Looking for practical Santali (Ol Chiki) to Tsonga phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Santali (Ol Chiki) 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 Santali (Ol Chiki) 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 Santali (Ol Chiki) 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.
ᱨᱤᱡᱤᱭ
Xewani(rikiya)
ᱟᱹᱦᱚᱜᱟ
Ndza khensa(ahojaga)
ᱟᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱵᱟᱨᱚ
Xewani xitulu(ahor boro)
ᱟᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱯᱟᱭ
Xewani ntlhanu(ahor apay)
ᱟᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱢᱟᱭ
Xewani nhloko(ahor amay)
ᱟᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱢᱟᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ
Xewani xihlayo(ahor amay anaa)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ
Tshamisa(ahor anaa)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ
Sala kahle(ahor anaa)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ ᱟᱹᱲᱟ?
U vitaniwani?(ahor anaa ada?)
ᱟᱹᱱᱟ ᱟᱹᱲᱟ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ ᱟᱹᱲᱟ
Ndzina i John(anaa ada anaa John)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ?
U njhani?(ahor anaa?)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱡᱚᱱᱟ
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena(ahor jona)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Tuhun English bolang?
U vulavula Xitsonga?(tuhun English bolang)
Maan Hindi bhal nahi bolang
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.(maan Hindi bhal nahi bolang)
Maan samjha nahi
A ndzi twisisi.(maan samjha nahi)
Dohar dhire bolang
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.(dohar dhire bolang)
Tuhun ohu bar bar bolang?
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?(tuhun ohu bar bar bolang)
Ghar gela kaha?
Xikombiso xihi?(ghar gela kaha)
Maan nagar kendraka katha jabo?
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?(maan nagar kendraka katha jabo)
Bamra gela
Khandziya ekhaya.(bamra gela)
Dahra gela
Khandziya ekunene.(dahra gela)
Sidha jabo
Famba u ya emahlweni.(sidha jabo)
Kota kharch?
Mafambiselo ma yini?(kota kharch)
Ek ticket, dohar
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.(ek ticket, dohar)
Ika duraka?
I yini ku tlula kona?(ika duraka)
Maan khoya gelam
Ndzi khomiwe.(maan khoya gelam)
Maan SIM card kahan kinabo?
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?(maan SIM card kahan kinabo)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹ
Inhlawulo
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
A hi kona
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ
Swi nga va tano
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Ndzi amukela
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ
Ndzi nga amukeli
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ
Iku na switlhavelo
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ?
U ehleketa yini?
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Ndzi lava mpfuno
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Hlayisa nkarhi
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Ndzi tsundzuka
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
A hi na xiphiqo
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Ndzakuva
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
Mavongele yo tsakela
ᱟᱹᱨᱟ ᱟᱹᱨᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱹᱨᱟ
U va na ndlela yo olova
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱨᱩᱛᱤ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞᱤ?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?(aruḷ aruṭi arulī?)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱨᱩᱛᱤ ᱵᱚᱥ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞᱤ?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?(aruḷ aruṭi bos arulī?)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱨᱩᱛᱤ ᱡᱤᱡᱤ?
I platform yihi?(aruḷ aruṭi jiji?)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱨᱩᱛᱤ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱥᱤᱡᱤ?
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?(aruḷ aruṭi aruḷ arul siḱi?)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱨᱩᱛᱤ ᱡᱩᱭᱤ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ?
I ndlela leyi nga right?(aruḷ aruṭi cuyi arul?)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ.
I kona edzongeni.(aruḷ arul arul arul.)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱥᱟᱦᱤ.
I le n'hweti.(aruḷ arul arul sahi.)
ᱟᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱨᱩᱛᱤ ᱢᱟᱯ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ ᱟᱹᱨᱩᱞ?
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?(aruḷ aruṭi map arul arul?)