Transportation

1. Ndiyanda kuunka ku ___.

   I want to go to ___.

   Usage

   To tell a driver or a passer-by where you want to go; put a town or place in the blank

   Grammar Note

   ndiyanda is followed by the infinitive kuunka, and the destination takes ku. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

2. Ino bbasi lyuunka kuli?

   Where does this bus go?

   Usage

   To check a bus's destination at a stop or station

   Grammar Note

   bbasi behaves as a li- class noun, so the verb starts with ly-; it is borrowed from English bus. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

3. Bbasi lyuunka ku ___.

   This bus goes to ___.

   Usage

   To state or confirm a bus's destination

   Grammar Note

   bbasi lyuunka ... means the bus goes to ...; the destination takes ku. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

4. Ino lili kuli bbasi lyuunka ku ___?

   Where is the bus that goes to ___?

   Usage

   When you cannot find the stop and are looking for the bus to your destination

   Grammar Note

   lili is the "is" for li- class nouns such as bbasi; lili kuli asks where it is. A phrase from the Peace Corps Zambia teaching material (Harris 2013) with the question marker changed to ino. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

5. Nkule buti?

   How far is it?

   Usage

   To ask how far a destination is

   Grammar Note

   kule (far) with the "it is" prefix n-, followed by buti (how). Found only in the Peace Corps Zambia teaching material (Harris 2013), not in the Bible translations; native review recommended

6. Lilanyamuka ciindi nzi?

   What time does it leave?

   Usage

   To ask when a bus or shared ride departs

   Grammar Note

   li-la-nyamuka (it leaves) refers to li- class nouns such as bbasi; nyamuka means leave or get up. Found only in the Peace Corps Zambia teaching material (Harris 2013), not in the Bible translations; native review recommended

7. Ino nzila yakuunka ku ___ ili kuli?

   Where is the road to ___?

   Usage

   When you are lost and need the way to your destination

   Grammar Note

   nzila (road) is an n- class noun, so "of" is ya- and "is" is ili; yakuunka means "for going". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

8. Bbasi

   Bus

   Usage

   For naming a bus

   Grammar Note

   Borrowed from English bus; bb is a real double consonant and is not written as a single b. Found only in the Peace Corps Zambia teaching material (Harris 2013), not in the Bible translations; native review recommended

9. Citima

   Train

   Usage

   For naming a train

   Grammar Note

   A ci- class noun for a train. Attested in dictionary only; native review recommended

10. Citesyeni

    Station

    Usage

    When looking for a station or bus terminal

    Grammar Note

    Borrowed from English station; a ci- class noun. Native review recommended

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