In Bemba (iciBemba), the fundamental interrogative pronoun for “what” is nshi, a versatile question word that differs structurally from its English equivalent in both position and form. Unlike English “what,” which typically appears at the beginning of a question, Bemba nshi follows the word it qualifies—a characteristic feature of Bantu languages where interrogatives occupy post-nominal positions. This lesson explores how Bemba’s noun class system creates multiple forms of “what” (nshi, cinshi, kanshi, finshi, ninshi), each corresponding to different noun classes and sizes. As an agglutinative language, Bemba builds questions by combining these interrogatives with heavily inflected verbs that encode subject, tense, and aspect information. Understanding nshi provides the foundation for asking questions about objects, actions, and states—essential skills for engaging in authentic Bemba conversation. The fifteen examples demonstrate nshi in various syntactic environments, from simple identification questions to complex temporal and modal constructions.
Link to course index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
FAQ: What does “what” mean in Bemba?
Bemba expresses “what” primarily through nshi and its class-based variants. The base form nshi means “what? which?” and appears after the noun or verb it questions. Bemba extends this through the noun class system: Cinshi (from “cintu nshi?” = what big thing?), Kanshi (from “kantu nshi?” = what small thing?), Finshi (from “fintu nshi?” = what things/plural?), and Ninshi (what is it?/general). Unlike English, where “what” always appears sentence-initially, Bemba interrogatives follow the element they question. This post-nominal positioning reflects broader Bantu syntactic patterns and allows interrogatives to integrate smoothly with the language’s elaborate verb morphology.
Key Takeaways:
• Nshi is the base interrogative pronoun for “what” in Bemba, but appears AFTER the word it qualifies
• Noun class prefixes create variants: Cinshi (Class 3/4), Kanshi (Class 12), Finshi (Class 8 plural), Ninshi (general)
• Question formation in Bemba follows the pattern: [Statement structure] + nshi rather than Nshi + [statement]
• Bemba interrogatives integrate with agglutinative verb structure encoding subject, tense, aspect, and mood
• Understanding noun classes is essential for selecting the appropriate form of “what”
• Authentic usage shows nshi in identification, action, temporal, and modal questions
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27.1a Cinshi (tʃín-ʃi) what-thing ici? (i-tʃí) this
27.1b Cinshi (CHIN-shi) what-thing ici? (i-CHI) this
27.2a Finshi (fín-ʃi) what-things munwine? (mu-nwi-ne) 2PL-drink-PERF
27.2b Finshi (FIN-shi) what-things munwine? (mu-NWI-ne) you.all-drank
27.3a Umwana (u-mwá-na) CL1-child uyu (u-yú) this alefwaya (a-le-fwá-ya) 3SG-PRES-want-FV nshi? (n-ʃí) what
27.3b Umwana (u-MWA-na) child uyu (u-YU) this alefwaya (a-le-FWA-ya) he-wants nshi? (n-SHI) what
27.4a Kanshi (kán-ʃi) what-small.thing akaletelela? (a-ka-le-te-lé-la) 3SG-PAST-bring-APPL-FV
27.4b Kanshi (KAN-shi) what-small.thing akaletelela? (a-ka-le-te-LE-la) he/she-brought
27.5a Abana (a-bá-na) CL2-children banwine (ba-nwí-ne) 3PL-drink-PERF finshi? (fín-ʃi) what-things
27.5b Abana (a-BA-na) children banwine (ba-NWI-ne) they-drank finshi? (FIN-shi) what-things
27.6a Ninshi (nín-ʃi) what-is.it ifyo (i-fyó) REL ulefwaya? (u-le-fwá-ya) 2SG-PRES-want-FV
27.6b Ninshi (NIN-shi) what-is.it ifyo (i-FYO) that ulefwaya? (u-le-FWA-ya) you-want
27.7a Nshilile (n-ʃi-lí-le) 1SG-eat-PERF-FV finshi (fín-ʃi) what-things lelo? (le-ló) today
27.7b Nshilile (n-shi-LI-le) I-ate finshi (FIN-shi) what-things lelo? (le-LO) today
27.8a Umfumu (u-m-fú-mu) CL1-chief aipusha (a-i-pú-ʃa) 3SG-PRES-ask-FV cinshi? (tʃín-ʃi) what-thing
27.8b Umfumu (u-m-FU-mu) chief aipusha (a-i-PU-sha) he-asks cinshi? (CHIN-shi) what-thing
27.9a Mukasumine (mu-ka-su-mí-ne) 2PL-FUT-buy-PERF finshi (fín-ʃi) what-things ku (ku) at citenge? (tʃi-té-ŋge) CL7-market
27.9b Mukasumine (mu-ka-su-MI-ne) you.all-will-buy finshi (FIN-shi) what-things ku (ku) at citenge? (chi-TEN-ge) market
27.10a Talikwete (ta-li-kwé-te) NEG-be-have-NEG cinshi (tʃín-ʃi) what-thing cilya? (tʃí-lya) that
27.10b Talikwete (ta-li-KWE-te) there-is-not cinshi (CHIN-shi) what-thing cilya? (CHI-lya) that
27.11a Waletontonkanya (wa-le-to-nto-nká-nya) 2SG-PRES-think-FV nshi? (n-ʃí) what
27.11b Waletontonkanya (wa-le-ton-ton-KA-nya) you-are-thinking nshi? (n-SHI) what
27.12a Beshiba (be-ʃi-bá) 3PL-know-FV ninshi (nín-ʃi) what-is.it ifyo (i-fyó) REL balifwaya? (ba-li-fwá-ya) 3PL-be-want-FV
27.12b Beshiba (be-shi-BA) they-know ninshi (NIN-shi) what-is.it ifyo (i-FYO) that balifwaya? (ba-li-FWA-ya) they-want
27.13a Kantu (ká-ntu) CL12-small.thing kanshi (kán-ʃi) what-small.thing kalikupeela? (ka-li-ku-pe-é-la) 3SG.CL12-be-2SG.OBJ-give-APPL-FV
27.13b Kantu (KA-ntu) small.thing kanshi (KAN-shi) what-small.thing kalikupeela? (ka-li-ku-pe-E-la) it-is-giving-you
27.14a Umukashi (u-mu-ká-ʃi) CL1-woman uyu (u-yú) this alemba (a-lé-mba) 3SG-write-FV cinshi? (tʃín-ʃi) what-thing
27.14b Umukashi (u-mu-KA-shi) woman uyu (u-YU) this alemba (a-LEM-ba) she-writes cinshi? (CHIN-shi) what-thing
27.15a Mulepusha (mu-le-pú-ʃa) 2PL-PRES-ask-FV ifyo (i-fyó) REL bashilile (ba-ʃi-lí-le) 3PL-eat-PERF-FV finshi? (fín-ʃi) what-things
27.15b Mulepusha (mu-le-PU-sha) you.all-ask ifyo (i-FYO) that bashilile (ba-shi-LI-le) they-ate finshi? (FIN-shi) what-things
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27.1 Cinshi ici? Cinshi ici? “What is this?”
27.2 Finshi munwine? Finshi munwine? “What have you all drunk?”
27.3 Umwana uyu alefwaya nshi? Umwana uyu alefwaya nshi? “What does this child want?”
27.4 Kanshi akaletelela? Kanshi akaletelela? “What small thing did he/she bring?”
27.5 Abana banwine finshi? Abana banwine finshi? “What things did the children drink?”
27.6 Ninshi ifyo ulefwaya? Ninshi ifyo ulefwaya? “What is it that you want?”
27.7 Nshilile finshi lelo? Nshilile finshi lelo? “What things did I eat today?”
27.8 Umfumu aipusha cinshi? Umfumu aipusha cinshi? “What thing is the chief asking?”
27.9 Mukasumine finshi ku citenge? Mukasumine finshi ku citenge? “What things will you all buy at the market?”
27.10 Talikwete cinshi cilya? Talikwete cinshi cilya? “There isn’t what thing that?”
27.11 Waletontonkanya nshi? Waletontonkanya nshi? “What are you thinking?”
27.12 Beshiba ninshi ifyo balifwaya? Beshiba ninshi ifyo balifwaya? “Do they know what it is that they want?”
27.13 Kantu kanshi kalikupeela? Kantu kanshi kalikupeela? “What small thing is it giving you?”
27.14 Umukashi uyu alemba cinshi? Umukashi uyu alemba cinshi? “What thing is this woman writing?”
27.15 Mulepusha ifyo bashilile finshi? Mulepusha ifyo bashilile finshi? “Are you all asking what things they ate?”
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27.1 Cinshi ici? Cinshi ici?
27.2 Finshi munwine? Finshi munwine?
27.3 Umwana uyu alefwaya nshi? Umwana uyu alefwaya nshi?
27.4 Kanshi akaletelela? Kanshi akaletelela?
27.5 Abana banwine finshi? Abana banwine finshi?
27.6 Ninshi ifyo ulefwaya? Ninshi ifyo ulefwaya?
27.7 Nshilile finshi lelo? Nshilile finshi lelo?
27.8 Umfumu aipusha cinshi? Umfumu aipusha cinshi?
27.9 Mukasumine finshi ku citenge? Mukasumine finshi ku citenge?
27.10 Talikwete cinshi cilya? Talikwete cinshi cilya?
27.11 Waletontonkanya nshi? Waletontonkanya nshi?
27.12 Beshiba ninshi ifyo balifwaya? Beshiba ninshi ifyo balifwaya?
27.13 Kantu kanshi kalikupeela? Kantu kanshi kalikupeela?
27.14 Umukashi uyu alemba cinshi? Umukashi uyu alemba cinshi?
27.15 Mulepusha ifyo bashilile finshi? Mulepusha ifyo bashilile finshi?
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These are the grammar rules for nshi (what):
Bemba interrogatives, unlike their English counterparts, occupy post-nominal or post-verbal positions. The fundamental interrogative nshi means “what?” or “which?” and never appears at the beginning of a sentence. Instead, it follows the element being questioned—a syntactic pattern common across Bantu languages that contrasts sharply with English wh-movement.
Bemba’s elaborate noun class system (Classes 1-9) creates multiple variants of “what,” each corresponding to specific classes:
Ninshi (general) - “what is it?” - Used for general identification without specifying size or number. From interrogative root + class marker.
Cinshi (Class 3/4) - “what thing?” - Derived from “cintu nshi?” (what big thing?). Used for singular inanimate objects. The prefix ci- marks Class 3 nouns.
Kanshi (Class 12) - “what small thing?” - From “kantu nshi?” (what small thing?). The diminutive prefix ka- indicates smallness or endearment. Class 12 nouns denote small or unimportant items.
Finshi (Class 8) - “what things?” - From “fintu nshi?” (what things?). The prefix fi- marks plural forms. Used when questioning multiple items.
Unlike English, where interrogatives trigger inversion (e.g., “What do you want?”), Bemba maintains standard SVO order with the interrogative positioned after the questioned element:
Statement: Umwana alefwaya cakudya (The child wants food) Question: Umwana alefwaya nshi? (The child wants what?)
NOT: Nshi umwana alefwaya? (What child wants?)
This post-posed interrogative structure extends to all question words in Bemba: ani (who), pi (where), lila (when), shyani (how).
Bemba verbs carry extensive morphological information through agglutination. Interrogatives interact with this system by questioning specific components:
Subject questioning: The interrogative targets who performs the action Object questioning: Nshi asks about the direct object Temporal questioning: Combined with time words, nshi can question specific temporal aspects
Example conjugation with nshi:
Present: Ulefwaya nshi? (You want what?) Past: Walefwiye nshi? (You wanted what?) Future: Ukafwaya nshi? (You will want what?) Negative: Taulefwaye nshi? (You don’t want what?)
Placing nshi sentence-initially: English speakers often want to say Nshi ulefwaya? instead of the correct Ulefwaya nshi? Remember: interrogatives follow, not precede.
Confusing class markers: Using cinshi when finshi (plural) is required. The noun class system demands agreement, so plural objects require plural interrogatives.
Omitting the class prefix: Saying just nshi when a specific class form is more natural. While nshi works grammatically, native speakers prefer cinshi, kanshi, or finshi for specificity.
Verb agreement errors: Forgetting that verbs must agree with the interrogative’s implied class. A kanshi question expects Class 12 verb agreement.
Base form: nshi (what? which?)
Class variants: -
Class 3/4 singular: cinshi (what thing?) -
Class 8 plural: finshi (what things?) -
Class 12 diminutive: kanshi (what small thing?) -
General form: ninshi (what is it?)
Position: Always follows the questioned element, never sentence-initial
Common constructions: -
Direct identification: Cinshi ici? (What is this?) -
With verbs: [Subject] [Verb] nshi? (Subject verbs what?) -
With prepositions: Ku nshi? (At what?) -
In relative clauses: Ninshi ifyo... (What is it that...)
Tense integration: -
Present: -le- prefix + nshi -
Past: -a- prefix + nshi -
Future: -ka- prefix + nshi -
Negative: ta- prefix + nshi
Agreement: Interrogatives must match the noun class of the questioned element in number and size
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Interrogatives form the foundation of Bemba social interaction. Asking questions appropriately demonstrates respect and interest in community affairs. The choice between cinshi, kanshi, and finshi carries subtle implications about the speaker’s perception of importance—using kanshi (small thing) can express humility or minimize the significance of a request, while cinshi treats the object as substantial and worthy of attention.
In markets throughout Bemba-speaking regions of Zambia’s Northern Province and Copperbelt, finshi rings out constantly: “Finshi mukasumine?” (What things will you buy?), “Finshi mukwete?” (What things do you have?). Market vendors use interrogatives to engage customers, establish rapport, and negotiate prices.
Bemba interrogatives operate across all registers, from intimate family conversation to formal proceedings in traditional courts. The plural forms of “you” (imwe, marked by mu- prefix on verbs) combine with interrogatives to express respect when addressing elders or superiors:
Informal (singular): Ulefwaya nshi? (What do you want?) Formal (plural of respect): Mulefwaya nshi? (What do you want? - respectful)
Bemba proverbs (insoselo) frequently employ interrogatives to teach moral lessons. The rhetorical question structure creates engagement, forcing the listener to contemplate the answer. Classic examples include questions that challenge assumptions about knowledge, wealth, and human nature.
While standard Bemba maintains consistent interrogative patterns, dialectal variations exist among the Bisa, Lala, Lamba, and other related groups. The Chishinga dialect of northeastern Zambia shows slight phonological variations in nshi, while maintaining identical grammatical function. Urban Bemba in Copperbelt cities like Kitwe and Ndola incorporates more English loanwords but preserves traditional interrogative structures.
The post-nominal positioning of nshi reflects a broader Bantu pattern where modifiers follow heads. This applies to adjectives, demonstratives, and interrogatives alike. This “head-first” principle creates a fundamentally different information structure from English, where questions front-load the interrogative for immediate recognition.
The Bemba interrogative system reveals how Bantu languages encode questions through position rather than intonation or auxiliary verbs. English marks questions through rising intonation and auxiliary inversion (do/did/will), while Bemba maintains declarative structure with the interrogative signaling the question solely through its presence and position.
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The Reverend Paul Bwembya Mushindo (1896-1974), scholar, minister, and historian of the Bemba people, devoted his life to preserving Bemba oral traditions. His collection “Amapinda Mulyashi” (Proverbs in Conversations) demonstrates how interrogatives function in authentic discourse. This excerpt illustrates the pedagogical use of questions in traditional teaching:
Umusumba (u-mu-sú-mba) CL1-elder aipusha (a-i-pú-ʃa) 3SG-PRES-ask-FV umwana: (u-mwá-na) CL1-child “Uleshiba (u-le-ʃi-bá) 2SG-PRES-know-FV cinshi (tʃín-ʃi) what-thing ifyo (i-fyó) REL bakulu (ba-kú-lu) CL2-ancestor balelandile?” (ba-le-la-ndí-le) 3PL-PAST-say-APPL-FV Umwana (u-mwá-na) CL1-child alapula: (a-lá-pula) 3SG-answer-FV “Talikwete (ta-li-kwé-te) NEG-be-have-NEG ninshi (nín-ʃi) what-is.it ifyo (i-fyó) REL ndeshiba.” (nde-ʃi-bá) 1SG-know-FV
Umusumba (u-mu-SU-mba) elder aipusha (a-i-PU-sha) he-asks umwana: (u-MWA-na) child “Uleshiba (u-le-shi-BA) you-know cinshi (CHIN-shi) what-thing ifyo (i-FYO) that bakulu (ba-KU-lu) ancestors balelandile?” (ba-le-lan-DI-le) they-said Umwana (u-MWA-na) child alapula: (a-LA-pula) he-answers “Talikwete (ta-li-KWE-te) there-is-not ninshi (NIN-shi) what-is.it ifyo (i-FYO) that ndeshiba.” (nde-shi-BA) I-know
“Ico (i-tʃó) that cinshi (tʃín-ʃi) what-thing cileta (tʃi-lé-ta) 3SG.CL7-bring-FV ubushiku?” (u-bu-ʃí-ku) CL14-darkness “Kasuba (ka-sú-ba) CL12-sun kalya.” (ká-lya) that “Lelo (le-ló) today kantu (ká-ntu) CL12-small.thing kanshi (kán-ʃi) what-small.thing kalepela (ka-le-pé-la) 3SG.CL12-PRES-give-FV ubwikalo?” (u-bwi-ká-lo) CL14-life “Amatendo (a-ma-té-ndo) CL6-deeds yesuma.” (ye-sú-ma) good
“Ico (i-CHO) that cinshi (CHIN-shi) what-thing cileta (chi-LE-ta) it-brings ubushiku?” (u-bu-SHI-ku) darkness “Kasuba (ka-SU-ba) sun kalya.” (KA-lya) that “Lelo (le-LO) today kantu (KA-ntu) small.thing kanshi (KAN-shi) what-small.thing kalepela (ka-le-PE-la) it-gives ubwikalo?” (u-bwi-KA-lo) life “Amatendo (a-ma-TEN-do) deeds yesuma.” (ye-SU-ma) good
Umusumba aipusha umwana: “Uleshiba cinshi ifyo bakulu balelandile?” Umwana alapula: “Talikwete ninshi ifyo ndeshiba.”
“Ico cinshi cileta ubushiku?” “Kasuba kalya.” “Lelo kantu kanshi kalepela ubwikalo?” “Amatendo yesuma.”
“The elder asks the child: ‘Do you know what thing the ancestors said?’ The child answers: ‘There is nothing that I know.’
‘What thing brings darkness?’ ‘That sun.’ ‘Now what small thing gives life?’ ‘Good deeds.’”
Umusumba aipusha umwana: “Uleshiba cinshi ifyo bakulu balelandile?” Umwana alapula: “Talikwete ninshi ifyo ndeshiba.”
Umusumba aipusha umwana: “Uleshiba cinshi ifyo bakulu balelandile?” Umwana alapula: “Talikwete ninshi ifyo ndeshiba.”
“Ico cinshi cileta ubushiku?” “Kasuba kalya.” “Lelo kantu kanshi kalepela ubwikalo?” “Amatendo yesuma.”
“Ico cinshi cileta ubushiku?” “Kasuba kalya.” “Lelo kantu kanshi kalepela ubwikalo?” “Amatendo yesuma.”
This dialogue demonstrates pedagogical use of interrogatives in traditional Bemba teaching. The elder (umusumba) employs three different interrogative forms to test the child’s knowledge:
Cinshi (what thing) - Used twice to question specific knowledge: what the ancestors said, and what brings darkness. The Class 3 singular form emphasizes the concreteness of traditional wisdom.
Ninshi (what is it) - Combined with the negative talikwete (there is not) to express complete ignorance: “There is not what-is-it that I know” = “I know nothing.”
Kanshi (what small thing) - Employs the diminutive Class 12 to ask about life’s essence. The use of “small thing” here is rhetorical—good deeds are not small, but the question form expresses humility before profound truths.
The verb alapula (he/she answers) derives from the root -pul- (to answer, respond). The teaching proceeds through question-and-answer, a method preserved in Bemba oral pedagogy for centuries.
Reverend Mushindo collected this type of exchange throughout his ministry in northeastern Zambia, recognizing that traditional wisdom transmission occurred primarily through interrogative dialogue. Elders would pose riddles and questions to train children in ancestral knowledge, using the interrogative forms to scaffold learning from simple identification (cinshi for concrete objects) to abstract philosophical inquiry (kanshi for concepts like life and virtue).
The progression from cinshi to ninshi to kanshi reflects increasing conceptual sophistication. The child’s initial ignorance (talikwete ninshi) gives way to learning through the elder’s carefully structured questions. This pedagogical technique appears throughout Bemba oral literature, from folktales featuring Kalulu the Hare to historical narratives of Chitimukulu (the paramount chief).
Mushindo’s preservation of such exchanges in “Amapinda Mulyashi” (1958) ensured that these interrogative teaching patterns would survive even as formal schooling systems replaced traditional education. His work, alongside his biblical translation and historical writings, represents the intellectual achievement of a man who walked barefoot through villages collecting the wisdom of his people.
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The following fifteen examples form a coherent dialogue between a market vendor and customers, demonstrating authentic conversational use of interrogatives. Market interactions in Bemba-speaking regions rely heavily on questions about goods, prices, and needs.
27.16a Mukashi: (mu-ká-ʃi) vendor “Mwaiseni, (mwa-i-sé-ni) 2PL-come-IMPV finshi (fín-ʃi) what-things mukasumine (mu-ka-su-mí-ne) 2PL-FUT-buy-PERF lelo?” (le-ló) today
27.16b Mukashi: (mu-KA-shi) vendor “Mwaiseni, (mwa-i-SE-ni) you.all-come finshi (FIN-shi) what-things mukasumine (mu-ka-su-MI-ne) will-you-buy lelo?” (le-LO) today
27.17a Musumina: (mu-su-mí-na) customer “Tulefwaya (tu-le-fwá-ya) 1PL-PRES-want-FV ubwali. (u-bwá-li) CL14-nshima Cinshi (tʃín-ʃi) what-thing ukwete?” (u-kwé-te) 2SG-have-FV
27.17b Musumina: (mu-su-MI-na) customer “Tulefwaya (tu-le-FWA-ya) we-want ubwali. (u-BWA-li) nshima Cinshi (CHIN-shi) what-thing ukwete?” (u-KWE-te) do-you-have
27.18a Mukashi: (mu-ká-ʃi) vendor “Nkwete (n-kwé-te) 1SG-have-FV amasaka (a-ma-sá-ka) CL6-maize.meal na (na) and ubunga. (u-bú-ŋga) CL14-flour Ninshi (nín-ʃi) what-is.it ifyo (i-fyó) REL mulefwaya?” (mu-le-fwá-ya) 2PL-PRES-want-FV
27.18b Mukashi: (mu-KA-shi) vendor “Nkwete (n-KWE-te) I-have amasaka (a-ma-SA-ka) maize.meal na (na) and ubunga. (u-BU-nga) flour Ninshi (NIN-shi) what-is.it ifyo (i-FYO) that mulefwaya?” (mu-le-FWA-ya) you.all-want
27.19a Musumina: (mu-su-mí-na) customer “Twafwaya (twa-fwá-ya) 1PL-want-FV ubunga. (u-bú-ŋga) CL14-flour Kanshi (kán-ʃi) what-small.thing ulaunshisha?” (u-la-u-nʃí-ʃa) 2SG-PRES-sell-FV
27.19b Musumina: (mu-su-MI-na) customer “Twafwaya (twa-FWA-ya) we-want ubunga. (u-BU-nga) flour Kanshi (KAN-shi) what-small.thing ulaunshisha?” (u-la-un-SHI-sha) are-you-selling
27.20a Mukashi: (mu-ká-ʃi) vendor “Nlaunshisha (n-la-u-nʃí-ʃa) 1SG-PRES-sell-FV amanshi (a-má-nʃi) CL6-water ya (ya) of bunga, (bú-ŋga) flour finshi (fín-ʃi) what-things ifyobene.” (i-fyo-bé-ne) REL-other
27.20b Mukashi: (mu-KA-shi) vendor “Nlaunshisha (n-la-un-SHI-sha) I-sell amanshi (a-MAN-shi) types ya (ya) of bunga, (BU-nga) flour finshi (FIN-shi) what-things ifyobene.” (i-fyo-BE-ne) other
27.21a Umwana: (u-mwá-na) CL1-child “Nshilefwaya (n-ʃi-le-fwá-ya) 1SG-PRES-want-FV akaloba. (a-ka-ló-ba) CL12-sweet Kanshi (kán-ʃi) what-small.thing ukwete?” (u-kwé-te) 2SG-have-FV
27.21b Umwana: (u-MWA-na) child “Nshilefwaya (n-shi-le-FWA-ya) I-want akaloba. (a-ka-LO-ba) candy Kanshi (KAN-shi) what-small.thing ukwete?” (u-KWE-te) do-you-have
27.22a Mukashi: (mu-ká-ʃi) vendor “Nkwete (n-kwé-te) 1SG-have-FV utwalo (u-twá-lo) CL11-small.candies na (na) and utuunga. (u-tu-ú-ŋga) CL11-small.cakes Ninshi (nín-ʃi) what-is.it ifyo (i-fyó) REL ulefwaya?” (u-le-fwá-ya) 2SG-PRES-want-FV
27.22b Mukashi: (mu-KA-shi) vendor “Nkwete (n-KWE-te) I-have utwalo (u-TWA-lo) candies na (na) and utuunga. (u-tu-U-nga) cakes Ninshi (NIN-shi) what-is.it ifyo (i-FYO) that ulefwaya?” (u-le-FWA-ya) you-want
27.23a Umwana: (u-mwá-na) CL1-child “Nfwaya (n-fwá-ya) 1SG-want-FV utwalo. (u-twá-lo) CL11-candies Finshi (fín-ʃi) what-things ifikula?” (i-fi-kú-la) REL-CL8-cost
27.23b Umwana: (u-MWA-na) child “Nfwaya (n-FWA-ya) I-want utwalo. (u-TWA-lo) candies Finshi (FIN-shi) what-things ifikula?” (i-fi-KU-la) they-cost
27.24a Mukashi: (mu-ká-ʃi) vendor “Fikula (fi-kú-la) 3PL.CL8-cost-FV amasheleni (a-ma-ʃe-lé-ni) CL6-shillings abili. (a-bí-li) two Ukwete (u-kwé-te) 2SG-have-FV finshi?” (fín-ʃi) what-things
27.24b Mukashi: (mu-KA-shi) vendor “Fikula (fi-KU-la) they-cost amasheleni (a-ma-she-LE-ni) shillings abili. (a-BI-li) two Ukwete (u-KWE-te) do-you-have finshi?” (FIN-shi) what-things
27.25a Umwana: (u-mwá-na) CL1-child “Nkwete (n-kwé-te) 1SG-have-FV isheleni (i-ʃe-lé-ni) CL5-shilling limo. (lí-mo) one Cinshi (tʃín-ʃi) what-thing cingansuminako?” (tʃi-ŋga-n-su-mí-na-ko) 3SG.CL7-POT-1SG.OBJ-buy-APPL-LOC
27.25b Umwana: (u-MWA-na) child “Nkwete (n-KWE-te) I-have isheleni (i-she-LE-ni) shilling limo. (LI-mo) one Cinshi (CHIN-shi) what-thing cingansuminako?” (chi-nga-n-su-MI-na-ko) can-I-buy
27.26a Mukashi: (mu-ká-ʃi) vendor “Utuunga (u-tu-ú-ŋga) CL11-cakes utwabili. (u-twa-bí-li) CL11-two Ninshi (nín-ʃi) what-is.it ifyo (i-fyó) REL ulefwaya?” (u-le-fwá-ya) 2SG-PRES-want-FV
27.26b Mukashi: (mu-KA-shi) vendor “Utuunga (u-tu-U-nga) cakes utwabili. (u-twa-BI-li) two Ninshi (NIN-shi) what-is.it ifyo (i-FYO) that ulefwaya?” (u-le-FWA-ya) you-want
27.27a Musumina (mu-su-mí-na) customer wa (wa) of citupa: (tʃi-tú-pa) first “Finshi (fín-ʃi) what-things mwaunshishile (mwa-u-nʃi-ʃí-le) 2PL-sell-PERF-FV lelo?” (le-ló) today
27.27b Musumina (mu-su-MI-na) customer wa (wa) of citupa: (chi-TU-pa) first “Finshi (FIN-shi) what-things mwaunshishile (mwa-un-shi-SHI-le) have-you.all-sold lelo?” (le-LO) today
27.28a Mukashi: (mu-ká-ʃi) vendor “Twaunshishile (twa-u-nʃi-ʃí-le) 1PL-sell-PERF-FV ifisuma (i-fi-sú-ma) CL8-good fyonse. (fyo-nsé) all Twasumine (twa-su-mí-ne) 1PL-buy-PERF finshi (fín-ʃi) what-things pakunama?” (pa-ku-ná-ma) at-tomorrow
27.28b Mukashi: (mu-KA-shi) vendor “Twaunshishile (twa-un-shi-SHI-le) we-sold ifisuma (i-fi-SU-ma) good.things fyonse. (fyo-NSE) all Twasumine (twa-su-MI-ne) we-bought finshi (FIN-shi) what-things pakunama?” (pa-ku-NA-ma) for-tomorrow
27.29a Musumina: (mu-su-mí-na) customer “Tatuishibe (ta-tu-i-ʃí-be) NEG-1PL-know-SUBJ cinshi (tʃín-ʃi) what-thing cifwaila. (tʃi-fwá-ila) 3SG.CL7-be.needed-FV Mulepusha (mu-le-pú-ʃa) 2PL-PRES-ask-FV nshi?” (n-ʃí) what
27.29b Musumina: (mu-su-MI-na) customer “Tatuishibe (ta-tu-i-SHI-be) we-don’t-know cinshi (CHIN-shi) what-thing cifwaila. (chi-FWA-ila) is-needed Mulepusha (mu-le-PU-sha) you.all-ask nshi?” (n-SHI) what
27.30a Mukashi: (mu-ká-ʃi) vendor “Abantu (a-bá-ntu) CL2-people balefwaya (ba-le-fwá-ya) 3PL-PRES-want-FV ifya (i-fyá) REL-CL8 kufwaila (ku-fwá-ila) to-be.needed mu (mu) in mabuku (ma-bú-ku) CL6-day yonse. (yó-nse) all Cinshi (tʃín-ʃi) what-thing cilefwaila (tʃi-le-fwá-ila) 3SG.CL7-PRES-be.needed-FV sana?” (sá-na) very
27.30b Mukashi: (mu-KA-shi) vendor “Abantu (a-BA-ntu) people balefwaya (ba-le-FWA-ya) they-want ifya (i-FYA) things kufwaila (ku-FWA-ila) to-be-needed mu (mu) in mabuku (ma-BU-ku) days yonse. (YO-nse) all Cinshi (CHIN-shi) what-thing cilefwaila (chi-le-FWA-ila) is-most-needed sana?” (SA-na) very
27.16 Mukashi: “Mwaiseni, finshi mukasumine lelo?” “Vendor: ‘Come, what things will you buy today?’”
27.17 Musumina: “Tulefwaya ubwali. Cinshi ukwete?” “Customer: ‘We want nshima. What thing do you have?’”
27.18 Mukashi: “Nkwete amasaka na ubunga. Ninshi ifyo mulefwaya?” “Vendor: ‘I have maize meal and flour. What is it that you all want?’”
27.19 Musumina: “Twafwaya ubunga. Kanshi ulaunshisha?” “Customer: ‘We want flour. What small thing are you selling?’”
27.20 Mukashi: “Nlaunshisha amanshi ya bunga, finshi ifyobene.” “Vendor: ‘I sell types of flour, what other things.’”
27.21 Umwana: “Nshilefwaya akaloba. Kanshi ukwete?” “Child: ‘I want candy. What small thing do you have?’”
27.22 Mukashi: “Nkwete utwalo na utuunga. Ninshi ifyo ulefwaya?” “Vendor: ‘I have candies and cakes. What is it that you want?’”
27.23 Umwana: “Nfwaya utwalo. Finshi ifikula?” “Child: ‘I want candies. What things do they cost?’”
27.24 Mukashi: “Fikula amasheleni abili. Ukwete finshi?” “Vendor: ‘They cost two shillings. What things do you have?’”
27.25 Umwana: “Nkwete isheleni limo. Cinshi cingansuminako?” “Child: ‘I have one shilling. What thing can I buy?’”
27.26 Mukashi: “Utuunga utwabili. Ninshi ifyo ulefwaya?” “Vendor: ‘Two cakes. What is it that you want?’”
27.27 Musumina wa citupa: “Finshi mwaunshishile lelo?” “First customer: ‘What things have you all sold today?’”
27.28 Mukashi: “Twaunshishile ifisuma fyonse. Twasumine finshi pakunama?” “Vendor: ‘We sold all the good things. What things have we bought for tomorrow?’”
27.29 Musumina: “Tatuishibe cinshi cifwaila. Mulepusha nshi?” “Customer: ‘We don’t know what thing is needed. What are you all asking?’”
27.30 Mukashi: “Abantu balefwaya ifya kufwaila mu mabuku yonse. Cinshi cilefwaila sana?” “Vendor: ‘People want things needed every day. What thing is most needed?’”
27.16 Mukashi: “Mwaiseni, finshi mukasumine lelo?” Mukashi: “Mwaiseni, finshi mukasumine lelo?”
27.17 Musumina: “Tulefwaya ubwali. Cinshi ukwete?” Musumina: “Tulefwaya ubwali. Cinshi ukwete?”
27.18 Mukashi: “Nkwete amasaka na ubunga. Ninshi ifyo mulefwaya?” Mukashi: “Nkwete amasaka na ubunga. Ninshi ifyo mulefwaya?”
27.19 Musumina: “Twafwaya ubunga. Kanshi ulaunshisha?” Musumina: “Twafwaya ubunga. Kanshi ulaunshisha?”
27.20 Mukashi: “Nlaunshisha amanshi ya bunga, finshi ifyobene.” Mukashi: “Nlaunshisha amanshi ya bunga, finshi ifyobene.”
27.21 Umwana: “Nshilefwaya akaloba. Kanshi ukwete?” Umwana: “Nshilefwaya akaloba. Kanshi ukwete?”
27.22 Mukashi: “Nkwete utwalo na utuunga. Ninshi ifyo ulefwaya?” Mukashi: “Nkwete utwalo na utuunga. Ninshi ifyo ulefwaya?”
27.23 Umwana: “Nfwaya utwalo. Finshi ifikula?” Umwana: “Nfwaya utwalo. Finshi ifikula?”
27.24 Mukashi: “Fikula amasheleni abili. Ukwete finshi?” Mukashi: “Fikula amasheleni abili. Ukwete finshi?”
27.25 Umwana: “Nkwete isheleni limo. Cinshi cingansuminako?” Umwana: “Nkwete isheleni limo. Cinshi cingansuminako?”
27.26 Mukashi: “Utuunga utwabili. Ninshi ifyo ulefwaya?” Mukashi: “Utuunga utwabili. Ninshi ifyo ulefwaya?”
27.27 Musumina wa citupa: “Finshi mwaunshishile lelo?” Musumina wa citupa: “Finshi mwaunshishile lelo?”
27.28 Mukashi: “Twaunshishile ifisuma fyonse. Twasumine finshi pakunama?” Mukashi: “Twaunshishile ifisuma fyonse. Twasumine finshi pakunama?”
27.29 Musumina: “Tatuishibe cinshi cifwaila. Mulepusha nshi?” Musumina: “Tatuishibe cinshi cifwaila. Mulepusha nshi?”
27.30 Mukashi: “Abantu balefwaya ifya kufwaila mu mabuku yonse. Cinshi cilefwaila sana?” Mukashi: “Abantu balefwaya ifya kufwaila mu mabuku yonse. Cinshi cilefwaila sana?”
This market dialogue demonstrates authentic conversational use of Bemba interrogatives across multiple speakers and contexts. Several grammatical features deserve attention:
Register and politeness: The vendor uses plural forms (mulefwaya, mukasumine) when addressing customers, showing respect even when speaking to a single person. This plural-of-respect strategy is standard in commercial and formal interactions.
Class agreement throughout: Notice how interrogatives shift based on what’s being questioned: -
Finshi for multiple items (maize meal, flour, candies) -
Cinshi for singular concrete objects (what thing can I buy?) -
Kanshi for items the speaker views as small or humble (candy, small cakes) -
Ninshi for abstract or general concepts (what is it that you want?)
Verb tense variation: The dialogue moves through multiple tenses: -
Present habitual: nlaunshisha (I sell) -
Future: mukasumine (you will buy) -
Perfect: mwaunshishile (you have sold) -
Negative subjunctive: tatuishibe (we don’t know)
Post-position consistency: Every single interrogative appears after the element it questions, never sentence-initially. This rigid word order reflects Bemba’s head-first syntactic principle.
Natural ellipsis: The child’s question “Nkwete isheleni limo. Cinshi cingansuminako?” demonstrates authentic ellipsis—the full question would be “Cinshi ico cintu cingansuminako?” (What thing can I buy?), but native speakers drop the redundant ico cintu (that thing) when context makes it clear.
The market setting is pedagogically ideal for interrogatives because commercial transactions fundamentally involve questions: What do you have? What do you want? How much does it cost? This dialogue captures the rhythms of actual Bemba market discourse, where vendors and customers negotiate through a rapid exchange of questions and answers.
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nshi - /n̩.ʃí/ - The syllabic nasal /n̩/ carries its own syllable before the postalveolar fricative /ʃ/. High tone on the second syllable.
cinshi - /t͡ʃí.n̩.ʃi/ - Begins with the affricate /t͡ʃ/ (like English “ch”). High tone on first syllable, low on remaining syllables.
kanshi - /ká.n̩.ʃi/ - Velar stop /k/ followed by low vowel /a/. High tone on first syllable.
finshi - /fí.n̩.ʃi/ - Labiodental fricative /f/ onset. High tone on first syllable.
ninshi - /ní.n̩.ʃi/ - Alveolar nasal /n/ with high tone, followed by syllabic nasal and /ʃi/.
Syllabic nasals: English speakers often insert an epenthetic vowel before the syllabic /n̩/ in forms like nshi, pronouncing it as “en-shi” or “in-shi.” The correct pronunciation has the nasal itself forming the syllable: /n̩.ʃí/.
Tone patterns: Bemba distinguishes high and low tone, though tone has limited effect on meaning compared to other tonal languages. English speakers tend to impose English stress patterns, but Bemba tone operates independently of stress. The high tone on nshi (/n̩.ʃí/) must be maintained.
Postalveolar fricative: The /ʃ/ sound in Bemba nshi is identical to English “sh” in “ship,” but English speakers sometimes palatalize it excessively. Keep it a pure postalveolar fricative.
Affricate in cinshi: The /t͡ʃ/ sound is like English “ch” in “church,” not the palatal stop /c/ found in some romanization systems.
For authentic Bemba pronunciation, listen to: -
Bemba language radio broadcasts from Zambia (ZNBC Radio 1, Radio Ichengelo) -
Digital recordings of Reverend Mushindo’s biblical translations (available through religious archives) -
Contemporary Bemba music from artists in the Copperbelt and Northern Provinces -
Online Bemba language courses with native speaker audio (Kitwe Online, Bemba language learning platforms)
While standard Bemba orthography doesn’t mark tone, learners should be aware that: -
High tone typically falls on the first syllable of interrogatives (nínshi, cínshi) -
The syllabic nasal /n̩/ in nshi carries low tone -
Interrogative intonation in Bemba questions rises slightly at the end, similar to English, but the grammatical marking of questions comes from the interrogative word position, not intonation alone
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This lesson is part of the Latinum Institute’s Modern Language Course series, designed specifically for autodidact learners who teach themselves languages without classroom instruction. Since 2006, the Latinum Institute has been creating comprehensive language learning materials that enable independent study through systematic exposure to authentic texts.
Link to complete course index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
Link to Latinum Institute reviews: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
Traditional language courses assume a teacher will guide learners through grammar explanations and vocabulary lists. Autodidacts need a different approach—one that provides immediate comprehensibility while building toward authentic language use. The interlinear construed text format serves this need by presenting language in layers:
Layer 1: Target language text in bold, showing authentic script and spelling Layer 2: Pronunciation and grammatical analysis in parentheses Layer 3: Word-by-word English glosses for immediate comprehension
This three-layer approach allows learners to: -
See exactly what each word means without consulting a dictionary -
Understand grammatical structures through consistent glossing notation -
Recognize patterns through repetition across multiple examples -
Build reading fluency by moving from heavily-glossed to natural text
Immediate comprehensibility: You don’t need to look up words or guess meanings. Every element is explained at the point of use.
Pattern recognition: Seeing the same grammatical structures glossed consistently across 30 examples trains your brain to recognize patterns automatically.
Authentic usage: Unlike artificial textbook sentences, these examples use real Bemba constructions found in native speaker discourse.
Cultural immersion: Language doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Each lesson embeds vocabulary and grammar in cultural context, from market interactions to traditional proverbs.
Progressive complexity: Examples build systematically from simple identification (Cinshi ici?) to complex embedded questions (Beshiba ninshi ifyo balifwaya?).
Cognitive science shows that language acquisition requires massive input—thousands of hours of comprehensible exposure. Interlinear texts provide this by:
Reducing cognitive load: You don’t waste mental energy looking up words; all information is immediately available, allowing you to focus on understanding meaning and structure.
Creating multiple retrieval pathways: Each example creates neural connections between the target language, its pronunciation, its grammatical structure, and its English equivalent.
Enabling extensive reading: With glosses provided, you can read far more target language text than you could with a dictionary, dramatically increasing input quantity.
Supporting noticing: The consistent glossing format helps you “notice” grammatical patterns—a crucial step in language acquisition identified by cognitive linguists.
First reading: Focus on Section A’s interlinear text. Read both line ‘a’ and line ‘b’ for each example, seeing how the pronunciation guides relate to the script.
Second reading: Move to Section B’s natural sentences. Try reading the target language first, then check the translation.
Active practice: Use Section C (target language only) to test your comprehension. Can you understand the sentences without glosses?
Grammar study: Return to Section D to understand the systematic patterns underlying the examples.
Cultural enrichment: Read Section E for context on how native speakers actually use these forms.
Literary appreciation: Section F provides authentic texts from Bemba literature, showing language in its cultural context.
Applied practice: The Genre Section demonstrates language in realistic scenarios—markets, conversations, stories.
Bemba presents particular challenges for English speakers:
Noun class system: Bemba’s nine noun classes require agreement across multiple elements of a sentence. The interlinear format makes these agreements visible and comprehensible.
Agglutinative morphology: Bemba builds words by stacking prefixes and suffixes. The glossing notation breaks complex forms like mukasumine into their component parts: mu-ka-sumin-e (2PL-FUT-buy-PERF).
Post-nominal interrogatives: English speakers expect questions to begin with question words, but Bemba places them after the questioned element. Repeated exposure through examples builds the correct intuition.
Tone: While tone is not marked in standard orthography, the pronunciation guides in this course include tone information to support accurate production.
This course follows a frequency-based curriculum derived from universal vocabulary lists. Each lesson targets specific vocabulary items ranked by frequency and utility. Lesson 27 covers nshi (what)—a fundamental interrogative that appears in the top 30 most frequent words across human languages. By progressing through numbered lessons, you build vocabulary systematically while encountering increasingly complex grammatical structures.
The literary citations in these lessons draw from Bemba’s rich written tradition:
Paul Mushindo (1896-1974): Minister, historian, and preserver of Bemba oral traditions through works like “Amapinda Mulyashi” (Proverbs in Conversations) and “Imilumbe Nenshimi” (Riddles and Folktales). His biblical translation brought Christian texts into Bemba while maintaining cultural authenticity.
Stephen Mpashi (1920s-1970s): Prolific novelist and cultural commentator whose works like “Ubusuma Bubili” (Two Types of Beauty) explored Bemba society’s transition to modernity.
Contemporary writers: Modern Bemba literature continues to flourish, though publication challenges limit availability. The works that do appear maintain high literary quality.
Engaging with these authors through the interlinear format provides a bridge from pedagogical materials to authentic literature. As your competence grows, you can transition to reading unglossed Bemba texts—novels, newspapers, biblical translations, and oral tradition collections.
Language learning is cumulative. Each lesson builds neural pathways that make subsequent learning easier. The effort you invest in understanding nshi and its variants pays dividends when you encounter these forms in natural discourse. Trust the process. Read extensively. Engage with authentic materials. And celebrate progress, not perfection.
Mwafwambote! (Good luck!)
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