Learn Lunda Language
Greetings and Getting to Know You
Essentially, you can’t go wrong if you just use the interjection mwani at any time!
Welcome............................................. Shikenu mwani / Menekenu mwani
I am greeting you .................................Tunemushi mwani
Good morning (in passing) .....................Ntetamena mwani
Good evening .......................................Melela mwani
Are you well?........................................Mwakola mwani?
I am well ..............................................Nidi chachiwahi
And you? .............................................Ndeyi mwani?
Not so well............................................Chanti chanti (literally ‘just a bit’)
I don’t know ..........................................Etu (pronounced etru) kwiluka nehi mwani
Thank you ............................................Nasakalili mwani
You're welcome .....................................Chachiwahi
I’m sorry ...............................................Ŋanakeni mwani
Yes ......................................................Eŋa
No .......................................................Nehi
My name is… .......................................Ami yami…
What is your name? ..............................Ijina deyi yeyinyi?
Where are you from? .............................Wunafumi kudihi?
Where? ................................................Kudihi?
Far away ..............................................Kwakulehi
What is the name of your village?............Ijina da mukala weyi?
Village ..................................................Mukala
I am from...[overseas] ...........................Na fuma ku...[Putu]
What is your job? ..................................Wakalakalaŋa mudimuinyi?
I work [at Kalene] ..................................Na kalakalaŋa [ku Kalene]
At the hospital .......................................Mu chipatelu
I am a surgeon ......................................Naladikaŋa (lit. I do operations)
I am a doctor ........................................Ami nidi ndotolu
I am a midwife ......................................Ami nakwashaŋa akwa kuvwala mavumu
I am a nurse .........................................Ami ni sister
Greeting to people working .....................Mukalakalaŋa mwani
Essentially, you can’t go wrong if you just use the interjection mwani at any time!
Welcome............................................. Shikenu mwani / Menekenu mwani
I am greeting you .................................Tunemushi mwani
Good morning (in passing) .....................Ntetamena mwani
Good evening .......................................Melela mwani
Are you well?........................................Mwakola mwani?
I am well ..............................................Nidi chachiwahi
And you? .............................................Ndeyi mwani?
Not so well............................................Chanti chanti (literally ‘just a bit’)
I don’t know ..........................................Etu (pronounced etru) kwiluka nehi mwani
Thank you ............................................Nasakalili mwani
You're welcome .....................................Chachiwahi
I’m sorry ...............................................Ŋanakeni mwani
Yes ......................................................Eŋa
No .......................................................Nehi
My name is… .......................................Ami yami…
What is your name? ..............................Ijina deyi yeyinyi?
Where are you from? .............................Wunafumi kudihi?
Where? ................................................Kudihi?
Far away ..............................................Kwakulehi
What is the name of your village?............Ijina da mukala weyi?
Village ..................................................Mukala
I am from...[overseas] ...........................Na fuma ku...[Putu]
What is your job? ..................................Wakalakalaŋa mudimuinyi?
I work [at Kalene] ..................................Na kalakalaŋa [ku Kalene]
At the hospital .......................................Mu chipatelu
I am a surgeon ......................................Naladikaŋa (lit. I do operations)
I am a doctor ........................................Ami nidi ndotolu
I am a midwife ......................................Ami nakwashaŋa akwa kuvwala mavumu
I am a nurse .........................................Ami ni sister
Greeting to people working .....................Mukalakalaŋa mwani
Useful Phrases
I am trying to learn to speak Lunda! ......Ami nakufwila ku diza kuhosha Lunda!
It is difficult ........................................Chakala
What is this? ......................................Ichi chika? / Hi chumanyi?
What are you doing? ...........................Wudi nakwiladi?
Can I help you? ..................................Nikukwashi tahindi?
Are you sick? .....................................Wakata tahindi?
How many children do you have?..........Wudi nawanyana aŋahi?
Is it clear? Is it understood?.................Chinalumbuluki? Munachitiyi?
I will get a translator ............................Ami nayi nikeni wakunkwasha kulumbulula
Give me…..........................................Anyinki mwani…
Help me with…....................................Ankwashuku na…
Really? ..............................................Komana?
Maybe ...............................................Kwiji
I do not understand .............................Hinachitiyuku
Please say it again .............................Hoshenu cheŋi mwani
Speak slowly.......................................Hoshaku chovu mwani
Do you understand? ............................Wunachitiyi?
That is good, expresses approval..........Chachiwahi mwani
Expresses disapproval (strong).............Chinjila!
Don’t do that!......................................Chinjila kwilochu!
I’m tired .............................................Ami nazeyi
I’m tired (because work was heavy).......Ami nazeyi, mudimu wasweja
I’m tired (because I am hungry).............Nazeyi naŋzala (natiyi nzala chikupu)
I’m going ............................................Ami hinukwiya
What’s the time now?...........................Mpinjini katataka?
Where? ..............................................Kudihi?
Again.................................................Cheŋi
Quietly, carefully.................................Chovu, chovu
Quickly .............................................Swayi, swayi
Hurry .................................................Nyakalaŋa
Here ..................................................Kunu
Over there .........................................Kuna
Not yet ..............................................Kanda
There are none, not here .....................Kunu kwosi
I .......................................................Ami
You (sing)...........................................Eyi
You (plural) ........................................Enu
S / he ...............................................Yena
We ....................................................Etu (pr. etru)
They .................................................Wena
I am trying to learn to speak Lunda! ......Ami nakufwila ku diza kuhosha Lunda!
It is difficult ........................................Chakala
What is this? ......................................Ichi chika? / Hi chumanyi?
What are you doing? ...........................Wudi nakwiladi?
Can I help you? ..................................Nikukwashi tahindi?
Are you sick? .....................................Wakata tahindi?
How many children do you have?..........Wudi nawanyana aŋahi?
Is it clear? Is it understood?.................Chinalumbuluki? Munachitiyi?
I will get a translator ............................Ami nayi nikeni wakunkwasha kulumbulula
Give me…..........................................Anyinki mwani…
Help me with…....................................Ankwashuku na…
Really? ..............................................Komana?
Maybe ...............................................Kwiji
I do not understand .............................Hinachitiyuku
Please say it again .............................Hoshenu cheŋi mwani
Speak slowly.......................................Hoshaku chovu mwani
Do you understand? ............................Wunachitiyi?
That is good, expresses approval..........Chachiwahi mwani
Expresses disapproval (strong).............Chinjila!
Don’t do that!......................................Chinjila kwilochu!
I’m tired .............................................Ami nazeyi
I’m tired (because work was heavy).......Ami nazeyi, mudimu wasweja
I’m tired (because I am hungry).............Nazeyi naŋzala (natiyi nzala chikupu)
I’m going ............................................Ami hinukwiya
What’s the time now?...........................Mpinjini katataka?
Where? ..............................................Kudihi?
Again.................................................Cheŋi
Quietly, carefully.................................Chovu, chovu
Quickly .............................................Swayi, swayi
Hurry .................................................Nyakalaŋa
Here ..................................................Kunu
Over there .........................................Kuna
Not yet ..............................................Kanda
There are none, not here .....................Kunu kwosi
I .......................................................Ami
You (sing)...........................................Eyi
You (plural) ........................................Enu
S / he ...............................................Yena
We ....................................................Etu (pr. etru)
They .................................................Wena