Looking for practical Acholi to Tsonga phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Acholi phrase first, then the Tsonga translation (Tsonga) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Tsonga.
Tip: read the Tsonga line out loud three times, then cover the Acholi side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Acholi to Tsonga translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Ayo
Xewani(ah-yo)
Naki
Ndza khensa(nah-kee)
Bok moti
Xewani xitulu(bok mo-tee)
Bok nongo
Xewani ntlhanu(bok non-go)
Bok obedo
Xewani nhloko(bok oh-beh-do)
Bok ngat
Xewani xihlayo(bok ngat)
Tye kany
Tshamisa(tye kan-yee)
Itye
Sala kahle(ee-tye)
Iti ma ineno?
U vitaniwani?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Ineno John
Ndzina i John(ee-neh-no John)
Iti ma inyo?
U njhani?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Gat ma inyo
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Itye konyo English?
U vulavula Xitsonga?
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.
Nye neno.
A ndzi twisisi.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Xikombiso xihi?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?
Konyo kuc.
Khandziya ekhaya.
Konyo kuc.
Khandziya ekunene.
Tye kanyim.
Famba u ya emahlweni.
Iti kanyim ngat?
Mafambiselo ma yini?
One ticket, please.
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.
Iti kanyim kanyim?
I yini ku tlula kona?
Nye konyo.
Ndzi khomiwe.
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Inhlawulo
Bila
A hi kona
Kweyo
Swi nga va tano
Ng'ato konyo
Ndzi amukela
Ng'ato konyo ni
Ndzi nga amukeli
Okwero kany
Iku na switlhavelo
Ika kany?
U ehleketa yini?
Ikwok kany?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
Ng'ato konyo kany
Ndzi lava mpfuno
Tye kany
Hlayisa nkarhi
Ng'ato konyo
Ndzi tsundzuka
Bila kany
A hi na xiphiqo
Tye kany
Ndzakuva
Aye konyo
Mavongele yo tsakela
Tye kany ma ng'ato
U va na ndlela yo olova
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Atye kany kwo?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?(Atye kany kwo?)
Atye kany bura?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?(Atye kany bura?)
Kati onyo kwo?
I platform yihi?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Nye kwo nongo?
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Kik kwo gwen?
I ndlela leyi nga right?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Okwang kany ici
I kona edzongeni.(Okwang kany ici)
Okwang kany piny
I le n'hweti.(Okwang kany piny)
Nye konyo i map?
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?(Nye konyo i map?)
Doko ici, pe?
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.(Doko ici, pe?)
Nye kwo ngat?
I nkarhi muni ku taka?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nye keken me?
I ku humelela njhani?(i ku humelela njhani?)
Okwero keken
I kona ku phindzelela.(Okwero keken)
Itye keken me?
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?(Itye keken me?)
Nye konyo kadi?
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Nye tye kany kwo
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.(Nye tye kany kwo)
Kaka, nyinga
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.(Kaka, nyinga)
Kati kany me?
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?(Kati kany me?)
Nye konyo wot
Ndza va vegetarian.(Nye konyo wot)
Kati wot kany, nyinga
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Iti kany
Leswi i switlhavi.(Iti kany)
Nye konyo kadi me?
Ndzaku na menu?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Kadi me kic, nyinga
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Yat ma police
Tivisa mapolisa
Yat ma ambulance
Tivisa ambalansi
Nye konyo doctor
Ndzi lava dokotela
Nye konyo wot
Ndzi khoma ku vava
Nye konyo kany kic
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
Okwero ineno
Ku vava laha
Nye tye konyo passport
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
Yat!
Shelp!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nye kany me
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena(Nye kany me)
Dano kany oting
A hi endla xihlanganiso(Dano kany oting)
Nye kany ma kany?
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ngatye kany report kany
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha(Ngatye kany report kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nye kany ma file kany
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa(Nye kany ma file kany)
Atye kany ma kany
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena(Atye kany ma kany)
Nye kany ma kany kany
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Dano kany ma kany
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena(Dano kany ma kany)
Kany kany Friday
Nkarhi wo heta i Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.