In English, "now" names the present moment: I am eating now. In Bemba (iciBemba) the word for this is nomba. It is an adverb of time, and it points at the moment of speaking, so it is always read against the situation in which the sentence is said. What is "now" at breakfast is not "now" at midnight.
Bemba does not show tense on the adverb. The tense lives in the verb. A verb with the present marker -le- (ndeya, "I am going") is the natural partner of nomba, and so is the imperative (Lya nombaline, "Eat now"). A verb with the perfect ending -ile gives "has just": bafikile nomba, "they have arrived now". The adverb adds the moment; the verb says what is happening in it.
Two things are worth knowing from the start.
First, nomba has a second life. The Kitwe Online Bemba–English dictionary gives its meaning as "Now / However". So the same word that means "now" also turns a sentence round, in the way English uses "now" in "Now, that is another matter" or "however" in "I did not go; however, I am going today". If you worked through the earlier lessons of this course you have already met nomba in this second sense, translated as "but" (for example in Lessons 2, 4 and 8). In this lesson we teach the time meaning first and show the contrast meaning where it appears (examples 51.11 and 51.23).
Second, there is a stronger form. Nombaline is listed in the same dictionary as "Immediately / Presently / At once / At this moment / Instantly". It is the "right now!" of commands: Lya nombaline (Eat now), Sendama nombaline (Sleep now). Some texts write it as two words, nomba line, but the dictionary gives it as one.
What does "now" mean in Bemba?
"Now" is nomba, and "right now, at once" is nombaline. Both go with the verb's present tense or the imperative. The same word nomba can also mean "but, however" when it joins two ideas that pull against each other.
Vocabulary row for this lesson: number 51 in the Universal Language Learning list, "now", adverb, frequency rank 51, category Time, note "present moment", usage "temporal deixis". We chose nomba because it is the everyday Bemba word for the present moment, it is listed with that sense in the dictionary, and it is the word our earlier lessons already use. We did not choose the longer nombaline as headword, because that is the emphatic form built on it.
Key Takeaways:
- nomba = "now", the present moment; it is also "but, however" when it joins contrasting ideas. - nombaline = "right now, at once"; the form for commands and urgency. - Nomba does not change for tense. The verb carries the tense: present -le-, perfect -ile, imperative. - Nomba can stand at the end of a sentence (Ndeya nomba) or at the beginning (Nomba twaupana). - For other times use other words: lelo (today), mailo (yesterday or tomorrow, depending on the verb), panuma (later), bwangu (quickly).
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nomba /no.mba/
- n /n/ as in English "no". - o /o/ a pure, short "o", as in Spanish or Italian o. Do not glide it into "oh-oo" as English speakers tend to do. - mb /mb/ is one sound, a prenasalised stop. Start the lips closed and humming (m) and release straight into b, with no vowel between them. English "number" has the same sequence in its first syllable. - a /a/ as in "father".
Syllables: no-mba. Bemba is a tonal language, but standard spelling does not write the tones, and neither does this lesson.
nombaline /no.mba.li.ne/ is the same word plus -line: no-mba-li-ne. The e is a pure /e/, as in Spanish mesa, not the English "ay" glide.
Other sounds that appear in this lesson:
- c /tʃ/ is "ch" as in "church"; it appears in this lesson only in the citation (mucinshi /mu.tʃi.nʃi/, eico). - ny /ɲ/ is the sound in Spanish año (it appears in tontonkanya and bwananyina in the citation). - sh /ʃ/ as in "shoe": mushi /mu.ʃi/ (village), bushe /βu.ʃe/ (question word), amenshi /a.me.nʃi/ (water). - b /β/ is a soft bilabial sound, made with both lips almost touching and no burst, between English "b" and "v": abana /a.βa.na/ (children), bamayo /βa.ma.jo/ (mother). After m it is a hard /b/, as in nomba. - y /j/ as English "y": ndeya /nde.ja/. After a consonant, y gives a glide: lya /lja/, ifyakulya /i.fja.ku.lja/. - w /w/ as English "w", and after a consonant it glides: bwangu /βwa.ŋgu/ (quickly), twaupana /twa.u.pa.na/. - ng before a vowel /ŋg/: bwangu, nga /ŋga/ (if).
The IPA in this lesson is a broad transcription of citation forms. It does not mark tone or vowel length.
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Examples 51.1 to 51.15. Line a gives each word with its meaning. Line b adds the pronunciation and the grammar: SM = subject marker (the verb prefix that agrees with the subject), PRES = present, PERF = perfect, NEG = negative, IMP = imperative, INF = infinitive, HON = honorific plural used to show respect (as in bamayo, "mother"), CL = noun class, Q = question word. Examples 51.2, 51.3 and 51.4 are taken from Kitwe Online; the rest are constructed by us from verified words and patterns.
51.1a Isa come! nomba now
51.1b Isa /i.sa/ come.IMP nomba /no.mba/ now
51.2a Lya eat! nombaline right-now
51.2b Lya /lja/ eat.IMP.SG nombaline /no.mba.li.ne/ right.now
51.3a Sendama sleep! nombaline right-now
51.3b Sendama /se.nda.ma/ sleep.IMP.SG nombaline /no.mba.li.ne/ right.now
51.4a Nomba now twaupana we-have-married
51.4b Nomba /no.mba/ now twaupana /twa.u.pa.na/ SM1PL-PERF-marry
51.5a Ndeya I-am-going nomba now
51.5b Ndeya /nde.ja/ SM1SG-PRES-go nomba /no.mba/ now
51.6a Umwana child alelya he-is-eating ifyakulya food ku at mushi village nomba now
51.6b Umwana /u.mwa.na/ child.CL1 alelya /a.le.lja/ SM1-PRES-eat ifyakulya /i.fja.ku.lja/ food.CL8 ku /ku/ at mushi /mu.ʃi/ village.CL3 nomba /no.mba/ now
51.7a Abana children balesambilila they-are-studying ku at sukulu school nomba now
51.7b Abana /a.βa.na/ children.CL2 balesambilila /βa.le.sa.mbi.li.la/ SM2-PRES-learn ku /ku/ at sukulu /su.ku.lu/ school nomba /no.mba/ now
51.8a Umwaume man alebomba he-is-working mu in munda field nomba now
51.8b Umwaume /u.mwa.u.me/ man.CL1 alebomba /a.le.βo.mba/ SM1-PRES-work mu /mu/ in munda /mu.nda/ field nomba /no.mba/ now
51.9a Ine I ndefwaya I-want ukunwa to-drink amenshi water nomba now
51.9b Ine /i.ne/ 1SG.PRO ndefwaya /nde.fwa.ja/ SM1SG-PRES-want ukunwa /u.ku.nwa/ INF-drink amenshi /a.me.nʃi/ water.CL6 nomba /no.mba/ now
51.10a Bushe Q mulefwaya you-want ukuya to-go ku to sukulu school nomba now
51.10b Bushe /βu.ʃe/ Q mulefwaya /mu.le.fwa.ja/ SM2PL-PRES-want ukuya /u.ku.ja/ INF-go ku /ku/ to sukulu /su.ku.lu/ school nomba /no.mba/ now
51.11a Mailo yesterday nshaile I-did-not-go nomba but ndeya I-am-going
51.11b Mailo /mai.lo/ yesterday nshaile /nʃa.i.le/ SM1SG.NEG-go.PAST nomba /no.mba/ but.now ndeya /nde.ja/ SM1SG-PRES-go
51.12a Abana children bafikile they-have-arrived nomba now kabili and balelya they-are-eating ifyakulya food
51.12b Abana /a.βa.na/ children.CL2 bafikile /βa.fi.ki.le/ SM2-arrive.PERF nomba /no.mba/ now kabili /ka.βi.li/ and balelya /βa.le.lja/ SM2-PRES-eat ifyakulya /i.fja.ku.lja/ food.CL8
51.13a Nga if mulefwaya you-want iseni come! nombaline right-now
51.13b Nga /ŋga/ if mulefwaya /mu.le.fwa.ja/ SM2PL-PRES-want iseni /i.se.ni/ come.IMP.PL nombaline /no.mba.li.ne/ right.now
51.14a Tuleya we-are-going ku to mushi village nomba now panuma later tukabwela we-will-return
51.14b Tuleya /tu.le.ja/ SM1PL-PRES-go ku /ku/ to mushi /mu.ʃi/ village.CL3 nomba /no.mba/ now panuma /pa.nu.ma/ later tukabwela /tu.ka.βwe.la/ SM1PL-FUT-return
51.15a Bushe Q mukwete you-have inshita time nomba now
51.15b Bushe /βu.ʃe/ Q mukwete /mu.kwe.te/ SM2PL-have inshita /i.nʃi.ta/ time.CL9 nomba /no.mba/ now
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51.1 Isa nomba. → "Come now."
51.2 Lya nombaline. → "Eat now." (right now)
51.3 Sendama nombaline. → "Sleep now." (right now)
51.4 Nomba twaupana. → "We are now married."
51.5 Ndeya nomba. → "I am going now."
51.6 Umwana alelya ifyakulya ku mushi nomba. → "The child is eating food in the village now."
51.7 Abana balesambilila ku sukulu nomba. → "The children are studying at school now."
51.8 Umwaume alebomba mu munda nomba. → "The man is working in the field now."
51.9 Ine ndefwaya ukunwa amenshi nomba. → "I want to drink water now."
51.10 Bushe mulefwaya ukuya ku sukulu nomba? → "Do you want to go to school now?"
51.11 Mailo nshaile, nomba ndeya. → "Yesterday I did not go, but now I am going."
51.12 Abana bafikile nomba, kabili balelya ifyakulya. → "The children have arrived now, and they are eating."
51.13 Nga mulefwaya, iseni nombaline. → "If you want to, come right now."
51.14 Tuleya ku mushi nomba, panuma tukabwela. → "We are going to the village now; later we will return."
51.15 Bushe mukwete inshita nomba? → "Do you have time now?"
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51.1 Isa nomba.
51.2 Lya nombaline.
51.3 Sendama nombaline.
51.4 Nomba twaupana.
51.5 Ndeya nomba.
51.6 Umwana alelya ifyakulya ku mushi nomba.
51.7 Abana balesambilila ku sukulu nomba.
51.8 Umwaume alebomba mu munda nomba.
51.9 Ine ndefwaya ukunwa amenshi nomba.
51.10 Bushe mulefwaya ukuya ku sukulu nomba?
51.11 Mailo nshaile, nomba ndeya.
51.12 Abana bafikile nomba, kabili balelya ifyakulya.
51.13 Nga mulefwaya, iseni nombaline.
51.14 Tuleya ku mushi nomba, panuma tukabwela.
51.15 Bushe mukwete inshita nomba?
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These are the grammar rules for nomba in Bemba:
1. Nomba is an adverb of time and does not change. It has no noun-class prefix and no tense forms. It means "at this moment" and is fixed to the moment of speaking: Ndeya nomba (51.5), "I am going now."
2. Where it stands. In our examples nomba most often closes the sentence, after the verb and its objects: Umwana alelya ifyakulya ku mushi nomba (51.6). It can also open the sentence: Nomba twaupana (51.4, from Kitwe Online). In a sentence of two parts, as in 51.14, it can close the first part: Tuleya ku mushi nomba, panuma tukabwela.
3. The verb carries the tense. The present marker -le- goes between the subject marker and the root. Here is the pattern with the verb ukuya (to go); the subject marker joins the marker and the root into one word:
- ndeya = I am going (n- + -le- + -ya, so the sounds blend into nde-) - uleya = you (singular) are going - aleya = he/she is going - tuleya = we are going - muleya = you (plural, or polite singular) are going - baleya = they are going; also "he/she is going" said of an elder, with respect
The same pattern gives alelya (he is eating), alebomba (he is working), balesambilila (they are studying), mulefwaya (you want) and the rest of the verbs in this lesson. For "has just", Bemba uses the perfect ending -ile: bafikile (they have arrived, 51.12). For a past negative, see 51.11: nshaile, "I did not go" (the form given by Kitwe Online for "I didn't go yesterday").
4. Commands. The imperative has a singular and a plural: isa and iseni (come), lya and lyeni (eat), sendama and sendameni (sleep). Kitwe Online gives these with nombaline as "Eat now" and "Sleep now": Lya nombaline, Lyeni nombaline; Sendama nombaline, Sendameni nombaline. The plural form is also the polite form.
5. nomba and nombaline. Nomba states the time. Nombaline presses it: "right now, at once, this very moment". Use nombaline when you are asking someone to act, or when "now" needs emphasis. In an ordinary report of what is going on, nomba is enough: Ndeya nomba.
6. Nomba as "but, however". A second use of nomba is to set one statement against another. In 51.11 the first clause is negative and the second brings a change: Mailo nshaile, nomba ndeya. "Yesterday I did not go, but now I am going." Here both senses are in play, "but" and "now", and Bemba does not make you choose. In 51.23 (genre section) the sense is plainly "but". Look at what comes before: if the two statements oppose each other, translate "but"; if the sentence describes what is happening at the moment, translate "now".
7. Other time words used with nomba.
- lelo = today. - mailo = yesterday, and also tomorrow. The tense of the verb tells which: Mailo nshaile (past, "yesterday I did not go") against Mailo abana bakasambilila ku sukulu (future, 51.30, "tomorrow the children will study at school"). - panuma = later, afterwards (51.14). - bwangu = quickly (51.22).
8. The question word. Bushe opens a yes-or-no question: Bushe mulefwaya ukuya ku sukulu nomba? (51.10). It is not needed to ask a question, but it makes the question clear.
Common Mistakes
- Using lelo for nomba. Lelo is "today" and covers the whole day. "I am eating today" is not "I am eating now". - Using nomba for "then, next". English "now" can mean "then" in a story ("Now the king was angry"). For the next step in a sequence, use panuma (afterwards), as in 51.14 and 51.28. - Leaving the tense to the adverb. Nomba only places the moment; the verb must still carry the present marker for an action in progress: Ndeya nomba ("I am going now"), with the -le- inside ndeya. - Dropping the ba- or mu- of respect. To an elder, or about one, use the plural: Bamayo balepika, not "Bamayo alepika". The adverb never changes; the politeness is all in the verb. - Reading mailo as always "yesterday". It is "tomorrow" with a future verb. - Mixing up nomba and nombaline in a request. Isa nomba is "come now"; Iseni nombaline is "come right now!". - Pronouncing mb as two sounds with a vowel between them, or dropping the m.
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Frequency and register. Nomba is an everyday word with no formal or informal form of its own. It appears in the everyday speech recorded in the dictionary and phrase pages we consulted, and in written Bemba. We found no source that restricts it to any social group. What changes with the social setting is the verb: with elders and strangers, speakers use the plural (mu-, ba-), as in Iseni nombaline and Bamayo bati.
Time in speech. Nomba names the present, lelo the day, mailo the neighbouring days on either side, and panuma what comes after. Because one word, mailo, serves for both "yesterday" and "tomorrow", a Bemba speaker leans on the verb to place events in time. The learner should do the same, and treat time words as a frame, not as the tense itself.
Variety. This lesson follows the written standard used in the dictionary and teaching materials we consulted. Bemba is spoken across Zambia's Northern, Luapula, Muchinga and Copperbelt provinces and beyond, and the urban speech of the Copperbelt is a mixed-language setting in which Bemba is heard alongside English and other Zambian languages. We did not find a source that says whether nomba differs from region to region, and we do not claim that it does.
The two meanings. For a learner, the fact that one word means "now" and "but, however" is a useful idea about how Bemba arranges a story: what is happening at this moment is set against what was said before. English does the same with "now" ("Now, as I was saying") and "however". When you hear nomba at the start of a sentence, listen for a turn in the story.
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The headword nomba is a word of the spoken moment. The passage chosen for this section is Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Bemba, as printed in the Wikipedia article "Bemba language". It is authentic written Bemba of the formal register. It does not contain nomba, and Section F-D explains why that is itself instructive. The glosses are ours.
F.1a Abantu people bonse all bafyalwa are-born abalubuka free nokulingana and-equal mu in mucinshi dignity nensambu and-rights
F.1b Abantu /a.βa.ntu/ people.CL2 bonse /βo.nse/ all.CL2 bafyalwa /βa.fja.lwa/ SM2-bear.PASS abalubuka /a.βa.lu.βu.ka/ free.CL2 nokulingana /no.ku.li.ŋga.na/ and.INF-be.equal mu /mu/ in mucinshi /mu.tʃi.nʃi/ dignity nensambu /ne.nsa.mbu/ and.rights
F.2a Balikwata they-have amano reason nokutontonkanya and-conscience eico therefore bafwile they-ought ukulacita to-act ifintu things ku to banabo their-fellows mu in mutima spirit wa of bwananyina brotherhood
F.2b Balikwata /βa.li.kwa.ta/ SM2-have amano /a.ma.no/ reason.CL6 nokutontonkanya /no.ku.to.nto.ŋka.ɲa/ and.INF-think eico /e.i.tʃo/ therefore bafwile /βa.fwi.le/ SM2-ought ukulacita /u.ku.la.tʃi.ta/ INF-HAB-do ifintu /i.fi.ntu/ things.CL8 ku /ku/ to banabo /βa.na.βo/ fellows.their mu /mu/ in mutima /mu.ti.ma/ heart.CL3 wa /wa/ of bwananyina /βwa.na.ɲi.na/ brotherhood.CL14
F.1 Abantu bonse bafyalwa abalubuka nokulingana mu mucinshi nensambu. → "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights."
F.2 Balikwata amano nokutontonkanya, eico bafwile ukulacita ifintu ku banabo mu mutima wa bwananyina. → "They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."
F.1 Abantu bonse bafyalwa abalubuka nokulingana mu mucinshi nensambu.
F.2 Balikwata amano nokutontonkanya, eico bafwile ukulacita ifintu ku banabo mu mutima wa bwananyina.
The word-for-word glosses above are our own reading of a published text. The English renderings in F-B are those printed with the Bemba in the Wikipedia article.
Notice what is absent. In F.1 and F.2 there is no nomba, and no time word at all. The Declaration states what is always true of persons: they are born free, they have reason. The speaker is not placed in a moment, so a word that means "at this moment" has nothing to do. That is the clearest way to see what nomba is. It belongs to talk that happens in a particular place and time, such as a request, a report or a story, and not to statements about all people at all times.
In F.1, bafyalwa carries the passive ending -w-: "are born" is "are given birth to". Abalubuka is an adjective used in the same class as the subject (class 2, ba-), which agrees with abantu. Nokulingana and nensambu show the joiner "and" fused to the word that follows it, here as no- before an infinitive and ne- before a noun.
In F.2, balikwata is the subject marker ba- with the marker -li- and the root -kwata ("have"). Eico introduces a result ("therefore"). Ukulacita is an infinitive with the habitual marker -la-, matching the sense of a standing duty. The closing phrase mu mutima wa bwananyina (in the spirit of brotherhood) joins the noun mutima (heart, spirit) to bwananyina (brotherhood) with the linking word wa (of), which agrees with the class of mutima.
We could not open the United Nations (OHCHR) page of the Declaration's translations during this session, so we cite the text only as printed in the Wikipedia article. A learner who wants the official wording should compare it with the OHCHR page.
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Examples 51.16 to 51.30. A short evening story in the present tense. Bamayo (mother) takes the honorific plural throughout, and bati is "they say" in the same respectful form. A speech is introduced with bati.
51.16a Lelo today abana children bafikile they-have-arrived ku at mushi village
51.16b Lelo /le.lo/ today abana /a.βa.na/ children.CL2 bafikile /βa.fi.ki.le/ SM2-arrive.PERF ku /ku/ at mushi /mu.ʃi/ village.CL3
51.17a Bamayo mother balepika she-is-cooking ifyakulya food nomba now
51.17b Bamayo /βa.ma.jo/ mother.HON balepika /βa.le.pi.ka/ SM2.HON-PRES-cook ifyakulya /i.fja.ku.lja/ food.CL8 nomba /no.mba/ now
51.18a Abana children balefwaya they-want ukulya to-eat nombaline right-now
51.18b Abana /a.βa.na/ children.CL2 balefwaya /βa.le.fwa.ja/ SM2-PRES-want ukulya /u.ku.lja/ INF-eat nombaline /no.mba.li.ne/ right.now
51.19a Bamayo mother bati she-says iseni come! nomba now
51.19b Bamayo /βa.ma.jo/ mother.HON bati /βa.ti/ SM2.HON-say iseni /i.se.ni/ come.IMP.PL nomba /no.mba/ now
51.20a Abana children baleya they-are-going kuli to bamayo mother
51.20b Abana /a.βa.na/ children.CL2 baleya /βa.le.ja/ SM2-PRES-go kuli /ku.li/ to bamayo /βa.ma.jo/ mother.HON
51.21a Bamayo mother balepeela she-is-giving abana children ifyakulya food
51.21b Bamayo /βa.ma.jo/ mother.HON balepeela /βa.le.pe.e.la/ SM2.HON-PRES-give abana /a.βa.na/ children.CL2 ifyakulya /i.fja.ku.lja/ food.CL8
51.22a Abana children balelya they-are-eating bwangu quickly
51.22b Abana /a.βa.na/ children.CL2 balelya /βa.le.lja/ SM2-PRES-eat bwangu /βwa.ŋgu/ quickly
51.23a Abana children balelya they-are-eating nomba but bamayo mother tabalelya she-is-not-eating
51.23b Abana /a.βa.na/ children.CL2 balelya /βa.le.lja/ SM2-PRES-eat nomba /no.mba/ but bamayo /βa.ma.jo/ mother.HON tabalelya /ta.βa.le.lja/ NEG.SM2.HON-PRES-eat
51.24a Bamayo mother balefwaya she-wants ukusendama to-sleep nomba now
51.24b Bamayo /βa.ma.jo/ mother.HON balefwaya /βa.le.fwa.ja/ SM2.HON-PRES-want ukusendama /u.ku.se.nda.ma/ INF-sleep nomba /no.mba/ now
51.25a Abana children bati they-say awe no tulefwaya we-want ukulanda to-talk nomba now
51.25b Abana /a.βa.na/ children.CL2 bati /βa.ti/ SM2-say awe /a.we/ no tulefwaya /tu.le.fwa.ja/ SM1PL-PRES-want ukulanda /u.ku.la.nda/ INF-talk nomba /no.mba/ now
51.26a Bamayo mother bati she-says nga if mulefwaya you-want landeni talk!
51.26b Bamayo /βa.ma.jo/ mother.HON bati /βa.ti/ SM2.HON-say nga /ŋga/ if mulefwaya /mu.le.fwa.ja/ SM2PL-PRES-want landeni /la.nde.ni/ talk.IMP.PL
51.27a Abana children balelanda they-are-talking panono a-little
51.27b Abana /a.βa.na/ children.CL2 balelanda /βa.le.la.nda/ SM2-PRES-talk panono /pa.no.no/ a.little
51.28a Panuma later abana children balesendama they-are-sleeping
51.28b Panuma /pa.nu.ma/ later abana /a.βa.na/ children.CL2 balesendama /βa.le.se.nda.ma/ SM2-PRES-sleep
51.29a Nomba now bonse all balesendama they-are-sleeping
51.29b Nomba /no.mba/ now bonse /βo.nse/ all.CL2 balesendama /βa.le.se.nda.ma/ SM2-PRES-sleep
51.30a Mailo tomorrow abana children bakasambilila they-will-study ku at sukulu school
51.30b Mailo /mai.lo/ tomorrow abana /a.βa.na/ children.CL2 bakasambilila /βa.ka.sa.mbi.li.la/ SM2-FUT-learn ku /ku/ at sukulu /su.ku.lu/ school
51.16 Lelo abana bafikile ku mushi. → "Today the children have arrived at the village."
51.17 Bamayo balepika ifyakulya nomba. → "Mother is cooking food now."
51.18 Abana balefwaya ukulya nombaline. → "The children want to eat right now."
51.19 Bamayo bati, "Iseni nomba." → "Mother says, 'Come now.'"
51.20 Abana baleya kuli bamayo. → "The children go to mother."
51.21 Bamayo balepeela abana ifyakulya. → "Mother gives the children food."
51.22 Abana balelya bwangu. → "The children eat quickly."
51.23 Abana balelya, nomba bamayo tabalelya. → "The children are eating, but mother is not eating."
51.24 Bamayo balefwaya ukusendama nomba. → "Mother wants to sleep now."
51.25 Abana bati, "Awe, tulefwaya ukulanda nomba." → "The children say, 'No, we want to talk now.'"
51.26 Bamayo bati, "Nga mulefwaya, landeni." → "Mother says, 'If you want to, talk.'"
51.27 Abana balelanda panono. → "The children talk for a little while."
51.28 Panuma abana balesendama. → "Later the children are going to sleep."
51.29 Nomba bonse balesendama. → "Now they are all asleep."
51.30 Mailo abana bakasambilila ku sukulu. → "Tomorrow the children will study at school."
51.16 Lelo abana bafikile ku mushi.
51.17 Bamayo balepika ifyakulya nomba.
51.18 Abana balefwaya ukulya nombaline.
51.19 Bamayo bati, "Iseni nomba."
51.20 Abana baleya kuli bamayo.
51.21 Bamayo balepeela abana ifyakulya.
51.22 Abana balelya bwangu.
51.23 Abana balelya, nomba bamayo tabalelya.
51.24 Bamayo balefwaya ukusendama nomba.
51.25 Abana bati, "Awe, tulefwaya ukulanda nomba."
51.26 Bamayo bati, "Nga mulefwaya, landeni."
51.27 Abana balelanda panono.
51.28 Panuma abana balesendama.
51.29 Nomba bonse balesendama.
51.30 Mailo abana bakasambilila ku sukulu.
The story's clock. The narrative moves from lelo (today, 51.16) through a run of present-tense verbs to nomba (now, 51.29) and out to mailo (tomorrow, 51.30). The one future verb, bakasambilila (-ka- is the future marker), is what makes mailo mean "tomorrow" here.
nomba in the story. It marks the moment of action in 51.17, 51.19, 51.24, 51.25 and 51.29. In 51.18 the stronger nombaline shows how urgent the hunger is. In 51.23 it joins two opposed facts: the children eat, but mother does not.
Respect. Bamayo is "mother" with the respectful ba-, and everything that goes with it takes the ba- of class 2: balepika, balepeela, bati, tabalelya. The children, plural in fact, take the same ba-, and only the nouns tell you who is meant.
Speech. Bati ("they say") opens a quotation (51.19, 51.25, 51.26). The speaker says the words after it, in the imperative for orders (iseni, landeni) and in the present for statements (tulefwaya).
Negation. The negative of a present verb takes ta- in front of the subject marker: balelya (they are eating) against tabalelya (they are not eating, 51.23).
Imperatives. Iseni and landeni end in the plural -eni, which is also the polite form.
Word order. Subject, verb, object, and then the time word (nomba), is the usual order in our narrative. Lelo, panuma, nomba and mailo may also begin the sentence (51.16, 51.28, 51.29, 51.30) to give the scene.
Useful vocabulary: ukupika (to cook), ukupeela (to give), ukulya (to eat), ukulanda (to talk), ukusendama (to sleep), bwangu (quickly), panono (a little), bonse (all), awe (no).
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- nomba /no.mba/: the mb is one sound. nombaline /no.mba.li.ne/. - Digraphs: sh /ʃ/, ng /ŋg/, nsh /nʃ/, ny /ɲ/, c /tʃ/. The letter b is /β/ except after m. - Doubled vowels in spelling (balepeela) show a long vowel. Standard spelling does not mark tone. - Capitals: Nomba at the start of a sentence, nomba elsewhere. The name of the language is written iciBemba (the Bemba language), or simply Bemba in English. - The perfect ending is -ile (bafikile), the infinitive prefix is uku- (ukulya), and before a vowel root it becomes ukw- (ukwisa, to come). - Write the question word as a separate word: Bushe mukwete inshita nomba? - Spelling variants: nombaline is also found as nomba line; the dictionary and this lesson write it as one word.
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