Looking for practical Tamazight to Tiv phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tamazight 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: when a Tiv phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Tamazight wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
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Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Azul
Mgbakpa(azul)
Tanemmirt
Ior na(tanemmirt)
Sbah lkhir
Mgbakpa u sha(sbah lkhir)
Nhar lkhir
Mgbakpa u kpa(nhar lkhir)
Mrahba
Mgbakpa u ter(mrahba)
Lila saïda
Mgbakpa u ter sha(lila saïda)
Nqra wul
Kpa a joo(nqra wul)
Besslama
Ior a joo(besslama)
Mekka isem-ik?
Ior m ngu?(mekka isem-ik)
Isem-iyi John
M ngu John(isem-iyi John)
Mekka tzemre?
Ior m nande?(mekka tzemre)
Safi nniḍen
Ior m nande a joo(safi nniḍen)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Tzziɣ ad tḥeddar ɣef l'anglais?
I kpa English?(tzziɣ ad tḥeddar gef l'anglais)
Ur tḥeddar ɣef l'hindi d-ɣer
M nahan Hindi nahan.(ur tḥeddar gef l'hindi d-ɣer)
Ur nḥemmer
M nahan usha.(ur nḥemmer)
S'il te plaît, tḥeddar ssiɣ
M nahan usha kpa.(s'il te plaît, tḥeddar ssiɣ)
Ma tḥeddar aḥiḍ?
I kpa a sha?(ma tḥeddar aḥiḍ)
Wul is tazart?
I we a joo?(wul is tazart)
Mara ad nḥemmleḍ ɣef l'midant?
Nenge a kpa a city center?(mara ad nḥemmleḍ gef l'midant)
Tzziɣ ɣef l'berra
Kpa a joo.(tzziɣ gef l'berra)
Tzziɣ ɣef l'yem
Kpa a nahan.(tzziɣ gef l'yem)
Ssaḍ ɣef l'ḥeqq
Kpa a sha.(ssaḍ gef l'ḥeqq)
Mara d-ḥeqq ɣef l'khedma?
Nenge a kpa a fare?(mara d-ḥeqq gef l'khedma)
Ticket waḥid, s'il te plaît
I kpa a ticket, please.(ticket waḥid, s'il te plaît)
Ma d-ɣer ɣef wul?
I we a nahan a nahan?(ma d-ɣer gef wul)
Nek d-ɣer
M nahan sha.(nek d-ɣer)
Wul aḍ nḍiḍ SIM?
I we a kpa a SIM card?(wul aḍ nḍiḍ SIM)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ih
Ee
Ula
Naa
Mekkan
Iye
Nekni d ameqran
M na a kpa
Ula d ameqran
M na a kpa nahan
Ala yid ihi
I kpa a kpa
Ma yid ihi?
U kpa a nahan?
Ma tzemregh ad tazmert-iyi?
U kpa m nahan?
Nekni d tazmert
M na a kpa nahan
Ssa ad tzemregh
Kpa a kpa
Nekni d ameksa
M na a kpa
Ula d tazmert
Naa a kpa
Tawuri
I kpa a kpa
Aslema n tazmert
A kpa a kpa
Suffi d amezruy n tazmert
U kpa a kpa
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Wulaw n tizi n taddart?
Ior a kpa?(wulaw n tizi n taddart)
Wulaw n tizi n bus?
Ior a nyam?(wulaw n tizi n bus)
Mara tizi?
Ior a gande?(mara tizi)
Aman yebda?
Nenge a kpa?(aman yebda)
Ihi, d wayen n tazmert?
Ior a nenge a?(ihi, d wayen n tazmert)
Ihi, d amezwaru
I na kpa a.(ihi, d amezwaru)
Ihi, d tazmert
I na kpa a kpa.(ihi, d tazmert)
Ttawwi t-wali di tmazirt?
I ma ior a gande?(ttawwi t-wali di tmazirt)
Ssa di tazmert, s'il te plaît
Kpa a, please.(ssa di tazmert)
Mara yebda?
Nenge a kpa?(mara yebda)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iḥed nniḍen?
Ior kwagh nahan?(ior kwagh nahan)
Aḍu yella aḥil
Ior u kpa a kpa(ior u kpa a kpa)
Ma yella ḥeqq nniḍen?
Ior m ngu u kpa?(ior m ngu u kpa)
Nekki nḥed n wigi?
Ior m gban a card?(ior m gban a card)
Nekki nḥeb tazrigt n ddus
A doo a table m ngu a yô(a doo a table m ngu a yô)
Iḍeḍ, lla yella
Ior a bill, please(ior a bill, please)
Ma yella tazrigt?
Ior a service m nahan?(ior a service m nahan)
Nekki d vegetarian
A m vegetarian(a m vegetarian)
Ula d akken, lla yella
A m nahan a spicy food(a m nahan a spicy food)
Aḍu yella amezruy
Ior a kpa(ior a kpa)
Nekki nḥeb tazrigt?
Ior m gban a menu?(ior m gban a menu)
Aḍu n waman, lla yella
A glass a water, please(a glass a water)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Ssi l-police
Kpa a police(ssi l-police)
Ssi l-ambulance
Kpa a ambulance(ssi l-ambulance)
Nekkin doctor
M ba a doctor(nekkin doctor)
Nekkin yid
M kpa a kpa(nekkin yid)
Nekkin agdud n tazart
M kpa a nyam(nekkin agdud n tazart)
Wul is-sid n uḍar?
I kpa a hospital mza?(wul is-sid n uḍar)
Ihdden hna
I kpa a sha(ihdden hna)
Rraḍt pasport-i
M kpa a passport m(rraḍt pasport-i)
Ma tssi l-hotel-i?
I kpa a hotel m?(ma tssi l-hotel-i)
Ayd!
Kpa!(ayd)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Aḥlan, tḥemmleḍ
Ior u kpa.(Ahlan, thammled)
Neddu yid n tazmert
Ka a hia ikyô.(Neddu id n tazmert)
Mā yid tḥemmleḍ?
Nî kpa u kpa?(Ma id thammled?)
Nekka ad ssin yid n tazmert lḥeqq
M gbanor u kpe.(Nekka ad ssin id n tazmert lhaqq)
Nekka nḥeddru g tomorrow?
A hia nî u hia?(Nekka nhedru g tomorrow?)
S'il te plaît, ḥeḍḍa yid n file
M kpa u venge.(Sil te plait, hedha id n file)
Tanemmirt i wakkas n tazrigt
Ior u nenge.(Tanemmirt i wakkas n tazrigt)
Nekka nḥemmel ad nḥeddru s'k
M hia u kpa.(Nekka nhemel ad nhedru s'k)
Ma tḥemmleḍ aḥḍar yid?
Ior a hia u mba?(Ma thammled ahdar id?)
Nekka ad nḥemmel ḍi s'k
Ka m hia u.(Nekka ad nhemel di s'k)
Tazmert n timeḍi d Friday
Ikyô u kpa a Friday.(Tazmert n timidi d Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.