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Common Ndebele South to Xhosa phrases

100 practical Ndebele South to Xhosa phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Ndebele South to Xhosa phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Ndebele South phrase first, then the Xhosa translation (Xhosa) — 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 Xhosa.

Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Xhosa-speaking trip in a few weeks.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Ndebele South to Xhosa 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.

  1. Sawubona

    Molo

  2. Ngiyabonga

    Enkosi

  3. Ubusuku obuhle

    Ubusuku obuhle

  4. Imini emnandi

    Ubusuku obuhle

  5. Ubusuku obuhle

    Ubusuku obuhle

  6. Lalani kahle

    Lala ngoxolo

  7. Sizobonana

    Ndiza kubonana kamva

  8. Hamba kahle

    Hamba kakuhle

  9. Ubani igama lakho?

    Ngubani igama lakho?

  10. Igama lami ngingu John

    Igama lam nguJohn

  11. Unjani?

    Unjani?

  12. Kuhle ukukwazi

    Kuhle ukukwazi

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. Ukhuluma isiNgisi?

    Uthetha isiNgesi?

  2. Angikhulumi isiHindi kahle

    Andithethi isiHindi kakuhle

  3. Angiqondi

    Andiqondi

  4. Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane

    Nceda thethe kancinci

  5. Ungakuphinda lokho?

    Ungakuphinda lokho?

  6. Iphi indlu yokugezela?

    Iphi ibhafu?

  7. Ngiyawufinyelela kanjani emaphakathi?

    Ndingafika njani kwi mveliso ye dolophu?

  8. Jikela kwesobunxele

    Jolisa kwesokunxele

  9. Jikela kwesokudla

    Jolisa kwesokudla

  10. Hamba phambili

    Hamba ngqo

  11. Ingabe imali yokuhamba ingakanani?

    Iholo ingakanani?

  12. Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela

    Ithikithi elinye, nceda

  13. Ingabe kukude lapha?

    Ingakanani ukusuka apha?

  14. Ngilahlekile

    Ndilahlekile

  15. Ngiphi lapho ngingathenga khona ikhadikhadi le-SIM?

    Nphi endinokuthenga khona iSIM card?

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Yebo

    Ewe

  2. Cha

    Hayi

  3. Mhlawumbe

    Mhlawumbi

  4. Ngiyavuma

    Ndiyavuma

  5. Angivumi

    Andivumi

  6. Lokho kuhle

    Okuhle

  7. Ucabanga ukuthini?

    Ucinga ntoni?

  8. Ungangisiza?

    Ungandinceda?

  9. Ngidinga usizo

    Ndidinga uncedo

  10. Linda umzuzu

    Linda umzuzu

  11. Ngiyaxolisa

    Ndicela uxolo

  12. Akukho inkinga

    Akukho ngxaki

  13. Halala

    Wamkelekile

  14. Jabulela usuku lokuzalwa

    Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

  15. Ube nohambo oluphumelelayo

    Uhambo olukhuselekileyo

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Kuphi isiteshi sesitimela?

    Uphi umphakathi wemithwalo? (uphi umphakathi wemithwalo)

  2. Kuphi indawo yokuma kwe-bhasi?

    Uphi umphakathi weebhasi? (uphi umphakathi weebhasi)

  3. Iphi iphothifoliyo?

    Yeyiphi iphondo? (yeyiphi iphondo)

  4. Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba?

    Ihamba ngexesha elingakanani? (ihamba ngexesha elingakanani)

  5. Inguquko efanele le?

    Ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo? (ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo)

  6. Ikhaya lapha

    Ikho kufutshane apha (i-kha-ya la-pha)

  7. Kude lapha

    Ikude apha (ku-de la-pha)

  8. Ungangikhombisa emmaphweni?

    Ungandibonisa kwiimeko? (ungandibonisa kwiimeko)

  9. Misa lapha, ngiyacela

    Misa apha, nceda (mi-sa la-pha, ngi-ya-ce-la)

  10. Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani?

    Ithatha ixesha elingakanani? (ku-tha-tha i-si-kha-ti e-sing-a-ka-na-ni)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. Kubiza malini lokhu?

    Ithini le mali?

  2. Lokhu kubiza kakhulu.

    Le mali ibiza kakhulu.

  3. Unayo into ethengiswa kancane?

    Unayo into engabizi?

  4. Ngingakhokha ngekhadi?

    Ndingakhokha ngekhadi?

  5. Ngithanda itafula labantu ababili.

    Ndicela itafula lempahla ezimbini.

  6. Ibhili, ngiyacela.

    Ibhili, nceda.

  7. Inkonzo ifakiwe?

    Ingaba inkonzo ibandakanyekile?

  8. Ngiyisiv vegetarian.

    Ndiyavegetarian.

  9. Akukho ukudla okushisayo, ngiyacela.

    Akukho ukutya okunobhotolo, nceda.

  10. Lokhu kuhle.

    Oku kumnandi.

  11. Ngingathola imenyu?

    Ndingafumana imenyu?

  12. Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela.

    Ingxube ye water, nceda.

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Shayela amaphoyisa

    Biza uphondo

  2. Shayela i-ambulensi

    Biza i-ambulensi

  3. Ngidinga udokotela

    Ndifuna ugqirha

  4. Ngizizwa ngigula

    Ndiziva ndingalunganga

  5. Ngine-allergy kumakhukhu

    Ndine-allergy kwi-peanuts

  6. Iphi i-hospital eseduze?

    Uphi umphakathi oseduze?

  7. Kubuhlungu lapha

    Kubuhlungu apha

  8. Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami

    Ndilahlekelwe yi passport yam

  9. Ungangishayela ihhotela lami?

    Ungabiza ihotele yam?

  10. Usizo!

    Uncedo!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Ngiyajabula ukukwazi

    Kuhle ukukwazi

  2. Masihlele umhlangano

    Masihlele umhlangano

  3. Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele?

    Yiphi ixesha elikufaneleyo?

  4. Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla

    Ndiza kuthumela ingxelo namhlanje

  5. Singakhuluma kusasa?

    Singathetha ngomso?

  6. Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunyiwe

    Nceda ufumane ifayile ehlanganisiweyo

  7. Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi

    Enkosi ngexesha lakho

  8. Ngilindele ukusebenza nawe

    Ndijonge phambili ekusebenzeni nawe

  9. Ungacacisa le ndaba?

    Ungacacisa le ndawo?

  10. Ngizobuyela kuwe

    Mna ndiza kubuyela kuwe

  11. Usuku lokugcina nguLwesihlanu

    Umhla wokugqibela nguLwesihlanu

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Kuyini isikhathi?

    Yintoni ixesha? (Yin-toh-nee ikh-leh-zah?)

  2. Kuyisithathu

    Iiyure ezintathu (Ee-yoo-reh e-zin-tah-thu)

  3. Namuhla

    Namhlanje (Nam-hlan-je)

  4. Kusasa

    Manga (Man-gah)

  5. Izolo

    Izolo (Ee-zoh-loh)

  6. uMsombuluko

    Mvulo (M-vu-lo)

  7. uLwesibili

    Lwesibini (Lwe-si-bi-nee)

  8. uLwesithathu

    Lwesithathu (Lwe-si-tha-thu)

  9. Kunye

    Ene (Eh-neh)

  10. Kubili

    Mbini (M-bee-nee)

  11. Kuthathu

    Thathu (Thah-thu)

  12. Ishumi

    Ishumi (Ee-shoo-mee)

  13. Ishumi leminyaka

    Ishumi elinye (Ee-shoo-mee eh-leen-yeh)

  14. Iphakathi

    Umgama (Um-gah-mah)

  15. Okuningi

    Ngaphezulu (Ngah-peh-zulu)

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