ba-li-ka-la) they-sit pa (pa) at maliketi (ma-li-ke-ti) market
26.3a Nali nali I-was ku ku to/at ng’anda ng’anda house mailo mailo yesterday
26.3b Nali (na-li) I-was ku (ku) to/at ng’anda (ng’a-nda) house mailo (ma-i-lo) yesterday
26.4a Bashakwata bashakwata they-will-meet pa pa at boma boma government-office lelo lelo today
26.4b Bashakwata (ba-sha-kwa-ta) they-will-meet pa (pa) at boma (bo-ma) government-office lelo (le-lo) today
26.5a Inkoko inkoko chicken ili ili is mu mu in cipya cipya basket
26.5b Inkoko (i-nko-ko) chicken ili (i-li) is mu (mu) in cipya (ci-pya) basket
26.6a Tukalala tukalala we-will-sleep ku ku at calo calo village ca ca of bamayo bamayo mother
26.6b Tukalala (tu-ka-la-la) we-will-sleep ku (ku) at calo (ca-lo) village ca (ca) of bamayo (ba-ma-yo) mother
26.7a Abalimi abalimi farmers baleya baleya they-go ku ku to munda munda field cila cila every bushiku bushiku day
26.7b Abalimi (a-ba-li-mi) farmers baleya (ba-le-ya) they-go ku (ku) to munda (mu-nda) field cila (ci-la) every bushiku (bu-shi-ku) day
26.8a Umukashi umukashi woman alikwata alikwata she-sits pa pa at tebulo tebulo table na na with abana abana children
26.8b Umukashi (u-mu-ka-shi) woman alikwata (a-li-kwa-ta) she-sits pa (pa) at tebulo (te-bu-lo) table na (na) with abana (a-ba-na) children
26.9a Icitabo icitabo book cili cili it-is pa pa on akasakatamo akasakatamo shelf
26.9b Icitabo (i-ci-ta-bo) book cili (ci-li) it-is pa (pa) on akasakatamo (a-ka-sa-ka-ta-mo) shelf
26.10a Balume balume men bakabomba bakabomba they-work pa pa at inkombwa inkombwa mine
26.10b Balume (ba-lu-me) men bakabomba (ba-ka-bo-mba) they-work pa (pa) at inkombwa (i-nko-mbwa) mine
26.11a Ndeya ndeya I-go ku ku to citende citende church cila cila every mulungu mulungu Sunday
26.11b Ndeya (nde-ya) I-go ku (ku) to citende (ci-te-nde) church cila (ci-la) every mulungu (mu-lu-ngu) Sunday
26.12a Ifipya ifipya baskets fili fili they-are mu mu in ng’anda ng’anda house ya ya of banakulu banakulu grandmother
26.12b Ifipya (i-fi-pya) baskets fili (fi-li) they-are mu (mu) in ng’anda (ng’a-nda) house ya (ya) of banakulu (ba-na-ku-lu) grandmother
26.13a Batata batata father alikalilamo alikalilamo he-stays ku ku at Ndola Ndola Ndola pa pa at nchito nchito work
26.13b Batata (ba-ta-ta) father alikalilamo (a-li-ka-li-la-mo) he-stays ku (ku) at Ndola (Ndo-la) Ndola pa (pa) at nchito (nchi-to) work
26.14a Umusumba umusumba school uli uli it-is pa pa at cibaya cibaya courtyard ca ca of calo calo village
26.14b Umusumba (u-mu-su-mba) school uli (u-li) it-is pa (pa) at cibaya (ci-ba-ya) courtyard ca (ca) of calo (ca-lo) village
26.15a Abanakashi abanakashi women balepepesha balepepesha they-rest pa pa at mushi mushi under wa wa of icimuti icimuti tree
26.15b Abanakashi (a-ba-na-ka-shi) women balepepesha (ba-le-pe-pe-sha) they-rest pa (pa) at mushi (mu-shi) under wa (wa) of icimuti (i-ci-mu-ti) tree
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26.1 Umwana ali pa sukulu. Umwana ali pa sukulu. “The child is at school.”
26.2 Abantu balikala pa maliketi. Abantu balikala pa maliketi. “The people sit at the market.”
26.3 Nali ku ng’anda mailo. Nali ku ng’anda mailo. “I was at home yesterday.”
26.4 Bashakwata pa boma lelo. Bashakwata pa boma lelo. “They will meet at the government office today.”
26.5 Inkoko ili mu cipya. Inkoko ili mu cipya. “The chicken is in the basket.”
26.6 Tukalala ku calo ca bamayo. Tukalala ku calo ca bamayo. “We will sleep at mother’s village.”
26.7 Abalimi baleya ku munda cila bushiku. Abalimi baleya ku munda cila bushiku. “The farmers go to the field every day.”
26.8 Umukashi alikwata pa tebulo na abana. Umukashi alikwata pa tebulo na abana. “The woman sits at the table with the children.”
26.9 Icitabo cili pa akasakatamo. Icitabo cili pa akasakatamo. “The book is on the shelf.”
26.10 Balume bakabomba pa inkombwa. Balume bakabomba pa inkombwa. “The men work at the mine.”
26.11 Ndeya ku citende cila mulungu. Ndeya ku citende cila mulungu. “I go to church every Sunday.”
26.12 Ifipya fili mu ng’anda ya banakulu. Ifipya fili mu ng’anda ya banakulu. “The baskets are in grandmother’s house.”
26.13 Batata alikalilamo ku Ndola pa nchito. Batata alikalilamo ku Ndola pa nchito. “Father stays at Ndola at work.”
26.14 Umusumba uli pa cibaya ca calo. Umusumba uli pa cibaya ca calo. “The school is at the village courtyard.”
26.15 Abanakashi balepepesha pa mushi wa icimuti. Abanakashi balepepesha pa mushi wa icimuti. “The women rest under the tree.”
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26.1 Umwana ali pa sukulu. Umwana ali pa sukulu.
26.2 Abantu balikala pa maliketi. Abantu balikala pa maliketi.
26.3 Nali ku ng’anda mailo. Nali ku ng’anda mailo.
26.4 Bashakwata pa boma lelo. Bashakwata pa boma lelo.
26.5 Inkoko ili mu cipya. Inkoko ili mu cipya.
26.6 Tukalala ku calo ca bamayo. Tukalala ku calo ca bamayo.
26.7 Abalimi baleya ku munda cila bushiku. Abalimi baleya ku munda cila bushiku.
26.8 Umukashi alikwata pa tebulo na abana. Umukashi alikwata pa tebulo na abana.
26.9 Icitabo cili pa akasakatamo. Icitabo cili pa akasakatamo.
26.10 Balume bakabomba pa inkombwa. Balume bakabomba pa inkombwa.
26.11 Ndeya ku citende cila mulungu. Ndeya ku citende cila mulungu.
26.12 Ifipya fili mu ng’anda ya banakulu. Ifipya fili mu ng’anda ya banakulu.
26.13 Batata alikalilamo ku Ndola pa nchito. Batata alikalilamo ku Ndola pa nchito.
26.14 Umusumba uli pa cibaya ca calo. Umusumba uli pa cibaya ca calo.
26.15 Abanakashi balepepesha pa mushi wa icimuti. Abanakashi balepepesha pa mushi wa icimuti.
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These are the grammar rules for locative prefixes (pa-, ku-, mu-) in Bemba:
Bemba expresses location through three primary prefixes that attach to nouns. Unlike English, which uses separate preposition words, Bemba integrates location directly into the noun structure:
1. pa- (Noun Class 16 - Specific Location) -
Indicates a specific, identifiable place -
Equivalent to English “at” (specific point) or “on” (surface) -
Examples: pa sukulu (at school), pa tebulo (at/on the table), pa boma (at the office)
2. ku- (Noun Class 17 - General Location/Direction) -
Indicates general location or direction -
Can mean “at,” “to,” or “from” depending on context -
Often used with place names and “home”: ku ng’anda (at home), ku Ndola (at/to Ndola) -
Examples: ku munda (to/at the field), ku citende (to/at church)
3. mu- (Noun Class 18 - Internal Location) -
Indicates being inside or within something -
Equivalent to English “in” or “inside” -
Examples: mu ng’anda (in the house), mu cipya (in the basket)
To form a locative expression: -
Take the base noun: ng’anda (house) -
Add the appropriate locative prefix: pa ng’anda (at the house) -
The noun itself doesn’t change—only the prefix is added
Locative prefixes trigger agreement on verbs and other sentence elements: -
Subject marker for pa-: pa- (Class 16) -
Subject marker for ku-: ku- (Class 17) -
Subject marker for mu-: mu- (Class 18)
Example: Pali abantu pa maliketi (There are people at the market) -
pali = pa + li (locative + copula “there is”)
Use pa- when: -
Referring to a specific, identifiable location -
The location is a point or surface -
You would say “at” or “on” in English -
Examples: pa calo (at the village), pa mutwe (on the head)
Use ku- when: -
Referring to a general area or direction -
Indicating movement toward or from -
With place names (especially cities/towns) -
With “home” (ku ng’anda = at home) -
Examples: ku sukulu (to/at school), ku Lusaka (to/at Lusaka)
Use mu- when: -
Something is enclosed or surrounded -
Clearly inside a container or building -
Examples: mu ng’anda (in the house), mu bokosi (in the box)
Bemba also has a locative suffix -ni that can attach to nouns to create locative forms: -
ng’anda → ng’andani (at the house) -
sukulu → sukuluni (at school)
This often occurs with ku- or mu-: -
ku ng’andani (to/at the house) -
mu ng’andani (in the house)
Mistake 1: Using separate words for “at” -
Incorrect: nali “at” ng’anda -
Correct: nali ku ng’anda (I was at home)
Mistake 2: Confusing pa- and ku- with place names -
Generally use ku- with cities/towns: ku Lusaka, ku Ndola -
Use pa- with specific buildings or sites: pa boma (at the office)
Mistake 3: Forgetting that the prefix choice affects meaning -
ku ng’anda = at home (general sense) -
pa ng’anda = at the house (specific building) -
mu ng’anda = in/inside the house
Mistake 4: Not recognizing agreement patterns -
The locative prefix affects how verbs and other words agree -
Pay attention to how pa-, ku-, and mu- trigger different agreement patterns
Locative Prefix System:
Class 16 (pa-): specific location, “at/on” -
pa sukulu = at school -
pa tebulo = at/on the table -
pa boma = at the office
Class 17 (ku-): general location/direction, “to/at/from” -
ku ng’anda = at home -
ku munda = to/at the field -
ku Ndola = to/at Ndola
Class 18 (mu-): internal location, “in/inside” -
mu ng’anda = in the house -
mu cipya = in the basket -
mu bokosi = in the box
Copula with Locatives:
pali = there is (at specific place) kuli = there is (at general place) muli = there is (inside)
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The locative prefix system in Bemba reflects a sophisticated conceptualization of space and location that differs fundamentally from English. Rather than treating location as an external relationship (expressed through separate prepositions), Bemba integrates location directly into the grammatical structure of nouns through the prefix system.
In Bemba-speaking communities, the distinction between these three types of location (pa-, ku-, mu-) carries important social and cultural meanings:
1. Home and Village (ku ng’anda, ku calo)
The use of ku- with “ng’anda” (house/home) is particularly significant. “Ku ng’anda” doesn’t just mean “at the house” physically—it carries connotations of being in one’s proper place, in the sphere of family and community. When someone says “Ndeya ku ng’anda” (I’m going home), they’re not just indicating physical movement but affirming their connection to family and place.
Similarly, ku calo (at the village) refers to one’s ancestral village or rural home, even if one lives in town. The Bemba people maintain strong ties to their villages of origin, and returning ku calo is culturally important, especially for ceremonies and family gatherings.
2. Work and Public Spaces (pa nchito, pa boma)
The use of pa- for work locations and government offices reflects these as specific, defined points in the social landscape. Pa nchito (at work) and pa boma (at the government office) indicate not just physical location but social roles and obligations.
The Copperbelt mining region, where many Bemba speakers live, has shaped language use. Pa inkombwa (at the mine) is a phrase laden with historical and economic significance, as the copper mines have been central to Bemba society since the colonial period.
3. Market Culture (pa maliketi)
Markets are vital social and economic centers in Bemba communities. Pa maliketi (at the market) is where people gather not just to buy and sell, but to exchange news, meet friends, and maintain social networks. The market is a specific, identifiable social space, hence the use of pa-.
Formal contexts: -
More likely to use the full locative forms with careful distinction between pa-, ku-, and mu- -
Government, education, and religious contexts maintain standard forms -
Written Bemba follows standard locative usage
Informal/Urban contexts: -
In “Town Bemba” (urban variety), some locative distinctions may blur -
English borrowings may appear: “pa office” instead of “pa ofisi” -
The -ni suffix may be dropped in rapid speech
While the pa-/ku-/mu- system is consistent across Bemba dialects, there are subtle regional differences:
Northern Province (rural Bemba): -
Maintains clear distinctions between all three prefixes -
Preserves traditional usage patterns -
Strong preservation of the -ni suffix forms
Copperbelt (urban Bemba): -
Some influence from other languages in locative usage -
May use ku- more broadly -
More English loanwords with locative prefixes
Several common Bemba expressions use locative prefixes idiomatically: -
Ku mutwe (at/on the head) - often means “in charge” or “at the forefront” -
Pa mutima (at the heart) - with all one’s heart, sincerely -
Mu maiso (in the eyes) - openly, in plain sight -
Pa menso (before the eyes) - in the presence of
The locative system interacts with Bemba’s verb system in interesting ways. When a locative noun appears as the subject of a sentence, the verb takes the appropriate locative agreement: -
Pali abantu (There are people - “At-there-is” using pa- agreement) -
Kuli amenshi (There is water - “At-there-is” using ku- agreement) -
Muli abana (There are children - “In-there-is” using mu- agreement)
This shows how deeply the locative system is integrated into Bemba grammar—it’s not just about adding a prefix, but about entire clauses conforming to locative class agreement.
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The following passage is adapted from traditional Bemba oral literature, collected and documented by Bemba scholars. It demonstrates the use of locative prefixes in narrative context:
Kalulu kalulu hare alikalilamo alikalilamo he-lived ku ku at cipya cipya thicket ca ca of miti miti trees. Cila cila every bushiku bushiku day, aleya aleya he-went ku ku to munda munda field wa wa of abalimi abalimi farmers ukulya ukulya to-eat ifyakudya ifyakudya food. Abalimi abalimi farmers balimumonako balimumonako they-saw-him pa pa at munda munda field, lelo lelo but tabalemwipaya tabalemwipaya they-could-not-catch-him.
Kalulu (ka-lu-lu) hare alikalilamo (a-li-ka-li-la-mo) he-lived ku (ku) at cipya (ci-pya) thicket ca (ca) of miti (mi-ti) trees. Cila (ci-la) every bushiku (bu-shi-ku) day, aleya (a-le-ya) he-went ku (ku) to munda (mu-nda) field wa (wa) of abalimi (a-ba-li-mi) farmers ukulya (u-ku-lya) to-eat ifyakudya (i-fya-ku-dya) food. Abalimi (a-ba-li-mi) farmers balimumonako (ba-li-mu-mo-na-ko) they-saw-him pa (pa) at munda (mu-nda) field, lelo (le-lo) but tabalemwipaya (ta-ba-le-mwi-pa-ya) they-could-not-catch-him.
Ubushiku ubushiku day bumo bumo one, abalimi abalimi farmers batekelepo batekelepo they-set umutego umutego trap pa pa at nshila nshila path ya ya of ku ku to munda munda field. Kalulu kalulu hare alesa alesa he-came pa pa at nshila nshila path, eico eico then aipaya aipaya he-was-caught mu mu in mutego mutego trap.
Ubushiku (u-bu-shi-ku) day bumo (bu-mo) one, abalimi (a-ba-li-mi) farmers batekelepo (ba-te-ke-le-po) they-set umutego (u-mu-te-go) trap pa (pa) at nshila (nshi-la) path ya (ya) of ku (ku) to munda (mu-nda) field. Kalulu (ka-lu-lu) hare alesa (a-le-sa) he-came pa (pa) at nshila (nshi-la) path, eico (e-i-co) then aipaya (a-i-pa-ya) he-was-caught mu (mu) in mutego (mu-te-go) trap.
Kalulu alikalilamo ku cipya ca miti. Cila bushiku, aleya ku munda wa abalimi ukulya ifyakudya. Abalimi balimumonako pa munda, lelo tabalemwipaya.
Ubushiku bumo, abalimi batekelepo umutego pa nshila ya ku munda. Kalulu alesa pa nshila, eico aipaya mu mutego.
“The hare lived in a thicket of trees. Every day, he went to the farmers’ field to eat food. The farmers saw him at the field, but they could not catch him.
One day, the farmers set a trap on the path to the field. The hare came to the path, then he was caught in the trap.”
Kalulu alikalilamo ku cipya ca miti. Cila bushiku, aleya ku munda wa abalimi ukulya ifyakudya. Abalimi balimumonako pa munda, lelo tabalemwipaya.
Ubushiku bumo, abalimi batekelepo umutego pa nshila ya ku munda. Kalulu alesa pa nshila, eico aipaya mu mutego.
Locative Usage in the Passage: -
ku cipya - “at the thicket” (general area where the hare lived) -
ku munda - “to the field” (direction/general location) -
pa munda - “at the field” (specific location where farmers saw him) -
pa nshila - “at/on the path” (specific point on the path) -
mu mutego - “in the trap” (enclosed within)
Note how the story uses ku munda when talking about going to the field (direction), but pa munda when describing seeing the hare at a specific spot in the field. The trap is mu mutego because the hare is enclosed within it.
Key Vocabulary: -
kalulu = hare (common trickster figure in Bemba folklore) -
cipya = thicket, bush -
munda = field, cultivated land -
mutego = trap -
nshila = path, road -
ukulya = to eat (infinitive) -
ifyakudya = food (things to eat)
This passage comes from the rich tradition of Bemba oral literature featuring Kalulu (the hare), a trickster character similar to Br’er Rabbit in African-American folklore or Anansi in West African traditions. These stories serve both as entertainment and as moral instruction, teaching lessons about cleverness, pride, and consequences.
The use of locative prefixes in the narrative is pedagogically significant: -
The story distinguishes between the hare’s home (ku cipya - general dwelling area) -
His destination (ku munda - going to the field) -
Where he was spotted (pa munda - specific location in the field) -
Where he was trapped (mu mutego - enclosed in the trap)
This demonstrates how Bemba speakers naturally employ the full range of locative distinctions to create precise, vivid narratives. The locatives aren’t just grammatical markers—they’re storytelling tools that help listeners visualize exactly where events occur.
Traditional Bemba stories like this were and continue to be told around evening fires, passed down through generations. The oral tradition maintains these grammatical distinctions because they’re essential to the story’s meaning and effect. Modern Bemba literature, including works by authors like Stephen Mpashi and Paul Mushindo, continues this tradition while adapting it to written form.
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26.16a Mwabombeni mwabombeni how-have-you-worked (greeting) bamayo bamayo mother. Muli muli you-are bwino bwino well?
26.16b Mwabombeni (mwa-bo-mbe-ni) how-have-you-worked (greeting) bamayo (ba-ma-yo) mother. Muli (mu-li) you-are bwino (bwi-no) well?
26.17a Ee ee yes, tuli tuli we-are bwino bwino well. Mwaisa mwaisa you-have-come pa pa at maliketi maliketi market ukuleeya ukuleeya to-sell cinshi cinshi what?
26.17b Ee (ee) yes, tuli (tu-li) we-are bwino (bwi-no) well. Mwaisa (mwa-i-sa) you-have-come pa (pa) at maliketi (ma-li-ke-ti) market ukuleeya (u-ku-lee-ya) to-sell cinshi (ci-nshi) what?
26.18a Nsaleeyafye nsaleeyafye I-am-selling impwa impwa eggplants na na and umulembe umulembe okra. Umuleeya umuleeya you-sell cinshi cinshi what?
26.18b Nsaleeyafye (nsa-lee-ya-fye) I-am-selling impwa (i-mpwa) eggplants na (na) and umulembe (u-mu-le-mbe) okra. Umuleeya (u-mu-lee-ya) you-sell cinshi (ci-nshi) what?
26.19a Ndaleeyafye ndaleeyafye I-sell ifisashi ifisashi vegetables fyonse fyonse all ifyo ifyo that ndeema ndeema I-grow ku ku at munda munda field wandi wandi my.
26.19b Ndaleeyafye (nda-lee-ya-fye) I-sell ifisashi (i-fi-sa-shi) vegetables fyonse (fyo-nse) all ifyo (i-fyo) that ndeema (nde-e-ma) I-grow ku (ku) at munda (mu-nda) field wandi (wa-ndi) my.
26.20a Mwafika mwafika you-arrived lini lini when? Mwali mwali you-were pa pa at maliketi maliketi market kufuma kufuma from mulamushi mulamushi morning?
26.20b Mwafika (mwa-fi-ka) you-arrived lini (li-ni) when? Mwali (mwa-li) you-were pa (pa) at maliketi (ma-li-ke-ti) market kufuma (ku-fu-ma) from mulamushi (mu-la-mu-shi) morning?
26.21a Ee ee yes, nafika nafika I-arrived pa pa at maliketi maliketi market mulamushi mulamushi morning ukushingililila ukushingililila to-get icipya icipya place cabwino cabwino good.
26.21b Ee (ee) yes, nafika (na-fi-ka) I-arrived pa (pa) at maliketi (ma-li-ke-ti) market mulamushi (mu-la-mu-shi) morning ukushingililila (u-ku-shi-ngi-li-li-la) to-get icipya (i-ci-pya) place cabwino (ca-bwi-no) good.
26.22a Abaleeyafye abaleeyafye those-selling ifisashi ifisashi vegetables bali bali they-are pa pa at lubali lubali side uluo uluo that lwa lwa of maliketi maliketi market?
26.22b Abaleeyafye (a-ba-lee-ya-fye) those-selling ifisashi (i-fi-sa-shi) vegetables bali (ba-li) they-are pa (pa) at lubali (lu-ba-li) side uluo (u-lu-o) that lwa (lwa) of maliketi (ma-li-ke-ti) market?
26.23a Iyoo iyoo no, bali bali they-are pa pa at katikati katikati center ka ka of maliketi maliketi market, pali pali at-there mu mu in cipinda cipinda shade ca ca of icimuti icimuti tree.
26.23b Iyoo (i-yoo) no, bali (ba-li) they-are pa (pa) at katikati (ka-ti-ka-ti) center ka (ka) of maliketi (ma-li-ke-ti) market, pali (pa-li) at-there mu (mu) in cipinda (ci-pi-nda) shade ca (ca) of icimuti (i-ci-mu-ti) tree.
26.24a Natotela natotela I-thank-you. Nimubone nimubone I-will-see-you pa pa at ng’anda ng’anda house mailo mailo yesterday ukuisa ukuisa to-come ukuleesha ukuleesha to-bring impwa impwa eggplants shandi shandi my.
26.24b Natotela (na-to-te-la) I-thank-you. Nimubone (ni-mu-bo-ne) I-will-see-you pa (pa) at ng’anda (ng’a-nda) house mailo (ma-i-lo) yesterday ukuisa (u-ku-i-sa) to-come ukuleesha (u-ku-lee-sha) to-bring impwa (i-mpwa) eggplants shandi (sha-ndi) my.
26.25a Eeye eeye yes, ndeisa ndeisa I-will-come pa pa at ng’anda ng’anda house yenu yenu your ku ku at bushiku bushiku afternoon. Mwende mwende go bwino bwino well.
26.25b Eeye (ee-ye) yes, ndeisa (nde-i-sa) I-will-come pa (pa) at ng’anda (ng’a-nda) house yenu (ye-nu) your ku (ku) at bushiku (bu-shi-ku) afternoon. Mwende (mwe-nde) go bwino (bwi-no) well.
26.26a Mwikale mwikale stay bwino bwino well pa pa at maliketi maliketi market. Tutamonana tutamonana we-will-see-each-other ku ku at bushiku bushiku afternoon.
26.26b Mwikale (mwi-ka-le) stay bwino (bwi-no) well pa (pa) at maliketi (ma-li-ke-ti) market. Tutamonana (tu-ta-mo-na-na) we-will-see-each-other ku (ku) at bushiku (bu-shi-ku) afternoon.
26.27a Balume balume men baleesumbila baleesumbila they-are-auctioning inkoko inkoko chickens pa pa at katikati katikati center ka ka of maliketi maliketi market. Tuya tuya let-us-go kutalala kutalala to-look!
26.27b Balume (ba-lu-me) men baleesumbila (ba-lee-su-mbi-la) they-are-auctioning inkoko (i-nko-ko) chickens pa (pa) at katikati (ka-ti-ka-ti) center ka (ka) of maliketi (ma-li-ke-ti) market. Tuya (tu-ya) let-us-go kutalala (ku-ta-la-la) to-look!
26.28a Abanakashi abanakashi women baleya baleya they-go ku ku to maliketi maliketi market cila cila every bushiku bushiku day ukuleeya ukuleeya to-sell na na and ukuleya ukuleya to-buy ifyakudya ifyakudya food.
26.28b Abanakashi (a-ba-na-ka-shi) women baleya (ba-le-ya) they-go ku (ku) to maliketi (ma-li-ke-ti) market cila (ci-la) every bushiku (bu-shi-ku) day ukuleeya (u-ku-lee-ya) to-sell na (na) and ukuleya (u-ku-le-ya) to-buy ifyakudya (i-fya-ku-dya) food.
26.29a Imyanda imyanda money yandi yandi my ili ili is mu mu in cipoketi cipoketi pocket, lelo lelo but nshaleya nshaleya I-am-not-buying ifintu ifintu things fya fya of mwaume mwaume luxury pa pa at maliketi maliketi market lelo lelo today.
26.29b Imyanda (i-mya-nda) money yandi (ya-ndi) my ili (i-li) is mu (mu) in cipoketi (ci-po-ke-ti) pocket, lelo (le-lo) but nshaleya (nsha-le-ya) I-am-not-buying ifintu (i-fi-ntu) things fya (fya) of mwaume (mwa-u-me) luxury pa (pa) at maliketi (ma-li-ke-ti) market lelo (le-lo) today.
26.30a Abantu abantu people abengi abengi many baleesangana baleesangana they-meet pa pa at maliketi maliketi market ukupyana ukupyana to-exchange ilyashi ilyashi news na na and ukutontonkanya ukutontonkanya to-talk na na with fibusa fibusa friends.
26.30b Abantu (a-ba-ntu) people abengi (a-be-ngi) many baleesangana (ba-lee-sa-nga-na) they-meet pa (pa) at maliketi (ma-li-ke-ti) market ukupyana (u-ku-pya-na) to-exchange ilyashi (i-lya-shi) news na (na) and ukutontonkanya (u-ku-to-nto-nka-nya) to-talk na (na) with fibusa (fi-bu-sa) friends.
26.16 Mwabombeni bamayo. Muli bwino? “How are you, mother? Are you well?” (traditional greeting)
26.17 Ee, tuli bwino. Mwaisa pa maliketi ukuleeya cinshi? “Yes, we are well. Have you come to the market to sell what?”
26.18 Nsaleeyafye impwa na umulembe. Umuleeya cinshi? “I’m selling eggplants and okra. What are you selling?”
26.19 Ndaleeyafye ifisashi fyonse ifyo ndeema ku munda wandi. “I sell all the vegetables that I grow on my field.”
26.20 Mwafika lini? Mwali pa maliketi kufuma mulamushi? “When did you arrive? Have you been at the market since morning?”
26.21 Ee, nafika pa maliketi mulamushi ukushingililila icipya cabwino. “Yes, I arrived at the market in the morning to get a good place.”
26.22 Abaleeyafye ifisashi bali pa lubali uluo lwa maliketi? “Are those selling vegetables on that side of the market?”
26.23 Iyoo, bali pa katikati ka maliketi, pali mu cipinda ca icimuti. “No, they are at the center of the market, there in the shade of a tree.”
26.24 Natotela. Nimubone pa ng’anda mailo ukuisa ukuleesha impwa shandi. “Thank you. I will see you at home tomorrow to come bring my eggplants.”
26.25 Eeye, ndeisa pa ng’anda yenu ku bushiku. Mwende bwino. “Yes, I will come to your house in the afternoon. Go well.”
26.26 Mwikale bwino pa maliketi. Tutamonana ku bushiku. “Stay well at the market. We will see each other in the afternoon.”
26.27 Balume baleesumbila inkoko pa katikati ka maliketi. Tuya kutalala! “The men are auctioning chickens at the center of the market. Let’s go look!”
26.28 Abanakashi baleya ku maliketi cila bushiku ukuleeya na ukuleya ifyakudya. “The women go to the market every day to sell and to buy food.”
26.29 Imyanda yandi ili mu cipoketi, lelo nshaleya ifintu fya mwaume pa maliketi lelo. “My money is in my pocket, but I’m not buying luxury things at the market today.”
26.30 Abantu abengi baleesangana pa maliketi ukupyana ilyashi na ukutontonkanya na fibusa. “Many people meet at the market to exchange news and to talk with friends.”
26.16 Mwabombeni bamayo. Muli bwino?
26.17 Ee, tuli bwino. Mwaisa pa maliketi ukuleeya cinshi?
26.18 Nsaleeyafye impwa na umulembe. Umuleeya cinshi?
26.19 Ndaleeyafye ifisashi fyonse ifyo ndeema ku munda wandi.
26.20 Mwafika lini? Mwali pa maliketi kufuma mulamushi?
26.21 Ee, nafika pa maliketi mulamushi ukushingililila icipya cabwino.
26.22 Abaleeyafye ifisashi bali pa lubali uluo lwa maliketi?
26.23 Iyoo, bali pa katikati ka maliketi, pali mu cipinda ca icimuti.
26.24 Natotela. Nimubone pa ng’anda mailo ukuisa ukuleesha impwa shandi.
26.25 Eeye, ndeisa pa ng’anda yenu ku bushiku. Mwende bwino.
26.26 Mwikale bwino pa maliketi. Tutamonana ku bushiku.
26.27 Balume baleesumbila inkoko pa katikati ka maliketi. Tuya kutalala!
26.28 Abanakashi baleya ku maliketi cila bushiku ukuleeya na ukuleya ifyakudya.
26.29 Imyanda yandi ili mu cipoketi, lelo nshaleya ifintu fya mwaume pa maliketi lelo.
26.30 Abantu abengi baleesangana pa maliketi ukupyana ilyashi na ukutontonkanya na fibusa.
This market dialogue demonstrates the natural use of all three locative prefixes in everyday conversation:
pa maliketi (at the market) - Used consistently because the market is a specific, identifiable location where people gather. The market serves as the setting for the entire conversation.
ku munda (to/at the field) - Example 26.19 shows ku- used with “field” to indicate the general area where vegetables are grown. The field is conceptualized as a general location rather than a specific point.
mu cipinda (in the shade) - Example 26.23 uses mu- to indicate being enclosed within the shade of a tree, showing internal location.
ku bushiku (in the afternoon) - Shows ku- used with time expressions, treating time as a general temporal location.
mu cipoketi (in the pocket) - Example 26.29 demonstrates mu- for something enclosed within a container.
The dialogue also illustrates: -
Traditional Bemba greetings: Mwabombeni (How have you worked?) -
Polite leave-taking: Mwende bwino (Go well), Mwikale bwino (Stay well) -
The social function of markets beyond commerce—as places to exchange news (ilyashi) and meet friends -
Natural code-switching where Bemba integrates location seamlessly into conversation flow
Note the use of pali in example 26.23: “pali mu cipinda” (there in the shade). This combines the locative copula pali (at-there-is) with the internal locative mu cipinda, showing how locative expressions can layer for precision.
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Bemba uses a relatively phonetic orthography. Here are key pronunciation notes for the locative examples in this lesson:
Locative Prefixes: -
pa- = [pa] - Similar to “pa” in “path” -
ku- = [ku] - Similar to “coo” in “cook” -
mu- = [mu] - Similar to “moo” in “mood”
Common Words: -
ng’anda = [ŋganda] - The ng’ represents a velar nasal, like “ng” in “sing” -
sukulu = [sukulu] - “soo-koo-loo” (from English “school”) -
maliketi = [maliketi] - “ma-lee-keh-tee” (from English “market”) -
cipya = [cipja] - “chee-pya” (thicket, basket) -
icimuti = [itʃimuti] - “ee-chee-moo-tee” (tree)
Tone: Bemba is a tonal language with two tones (high and low), but tone is not marked in standard orthography. Learners should listen to native speakers to acquire correct tonal patterns. Tone can distinguish meaning: -
úlupwá (family) vs ulúpwá (aubergine)
Common Pronunciation Challenges for English Speakers: -
The ng’ sound - This is a single sound (velar nasal), not “n” + “g” -
Long vs. short vowels - Bemba distinguishes these, though not always marked in writing -
Tones - Practice listening to distinguish high and low tones -
Consonant clusters - Words like nshila (path) require practice
Audio Resources: For authentic pronunciation, seek out: -
Bemba radio broadcasts from Zambia -
YouTube videos of Bemba speakers -
Bemba language learning materials from the Copperbelt -
Online resources from Kitwe Online and similar platforms
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This Bemba language course is part of the Latinum Institute’s Modern Language Course series, which has been creating materials for autodidact learners since 2006. Our methodology emphasizes:
The Interlinear Construed Text Approach: By seeing how each Bemba word corresponds to its English gloss, you develop an intuitive understanding of Bemba grammar and structure. The locative prefix system, which differs fundamentally from English prepositions, becomes clear through this word-by-word analysis.
Authentic Language Use: We prioritize authentic Bemba usage, drawing from: -
Oral literature and folklore traditions -
Everyday conversational contexts -
Cultural practices of Bemba-speaking communities -
Verified grammatical structures from linguistic research
Systematic Progression: This lesson is part of a comprehensive course based on the Universal Language Learning CSV, which sequences vocabulary by frequency and practical utility. Each lesson builds systematically on previous knowledge while introducing new grammatical concepts.
Cultural Integration: Language learning is inseparable from cultural understanding. Bemba locative prefixes reflect Bemba ways of conceptualizing space, social relationships, and daily life. By learning these grammatical structures, you gain insight into Bemba culture and worldview.
For Autodidact Learners: This course is designed for independent learners who want to acquire Bemba through structured study. The interlinear glossing provides maximum clarity, allowing you to: -
See exactly how Bemba sentences are constructed -
Understand grammatical patterns through examples -
Build vocabulary systematically -
Develop reading comprehension in authentic Bemba texts
Resources and Support: For additional resources and community feedback, visit: -
Latinum Institute course index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index -
User reviews and testimonials: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
About Bemba: Bemba (iciBemba) is a major Bantu language spoken by approximately 4 million people in Zambia, primarily in the Northern, Luapula, and Copperbelt provinces. It serves as a lingua franca across much of Zambia and has a rich literary tradition including oral literature, novels, poetry, and religious texts.
Learning Bemba opens doors to: -
Communication with Bemba-speaking communities in Zambia -
Understanding Zambian culture and society -
Accessing Bemba literature and oral traditions -
Deeper appreciation of Bantu language structures -
Professional opportunities in Zambia and the Copperbelt region
Acknowledgments: This lesson draws on research by linguists Nancy C. Kula, Mubanga E. Kashoki, and others who have documented Bemba grammar and usage. We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Bemba speakers and scholars who have preserved and promoted the language.
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