Looking for practical Mam to Tsonga phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Mam 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 Mam 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 Mam 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.
Xo'j
Xewani(sho'j)
Tz'ik
Ndza khensa(tz'ik)
Xo'j nax
Xewani xitulu(sho'j nax)
Xo'j q'ij
Xewani ntlhanu(sho'j q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Xewani nhloko(sho'j k'ux)
Xo'j k'ux nax
Xewani xihlayo(sho'j k'ux nax)
K'ux q'ij
Tshamisa(k'ux q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Sala kahle(sho'j k'ux)
Ja' k'ux nax?
U vitaniwani?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Ja' k'ux nax John
Ndzina i John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Jach' k'ux?
U njhani?(hach' k'ux?)
Nab' k'ux
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
¿K'ax k'utun English?
U vulavula Xitsonga?
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
A ndzi twisisi.
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Xikombiso xihi?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?
K'utun k'ux.
Khandziya ekhaya.
K'utun k'ux.
Khandziya ekunene.
K'utun k'ux.
Famba u ya emahlweni.
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Mafambiselo ma yini?
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
I yini ku tlula kona?
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Ndzi khomiwe.
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Juj
Inhlawulo(hoo)
Man
A hi kona(mah)
K'ux
Swi nga va tano(k'ush)
Juj k'ux
Ndzi amukela(hoo k'ush)
Man k'ux
Ndzi nga amukeli(mah k'ush)
K'ux juj
Iku na switlhavelo(k'ush hoo)
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?
U ehleketa yini?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?
U nga ndzi pfuna?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut
Ndzi lava mpfuno(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux k'ut
Hlayisa nkarhi(k'ush k'ut)
Juj k'ux k'ut
Ndzi tsundzuka(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Man k'ux k'ut
A hi na xiphiqo(mah k'ush k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut
Ndzakuva(k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Mavongele yo tsakela(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
U va na ndlela yo olova(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?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
I platform yihi?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
I ndlela leyi nga right?
Ri k'ut pa ri.
I kona edzongeni.
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
I le n'hweti.
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
I nkarhi muni ku taka?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
K'ux k'ulub' ri'?
I ku humelela njhani?(i ku humelela njhani?)
K'ux ri' k'ulub'?
I kona ku phindzelela.(K'ux ri' k'ulub'?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.(In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?)
Ri' k'ulub', por favor
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.(Ri' k'ulub', por favor)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Ndza va vegetarian.(In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Leswi i switlhavi.(K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ndzaku na menu?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
K'uxik la policía
Tivisa mapolisa
K'uxik un ambulancia
Tivisa ambalansi
Nek' a doctor
Ndzi lava dokotela
K'utun k'ax
Ndzi khoma ku vava
Nek' a k'uxi' ch'ich'
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
Jach' k'uxik la hospital?
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
K'utun k'uxi' aquí
Ku vava laha
Nek' a k'uxik mi pasaporte
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
¿K'uxik a k'uxik mi hotel?
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
¡Ayuda!
Shelp!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Chik'oj ch'ab'ej
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena(chee-k'oh chahb'eh)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ulb'al
A hi endla xihlanganiso(kah-hee k'ah-wik ree kool-bahl)
K'ut ri k'utal k'axik?
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?(k'oot ree k'oo-tahl kah-hee)
In k'axik ri k'ik'oj ch'ich'
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha(een kah-hee ree kee-k'oh ch'eech')
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ik'oj k'ay?
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?(kah-hee ch'ah-wik ree kee-k'oh kahy)
Ch'awik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa(ch'ah-wik ree kool-bahl kah-hee)
Tz'ib'ej ri k'utal
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena(tzee-beh-eh ree k'oo-tahl)
In k'axik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena(een kah-hee ree kool-bahl kah-hee)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'utal?
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?(kah-hee ch'ah-wik ree k'oo-tahl)
K'axik in k'axik ch'awik
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena(kah-hee een kah-hee ch'ah-wik)
Ri k'utal k'axik k'ay
Nkarhi wo heta i 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.