Time & Dates

1. Mainza

   Rainy season

   Usage

   The rainy season, roughly November to April in Zambia; useful when talking about when to travel

   Grammar Note

   A class 6 plural noun (prefix ma-). It means both "rain" and "rainy season", and is also used for summer

2. Mupeyo

   Cold season

   Usage

   The cold season, roughly May to August, with chilly mornings and evenings

   Grammar Note

   A class 3 noun (prefix mu-). It is also written "mpeyo" and can mean cold in general

3. Cilimo

   Hot season

   Usage

   The hot dry season, roughly September to October, just before the rains

   Grammar Note

   A class 7 noun (prefix ci-). It means both "hot season" and "dry season", and is also used for summer, where mainza can be translated the same way

4. Mafwumofwumo

   Morning

   Usage

   Morning, especially just after dawn; for naming a time of day when making plans

   Grammar Note

   A class 6 plural noun (prefix ma-). It is also said "cifwumofwumo". "Kumafwumofwumo" means "in the morning"

5. Masyikati

   Midday

   Usage

   The middle of the day when the sun is high; for fixing a meeting time or plan

   Grammar Note

   A class 6 noun (prefix ma-). It is used for both "afternoon" and the daytime

6. Mangolezya

   Evening

   Usage

   Around sunset; for dinner plans or when you will be back

   Grammar Note

   A class 6 noun (prefix ma-). "Kumangolezya" means "in the evening". It pairs with mafwumofwumo, as in "there was evening and there was morning"

7. Masiku

   Night

   Usage

   Night; for talking about lodging or pickup times

   Grammar Note

   A class 6 noun (prefix ma-). "Kumasiku" means "at night". The dialect form is "mashiku"

8. Sunu

   Today

   Usage

   Today; placed at the start or end of a sentence to say when

   Grammar Note

   A noun used like an adverb. It is easy to learn together with "jilo" (yesterday) and "juunza" (tomorrow)

9. Jilo

   Yesterday

   Usage

   Yesterday; also said "ijilo"

   Grammar Note

   A noun used like an adverb

10. Juunza

    Tomorrow

    Usage

    Tomorrow; also said "ijuunza" and "junza"

    Grammar Note

    A noun used like an adverb, spelled "juunza" with a long vowel

11. Buzuba

    Day

    Usage

    A day, or the daytime; also used to count days

    Grammar Note

    A class 14 noun (prefix bu-); the plural is the class 6 form "mazuba". "Mazuba otatwe" means "three days"

12. Mwezi

    Month / moon

    Usage

    Means both a calendar month and the moon in the sky

    Grammar Note

    A class 3 noun (prefix mu-); the plural is the class 4 form "myezi". "Myezi yotatwe" means "three months"

13. Mwaka

    Year

    Usage

    A year; for length of stay or age

    Grammar Note

    A class 3 noun (prefix mu-); the plural is "myaka". "Myaka yobilo" means "two years"

14. Nsondo

    Week

    Usage

    A week; for the length of a stay or a plan

    Grammar Note

    A class 5 noun. It can also mean Sunday, so check from context that you do not mean Sunday

15. Buzuba abuzuba

    Every day

    Usage

    Every day, literally "day after day"; for habits and routines

    Grammar Note

    The same noun is repeated to mean "each", as in "buzuba abuzuba" (day after day), used in phrases like "our daily bread"

16. Mwaka amwaka

    Every year

    Usage

    Every year; for yearly events or seasons

    Grammar Note

    The same pattern as "buzuba abuzuba": the noun is repeated to mean "each"

17. Mazuba otatwe

    Three days

    Usage

    For saying a number of days; to give the length of a stay or trip

    Grammar Note

    The number follows "mazuba". Number forms change with the noun class, and the class 6 noun "mazuba" takes "otatwe" (three) and "obilo" (two)

18. Ndiyookkala kwamazuba otatwe.

    I will stay for three days.

    Usage

    To tell a host or hotel how many days you will stay

    Grammar Note

    "Ndi-" is I, "-yoo-" marks the future and "-kkala" is "to stay". "Kwamazuba" gives the length of time, as in "twakakkala kwamazuba otatwe" (we stayed three days). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

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