Looking for practical Maori to Tsonga phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Maori 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 Maori 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 Maori 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.
Kia ora
Xewani
Ngā mihi
Ndza khensa
Ata mārie
Xewani xitulu
Pō mārie
Xewani ntlhanu
Pō nui
Xewani nhloko
Nō reira
Xewani xihlayo
Ka kite anō
Tshamisa
Haere rā
Sala kahle
Ko wai tō ingoa?
U vitaniwani?
Ko John tōku ingoa
Ndzina i John
Kei te pēhea koe?
U njhani?
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?
U vulavula Xitsonga?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Kaore au e mohio
A ndzi twisisi.(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Tena koa korero āta
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Kei hea te wharepaku?
Xikombiso xihi?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Me pehea au e tae ki te pokapū o te tāone?
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?(meh peh-heh-ah ow eh tie keh teh poh-kah-poo oh teh tah-oh-neh)
Huri ki mauī
Khandziya ekhaya.(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Huri ki te taha matau
Khandziya ekunene.(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Haere tika
Famba u ya emahlweni.(high-reh tee-kah)
E hia te utu?
Mafambiselo ma yini?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Kotahi te tikiti, please
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?
I yini ku tlula kona?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Kua ngaro au
Ndzi khomiwe.(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Kei hea e taea ai e au te hoko kāri SIM?
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?(kay he-ah eh tah-eh ah-ee eh ow teh hoh-koh kah-ree sim)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Āe
Inhlawulo
Kāo
A hi kona
Tērā pea
Swi nga va tano
Kei te whakaae au
Ndzi amukela
Kāore au e whakaae
Ndzi nga amukeli
He pai tēnā
Iku na switlhavelo
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
U ehleketa yini?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Ndzi lava mpfuno
Tēnā tūrua
Hlayisa nkarhi
Aroha mai
Ndzi tsundzuka
Kāore he raru
A hi na xiphiqo
Ngā mihi
Ndzakuva
Hari huritau
Mavongele yo tsakela
Kia pai te haerenga
U va na ndlela yo olova
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kei hea te teihana tereina?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Kei hea te pooti?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Ko wai te papa?
I platform yihi?(Ko wai te papa?)
He aha te wa e wehe ai?
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Kei te tika tēnei ara?
I ndlela leyi nga right?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Kei konei tata mai
I kona edzongeni.(Kei konei tata mai)
Kei tawhiti mai i konei
I le n'hweti.(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Ka taea e koe te whakaatu ki ahau i runga i te mapi?
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?(Ka taea e koe te whakaatu ki ahau i runga i te mapi?)
Tū mai i konei, koa
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.(Tū mai i konei, koa)
E hia te wā e tango ana?
I nkarhi muni ku taka?(E hia te wā e tango ana?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
E hia te utu o tēnei?
I ku humelela njhani?(i ku humelela njhani?)
He tino utu tēnā
I kona ku phindzelela.
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.
Tēnā, te rīhi.
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?
He veggie ahau.
Ndza va vegetarian.
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.
He reka tēnei.
Leswi i switlhavi.
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
Ndzaku na menu?
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Tivisa mapolisa
Karanga ki te āwhina
Tivisa ambalansi
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Ndzi lava dokotela
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Ndzi khoma ku vava
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
E mamae ana i konei
Ku vava laha
I ngaro taku pasapo
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
Tautoko!
Shelp!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ka pai te kite i a koe
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
A hi endla xihlanganiso
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?
Me hoki au ki a koe
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire
Nkarhi wo heta i Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.