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Common Sesotho to Tumbuka phrases

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

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Looking for practical Sesotho to Tumbuka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sesotho 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: pick five Tumbuka 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 Sesotho 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. Lumelang

    Moni

  2. Kea leboha

    Zikomo

  3. Dumelang

    Muli bwanji

  4. Molo

    Muli bwanji

  5. Dumelang

    Muli bwanji

  6. Borai

    Usiku wabwino

  7. Re tla kopana hamorao

    Tiwonana

  8. Tsamaya hantle

    Tsalani bwino

  9. O na le lebitso lefe?

    Dzina lanu ndi ndani?

  10. Lebitso la ka ke John

    Dzina langa ndi John

  11. O kae?

    Muli bwanji?

  12. Ke thabela ho 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 u bua Senyesemane?

    Muli ndi Chingerezi? (muli ndi chingerezi)

  2. Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle

    Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino (sikuyankhula hindi bwino)

  3. Ke sitwa ho utloisisa

    Sindikumva (sindikumva)

  4. Ka kopo bua butle

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

  5. Na u ka boela ua re?

    Mungandiyankhulepo? (mungandiyankhulepo)

  6. Ntloana e kae?

    Kuti ndi kuti? (kuti ndi kuti)

  7. Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?

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

  8. Fetola ho ea letsohong

    Pita kumanzere (pita kumanzere)

  9. Fetola ho ea ka ho letona

    Pita kumanja (pita kumanja)

  10. Eya ka pela

    Pita mwendo (pita mwendo)

  11. Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?

    Ndi ndalama zingati? (ndi ndalama zingati)

  12. Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo

    Tiketi imodzi, chonde (tiketi imodzi, chonde)

  13. Na e hole le mona?

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

  14. Ke lahlehile

    Ndakhalapo (ndakhalapo)

  15. Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?

    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. Che

    Ayi

  3. Mohlomong

    Pang'ono

  4. Ke lumela

    Ndikugwirizana

  5. Ke sitwa

    Sindikugwirizana

  6. Seo se utloahala hantle

    Ichi chimaoneka bwino

  7. O nahana eng?

    Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize?

  8. Na o ka nthusa?

    Mungandithandize?

  9. Ke hloka thuso

    Ndikufuna thandizo

  10. Emisa motsotso

    Dikirani pang’ono

  11. Ke maswabi

    Ndikupemphera

  12. Ha ho bothata

    Palibe vutoli

  13. O amohelehile

    Zikomo

  14. Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo

    Tsiku lobadwa labwino

  15. Ebe le tsamaea hantle

    Pita bwino pa ulendo

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ke kae seteishene sa terene?

    Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga? (ke kae seteishene sa terene)

  2. Ke kae borai?

    Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi? (ke kae borai)

  3. Ke sehlopha sefe?

    Ndi chigawo chiti? (ke sehlopha sefe)

  4. Nako e kae e tlohang?

    Nanga nthawi itangopita? (nako e kae e tlohang)

  5. Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?

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

  6. E haufi le mona

    Iyi ndi pafupi apa (e haufi le mona)

  7. E hole le mona

    Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa (e hole le mona)

  8. O ka mpontša ka mapeng?

    Mungandionetse pa chithunzi? (o ka mpontša ka mapeng)

  9. Emisa mona, ka kopo

    Chimitsa apa, chonde (emisa mona, ka kopo)

  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. Se kostang hakaale?

    Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe? (iyi ikuguliradi chingwe)

  2. Seo ke se theko e phahameng

    Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa (iyi ndi mtengo wopusa)

  3. Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?

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

  4. Na nka lefa ka kharete?

    Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi? (ningathe kulipira ndi khadi)

  5. Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli

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

  6. Bille, ka kopo

    Chikalata, chonde (chikalata, chonde)

  7. Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?

    Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa? (ntchito ikuphatikizidwa)

  8. Ke moithuti oa meroho

    Ndine wopanda nyama (ndine wopanda nyama)

  9. Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo

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

  10. Se monate

    Iyi ndi yokoma (iyi ndi yokoma)

  11. Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?

    Ningathe kupeza menyu? (ningathe kupeza menyu)

  12. Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo

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

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Calla mapolesa

    Fufuzani polisi

  2. Calla ambulance

    Fufuzani ambulansi

  3. Ke hloka ngaka

    Ndikufuna dokotala

  4. Ke ikutloa ke sitwa

    Ndikuwona bwino

  5. Ke na le allergy ho peanuts

    Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts

  6. Hospital e haufi e kae?

    Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?

  7. Ho bohloko mona

    Kuli kuuma apa

  8. Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport

    Ndasowa pasipoti yangu

  9. Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?

    Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

  10. Thusa!

    Thandizani!

Work and business

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

  1. Ke thabile ho kopana le uena

    Ndalumba kukumana nanu

  2. A re etse kopano

    Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi

  3. Nako e kae e loketseng uena?

    Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito?

  4. Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno

    Ndidzatumiza lipoti lero

  5. Na re ka bua ka moso?

    Tingathe kulankhula mawa?

  6. Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang

    Chonde onani fayilo yolembedwa

  7. Kea leboha ka nako ea hau

    Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu

  8. Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena

    Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu

  9. Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?

    Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyi?

  10. A ke tle ke u boele

    Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni

  11. Nako e felletseng 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 hora efe?

    Ndi chiyani nthawi? (Ndi chiyani nthawi?)

  2. Ke hora tse tharo

    Ndi saa tatu (Ke hora tse tharo)

  3. Kajeno

    Lero (Kajeno)

  4. Hosane

    Maŵa (Hosane)

  5. Maobane

    Kale (Maobane)

  6. Mantaha

    Lolemba (Mantaha)

  7. Labobeli

    Lachiwiri (Labobeli)

  8. Laboraro

    Lachitatu (Laboraro)

  9. E le 'ngoe

    Mmodzi (E le 'ngoe)

  10. Pele

    Awiri (Pele)

  11. Tharo

    Atatu (Tharo)

  12. Leshome

    Kumi (Leshome)

  13. Sekete

    Zana (Sekete)

  14. Hlafuna

    Pachikhalidwe (Hlafuna)

  15. Haholo

    Zambiri (Haholo)

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