Looking for practical Mam to Tiv phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Mam phrase first, then the Tiv translation (Tiv) — 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 Tiv.
Tip: read the Tiv line out loud three times, then cover the Mam 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 Mam to Tiv 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.
Xo'j
Mgbakpa(sho'j)
Tz'ik
Ior na(tz'ik)
Xo'j nax
Mgbakpa u sha(sho'j nax)
Xo'j q'ij
Mgbakpa u kpa(sho'j q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Mgbakpa u ter(sho'j k'ux)
Xo'j k'ux nax
Mgbakpa u ter sha(sho'j k'ux nax)
K'ux q'ij
Kpa a joo(k'ux q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Ior a joo(sho'j k'ux)
Ja' k'ux nax?
Ior m ngu?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Ja' k'ux nax John
M ngu John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Jach' k'ux?
Ior m nande?(hach' k'ux?)
Nab' k'ux
Ior m nande a joo(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
¿K'ax k'utun English?
I kpa English?
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
M nahan Hindi nahan.
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
M nahan usha.
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
M nahan usha kpa.
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
I kpa a sha?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
I we a joo?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Nenge a kpa a city center?
K'utun k'ux.
Kpa a joo.
K'utun k'ux.
Kpa a nahan.
K'utun k'ux.
Kpa a sha.
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Nenge a kpa a fare?
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
I kpa a ticket, please.
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
I we a nahan a nahan?
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
M nahan sha.
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
I we a kpa a SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Juj
Ee(hoo)
Man
Naa(mah)
K'ux
Iye(k'ush)
Juj k'ux
M na a kpa(hoo k'ush)
Man k'ux
M na a kpa nahan(mah k'ush)
K'ux juj
I kpa a kpa(k'ush hoo)
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?
U kpa a nahan?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?
U kpa m nahan?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut
M na a kpa nahan(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux k'ut
Kpa a kpa(k'ush k'ut)
Juj k'ux k'ut
M na a kpa(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Man k'ux k'ut
Naa a kpa(mah k'ush k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut
I kpa a kpa(k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
A kpa a kpa(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
U kpa a kpa(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?
Ior a kpa?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Ior a nyam?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Ior a gande?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Nenge a kpa?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
Ior a nenge a?
Ri k'ut pa ri.
I na kpa a.
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
I na kpa a kpa.
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
I ma ior a gande?
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Kpa a, please.
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Nenge a kpa?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
K'ux k'ulub' ri'?
Ior kwagh nahan?(ior kwagh nahan)
K'ux ri' k'ulub'?
Ior u kpa a kpa(ior u kpa a kpa)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ior m ngu u kpa?(ior m ngu u kpa)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Ior m gban a card?(ior m gban a card)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
A doo a table m ngu a yô(a doo a table m ngu a yô)
Ri' k'ulub', por favor
Ior a bill, please(ior a bill, please)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ior a service m nahan?(ior a service m nahan)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
A m vegetarian(a m vegetarian)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
A m nahan a spicy food(a m nahan a spicy food)
K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Ior a kpa(ior a kpa)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ior m gban a menu?(ior m gban a menu)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
A glass a water, please(a glass a water)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
K'uxik la policía
Kpa a police
K'uxik un ambulancia
Kpa a ambulance
Nek' a doctor
M ba a doctor
K'utun k'ax
M kpa a kpa
Nek' a k'uxi' ch'ich'
M kpa a nyam
Jach' k'uxik la hospital?
I kpa a hospital mza?
K'utun k'uxi' aquí
I kpa a sha
Nek' a k'uxik mi pasaporte
M kpa a passport m
¿K'uxik a k'uxik mi hotel?
I kpa a hotel m?
¡Ayuda!
Kpa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Chik'oj ch'ab'ej
Ior u kpa.(chee-k'oh chahb'eh)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ulb'al
Ka a hia ikyô.(kah-hee k'ah-wik ree kool-bahl)
K'ut ri k'utal k'axik?
Nî kpa u kpa?(k'oot ree k'oo-tahl kah-hee)
In k'axik ri k'ik'oj ch'ich'
M gbanor u kpe.(een kah-hee ree kee-k'oh ch'eech')
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ik'oj k'ay?
A hia nî u hia?(kah-hee ch'ah-wik ree kee-k'oh kahy)
Ch'awik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
M kpa u venge.(ch'ah-wik ree kool-bahl kah-hee)
Tz'ib'ej ri k'utal
Ior u nenge.(tzee-beh-eh ree k'oo-tahl)
In k'axik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
M hia u kpa.(een kah-hee ree kool-bahl kah-hee)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'utal?
Ior a hia u mba?(kah-hee ch'ah-wik ree k'oo-tahl)
K'axik in k'axik ch'awik
Ka m hia u.(kah-hee een kah-hee ch'ah-wik)
Ri k'utal k'axik k'ay
Ikyô u kpa a Friday.(ree k'oo-tahl kah-hee kahy)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.