Looking for practical Lingala to Tsonga phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Lingala 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: when a Tsonga phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Lingala 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 Lingala 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.
Mbote
Xewani
Melesi
Ndza khensa
Mbote na ntango ya mokolo
Xewani xitulu
Mbote na ntango ya midi
Xewani ntlhanu
Mbote na ntango ya soir
Xewani nhloko
Malamu na butu
Xewani xihlayo
Tala yo nsima
Tshamisa
Kende malamu
Sala kahle
Nkombo na yo nani?
U vitaniwani?
Nkombo na ngai ezali John
Ndzina i John
Ozalaki malamu?
U njhani?
Nayoki malamu na yo
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ozali koloba lingala?
U vulavula Xitsonga?(ozali koloba lingala)
Nasalaka hindi malamu te
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.(nasalaka hindi malamu te)
Nalingi te
A ndzi twisisi.(nalingi te)
S'il vous plaît, koloba butu
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.(koloba butu)
Okoki koloba yango lisusu?
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?(okoki koloba yango lisusu)
Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi?
Xikombiso xihi?(bato ya nzoto)
Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre?
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?(nakokende na centre)
Tika na mobali
Khandziya ekhaya.(tika na mobali)
Tika na mwasi
Khandziya ekunene.(tika na mwasi)
Kende na ntango
Famba u ya emahlweni.(kende na ntango)
Mbala nini ezali?
Mafambiselo ma yini?(mbala nini)
Billet moko, s'il vous plaît
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.(billet moko)
Ezali na esika ya mbali?
I yini ku tlula kona?(ezali na esika ya mbali)
Nazali na esika ya mabe
Ndzi khomiwe.(nazali na esika ya mabe)
Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card?
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?(nakokota SIM card)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Oyo
Inhlawulo
Te
A hi kona
Soki
Swi nga va tano
Nalingi
Ndzi amukela
Nalingi te
Ndzi nga amukeli
Eza malamu
Iku na switlhavelo
Oyo olingi nini?
U ehleketa yini?
Okoki kosalisa ngai?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa
Ndzi lava mpfuno
Sunga moke
Hlayisa nkarhi
Nasalaki mabe
Ndzi tsundzuka
Nani azali na problème
A hi na xiphiqo
Mokolo malamu
Ndzakuva
Mokolo ya mbotama malamu
Mavongele yo tsakela
Zala na nzela ya malamu
U va na ndlela yo olova
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eko zali wapi?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?(Eko zali wapi?)
Eko zali wapi na bis?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Eko zali na esika nini?
I platform yihi?
Ekozanga na ntango nini?
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?
Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?
I ndlela leyi nga right?
Ezali pene awa.
I kona edzongeni.
Ezali mbali awa.
I le n'hweti.
Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?
Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.
Ekozala ntango nini?
I nkarhi muni ku taka?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Mbongo ya yango eza nini?
I ku humelela njhani?(i ku humelela njhani?)
Yango eza mabe na mbongo.
I kona ku phindzelela.
Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?
Nalingi kobonga na carte?
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?
Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.
Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.
Service eza na kati?
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?
Nazali mvegetarian.
Ndza va vegetarian.
Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.
Yango ezali malamu.
Leswi i switlhavi.
Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.
Ndzaku na menu?
Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tindá polisi
Tivisa mapolisa
Tindá ambulance
Tivisa ambalansi
Nalingi médecin
Ndzi lava dokotela
Nazali na maladi
Ndzi khoma ku vava
Nazali na allergie na mbala
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
Ezalaka na nse awa
Ku vava laha
Nazwi passport na ngai
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
S.O.S!
Shelp!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nasepeli na yo
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena
Tika tozala na mitema
A hi endla xihlanganiso
Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?
Naboya raport lelo
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha
Tango tozali na mposo?
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?
S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa
Mersi mpo na ntango na yo
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena
Nasalela yo na mosala
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena
Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?
Napesi yo nzela
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena
Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi
Nkarhi wo heta i Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.
Nini tango ezali?
I yini nkarhi?(ni-ni tan-go e-za-li)
Ezali ntango ya misato
I na nkarhi wa ntlhanu(e-za-li n-tan-go ya mi-sa-to)