Looking for practical Afar to Tongan phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Afar phrase first, then the Tongan translation (Tongan) — 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 Tongan.
Tip: when a Tongan phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Afar wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Afar to Tongan 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.
Nagaad
Mālō(nagaad)
Galatooma
Mālō(galatooma)
Bariis
Mālō e lelei(bariis)
Galab
Mālō e lelei(galab)
Haal
Mālō e lelei(haal)
Haalka habeen
Nofo ā(haalka habeen)
Ilaa mar kale
Tōfā(ilaa mar kale)
Nagaad
Tōfā(nagaad)
Maa magacaa?
Ko e hā ho hingoa?(maa magacaa)
Magacaygu waa John
Ko hoku hingoa ko John(magacaygu waa John)
Iska waran?
Ofa atu?(iska waran)
Aad baan ku faraxsanahay
Faka'apa'apa kiate koe(aad baan ku faraxsanahay)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Inni ingiriisi maahaa?
Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?(Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?)
Hindi maahaa hinjiru
Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi(Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi)
Ani hinfahmi
Oe te u 'ikai ma'u(Oe te u 'ikai ma'u)
Fadlan si maahaa siib
Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u(Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u)
Maahaa inna marra?
Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?(Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?)
Maalin baadhu?
Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?(Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?)
Akkam an magaalatti gahu?
E fa'ahinga e u 'alu ki he tu'a o e kolo?(E fa'ahinga e u 'alu ki he tu'a o e kolo?)
Boodha kaaf
Fakafoki ki he kolo(Fakafoki ki he kolo)
Boodha mirga
Fakafoki ki he 'akau(Fakafoki ki he 'akau)
Si qodhi
Alu 'o e 'alu(Alu 'o e 'alu)
Maalin abaal?
E hā e totongi?(E hā e totongi?)
Tiket tokkon, fadlan
Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole(Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole)
Maalin faga?
Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?(Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?)
Ani dhumtu
Oku ou 'i ma'u(Oku ou 'i ma'u)
Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?
Ko e fea 'oku ou ma'u e SIM card?(Ko e fea 'oku ou ma'u e SIM card?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eeyy
Āe(ee-yee)
Maya
Ikai(mah-yah)
Gara
Māfai(gah-rah)
Anigu waaq
Oku ou ʻilo(ah-nee-goo wahk)
Anigu ma waaq
Oku ou ʻikai ʻilo(ah-nee-goo mah wahk)
Tani waa'ee
Oku lelei ia(tah-nee wah-ee)
Ilaa ma waaq?
Ko e hā hoʻu manatu?(ee-lah mah wahk)
Ilaa naxar?
Te u ʻofa mai?(ee-lah nah-khar)
Naxar aniga
Oku ou fiemaʻu ʻofa(nah-khar ah-nee-gah)
Soo'aa
Fakamolemole(soo-ah)
Waa'ee aniga
Oku ou fakamolemole(wah-ee ah-nee-gah)
Maya dhib
Ikai ha palopalema(mah-yah dheeb)
Hambalyo
Fakaʻapaʻapa(ham-bahl-yo)
Bariis gadhay
Mālō e lelei ki he ʻaho mate(bah-rees gah-thai)
Safar amni
Fakaʻaongaʻi lelei(sah-far am-nee)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eeyyoo taayka daab?
Ko fea e falemai?(ko fea e fale mai)
Eeyyoo gaari daab?
Ko fea e nofoa bus?(ko fea e nofoa bus)
Keenya kaafaa?
Ko e feheia e pātala?(ko e feheia e patala)
Waqti maayti?
He taimi fē e 'alu ai?(he taimi fe e alu ai)
Maayta kaan?
Ko e ala lelei 'eni?(ko e ala lelei eni)
Ittaa hara
Ko ia 'i he vaha'a ni(ko ia i he vahaa ni)
Ittaa faar
Ko ia 'i he tu'a(ko ia i he tua)
Maafaa naafaa?
Oka e faka'ali'ali mai kiate au 'i he mapa?(oka e fakaali ali mai kiate au i he mapa)
Hara dhaaf, fadlan
Tū 'i he 'aiga, kataki(tu i he aiga kataki)
Waqti mee?
E taha e taimi?(e taha e taimi)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iyayka mi'aa?
Ehia te fua o kēia?(ehia te fua o kehā)
Iyayka xayl
Ko ia, e lahi loā(ko ia e lahi loa)
Ma'ayka hara gabbir?
Ofa mai ha meʻakai e ngāue?(ofa mai ha meakai e ngau)
Karta ka'ayka?
E mafai au ke totongi e pātu?(e mafai au ke totongi e patu)
Mi'ayka mi'ida laba
Ofa atu au ke he meʻakai e tolu(ofa atu au ke he meakai e tolu)
Xisaab, fadlan
Te fua, kataki(te fua kataki)
Adeegku ma ku jira?
E aofia ai te ngāue?(e aofia ai te ngau)
Anigu waxaan ahay khudradeed
O au ko e meʻakai(o au ko e meakai)
Cunto kulul ma jirto, fadlan
Kātoa ʻa e meʻakai ʻālohi, kataki(katoa a e meakai alohi kataki)
Tani waa macaan
Ko ʻeni, e lelei(ko eni e lelei)
Mi'ayka liiska?
E mafai au ke maʻu e meʻakai?(e mafai au ke mau e meakai)
Dharbaaxda biyo, fadlan
Ha ipu vai, kataki(ha ipu vai kataki)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Waaqa booliisi
Tū mai e polisi(Call the police)
Waaqa ambulaansii
Tū mai e ambulance(Call an ambulance)
Dooktar naaf barbaachisa
Ofa mai e fomaʻi
Naanu dhukkuba qaba
Oku ou fehi
Qoricha fooniif dhukkuba qaba
Oku ou maʻu e fakamātoato ki e pīnati
Hospitaala dhihoo eessa?
Ko e fea e hōspitali lahi?
Asitti dhukkuba qaba
Oku ʻi ai e ʻā
Paaspoortii koo dhabe
Naʻe ou fā e pāsipoti
Hoteela koo waaqa?
Te ke tū mai e hoteli ko hoku?
Gargaarsa!
Fakamolemole!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nagaad waayi
Mālō e lelei(na-gaad waa-yi)
Nagaad kaabirna waayi
Tōmua ta seti ha fakataha(na-gaad kaa-bir-na waa-yi)
Waqti mee waayi?
Ko e hā e taimi e lelei kiate koe?(waq-ti mee waa-yi)
Warqad kaan diraya harra
Te u fa'ahinga e lipooti 'i he 'aho ni(war-qad kaan di-ra-ya har-ra)
Maanta waayi hadalnaa?
Tēnā mafai ta talanoa 'i he 'aho 'apongipongi?(maan-ta waa-yi ha-dal-naa)
Faylka ku lifaaqan fadlan
Kātoa e faile 'oku fakafā(fayl-ka ku li-faa-qan fad-lan)