Looking for practical Sepedi to Tiv phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sepedi phrase first, then the Tiv translation (Tiv) — 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 Tiv.
Tip: read the Tiv line out loud three times, then cover the Sepedi side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Sepedi to Tiv 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.
Dumela
Mgbakpa
Ke a leboga
Ior na
Dumelang
Mgbakpa u sha
Mokhutsong o motle
Mgbakpa u kpa
Mokhutsong o motle
Mgbakpa u ter
Borai bo botle
Mgbakpa u ter sha
Tsamaya sentle
Kpa a joo
Siyabonga
Ior a joo
O na le leina lefe?
Ior m ngu?
Leina la ka ke John
M ngu John
O kae?
Ior m nande?
Ke thabela go kopana le wena
Ior m nande a joo
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Na o bua Seisemane?
I kpa English?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
M nahan Hindi nahan.
Ke sitwa go kwele
M nahan usha.
Tsweetswee bua ka borai
M nahan usha kpa.
Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?
I kpa a sha?
Borai bo kae?
I we a joo?
Ke etse eng go ya borai?
Nenge a kpa a city center?
Fetola go le letšatši
Kpa a joo.
Fetola go le letona
Kpa a nahan.
Ya ka pela
Kpa a sha.
Phetho ke bokae?
Nenge a kpa a fare?
Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee
I kpa a ticket, please.
Na ke kgole go tswa fano?
I we a nahan a nahan?
Ke sitwa go etse
M nahan sha.
Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?
I we a kpa a SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ee
Aowa
Naa
Mohlomong
Iye
Ke a dumela
M na a kpa
Ke sitwa go dumela
M na a kpa nahan
Seo se utlwa sentle
I kpa a kpa
O nagana eng?
U kpa a nahan?
O ka nthusa?
U kpa m nahan?
Ke hloka thuso
M na a kpa nahan
Emela nako
Kpa a kpa
Ke maswabi
M na a kpa
Ga go na bothata
Naa a kpa
Dumelang
I kpa a kpa
Tlhogong e monate
A kpa a kpa
Dira leeto le le bolokehileng
U kpa a kpa
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?
Ior a kpa?(Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?)
Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?
Ior a nyam?(Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Ior a gande?(Ke sehlopha sefe?)
Nako efe e tlo fofa?
Nenge a kpa?(Nako efe e tlo fofa?)
A ke tsela e nepahetseng?
Ior a nenge a?(A ke tsela e nepahetseng?)
E haufi le fa
I na kpa a.(E haufi le fa)
E hole le fa
I na kpa a kpa.(E hole le fa)
O ka mpontsha ka mape?
I ma ior a gande?(O ka mpontsha ka mape?)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Kpa a, please.(Emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E nka nako e kae?
Nenge a kpa?(E nka nako e kae?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
Ior kwagh nahan?(ior kwagh nahan)
Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi
Ior u kpa a kpa(ior u kpa a kpa)
O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?
Ior m ngu u kpa?(ior m ngu u kpa)
Nka lefa ka khadi?
Ior m gban a card?(ior m gban a card)
Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi
A doo a table m ngu a yô(a doo a table m ngu a yô)
Bille, tswarela
Ior a bill, please(ior a bill, please)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Ior a service m nahan?(ior a service m nahan)
Ke movegetarian
A m vegetarian(a m vegetarian)
Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela
A m nahan a spicy food(a m nahan a spicy food)
Se ke se monate
Ior a kpa(ior a kpa)
Nka fumana lenaneo?
Ior m gban a menu?(ior m gban a menu)
Khalase ya metsi, tswarela
A glass a water, please(a glass a water)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
B calla mapolesa
Kpa a police
B calla ambulance
Kpa a ambulance
Ke hloka ngaka
M ba a doctor
Ke ikutlwa ke bolaya
M kpa a kpa
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
M kpa a nyam
Hospital e hwetšwa kae?
I kpa a hospital mza?
Go a bohloko fa
I kpa a sha
Ke lahlehetšwe ke passport ya ka
M kpa a passport m
O ka bitsa hotel ya ka?
I kpa a hotel m?
Thusa!
Kpa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke thabile go kopana le wena
Ior u kpa.
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Ka a hia ikyô.
Nako efe e go kgonang?
Nî kpa u kpa?
Ke tla romela reportone gompieno
M gbanor u kpe.
A re ka bua ka moso?
A hia nî u hia?
Tsweetswee bona faele e amanang
M kpa u venge.
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ior u nenge.
Ke lebeletse go dira le wena
M hia u kpa.
A o ka hlalosa ntlha eo?
Ior a hia u mba?
A ke tle ke boe go wena
Ka m hia u.
Nako ya borai ke Labohlano
Ikyô u kpa a Friday.
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.