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Common Sepedi to Tumbuka phrases

100 practical Sepedi to Tumbuka phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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

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

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Sepedi to Tumbuka 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. Dumela

    Moni

  2. Ke a leboga

    Zikomo

  3. Dumelang

    Muli bwanji

  4. Mokhutsong o motle

    Muli bwanji

  5. Mokhutsong o motle

    Muli bwanji

  6. Borai bo botle

    Usiku wabwino

  7. Tsamaya sentle

    Tiwonana

  8. Siyabonga

    Tsalani bwino

  9. O na le leina lefe?

    Dzina lanu ndi ndani?

  10. Leina la ka ke John

    Dzina langa ndi John

  11. O kae?

    Muli bwanji?

  12. Ke thabela go kopana le wena

    Ndine wokondwa kukumana nanu

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Na o bua Seisemane?

    Muli ndi Chingerezi? (muli ndi chingerezi)

  2. Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle

    Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino (sikuyankhula hindi bwino)

  3. Ke sitwa go kwele

    Sindikumva (sindikumva)

  4. Tsweetswee bua ka borai

    Chonde yankhulani pang'ono (chonde yankhulani pang'ono)

  5. Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?

    Mungandiyankhulepo? (mungandiyankhulepo)

  6. Borai bo kae?

    Kuti ndi kuti? (kuti ndi kuti)

  7. Ke etse eng go ya borai?

    Ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu? (ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu)

  8. Fetola go le letšatši

    Pita kumanzere (pita kumanzere)

  9. Fetola go le letona

    Pita kumanja (pita kumanja)

  10. Ya ka pela

    Pita mwendo (pita mwendo)

  11. Phetho ke bokae?

    Ndi ndalama zingati? (ndi ndalama zingati)

  12. Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee

    Tiketi imodzi, chonde (tiketi imodzi, chonde)

  13. Na ke kgole go tswa fano?

    Ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano? (ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano)

  14. Ke sitwa go etse

    Ndakhalapo (ndakhalapo)

  15. Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?

    Ndingatengere kuti kuti SIM card? (ndingatengere kuti kuti sim card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ee

    Iye

  2. Aowa

    Ayi

  3. Mohlomong

    Pang'ono

  4. Ke a dumela

    Ndikugwirizana

  5. Ke sitwa go dumela

    Sindikugwirizana

  6. Seo se utlwa sentle

    Ichi chimaoneka bwino

  7. O nagana eng?

    Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize?

  8. O ka nthusa?

    Mungandithandize?

  9. Ke hloka thuso

    Ndikufuna thandizo

  10. Emela nako

    Dikirani pang’ono

  11. Ke maswabi

    Ndikupemphera

  12. Ga go na bothata

    Palibe vutoli

  13. Dumelang

    Zikomo

  14. Tlhogong e monate

    Tsiku lobadwa labwino

  15. Dira leeto le le bolokehileng

    Pita bwino pa ulendo

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?

    Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga? (Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?)

  2. Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?

    Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi? (Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?)

  3. Ke sehlopha sefe?

    Ndi chigawo chiti? (Ke sehlopha sefe?)

  4. Nako efe e tlo fofa?

    Nanga nthawi itangopita? (Nako efe e tlo fofa?)

  5. A ke tsela e nepahetseng?

    Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera? (A ke tsela e nepahetseng?)

  6. E haufi le fa

    Iyi ndi pafupi apa (E haufi le fa)

  7. E hole le fa

    Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa (E hole le fa)

  8. O ka mpontsha ka mape?

    Mungandionetse pa chithunzi? (O ka mpontsha ka mape?)

  9. Emisa fa, tsweetswee

    Chimitsa apa, chonde (Emisa fa, tsweetswee)

  10. E nka nako e kae?

    Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji? (E nka nako e kae?)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Ke bokae?

    Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe? (iyi ikuguliradi chingwe)

  2. Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi

    Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa (iyi ndi mtengo wopusa)

  3. O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?

    Muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo? (muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo)

  4. Nka lefa ka khadi?

    Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi? (ningathe kulipira ndi khadi)

  5. Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi

    Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri (ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri)

  6. Bille, tswarela

    Chikalata, chonde (chikalata, chonde)

  7. Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?

    Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa? (ntchito ikuphatikizidwa)

  8. Ke movegetarian

    Ndine wopanda nyama (ndine wopanda nyama)

  9. Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela

    Chonde, osati chakudya chothira (chonde, osati chakudya chothira)

  10. Se ke se monate

    Iyi ndi yokoma (iyi ndi yokoma)

  11. Nka fumana lenaneo?

    Ningathe kupeza menyu? (ningathe kupeza menyu)

  12. Khalase ya metsi, tswarela

    Galasi ya madzi, chonde (galasi ya madzi, chonde)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. B calla mapolesa

    Fufuzani polisi

  2. B calla ambulance

    Fufuzani ambulansi

  3. Ke hloka ngaka

    Ndikufuna dokotala

  4. Ke ikutlwa ke bolaya

    Ndikuwona bwino

  5. Ke na le allergy go peanuts

    Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts

  6. Hospital e hwetšwa kae?

    Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?

  7. Go a bohloko fa

    Kuli kuuma apa

  8. Ke lahlehetšwe ke passport ya ka

    Ndasowa pasipoti yangu

  9. O ka bitsa hotel ya ka?

    Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

  10. Thusa!

    Thandizani!

Work and business

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

  1. Ke thabile go kopana le wena

    Ndalumba kukumana nanu

  2. A re beye ngwaga ya kopano

    Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi

  3. Nako efe e go kgonang?

    Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito?

  4. Ke tla romela reportone gompieno

    Ndidzatumiza lipoti lero

  5. A re ka bua ka moso?

    Tingathe kulankhula mawa?

  6. Tsweetswee bona faele e amanang

    Chonde onani fayilo yolembedwa

  7. Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago

    Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu

  8. Ke lebeletse go dira le wena

    Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu

  9. A o ka hlalosa ntlha eo?

    Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyi?

  10. A ke tle ke boe go wena

    Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni

  11. Nako ya borai ke Labohlano

    Nthawi yomaliza ndi Lachisanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ke nako efe?

    Ndi chiyani nthawi? (Ndi chiyani nthawi?)

  2. Ke borai

    Ndi saa tatu (Ke borai)

  3. Gompieno

    Lero (Gompieno)

  4. Borai

    Maŵa (Borai)

  5. Maabane

    Kale (Maabane)

  6. Mantšhi

    Lolemba (Mantšhi)

  7. Laboraro

    Lachiwiri (Laboraro)

  8. Laboraro

    Lachitatu (Laboraro)

  9. Nngwe

    Mmodzi (Nngwe)

  10. Pedi

    Awiri (Pedi)

  11. Tharo

    Atatu (Tharo)

  12. Lesome

    Kumi (Lesome)

  13. Ngwaga

    Zana (Ngwaga)

  14. Hlaf

    Pachikhalidwe (Hlaf)

  15. Bokae

    Zambiri (Bokae)

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