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Common Lao to Tumbuka phrases

100 practical Lao to Tumbuka phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Lao to Tumbuka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Lao phrase first, then the Tumbuka translation (Tumbuka) — 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 Tumbuka.

Tip: read the Tumbuka line out loud three times, then cover the Lao 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 Lao to Tumbuka 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.

  1. ສະບາຍດີ

    Moni (sabaidee)

  2. ຂອບໃຈ

    Zikomo (khob chai)

  3. ສະບາຍດີຕອນເຊົ້າ

    Muli bwanji (sabaidee ton sao)

  4. ສະບາຍດີຕອນແລງ

    Muli bwanji (sabaidee ton laeng)

  5. ສະບາຍດີຕອນແລງ

    Muli bwanji (sabaidee ton sang)

  6. ລາບດີ

    Usiku wabwino (laap dee)

  7. ເອີ້ຍກັນໃໝ່

    Tiwonana (eiy kan mai)

  8. ລາບອກ

    Tsalani bwino (laap bok)

  9. ຊື່ຂອງທ່ານແມ່ນຫຍັງ?

    Dzina lanu ndi ndani? (sue khong than maen nyang)

  10. ຊື່ຂອງຂໍ້ຄືຈອນ

    Dzina langa ndi John (sue khong kho khue John)

  11. ສະບາຍດີບໍ?

    Muli bwanji? (sabaidee bor)

  12. ດີໃຈທີ່ໄດ້ພົວພັນ

    Ndine wokondwa kukumana nanu (dee jai thi dai phou phan)

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. ທ່ານເວົ້າພາສາອັງກິດໄດ້ບໍ?

    Muli ndi Chingerezi? (muli ndi chingerezi)

  2. ຂໍເອົາພາສາຮິນດີບໍ່ໄດ້ດີ

    Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino (sikuyankhula hindi bwino)

  3. ຂໍເອົາບໍ່ເຂົ້າໃຈ

    Sindikumva (sindikumva)

  4. ຂໍແຈ້ງຊ່ອຍໆ

    Chonde yankhulani pang'ono (chonde yankhulani pang'ono)

  5. ທ່ານສາມາດເວົ້າອີກເທື່ອໄດ້ບໍ?

    Mungandiyankhulepo? (mungandiyankhulepo)

  6. ຫຍັງແມ່ນສະແດງ?

    Kuti ndi kuti? (kuti ndi kuti)

  7. ຂໍແນະນຳໄປສູ່ສູນການຄໍາສັ່ງແລະສະເຖິມ?

    Ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu? (ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu)

  8. ແລ່ນໄປດ້ານເຊວງ

    Pita kumanzere (pita kumanzere)

  9. ແລ່ນໄປດ້ານສູງ

    Pita kumanja (pita kumanja)

  10. ເຂົ້າໄປສູງ

    Pita mwendo (pita mwendo)

  11. ຄ່າໂດສະບັດເທື່ອແມ່ນດຽວບໍ?

    Ndi ndalama zingati? (ndi ndalama zingati)

  12. ຂໍແບບເດີນທາງໜຶ່ງ

    Tiketi imodzi, chonde (tiketi imodzi, chonde)

  13. ມັນໄກຈາກນີ້ບໍ?

    Ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano? (ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano)

  14. ຂໍເອົາສູນສູນ

    Ndakhalapo (ndakhalapo)

  15. ຂໍແນະນຳສິນຄ້າສິນຄ້າເພີ່ມຂອງສິນຄ້າສິນຄ້າໄດ້ບໍ?

    Ndingatengere kuti kuti SIM card? (ndingatengere kuti kuti sim card)

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. ແມ່ນ

    Iye (mɛ̄n)

  2. ບໍ່

    Ayi (bɔ̄)

  3. ອາດຈະ

    Pang'ono (ʔāt jā)

  4. ຂໍໍຍອມ

    Ndikugwirizana (kʰɔ̄ p̄ɔ̄ nyɔ̄m)

  5. ຂໍໍບໍ່ຍອມ

    Sindikugwirizana (kʰɔ̄ p̄ɔ̄ bɔ̄ nyɔ̄m)

  6. ມັນດີ

    Ichi chimaoneka bwino (mæn dī)

  7. ເຈົ້າຄິດວ່າແນວໃດ?

    Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize? (cāo kʰít vā̄ nɛ̄o dāi)

  8. ເຈົ້າຊ່ວຍຂໍເລີຍ?

    Mungandithandize? (cāo sǭ̄a kʰɔ̄ lɯ̄)

  9. ຂໍແບບຊ່ວຍ

    Ndikufuna thandizo (kʰɔ̄ bɛ̄p sǭ̄a)

  10. ລໍຖໍ່

    Dikirani pang’ono (lɔ̄ tʰɔ̄)

  11. ຂໍອະໄພ

    Ndikupemphera (kʰɔ̄ ʔā pʰāi)

  12. ບໍ່ມີບັນຫາ

    Palibe vutoli (bɔ̄ mī bān hā)

  13. ຍິນດີດ່ວນ

    Zikomo (ɲīn dī dūan)

  14. ສຸດສົດວັນເກິດ

    Tsiku lobadwa labwino (sud sǭ̄t vā̄n kɯ̄t)

  15. ເດີນທາງດີ

    Pita bwino pa ulendo (dɯ̄n tʰāng dī)

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. ສະຖານທີ່ລົດໄฟຢູ່ໃສ?

    Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga? (sathānthī lotfai yū sai?)

  2. ສະຖານທີ່ລົດຊັບຢູ່ໃສ?

    Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi? (sathānthī lotsap yū sai?)

  3. ສະຖານທີ່ໃດ?

    Ndi chigawo chiti? (sathānthī dai?)

  4. ມັນອອກເວລາໃດ?

    Nanga nthawi itangopita? (man ok welā dai?)

  5. ນີ້ແມ່ນທາງຖືກບໍ?

    Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera? (nī maeṇ thāng thūk bō?)

  6. ມັນຢູ່ໃກ້ນີ້

    Iyi ndi pafupi apa (man yū kai nī)

  7. ມັນຢູ່ໄກແຈ່ນີ້

    Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa (man yū kai jānī)

  8. ເຈົ້າສາມາດແສດໃຫ້ຂໍແຜນທີ່ໄດ້ບໍ?

    Mungandionetse pa chithunzi? (jao sā māt saēd hai khǭ phænthī dai bō?)

  9. ຢຸດທີ່ນີ້, ບຸດໃຈແດ່

    Chimitsa apa, chonde (yud thī nī, but jai dā)

  10. ໃຈເວລາດິ່ນບໍ?

    Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji? (jai welā din bō?)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. ນີ້ເສິບທີ່ໃຈບໍ?

    Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe? (iyi ikuguliradi chingwe)

  2. ນັ້ນແພງເກຽວເກີນໄປ

    Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa (iyi ndi mtengo wopusa)

  3. ທ່ານມີສິ່ງໃດທີ່ຖູກກວ່າບໍ?

    Muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo? (muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo)

  4. ຂໍອະໄພໃສ່ບັດໄດ້ບໍ?

    Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi? (ningathe kulipira ndi khadi)

  5. ຂໍຕາບລະບົດສໍາລັບສອງຄົນ

    Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri (ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri)

  6. ບິນຄ່າໃຫ້ຂໍອະໄພ

    Chikalata, chonde (chikalata, chonde)

  7. ບໍ່ບໍ່ມີບໍລິການລວມຢູ່ໃນນີ້ບໍ?

    Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa? (ntchito ikuphatikizidwa)

  8. ຂໍອະໄພແມ່ນຄົນບໍ່ກິນເສດສິນ

    Ndine wopanda nyama (ndine wopanda nyama)

  9. ຂໍອະໄພບໍ່ໃຫ້ອາຫານປາກຈິ່ນ

    Chonde, osati chakudya chothira (chonde, osati chakudya chothira)

  10. ນີ້ແອບອິດ

    Iyi ndi yokoma (iyi ndi yokoma)

  11. ຂໍອະໄພໃຫ້ເລືອກເອກະສານອາຫານ

    Ningathe kupeza menyu? (ningathe kupeza menyu)

  12. ຂໍອະໄພໃຫ້ນ້ຳແກ່ກັນ

    Galasi ya madzi, chonde (galasi ya madzi, chonde)

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. ໂທແອກຕຳລອດ

    Fufuzani polisi

  2. ໂທແອກລົດແພດ

    Fufuzani ambulansi

  3. ຂໍແພດໃຫ້ຂໍ້ອອນ

    Ndikufuna dokotala

  4. ຂໍ້ອອນບໍ່ດີ

    Ndikuwona bwino

  5. ຂໍ້ອອນມີການແອລໍຈິດກັບຖົ່ມລາຍ

    Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts

  6. ໂຮງໝໍໃດແມ່ນໃກ້ທີ່ສຸດ?

    Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?

  7. ມັນເຈັບບ່ອນນີ້

    Kuli kuuma apa

  8. ຂໍ້ອອນສາມາດບັດບໍ່ສຽງສິດ

    Ndasowa pasipoti yangu

  9. ເຈົ້າສາມາດໂທໂຮງແຮມຂອງຂໍ້ອອນແບບບໍ?

    Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

  10. ຊ່ອຍ!

    Thandizani!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. ດີໃຈທີ່ເພີ່ນພົວພັນ

    Ndalumba kukumana nanu (di chai thi phuen phoua phan)

  2. ມາຈັດຕົວກັນສໍາລັບການປະຊຸມ

    Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi

  3. ເວລາໃດທີ່ເຫຼັກສໍາລັບທ່ານ?

    Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito?

  4. ຂໍແຈ້ງລາຍງານວັນນີ້

    Ndidzatumiza lipoti lero

  5. ພວກເຮົາສາມາດສົນທະນາກັນວັນໃດ?

    Tingathe kulankhula mawa?

  6. ກະລຸນາເບິ່ງໄຟລ໌ທີ່ແນບມາ

    Chonde onani fayilo yolembedwa

  7. ຂອບໃຈສໍາລັບເວລາຂອງທ່ານ

    Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu

  8. ຂໍໃຫ້ລອດລູກຈິດໃນການເຮັດວຽກກັນ

    Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu

  9. ທ່ານສາມາດອະທິບາຍຈຸດນັ້ນໃຫ້ຊັດເຈນໄດ້ບໍ?

    Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyi?

  10. ໃຫ້ຂໍແອບຄືນຄືນໄປຫາທ່ານ

    Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni

  11. ກຳນົດເວລາແມ່ນວັນສຸກ

    Nthawi yomaliza ndi Lachisanu

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. ແມ່ນເວລາໃດ?

    Ndi chiyani nthawi? (Ndi chiyani nthawi?)

  2. ແມ່ນເວລາສາມແຕ່ງ

    Ndi saa tatu (maen wela saam taeng)

  3. ມື້ນີ້

    Lero (mue ni)

  4. ມື້ອາທິດ

    Maŵa (mue athit)

  5. ມື້ກ່ອນ

    Kale (mue kon)

  6. ວັນຈັນ

    Lolemba (wan jan)

  7. ວັນອັງຄານ

    Lachiwiri (wan angkhan)

  8. ວັນພະລະສົງ

    Lachitatu (wan pharasan)

  9. ໜຶ່ງ

    Mmodzi (neung)

  10. ສອງ

    Awiri (song)

  11. ສາມ

    Atatu (saam)

  12. ສິບ

    Kumi (sip)

  13. ຮອຍ

    Zana (hoi)

  14. ຄົງ

    Pachikhalidwe (khong)

  15. ອີກ

    Zambiri (ik)

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