Looking for practical Bemba to Tongan phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba 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 Bemba 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 Bemba 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.
Shani
Mālō
Natotela
Mālō
Muli shani
Mālō e lelei
Muli shani
Mālō e lelei
Muli shani
Mālō e lelei
Shalenipo bwino
Nofo ā
Tukakutana
Tōfā
Twalumba
Tōfā
Iwe ulishani?
Ko e hā ho hingoa?
Ndefwaya John
Ko hoku hingoa ko John
Uli bwanji?
Ofa atu?
Nashitasha kukumona
Faka'apa'apa kiate koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?(Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?)
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi(Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi)
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Oe te u 'ikai ma'u(Oe te u 'ikai ma'u)
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u(Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u)
Ningaloleleko?
Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?(Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?)
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?(Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?)
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
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?)
Fumya kumwendo
Fakafoki ki he kolo(Fakafoki ki he kolo)
Fumya kumwendo
Fakafoki ki he 'akau(Fakafoki ki he 'akau)
Enda pamo
Alu 'o e 'alu(Alu 'o e 'alu)
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
E hā e totongi?(E hā e totongi?)
Ticket imwe, nomba
Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole(Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole)
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?(Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?)
Ndi lost
Oku ou 'i ma'u(Oku ou 'i ma'u)
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
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.
Eya
Āe
Awe
Ikai
Panga
Māfai
Ndi bwino
Oku ou ʻilo
Ndi bwino na
Oku ou ʻikai ʻilo
Ilyo lishibukile
Oku lelei ia
Uchite shani?
Ko e hā hoʻu manatu?
Ushakufwa?
Te u ʻofa mai?
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Oku ou fiemaʻu ʻofa
Leka ifi
Fakamolemole
Nshakufwa
Oku ou fakamolemole
Takwaba shani
Ikai ha palopalema
Nshakufwa bwino
Fakaʻapaʻapa
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
Mālō e lelei ki he ʻaho mate
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Fakaʻaongaʻi lelei
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
Ko fea e falemai?(ko fea e fale mai)
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
Ko fea e nofoa bus?(ko fea e nofoa bus)
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
Ko e feheia e pātala?(ko e feheia e patala)
Ninshi ikalamba?
He taimi fē e 'alu ai?(he taimi fe e alu ai)
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
Ko e ala lelei 'eni?(ko e ala lelei eni)
Ili pamo na pano.
Ko ia 'i he vaha'a ni(ko ia i he vahaa ni)
Ili lishilu na pano.
Ko ia 'i he tu'a(ko ia i he tua)
Ushibukishe pa mape?
Oka e faka'ali'ali mai kiate au 'i he mapa?(oka e fakaali ali mai kiate au i he mapa)
Leka pano, chonde.
Tū 'i he 'aiga, kataki(tu i he aiga kataki)
Kuli shani?
E taha e taimi?(e taha e taimi)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ili shani?
Ehia te fua o kēia?(ehia te fua o kehā)
Ili lya kuli
Ko ia, e lahi loā(ko ia e lahi loa)
Muli na chimo chibulu?
Ofa mai ha meʻakai e ngāue?(ofa mai ha meakai e ngau)
Ningakupanga na kadi?
E mafai au ke totongi e pātu?(e mafai au ke totongi e patu)
Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili
Ofa atu au ke he meʻakai e tolu(ofa atu au ke he meakai e tolu)
Icilanga, tapali
Te fua, kataki(te fua kataki)
Ubufyashi bwakupanga?
E aofia ai te ngāue?(e aofia ai te ngau)
Ndi mvegetarian
O au ko e meʻakai(o au ko e meakai)
Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali
Kātoa ʻa e meʻakai ʻālohi, kataki(katoa a e meakai alohi kataki)
Ili lya bwino
Ko ʻeni, e lelei(ko eni e lelei)
Ningakonda ifyalo?
E mafai au ke maʻu e meʻakai?(e mafai au ke mau e meakai)
Icupa ca mvula, tapali
Ha ipu vai, kataki(ha ipu vai kataki)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tuma abashitisha
Tū mai e polisi
Tuma ambulance
Tū mai e ambulance
Nshikala na doctor
Ofa mai e fomaʻi
Nshikala bwino
Oku ou fehi
Ndi na allergy ku nsalu
Oku ou maʻu e fakamātoato ki e pīnati
Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?
Ko e fea e hōspitali lahi?
Kuli ububi pano
Oku ʻi ai e ʻā
Nashitile passport yangu
Naʻe ou fā e pāsipoti
Nawe tuma hotel yangu?
Te ke tū mai e hoteli ko hoku?
Chikondi!
Fakamolemole!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nashamukeni
Mālō e lelei(na-sha-mu-ke-ni)
Tulefwaya ukusanga
Tōmua ta seti ha fakataha(tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)
Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?
Ko e hā e taimi e lelei kiate koe?(nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)
Nizakutuma ifishina lelo
Te u fa'ahinga e lipooti 'i he 'aho ni(ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)
Twafwaya ukusambilila lero?
Tēnā mafai ta talanoa 'i he 'aho 'apongipongi?(twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)
Nomba fwebo file iliko
Kātoa e faile 'oku fakafā(nom-ba fwe-bo fi-le i-li-ko)
Natotela pa nshita
Mālō 'aupito kiate koe(na-to-te-la pa nshi-ta)
Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe
Te u fie ma'u ke ngāue mo koe(ni-fwa-ya u-ku-shan-da na i-we)
Wakosa ukufumya icikomo?
Kātoa e mafai ke ke fakakaukau 'a e konga 'o ia?(wa-ko-sa u-ku-fum-ya i-ci-ko-mo)
Nizakukumbusha
Tēnā e 'alu au kiate koe(ni-za-ku-kum-bu-sha)
Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula
Ko e ta'u 'o e ngāue ko e Falaite(i-shi-na lya-ku-pe-la ni Lwa-pu-la)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.