Looking for practical NKo to Xhosa phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the NKo 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: pick five Xhosa phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the NKo 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.
ᎣᏍᏆ
Molo(Oscha)
ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ
Enkosi(Ascadodi)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᎡᏚᏙᏗ
Ubusuku obuhle(Oscha Edodhi)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᎠᏧᏍᏆᏗ
Ubusuku obuhle(Oscha Atsachadi)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᎦᏚᏗ
Ubusuku obuhle(Oscha Dagadudi)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᏥᏍᏆ
Lala ngoxolo(Oscha Datsicha)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᎦᏙᏗ
Ndiza kubonana kamva(Oscha Dagadodi)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᏁᏙᏗ
Hamba kakuhle(Oscha Danodi)
ᎯᏍᏆ ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ ᎢᏳᏍᏆ?
Ngubani igama lakho?(Hisch Ascadodi Iyuscha?)
ᎠᏓ ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ ᎠᏍᏆ ᏥᏍᏆ
Igama lam nguJohn(Ada Ascadodi Ascha Tischa)
ᎯᏍᏆ ᎯᏍᏆ?
Unjani?(Hisch Hisch?)
ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ ᏓᏥᏍᏆ
Kuhle ukukwazi(Ascadodi Tischa)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߡߊ߬ߟߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Uthetha isiNgesi?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߡߊ߬ߟߊ߬ ߗߊ߬ߓߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Andithethi isiHindi kakuhle(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߡߊ߬ߟߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߓߊ߬
Andiqondi(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߗߊ߬ߓߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Nceda thethe kancinci(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Ungakuphinda lokho?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Iphi ibhafu?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Ndingafika njani kwi mveliso ye dolophu?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Jolisa kwesokunxele(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Jolisa kwesokudla(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Hamba ngqo(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Iholo ingakanani?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Ithikithi elinye, nceda(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Ingakanani ukusuka apha?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Ndilahlekile(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Nphi endinokuthenga khona iSIM card?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢
Ewe
𞤈𞤢𞤣
Hayi
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢
Mhlawumbi
𞤉𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢𞤲𞤢
Ndiyavuma
𞤉𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢𞤲𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
Andivumi
𞤈𞤢𞤣 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
Okuhle
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
Ucinga ntoni?
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤉𞤢𞤣𞤢
Ungandinceda?
𞤉𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Ndidinga uncedo
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
Linda umzuzu
𞤉𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Ndicela uxolo
𞤈𞤢𞤣 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Akukho ngxaki
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Wamkelekile
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Uhambo olukhuselekileyo
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.