← Isambilisho lya Chisungu ku Bashimika ChiBemba
"He" is one of the most frequent words in English. It is a pronoun: it stands in place of a man or a boy who has already been named. "Chanda is at the shop. He is working." Here "he" means Chanda.
English chooses the pronoun by sex. Bemba does not:
- he — a man or a boy: "He is my friend." - she — a woman or a girl: "She is my mother." - it — a thing or an animal: "It is a good book."
Bemba uses the same forms for a man and for a woman. The verb prefix a- means "he" or "she": Ali pano is "He is here" or "She is here". The independent word ena also means "he" or "she". So a Bemba speaker must stop and ask: is this person a man or a woman? Then English chooses "he" or "she".
Bemba puts the person inside the verb. English needs a separate word, and it changes its form with its place in the sentence:
- he — the subject, before the verb: "He is here." — Ali pano. - him — the object, after a verb or a preposition: "Ask him." — Mwipusheni. Bemba puts -mu- inside the verb. - his — the owner, before a noun: "his house" — ing'anda yakwe. Bemba puts -akwe after the noun. - himself — "he will speak for himself" — alaisosela umwine.
What does "he" mean in Bemba? The subject prefix a- on the verb (a man or a woman); the independent pronoun ena, for emphasis or to stand alone; for "him", the object marker -mu-; for "his", -akwe (wakwe, yakwe, bakwe…).
Key Takeaways:
- "He" is for a man or a boy, "she" for a woman or a girl. Bemba a- and ena are both; English must choose. - English cannot leave "he" out: "He is here", never "Is here". Bemba Ali pano has "he" inside the verb. - After "he" the present verb takes -s: he wants, he knows, he does (Lesson 15). - "Him" after a verb or a preposition: "I saw him", "with him". Never "I saw he". - "His" comes before the noun: "his house", "his children". Bemba puts -akwe after: ing'anda yakwe, abana bakwe.
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he — strong form /hiː/ (stressed: "HE did it, not me"); weak form /hi/ or /i/ (unstressed: "Is he here?" /ɪz i ˈhɪə/)
him /hɪm/ (weak /ɪm/); his /hɪz/ (weak /ɪz/); himself /hɪmˈself/
The first sound, /h/, is only a breath: open the mouth and push out air before the vowel, as when you breathe on a cold hand. It is rare in Bemba, so learners often leave it out. Say "he" /hiː/, not "ee"; "his" /hɪz/, not "is".
The vowel /iː/ of "he" is long: hold Bemba i a little longer. "He" /hiː/ and "his" /hɪz/ have different vowels: the /ɪ/ of "his" and "him" is short and relaxed, as in "did" (Lesson 15).
"His" ends in /z/, a buzzing s: /hɪz/, not "hisi". Close the word on the /z/.
In fast speech the /h/ of "he", "him" and "his" often drops when the word is weak: "Ask him" /ˈɑːsk ɪm/, "Is he here?" /ɪz i ˈhɪə/. At the start of a sentence, and when it is stressed, the /h/ is always heard.
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16.1 He (a-) is ali here pano
16.2 Where kwi is he (a-) ali
16.3 He is ni my friend cibusa wandi
16.4 He (a-) is not talimo here muno
16.5 He (a-) has risen nabuuka
16.6 He (a-) wants alefwaya water amenshi now nomba
16.7 He (a-) teaches alasambilisha English iciNgeleshi at ku the school sukulu
16.8 Is he bushe e the teacher kafundisha who came uwaishile to ku our wesu village mushi
16.9 Who bushe nani is he uyo wine sir mukwai
16.10 He is ni the one uyu wine who is speaking ulelanda with you nankwe
16.11 He wena answered ayasuka ati Whether nga he is a sinner mubifi or not nangu iyoo I (n-) do not know nshishibe (that ico)
16.12 Ask him (-mu-) mwipusheni he is of age (an adult) mukalamba he (a-) will speak alaisosela for himself umwine
16.13 He (a-) has risen nabuuka he (a-) is not talimo here muno See moneni the place apo where epo they laid him (-mu-) bamulalike
16.14 While nomba cilya he (a-) was still acili far away apatali (aleya, "he was going") his father wishi saw him (-mu-) amumona and felt pity aumfwa uluse
16.15 He (a-) ran abutukila to kuli his son mwane he (a-) embraced him (-mu-) amukumbatila and kissed him (-mu-) amutomona in greeting pakumuposha
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16.1 He is here. Ali pano.
16.2 Where is he? Ali kwi? (Yoani 9:12, Ishiwi Lyakwa Lesa 2015)
16.3 He is my friend. Ni cibusa wandi.
16.4 He is not here. Talimo muno. (Mateo 28:6, Ishiwi Lyakwa Lesa 2015)
16.5 He has risen. Nabuuka. (Mako 16:6, Ishiwi Lyakwa Lesa 2015)
16.6 He wants water now. Alefwaya amenshi nomba.
16.7 He teaches English at the school. Alasambilisha iciNgeleshi ku sukulu.
16.8 Is he the teacher who came to our village? Bushe e kafundisha uwaishile ku mushi wesu?
16.9 Who is he, sir? Bushe nani uyo wine mukwai? (Yoani 9:36, Ishiwi Lyakwa Lesa 2015)
16.10 He is the one who is speaking with you. Ni uyu wine ulelanda nankwe. (Yoani 9:37, Ishiwi Lyakwa Lesa 2015)
16.11 He answered, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know." Wena ayasuka ati, "Nga mubifi nangu iyoo, ico nshishibe." (Yoani 9:25, Ishiwi Lyakwa Lesa 2015)
16.12 Ask him; he is of age; he will speak for himself. Mwipusheni, mukalamba, alaisosela umwine. (Yoani 9:21, Ishiwi Lyakwa Lesa 2015)
16.13 He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. Ala nabuuka, talimo muno. Moneni apo, epo bamulalike. (Mako 16:6, Ishiwi Lyakwa Lesa 2015)
16.14 While he was still far away, his father saw him and felt pity. Nomba cilya aleya acili apatali, wishi amumona, aumfwa uluse. (Luka 15:20, Ishiwi Lyakwa Lesa 2015)
16.15 He ran to his son; he embraced him and kissed him in greeting. Abutukila kuli mwane. Amukumbatila, amutomona pakumuposha. (Luka 15:20, Ishiwi Lyakwa Lesa 2015)
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16.1 He is here.
16.2 Where is he?
16.3 He is my friend.
16.4 He is not here.
16.5 He has risen.
16.6 He wants water now.
16.7 He teaches English at the school.
16.8 Is he the teacher who came to our village?
16.9 Who is he, sir?
16.10 He is the one who is speaking with you.
16.11 He answered, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know."
16.12 Ask him; he is of age; he will speak for himself.
16.13 He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.
16.14 While he was still far away, his father saw him and felt pity.
16.15 He ran to his son; he embraced him and kissed him in greeting.
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These are the grammar rules for "he" in English:
1. "He" is for a man or a boy. English has three pronouns where Bemba has one:
- he — a man or a boy (Chanda, Mr Banda, the teacher, a son, a father) - she — a woman or a girl (Mutale's mother, a teacher who is a woman) - it — a thing or an animal (the shop, the bread, a dog)
Bemba ali pano is "he is here" or "she is here"; only the person tells you which. In English the choice is never free: a man is always "he", a woman always "she". This is the most common mistake for Bemba speakers. Before you say the pronoun, think of the person.
2. "He" must be said. Bemba puts the subject inside the verb: a- in ali (16.1), alefwaya (16.6), alasambilisha (16.7). English needs the separate word "he" before the verb in every sentence: "He is here" (16.1), "He wants water" (16.6). Never "Is here", never "Wants water".
3. After "he" the present verb takes -s. "He wants" (16.6), "He teaches" (16.7). The helping verbs change too: he is, he has, he does (Lesson 15). Questions and negatives with "he" take "does": "Does he know?" "He does not know." With "be" there is no "do": "Is he the teacher?" (16.8), "He is not here" (16.4).
4. The forms of "he". English changes the word with its job; Bemba changes a part of the verb or adds -akwe:
- he — subject: "He has risen" (16.5) — a- (nabuuka: na- + a- + buuka) - him — object: "Ask him" (16.12), "his father saw him" (16.14), "they laid him" (16.13) — -mu- inside the verb: mwipusheni, amumona, bamulalike - his — owner: "his father" (16.14), "his son" (16.15) — -akwe after the noun: ing'anda yakwe, abana bakwe, umukashi wakwe - himself — "he will speak for himself" (16.12) — umwine
In 16.15 one sentence has "he" once and "him" twice: "He embraced him and kissed him." Bemba says it in two words: amukumbatila, amutomona. The a- at the front is "he"; the -mu- inside is "him".
5. "Him" after prepositions. After to, with, for, at, about: "to him", "with him", "for him" (Lesson 14). Never "with he", never "for he".
6. "His" before the noun. "His house", "his children". Bemba puts the owner after: ing'anda yakwe, abana bakwe, and -akwe agrees with the noun's class. English "his" never changes: his house, his children, his wife. Some Bemba family words already carry the owner: wishi is "his (or her) father" and mwane "his (or her) son" (16.14, 16.15). English needs two words: "his father", "his son".
7. The negative. Bemba puts ta- before a-: talimo muno, "he is not here" (16.4, 16.13). English puts "not" after "is": "He is not here", or "He isn't here". With other verbs: "He does not know", "He doesn't know".
8. "Ena", "wena" and "nao". Bemba uses the independent word only for weight or contrast: Wena ayasuka, "He answered" (16.11), as in "as for him, he answered"; Nao abasuka, "And he answered them" (Yoani 9:12). English has no special word for this. It says "he" every time, and stresses it when it means "he, and not another": "HE answered."
9. Respect. Bemba often speaks of a respected man with ba-, the plural: ba Banda bali ku sitolo. English never uses "they" for one respected man. Mr Banda is "he": "Mr Banda is at the shop. He is the owner." English shows respect with titles: Mr, Sir, Doctor.
Common Mistakes:
- "My mother, he is cooking." Correct: My mother is cooking. / She is cooking. A woman is "she". - "Chanda? She is at the shop." Correct: He is at the shop. A man is "he". - "Is at the shop." Correct: He is at the shop. English must say "he". - "He want water." Correct: He wants water. After "he", add -s. - "I saw he." Correct: I saw him. After a verb, "him". - "This is house his." Correct: This is his house. "His" comes before the noun. - "Mr Banda, they are at the shop." Correct: Mr Banda is at the shop. He is the owner. One man is "he", however great.
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"He" is among the twenty most frequent words of English. It is heard in every story and in every piece of news: "He said…", "He went…", "He is the new teacher."
He, she, it. English sorts people by sex in its pronouns and nowhere else in its grammar. Many languages of Zambia, Bemba among them, make no such choice in the pronoun, so speakers of these languages often mix "he" and "she" when they speak English quickly. Listeners understand, but the mistake is noticed. A good habit: when you speak of a woman, say her name or "my mother", "the teacher", and then "she"; when you speak of a man, "he".
Animals. A pet or a farm animal whose sex is known may be "he" or "she": "Our dog is old. He sleeps all day." Other animals, and all things, are "it".
God in English. In the Bible and in prayer, Christians speak of God with "He", "Him", "His", and many hymn books and prayer books write these with a capital letter: "We praise Him." The King James Version and most modern Bibles usually write "he". The Bemba Bible uses the same a- for God as for anyone: nabuuka, talimo muno (Section F).
Old English in the Bible. The King James Version (1611) uses "he that" where modern English says "the one who" or "whoever": "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 11:15). Today: "Whoever has ears to hear should listen."
Common expressions with "he":
- he or she — any person, man or woman: "Every student must bring his or her book." - He who laughs last laughs best — a proverb: the one who wins in the end is happiest. - he-goat — a male goat (and she-goat, a female goat) - Where is he from? — a question about a man's home country or town - He is a man of his word — he always does what he says
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Matthew 28:6, the words of the angel to the women at the empty tomb on Easter morning. English: King James Version (1611). Bemba: Ishiwi Lyakwa Lesa (2015), Mateo 28:6.
"He (a-) is not talimo here muno (Ala, "look") for (no word) he (a-) is risen nabuuka (from the dead ku bafwa) as nga filya fine he (a-) said asosele Come iseni see mumone the place apo where the Lord lay bamulalike (they laid him)" - Matthew 28:6 (KJV)
"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." "Ala talimo muno, nabuuka ku bafwa nga filya fine asosele. Iseni mumone apo bamulalike." (Mateo 28:6, Ishiwi Lyakwa Lesa 2015)
The women come to the tomb of Jesus at dawn, and an angel meets them. His first words are about a man who is not there. The English verse says "he" three times in one breath: "he is not here", "he is risen", "as he said". Each time the reader knows who "he" is without a name, because the women have come looking for him. The Bemba Bible does the same with three verbs and no separate pronoun: talimo, nabuuka, asosele. The "he" is the a- inside each verb. "As he said" points back to Jesus's own words before his death, that he would rise: the angel's message is that a promise has been kept. At the end, the English and the Bemba part: the KJV says "where the Lord lay", the Bemba says bamulalike, "where they laid him", with -mu-, "him", inside the verb.
- "He is not here" — "he" + "is" + "not". Bemba talimo: ta- (not) + a- (he) + -li (is) + -mo (in there). One Bemba word, four English words. - "He is risen" is old English for "he has risen". Today we say "He has risen" (16.5). Bemba nabuuka has the a- of "he" inside it. - "As he said" — "said" is the past of "say". Bemba asosele, "he said". - "Come, see" are commands to several women. English "come" and "see" do not change for one or many; Bemba does: iseni, mumone, with the plural -eni and mu-. - "The Lord" is a title for Jesus. The Bemba puts "him" inside the verb instead: bamulalike, "they laid him".
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16.16 Chanda Chanda is (bushe … bali) Mr ba Banda Banda at ku the shop sitolo today ilelo
16.17 No awe He is bali in ku Lusaka Lusaka
16.18 Your wobe teacher kafundisha came aisa to ku the shop sitolo this morning ulucelo
16.19 My wandi teacher kafundisha What nshi did he (a-) buy bushe ashita
16.20 He (a-) bought ashita bread umukate and ne sugar sukali He (a-) has ali na many abengi children bana
16.21 Yes ee he (a-) has ali na five basano children bana His wakwe wife umukashi is ni a teacher kafundisha too na ena (ena, "she")
16.22 He (a-) asked me (-n-) anjipusha ati Do bushe you (wa-) know walishiba Mutale Mutale
16.23 What nshi did you (wa-) say to him (-mu-) bushe wamweba
16.24 I (n-) said to him (-mu-) namweba nati Yes ee he is ni my friend cibusa wandi
16.25 And nao what nshi did he (a-) say asosa
16.26 He (a-) said asosa ati He is ni a good musuma student musambi He (a-) works alabomba hard sana
16.27 Is he still bushe acili at ku the shop sitolo
16.28 No awe he (a-) went aya home ku ng'anda But lelo he (a-) will come akesa again nakabili tomorrow mailo
16.29 Then nomba I (n-) will come nkesa to ku the shop sitolo tomorrow mailo too na ine I (n-) want ndefwaya to see him ukumumona
16.30 Good cisuma Tomorrow mailo we (tu-) will see him (-mu-) tukamumona together pamo
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16.16 Mutale: "Chanda, is Mr Banda at the shop today?" Mutale: "Chanda, bushe ba Banda bali ku sitolo ilelo?"
16.17 Chanda: "No. He is in Lusaka." Chanda: "Awe. Bali ku Lusaka."
16.18 Chanda: "Your teacher came to the shop this morning." Chanda: "Kafundisha wobe aisa ku sitolo ulucelo."
16.19 Mutale: "My teacher? What did he buy?" Mutale: "Kafundisha wandi? Bushe ashita nshi?"
16.20 Chanda: "He bought bread and sugar. He has many children!" Chanda: "Ashita umukate ne sukali. Ali na bana abengi!"
16.21 Mutale: "Yes, he has five children. His wife is a teacher too." Mutale: "Ee, ali na bana basano. Umukashi wakwe na ena ni kafundisha."
16.22 Chanda: "He asked me, 'Do you know Mutale?'" Chanda: "Anjipusha ati, 'Bushe walishiba Mutale?'"
16.23 Mutale: "What did you say to him?" Mutale: "Bushe wamweba nshi?"
16.24 Chanda: "I said to him, 'Yes, he is my friend.'" Chanda: "Namweba nati, 'Ee, ni cibusa wandi.'"
16.25 Mutale: "And what did he say?" Mutale: "Nao asosa nshi?"
16.26 Chanda: "He said, 'He is a good student. He works hard.'" Chanda: "Asosa ati, 'Ni musambi musuma. Alabomba sana.'"
16.27 Mutale: "Is he still at the shop?" Mutale: "Bushe acili ku sitolo?"
16.28 Chanda: "No, he went home. But he will come again tomorrow." Chanda: "Awe, aya ku ng'anda. Lelo akesa nakabili mailo."
16.29 Mutale: "Then I will come to the shop tomorrow too. I want to see him." Mutale: "Nomba na ine nkesa ku sitolo mailo. Ndefwaya ukumumona."
16.30 Chanda: "Good. Tomorrow we will see him together." Chanda: "Cisuma. Mailo tukamumona pamo."
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16.16 Mutale: "Chanda, is Mr Banda at the shop today?"
16.17 Chanda: "No. He is in Lusaka."
16.18 Chanda: "Your teacher came to the shop this morning."
16.19 Mutale: "My teacher? What did he buy?"
16.20 Chanda: "He bought bread and sugar. He has many children!"
16.21 Mutale: "Yes, he has five children. His wife is a teacher too."
16.22 Chanda: "He asked me, 'Do you know Mutale?'"
16.23 Mutale: "What did you say to him?"
16.24 Chanda: "I said to him, 'Yes, he is my friend.'"
16.25 Mutale: "And what did he say?"
16.26 Chanda: "He said, 'He is a good student. He works hard.'"
16.27 Mutale: "Is he still at the shop?"
16.28 Chanda: "No, he went home. But he will come again tomorrow."
16.29 Mutale: "Then I will come to the shop tomorrow too. I want to see him."
16.30 Chanda: "Good. Tomorrow we will see him together."
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The messages continue the story of Lessons 13 to 15. Chanda is working at Mr Banda's shop, and Mutale's English teacher, whom the two friends saw in Lesson 13, has come in to buy bread. Every message uses "he", "him" or "his":
- "He" as subject: "He is in Lusaka" (16.17), "What did he buy?" (16.19), "He has many children" (16.20), "He works hard" (16.26), "he will come again" (16.28). Bemba: a- (ashita, ali na, alabomba, akesa), and ba- for Mr Banda (bali). - "Him" as object: "What did you say to him?" (16.23), "I want to see him" (16.29), "we will see him" (16.30). Bemba: -mu- (wamweba, ukumumona, tukamumona). - "His" before a noun: "His wife" (16.21) = umukashi wakwe.
Who is "he"? In a conversation "he" points to the last man named. In 16.17 "he" is Mr Banda; from 16.19 on, "he" is the teacher. Inside the reported words of 16.24 and 16.26, "he" is Mutale: "he is my friend" (Chanda's words), "He is a good student" (the teacher's). When it is not clear, English repeats the name: "The teacher said that Mutale is a good student."
"She" in 16.21. Mutale says "His wife is a teacher too." If he went on speaking of the wife, he would say "she": "She teaches at the same school." Bemba uses na ena, "he or she too", for both.
Respect. In Lesson 14 and here Mr Banda takes the Bemba respect plural (ba Banda bali); the teacher is spoken of with a-, as in Lesson 13. Many Bemba speakers would give a teacher ba- as well. In English both men are simply "he".
"He has" and "he is". "He has five children" (16.21) = ali na bana basano. Bemba says "he is with"; English says "has". Do not say "He is with five children".
Writing messages. Each message starts with the writer's name and a colon, and the words go inside quotation marks. Words reported inside a message take single quotation marks: "He asked me, 'Do you know Mutale?'" (16.22).
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- Strong and weak: "Where is he?" /ˈweər ɪz hiː/ — at the end of a question "he" is strong; "Is he still at the shop?" /ɪz i ˈstɪl ət ðə ˈʃɒp/ — in the middle it is weak, and the /h/ may drop. - "He's" /hiːz/ is the short form of "he is" and "he has": "He's in Lusaka" (he is), "He's got five children" (he has). Do not mix it up with "his" /hɪz/: "He's here", but "his house". - "Him" /hɪm/ and "hymn" (a church song) sound the same. - "He" /hiː/ and "here" /hɪə/ begin with the same breath: "He is here" /hiː ɪz ˈhɪə/. - Spelling: he, him, his, himself. "His" never takes an apostrophe: "his book", never "hi's book". The apostrophe in "he's" stands for the missing letters of "is" or "has". - "He" takes a capital letter only at the start of a sentence (and, in some religious writing, when it refers to God).
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