Basic Verbs

1. Kuunka

   To go

   Usage

   Used to say you want to go somewhere, in the form ndiyanda kuunka ku ...

   Grammar Note

   ku- (infinitive marker) + unka (go); the destination follows with ku (kuunka ku Lusaka)

2. Kuboola

   To come

   Usage

   For calling someone over or asking someone to come

   Grammar Note

   ku- (infinitive marker) + boola (come); tense markers go inside, as in wakaboola (he came)

3. Kulya

   To eat

   Usage

   At meals; "I want to eat" is ndiyanda kulya

   Grammar Note

   ku- (infinitive marker) + lya (eat); the same root as cakulya (food)

4. Kunywa

   To drink

   Usage

   For drinks; maanzi aakunywa means drinking water

   Grammar Note

   ku- (infinitive marker) + nywa (drink); "for drinking" takes the shape aa-ku-nywa

5. Kuula

   To buy

   Usage

   While shopping; "I want to buy ..." is ndiyanda kuula ...

   Grammar Note

   ku- (infinitive marker) + ula (buy); ku and u merge into the long vowel of kuula

6. Kubona

   To see

   Usage

   To say what you want to see: ndiyanda kubona ... (I want to see ...)

   Grammar Note

   ku- (infinitive marker) + bona (see); it covers both looking at something and catching sight of it

7. Kulindila

   To wait

   Usage

   For a meeting or while waiting for transport

   Grammar Note

   ku- (infinitive marker) + lindila (wait for); the thing waited for follows directly

8. Kukkala

   To sit, stay, live

   Usage

   For sitting down, staying at a place, or saying where you live

   Grammar Note

   ku- (infinitive marker) + kkala; kk is a strong k written double; it also appears in amukkale aano (stay here)

9. Kusika

   To arrive

   Usage

   For talking about when or where you arrive

   Grammar Note

   ku- (infinitive marker) + sika (arrive); the place of arrival follows with ku

10. Kuyandaula

    To look for

    Usage

    To say what or whom you are looking for

    Grammar Note

    ku- (infinitive marker) + yandaula (seek); it looks like yanda (want) but is a separate verb

11. Kubweza

    To take

    Usage

    When choosing something to buy and saying "I'll take this"

    Grammar Note

    ku- (infinitive marker) + bweza (take); the future "I will" uses ndiyoo- (ndiyoobweza)

12. Kuzyiba

    To know

    Usage

    To say whether you know something

    Grammar Note

    ku- (infinitive marker) + zyiba (know); the negative "I don't know" is tandizyi pe

13. Kweenda

    To walk, travel

    Usage

    For going on foot or moving about

    Grammar Note

    ku- (infinitive marker) + enda (walk), where ku and e merge into kwe-; the imperative is weende (walk!)

14. Ndiyanda kulya.

    I want to eat.

    Usage

    When you want a meal, at a shop or restaurant

    Grammar Note

    ndiyanda (I want) is followed by an infinitive, the same build as ndiyanda kuunka .... Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

15. Ndiyanda eeci.

    I want this.

    Usage

    To point at what you want in a shop

    Grammar Note

    The wanted thing follows ndiyanda; eeci points at ci- class things, so the demonstrative changes for other noun classes. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

16. Ndiyandaula ___.

    I'm looking for ___.

    Usage

    Put the name of a place, a person or an item in the blank

    Grammar Note

    ndi- (I) + yandaula (seek); ndi- also appears as "me", as in bandiyandaula (those seeking me). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

17. Ndijisi mali.

    I have money.

    Usage

    To say you are able to pay

    Grammar Note

    ndijisi is ndi- (I) + jisi (have); the same pattern as ndijisi lusyomo (I have faith). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

18. Tandijisi mali pe.

    I don't have any money.

    Usage

    To say you cannot pay, or as an opening when asking for a lower price

    Grammar Note

    ta-ndi-jisi is the negative of jisi (have), with pe at the end, the same pattern as tandijisi mulumi pe (I have no husband). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

19. Ndiyoobweza eeci.

    I'll take this.

    Usage

    When you have decided what to buy

    Grammar Note

    ndiyoo- (I will) + bweza (take); the future marker ndiyoo- is very common. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

20. Amundipe eeci.

    Please give me this.

    Usage

    To politely ask for something in a shop or restaurant

    Grammar Note

    amu-ndi-pe is the polite request form of pa (give) with ndi (me); the wanted thing follows. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

Browse all TravelPhrases languages