Looking for practical Tiv to Mam phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tiv phrase first, then the Mam translation (Mam) — 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 Mam.
Tip: read the Mam line out loud three times, then cover the Tiv side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
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Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Mgbakpa
Xo'j(sho'j)
Ior na
Tz'ik(tz'ik)
Mgbakpa u sha
Xo'j nax(sho'j nax)
Mgbakpa u kpa
Xo'j q'ij(sho'j q'ij)
Mgbakpa u ter
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Mgbakpa u ter sha
Xo'j k'ux nax(sho'j k'ux nax)
Kpa a joo
K'ux q'ij(k'ux q'ij)
Ior a joo
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Ior m ngu?
Ja' k'ux nax?(ha' k'ux nax?)
M ngu John
Ja' k'ux nax John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Ior m nande?
Jach' k'ux?(hach' k'ux?)
Ior m nande a joo
Nab' k'ux(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I kpa English?
¿K'ax k'utun English?
M nahan Hindi nahan.
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
M nahan usha.
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
M nahan usha kpa.
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
I kpa a sha?
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
I we a joo?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Nenge a kpa a city center?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Kpa a joo.
K'utun k'ux.
Kpa a nahan.
K'utun k'ux.
Kpa a sha.
K'utun k'ux.
Nenge a kpa a fare?
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
I kpa a ticket, please.
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
I we a nahan a nahan?
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
M nahan sha.
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
I we a kpa a SIM card?
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Juj(hoo)
Naa
Man(mah)
Iye
K'ux(k'ush)
M na a kpa
Juj k'ux(hoo k'ush)
M na a kpa nahan
Man k'ux(mah k'ush)
I kpa a kpa
K'ux juj(k'ush hoo)
U kpa a nahan?
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
U kpa m nahan?
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
M na a kpa nahan
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
Kpa a kpa
K'ux k'ut(k'ush k'ut)
M na a kpa
Juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Naa a kpa
Man k'ux k'ut(mah k'ush k'ut)
I kpa a kpa
K'ux juj k'ut(k'ush hoo k'ut)
A kpa a kpa
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
U kpa a kpa
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ior a kpa?
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?
Ior a nyam?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Ior a gande?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Nenge a kpa?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Ior a nenge a?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
I na kpa a.
Ri k'ut pa ri.
I na kpa a kpa.
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
I ma ior a gande?
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
Kpa a, please.
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Nenge a kpa?
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.