CHAPTER 00 · EQ-00
The Bemba Verb: A 9-Slot Machine
Every Bemba verb is built from up to 9 slots -- like LEGO blocks snapping together
S1 + S2 + S3 + S4 + S5 + S6 + S7 + S8 + S9
Think of a Bemba verb as a train with 9 possible carriages. Every verb MUST have a ROOT (S5) and a FINAL VOWEL (S8) -- those two are your engine and caboose. The other 7 slots are optional carriages you hook on to add meaning: who is doing the action, when it happens, who it is done to, how the action is modified, and more. Most everyday verbs use 3 to 5 slots. Only the most complex verbs fill 7, 8, or even all 9. By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to snap any combination together with confidence.
Build it
1. Start with the root (S5): -bomb- (work)
2. Add the final vowel (S8): -bomb-a
3. Add a subject prefix (S2): ba-bomb-a (they work)
4. Add a tense marker (S3): ba-le-bomb-a (they ARE working)
5. Add negation (S1): ta-ba-le-bomb-a (they are NOT working)
→ tabalebomba
“they are not working”
Decompose it
tabalebomba
NEG-3PL-PROG-work-FV — “they are not working”
More examples
balebomba — they are working
ndebomba — I am working
tulebomba — we are working
Phonology
• PHON_01 Nasal Assimilation: 1SG n- + le → nde (the nasal assimilates before l)
• PHON_11 Penultimate Lengthening: the second-to-last syllable is always pronounced long
★ Every Bemba verb uses 2-8 of these 9 slots. The ROOT (S5) and FINAL VOWEL (S8) are always present -- learn to spot them and the rest will fall into place.
CHAPTER 01 · EQ-21
The Imperative Singular: Just Do It!
The simplest possible Bemba verb -- just a root and a final vowel
S5 + S8[-a]
Want to tell someone to do something? In Bemba, the singular imperative is the simplest verb form you will ever meet. Just take the verb root and slap on the final vowel -a. That is it -- two slots, no subject marker, no tense marker, nothing else. It is like saying 'Work!' or 'Sing!' in English. The listener already knows you are talking to them, so Bemba skips the 'you' entirely. Beautiful simplicity.
Build it
1. Take the root (S5): -bomb- (work)
2. Add the final vowel (S8): -a
3. Result: bomba!
→ bomba!
“work!”
Decompose it
imba
sing-FV — “sing!”
More examples
bomba! — work!
enda! — walk!/go!
lemba! — write!
Phonology
• No special phonological rules fire in the basic imperative singular
• PHON_11 Penultimate Lengthening still applies in speech
★ The imperative singular is the bare minimum Bemba verb: ROOT + FINAL VOWEL. Master this and you have your foundation.
CHAPTER 02 · EQ-22
The Imperative Plural: Everybody Do It!
Add -ni to command a group -- your first encounter with Slot 9
S5 + S8[-a] + S9[-ni]
When you want to tell a GROUP of people to do something, Bemba adds a small suffix -ni after the final vowel. This is your first encounter with Slot 9 -- the POST-FINAL position. Think of -ni as waving your arm at a crowd instead of pointing at one person. There is a neat phonological twist: when -ni attaches, the final vowel -a often changes to -ee, so bomba-ni becomes bombeeni. This vowel coalescence is your first taste of how Bemba sounds like music -- morphemes dance and blend together.
Build it
1. Take the root (S5): -bomb- (work)
2. Add the final vowel (S8): -a
3. Add the plural imperative (S9): -ni
4. Apply coalescence: bomb-a-ni -> bombeeni!
→ bombeeni!
“work! (you all)”
Decompose it
imbeeni
sing-FV-IMP.PL — “sing! (you all)”
More examples
bombeeni! — work! (you all)
endeeni! — walk! (you all)
lembeeni! — write! (you all)
Phonology
• PHON_02 Vowel Coalescence: -a + -ni triggers vowel raising, producing -eeni in many dialects
• The final vowel -a merges with the initial of -ni to create a long -ee-
★ The plural imperative adds -ni in the POST-FINAL slot (S9) and triggers vowel coalescence -- your first glimpse of how morphemes reshape each other.
CHAPTER 03 · EQ-19
The Subjunctive: Let Them, May They
Introducing Slot 2 (the Subject) and the special final vowel -e
S2 + S5 + S8[-e]
The subjunctive mood is how Bemba expresses wishes, suggestions, polite commands, and purposes. Think of it as the 'let them...' or 'may they...' form. Here you meet Slot 2 for the first time -- the SUBJECT marker that tells you WHO should do the action. And instead of the usual final vowel -a, the subjunctive uses -e. This small vowel change carries enormous meaning: it shifts the verb from a plain statement to a wish or instruction. Three slots, three building blocks, a whole new world of expression.
Build it
1. Choose the subject prefix (S2): ba- (they)
2. Add the root (S5): -bomb- (work)
3. Add the subjunctive final vowel (S8): -e
4. Result: babombe
→ babombe
“let them work”
Decompose it
twendee
1PL-walk-FV.SUBJ — “let us go / let us walk”
More examples
babombe — let them work
twimbe — let us sing
alembe — let him/her write
Phonology
• PHON_07 Final Vowel Alternation: FV changes from -a to -e in the subjunctive
• PHON_05 Glide Formation: tu- + imb- -> twimbe (u becomes w before vowel-initial root)
★ The subjunctive introduces the SUBJECT slot (S2) and swaps the final vowel to -e -- changing 'do it!' into 'let them do it'.
Continue the full course
Chapters 4–36 — every verb type, extension stacking (APPEX, CAPEX, EXCAREX…), negation, the copular family, plus exercises and the generative engine — are part of the licensed program.