Looking for practical Dinka to Tsonga phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dinka 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Tsonga-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Dinka 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.
Yaaŋ
Xewani(yaaŋ)
Ajak
Ndza khensa(ajak)
Bäny äyö
Xewani xitulu(bäny äyö)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Xewani ntlhanu(bäny kɛ̈l)
Bäny nyin
Xewani nhloko(bäny nyin)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Xewani xihlayo(bäny kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Tshamisa(yin kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Sala kahle(yin kɛ̈l)
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?
U vitaniwani?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nin yïn John
Ndzina i John(nin yïn John)
Kɛ̈l yïn?
U njhani?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
U vulavula Xitsonga?
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.
Aye nyin kɔc.
A ndzi twisisi.
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.
Yin wic ke nyin?
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Xikombiso xihi?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Khandziya ekhaya.
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Khandziya ekunene.
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Famba u ya emahlweni.
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Mafambiselo ma yini?
Kɛl thok, yin.
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
I yini ku tlula kona?
Aye nyin thok.
Ndzi khomiwe.
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Inhlawulo
Naa
A hi kona
Cok
Swi nga va tano
Aye nyin
Ndzi amukela
Naa nyin
Ndzi nga amukeli
Käth aŋöör
Iku na switlhavelo
Käŋ aŋöör?
U ehleketa yini?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Ndzi lava mpfuno
Käŋ aŋöör
Hlayisa nkarhi
Aye kɛ̈l
Ndzi tsundzuka
Naa kɛ̈l
A hi na xiphiqo
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Ndzakuva
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Mavongele yo tsakela
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
U va na ndlela yo olova
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Cïïr yïnë kël?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?(Cii r yin e kel)
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Këc yïnë kël?
I platform yihi?(Kec yin e kel)
Këc kël yïnë?
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?(Kec kel yin e)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
I ndlela leyi nga right?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
I kona edzongeni.(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
I le n'hweti.(Kec yin e kel wel)
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
I nkarhi muni ku taka?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kuoth ke nyin?
I ku humelela njhani?(i ku humelela njhani?)
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r
I kona ku phindzelela.(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Kɛ́l, please
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.(kɛ́l, please)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Aye ke nyin a kɔc
Ndza va vegetarian.(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Nyaak ke aŋɔr
Leswi i switlhavi.(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?
Ndzaku na menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.(aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Tivisa mapolisa
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Tivisa ambalansi
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Ndzi lava dokotela
A jɛt kɔc
Ndzi khoma ku vava
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Ku vava laha
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
Yɛɛr!
Shelp!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Yin ke nyin
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena(Yin ke nyin)
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng
A hi endla xihlanganiso(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Cieng nyin ke jieng?
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday
Nkarhi wo heta i Friday(Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.