Convenience Store

1. Bushe kuli ishitolo pano?

   Is there a shop near here?

   Usage

   A first question when looking for a place to buy drinks or snacks

   Grammar Note

   "Ishitolo" is a loan word, and the form without the initial vowel, "shitolo", is written more often. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; attested only in conversational text; native review recommended

2. Ndefwaya ukushita umukate.

   I want to buy bread.

   Usage

   Says you want to buy bread; swap "umukate" for another item

   Grammar Note

   "Ukushita" is the infinitive "to buy", placed after "ndefwaya". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

3. Bushe mukwete umukate?

   Do you have bread?

   Usage

   Asks a shopkeeper whether an item is in stock; swap "umukate" for another item

   Grammar Note

   "Mukwete" is "mu-" (you, plural) plus "-kwete" (have), a polite way to ask a shopkeeper. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

4. Ndefwaya ibotolo lya menshi.

   I want a bottle of water.

   Usage

   Used when buying bottled water

   Grammar Note

   "Ibotolo" is a loan word of class 5, so the linking word is "lya"; after it "amenshi" drops its initial vowel and becomes "menshi". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

Browse all TravelPhrases languages