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Common Tetum to Tumbuka phrases

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

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Looking for practical Tetum to Tumbuka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum 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: when a Tumbuka phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Tetum 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 Tetum 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. Olá

    Moni

  2. Obrigadu

    Zikomo

  3. Bondia

    Muli bwanji

  4. Bona tarde

    Muli bwanji

  5. Bona noite

    Muli bwanji

  6. Bona noite

    Usiku wabwino

  7. Ami hanesan

    Tiwonana

  8. Adeus

    Tsalani bwino

  9. Quale naran ida?

    Dzina lanu ndi ndani?

  10. Naran hau John.

    Dzina langa ndi John

  11. Kona ba o?

    Muli bwanji?

  12. Diak ba halo ho o.

    Ndine wokondwa kukumana nanu

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Keta fala Inglês?

    Muli ndi Chingerezi? (muli ndi chingerezi)

  2. Hau la fala Hindi diak.

    Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino (sikuyankhula hindi bwino)

  3. Hau la hatene.

    Sindikumva (sindikumva)

  4. Favor fala ba moris.

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

  5. Keta bele fala fali?

    Mungandiyankhulepo? (mungandiyankhulepo)

  6. Onde mak banheira?

    Kuti ndi kuti? (kuti ndi kuti)

  7. Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?

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

  8. Virar ba hadau.

    Pita kumanzere (pita kumanzere)

  9. Virar ba direita.

    Pita kumanja (pita kumanja)

  10. Baa diretamente.

    Pita mwendo (pita mwendo)

  11. Iha ne'e barak?

    Ndi ndalama zingati? (ndi ndalama zingati)

  12. Ticket ida, favor.

    Tiketi imodzi, chonde (tiketi imodzi, chonde)

  13. Iha ne'e laran ka?

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

  14. Hau nune'e.

    Ndakhalapo (ndakhalapo)

  15. Onde mak hau bele compra 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. Sim

    Iye

  2. La

    Ayi

  3. Talvez

    Pang'ono

  4. Hau hakarak

    Ndikugwirizana

  5. Hau la hakarak

    Sindikugwirizana

  6. Nia mak diak

    Ichi chimaoneka bwino

  7. Ita nian ideia sa?

    Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize?

  8. Mak bele ajuda hau?

    Mungandithandize?

  9. Hau precisa ajuda

    Ndikufuna thandizo

  10. Hakarak momentu

    Dikirani pang’ono

  11. Hau mós

    Ndikupemphera

  12. La problema

    Palibe vutoli

  13. Parabens

    Zikomo

  14. Parabens ba aniversario

    Tsiku lobadwa labwino

  15. Hau haruka viagen diak

    Pita bwino pa ulendo

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Onde está a estacão de trem?

    Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga? (Onde está a estacão de trem?)

  2. Onde está a paragem de autocarro?

    Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi? (Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)

  3. Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?

    Ndi chigawo chiti? (Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)

  4. Hora ne'e sai?

    Nanga nthawi itangopita? (Hora ne'e sai?)

  5. Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?

    Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera? (Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)

  6. Iha ne'e perto

    Iyi ndi pafupi apa (Iha ne'e perto)

  7. Iha ne'e laran

    Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa (Iha ne'e laran)

  8. Kona ba mapa?

    Mungandionetse pa chithunzi? (Kona ba mapa?)

  9. Parar iha ne'e, favor

    Chimitsa apa, chonde (Parar iha ne'e, favor)

  10. Kona tempu hira?

    Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji? (Kona tempu hira?)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Ita nia presu sa'o?

    Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe? (iyi ikuguliradi chingwe)

  2. Esa mak baratu demais.

    Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa (iyi ndi mtengo wopusa)

  3. Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?

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

  4. Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?

    Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi? (ningathe kulipira ndi khadi)

  5. Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.

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

  6. Fatu, por favor.

    Chikalata, chonde (chikalata, chonde)

  7. Servisu iha ka?

    Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa? (ntchito ikuphatikizidwa)

  8. Hau vegetarian.

    Ndine wopanda nyama (ndine wopanda nyama)

  9. Labele comida spicy, por favor.

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

  10. Esa mak saboru.

    Iyi ndi yokoma (iyi ndi yokoma)

  11. Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?

    Ningathe kupeza menyu? (ningathe kupeza menyu)

  12. Kopa agua, por favor.

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

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Liga ba polícia

    Fufuzani polisi

  2. Liga ba ambulansia

    Fufuzani ambulansi

  3. Hau precisa doutor

    Ndikufuna dokotala

  4. Hau sente sick

    Ndikuwona bwino

  5. Hau iha alergia ba karu

    Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts

  6. Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?

    Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?

  7. Ita hakarak iha ne'e

    Kuli kuuma apa

  8. Hau hasai passport

    Ndasowa pasipoti yangu

  9. O pode liga ba hotel hau?

    Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

  10. Help!

    Thandizani!

Work and business

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

  1. Hau kontente hatoo ho ita

    Ndalumba kukumana nanu

  2. Kita halo reunião

    Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi

  3. Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?

    Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito?

  4. Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona

    Ndidzatumiza lipoti lero

  5. Ita bele halo conversa fali?

    Tingathe kulankhula mawa?

  6. Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha

    Chonde onani fayilo yolembedwa

  7. Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu

    Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu

  8. Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita

    Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu

  9. Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?

    Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyi?

  10. Hau sei volta ba ita

    Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni

  11. Prazo mak sexta-feira

    Nthawi yomaliza ndi Lachisanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Hora ne'ebe?

    Ndi chiyani nthawi? (Ndi chiyani nthawi?)

  2. Iha hora tolu.

    Ndi saa tatu (iha hora tolu)

  3. Oin loron

    Lero (oin loron)

  4. Amanhã

    Maŵa (amanha)

  5. Kona ba

    Kale (kona ba)

  6. Segunda-feira

    Lolemba (segunda-feira)

  7. Terça-feira

    Lachiwiri (terca-feira)

  8. Quarta-feira

    Lachitatu (quarta-feira)

  9. Ida

    Mmodzi (ida)

  10. Dua

    Awiri (dua)

  11. Tolu

    Atatu (tolu)

  12. Sira

    Kumi (sira)

  13. Nehun

    Zana (nehun)

  14. Metade

    Pachikhalidwe (metade)

  15. Lain

    Zambiri (lain)

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