Looking for practical Mam to Venda phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Mam phrase first, then the Venda translation (Venda) — 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 Venda.
Tip: read the Venda 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 Venda 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
Ndi matsheloni(sho'j)
Tz'ik
Ndi a livhuwa(tz'ik)
Xo'j nax
Ndi matsheloni(sho'j nax)
Xo'j q'ij
Ndi masiari(sho'j q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Ndi madekwana(sho'j k'ux)
Xo'j k'ux nax
Ndi masiari a u fhela(sho'j k'ux nax)
K'ux q'ij
Tshilidzi(k'ux q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Vhuyani(sho'j k'ux)
Ja' k'ux nax?
Ndi mini dzina lenu?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Ja' k'ux nax John
Dzina langa ndi John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Jach' k'ux?
Ni khou itea?(hach' k'ux?)
Nab' k'ux
Ndi khou funa u vhuya na inwi(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Ni a ṱhota ṅwambo?(ni a thota n'wambo)
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
A ndi ṱhoti Hindi zwavhudi(a ndi thoti Hindi zwavhudi)
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
A ndi ḓivhi(a ndi dhiwi)
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Ndi ṱhanyela u ṱhota nga ṱhoho(ndi thanyela u thota nga thoho)
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Ndi a ṱanga zwenezwi?(ndi a thanga zwenezwi)
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Bani hu na khotani?(bani hu na khotani)
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Ndi ya hani u ya tsini na muṱa?(ndi ya hani u ya tsini na mutha)
K'utun k'ux.
Fhulu u ya shango(fhulu u ya shango)
K'utun k'ux.
Fhulu u ya ṱhoho(fhulu u ya thoho)
K'utun k'ux.
Ḓi ṱhota nga ṱhoho(dhi thota nga thoho)
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Fhasi i na hani?(fhasi i na hani)
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Ticket ye ḽa, nd please(ticket ye la, nd please)
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
I na fhasi u bva hone?(i na fhasi u bva hone)
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Ndi a fhedza(ndi a fhedza)
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Ndi nga wana SIM card phi?(ndi nga wana SIM card phi)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Juj
Ee(hoo)
Man
Aih(mah)
K'ux
Ndi nga si(k'ush)
Juj k'ux
Ndi a livhuwa(hoo k'ush)
Man k'ux
Ndi a sa livhuwi(mah k'ush)
K'ux juj
Izwi zwine zwa ita zwavhuya(k'ush hoo)
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?
U vhona mini?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?
U nga nthusa?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut
Ndi na nyito(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux k'ut
Langa muthu(k'ush k'ut)
Juj k'ux k'ut
Ndi a humbula(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Man k'ux k'ut
A hu na nḓila(mah k'ush k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut
Ndi a livhuwa(k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Ndi a ni ṱhonifha(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Ndi a ni ṱhonifha na u shuma(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?
Uphi i-station ye-train?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Uphi i-bus stop?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
I-platform efani na?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Iri ngafhi?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
Iyi ndi ndowei efani?
Ri k'ut pa ri.
Iri khathihi na.
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
Iri khulwane na.
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
U nga nanga u tshi khou vhona kha maphu?
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Dzhia fhedzi, ndi khou livhuwa.
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Zwi tshi dzhia ngafhi?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
K'ux k'ulub' ri'?
Zwi khou itea ngani?(K'ux k'ulub' ri'?)
K'ux ri' k'ulub'?
Izwi ndi zwihulu.(K'ux ri' k'ulub'?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ni na zwine zwa itea nga nṱha?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Ndi nga fhira nga khadi?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Ndi khou ṱoḓa tafela ya vhuṱanzi.(In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?)
Ri' k'ulub', por favor
Ndi ṱhoḓa muthu, ndapota.(Ri' k'ulub', por favor)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ndi na tshelete ya vhuṱanzi?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Ndi muvegetarian.(In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
A si na food ya vhuṱhiri, ndapota.(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Izi ndi zwitukwama.(K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ndi nga ṱoḓa menu?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ndi ṱhoḓa glasi ya mvura, ndapota.(¿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
Fhonelela mapolisa
K'uxik un ambulancia
Fhonelela ambulanse
Nek' a doctor
Ndi funa ngaka
K'utun k'ax
Ndi a shota
Nek' a k'uxi' ch'ich'
Ndi na u shota kha phiri
Jach' k'uxik la hospital?
Ndi wani hoso ya vhuṱungu?
K'utun k'uxi' aquí
Zwi a vha na mulalo hone
Nek' a k'uxik mi pasaporte
Ndi fhedza pasipoti yangu
¿K'uxik a k'uxik mi hotel?
U nga fhonelela hotele yangu?
¡Ayuda!
Ramba!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Chik'oj ch'ab'ej
Ndi khou livhuwa u vhulunga(chee-k'oh chahb'eh)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ulb'al
A ri vhe na thendo(kah-hee k'ah-wik ree kool-bahl)
K'ut ri k'utal k'axik?
Ndi ngani ini u shuma na yone?(k'oot ree k'oo-tahl kah-hee)
In k'axik ri k'ik'oj ch'ich'
Ndi do ruma ripoti ndayani(een kah-hee ree kee-k'oh ch'eech')
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ik'oj k'ay?
A ri nga bvela phanda nga ndayo?(kah-hee ch'ah-wik ree kee-k'oh kahy)
Ch'awik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Ndi khou humbela u wana faele yo thomulwaho(ch'ah-wik ree kool-bahl kah-hee)
Tz'ib'ej ri k'utal
Ndi a livhuwa nga ha u ralo(tzee-beh-eh ree k'oo-tahl)
In k'axik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Ndi khou takalela u shuma na inwi(een kah-hee ree kool-bahl kah-hee)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'utal?
A ni nga sumbedza nḓila iṅwe?(kah-hee ch'ah-wik ree k'oo-tahl)
K'axik in k'axik ch'awik
Ndi do bva u ya u inwi(kah-hee een kah-hee ch'ah-wik)
Ri k'utal k'axik k'ay
Nḓila i khou fhela nga ṋaṅwe(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.