Emergency

1. Sunga ngai!

   Help me!

   Usage

   A shout in danger; in the Bible it is also a cry for help.

   Grammar Note

   Sunga is the imperative of help and ngai is me.

2. Benga polisi!

   Call the police!

   Usage

   Asks bystanders to call the police; for several people say Bobenga polisi.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. The imperative is the verb stem ending in -a; add bo- for several people.

3. Benga monganga!

   Call a doctor!

   Usage

   For illness or injury; monganga is a doctor or healer.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. The imperative is the verb stem ending in -a; add bo- for several people.

4. Nazali kobela

   I am sick

   Usage

   To say you are ill.

   Grammar Note

   Nazali ko- is the progressive and kobela is to be sick; the Bible has azali kobela (he is sick).

5. Nazali na pasi

   I am in pain

   Usage

   Says you are in pain; add a body-part word such as libumu.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. Pasi is pain or suffering.

6. Libumu ezali pasi

   My stomach hurts

   Usage

   Tells a doctor or others that your belly hurts.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. Libumu is belly and pasi is pain.

7. Kanga moyibi!

   Catch the thief!

   Usage

   Raises the alarm after a theft; the Bible has the idea of catching a thief.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. Kanga is the imperative of catch or close.

8. Bayibi biloko na ngai

   My things were stolen

   Usage

   For reporting a theft; bayibi is they stole.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. Ba- is they and yibi is steal.

9. Nabungisi passeport na ngai

   I have lost my passport

   Usage

   For reporting to the embassy or police; passeport is a French loan.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. Bungisa is to lose; a corpus sentence has abungisi manetti (she lost her glasses).

10. Nabungi nzela

    I am lost

    Usage

    When you do not know the way; literally "I lost the way".

    Grammar Note

    Bunga nzela means lose the way; the one Bible verse with nabungi nzela uses it figuratively (to have erred).

11. Nabangi mingi

    I am very afraid

    Usage

    To say you are very scared.

    Grammar Note

    The Bible has nabangi (I am afraid); mingi means very.

12. Kobanga te

    Do not be afraid

    Usage

    To calm someone; the phrase appears in the Bible.

    Grammar Note

    The negative imperative is the ko- infinitive plus te.

13. Keba!

    Watch out!

    Usage

    Warns of danger; a corpus sentence reads Keba! Kosimba eloko te! (Careful, do not touch anything).

    Grammar Note

    Keba is the imperative of take care.

14. Kosimba ngai te!

    Do not touch me!

    Usage

    To refuse unwanted contact firmly.

    Grammar Note

    Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. The negative imperative is ko- infinitive plus te, as in kosimba eloko te.

15. Mema ngai na lopitalo, nabondeli yo

    Please take me to a hospital

    Usage

    For illness or injury; mema means bring or take.

    Grammar Note

    Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. The Bible has the imperative mema (bring).

16. Lopitalo ezali wapi?

    Where is the hospital?

    Usage

    Asks the location of a hospital in an emergency.

    Grammar Note

    The question word wapi comes at the end.

17. Polisi ezali wapi?

    Where is the police?

    Usage

    To find the police; a police station can also be called kamp ya polisi.

    Grammar Note

    The question word wapi comes at the end.

18. Ambassade ezali wapi?

    Where is the embassy?

    Usage

    When you need your embassy, for instance after losing a passport.

    Grammar Note

    The question word wapi comes at the end.

19. Likama esalemi

    There has been an accident

    Usage

    To report an accident; esalemi means it happened.

    Grammar Note

    Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. Likama is accident or disaster and esalemi is it happened.

20. Nasengeli kokende na lopitalo

    I must go to the hospital

    Usage

    States you need to go to hospital; nasengeli is I must.

    Grammar Note

    Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar.

21. Telema!

    Stop!

    Usage

    To make someone stop; a corpus sentence reads Telema, zela! (Stop, wait!).

    Grammar Note

    Telema is the imperative of stand still or stop.

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