Looking for practical Sami North to Zapotec phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sami North phrase first, then the Zapotec translation (Zapotec) — 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 Zapotec.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Zapotec-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Sami North to Zapotec 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.
Bures
Díí(di'i)
Giitu
Güi(güi)
Buorre eahket
Bëëna(bëëna)
Buorre beaivi
Bëëna xhí(bëëna xhi)
Buorre iđit
Bëëna xhí(bëëna xhi)
Buorre natti
Bëëna dzaa(bëëna dzaa)
Bures boahtin
Dáa xhí(daa xhi)
Ráhkisvuohta
Díí xhí(di'i xhi)
Mii du namma lea?
¿Náá xhí nè?(naa xhi ne)
Mun namma lea John
Náá nè John(naa ne John)
Gii du lea?
¿Náá xhí?(naa xhi)
Bures boahtin
Náá nè xhí(naa ne xhi)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Don leat englalaš?
¿Ndi xquidxi inglés?(Don leat englalaš?)
Mun in lea hindi gohčodaga
Ndi xquidxi hindi nisa(Mun in lea hindi gohčodaga)
Mun in boahtte
Ndi xquidxi nisa(Mun in boahtte)
Váldde čáhkkáldat
Ndi xquidxi xhíí xquidxi(Váldde čáhkkáldat)
Várra gohččat dán again?
¿Ndi xquidxi nisa xquidxi?(Várra gohččat dán again?)