Looking for practical Bemba to Tsonga phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba 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 Bemba 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 Bemba 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.
Shani
Xewani
Natotela
Ndza khensa
Muli shani
Xewani xitulu
Muli shani
Xewani ntlhanu
Muli shani
Xewani nhloko
Shalenipo bwino
Xewani xihlayo
Tukakutana
Tshamisa
Twalumba
Sala kahle
Iwe ulishani?
U vitaniwani?
Ndefwaya John
Ndzina i John
Uli bwanji?
U njhani?
Nashitasha kukumona
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
U vulavula Xitsonga?
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.
Ndefwaya kumfwa
A ndzi twisisi.
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.
Ningaloleleko?
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Xikombiso xihi?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?
Fumya kumwendo
Khandziya ekhaya.
Fumya kumwendo
Khandziya ekunene.
Enda pamo
Famba u ya emahlweni.
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
Mafambiselo ma yini?
Ticket imwe, nomba
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
I yini ku tlula kona?
Ndi lost
Ndzi khomiwe.
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eya
Inhlawulo
Awe
A hi kona
Panga
Swi nga va tano
Ndi bwino
Ndzi amukela
Ndi bwino na
Ndzi nga amukeli
Ilyo lishibukile
Iku na switlhavelo
Uchite shani?
U ehleketa yini?
Ushakufwa?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Ndzi lava mpfuno
Leka ifi
Hlayisa nkarhi
Nshakufwa
Ndzi tsundzuka
Takwaba shani
A hi na xiphiqo
Nshakufwa bwino
Ndzakuva
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
Mavongele yo tsakela
Ube na mulimo wabwino
U va na ndlela yo olova
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
I platform yihi?
Ninshi ikalamba?
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
I ndlela leyi nga right?
Ili pamo na pano.
I kona edzongeni.
Ili lishilu na pano.
I le n'hweti.
Ushibukishe pa mape?
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?
Leka pano, chonde.
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.
Kuli shani?
I nkarhi muni ku taka?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ili shani?
I ku humelela njhani?(i ku humelela njhani?)
Ili lya kuli
I kona ku phindzelela.(Ili lya kuli)
Muli na chimo chibulu?
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?(Muli na chimo chibulu?)
Ningakupanga na kadi?
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?(Ningakupanga na kadi?)
Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.(Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili)
Icilanga, tapali
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.(Icilanga, tapali)
Ubufyashi bwakupanga?
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?(Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)
Ndi mvegetarian
Ndza va vegetarian.(Ndi mvegetarian)
Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.(Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali)
Ili lya bwino
Leswi i switlhavi.(Ili lya bwino)
Ningakonda ifyalo?
Ndzaku na menu?(Ningakonda ifyalo?)
Icupa ca mvula, tapali
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.(Icupa ca mvula, tapali)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tuma abashitisha
Tivisa mapolisa
Tuma ambulance
Tivisa ambalansi
Nshikala na doctor
Ndzi lava dokotela
Nshikala bwino
Ndzi khoma ku vava
Ndi na allergy ku nsalu
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
Kuli ububi pano
Ku vava laha
Nashitile passport yangu
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
Nawe tuma hotel yangu?
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
Chikondi!
Shelp!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nashamukeni
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena(na-sha-mu-ke-ni)
Tulefwaya ukusanga
A hi endla xihlanganiso(tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)
Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?(nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)
Nizakutuma ifishina lelo
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha(ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)
Twafwaya ukusambilila lero?
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?(twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)
Nomba fwebo file iliko
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa(nom-ba fwe-bo fi-le i-li-ko)
Natotela pa nshita
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena(na-to-te-la pa nshi-ta)
Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena(ni-fwa-ya u-ku-shan-da na i-we)
Wakosa ukufumya icikomo?
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?(wa-ko-sa u-ku-fum-ya i-ci-ko-mo)
Nizakukumbusha
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena(ni-za-ku-kum-bu-sha)
Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula
Nkarhi wo heta i Friday(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.