Looking for practical Tiv to Swahili phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tiv phrase first, then the Swahili translation (Swahili) — 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 Swahili.
Tip: pick five Swahili 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 Tiv to Swahili 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.
Mgbakpa
Habari
Ior na
Asante
Mgbakpa u sha
Habari ya asubuhi
Mgbakpa u kpa
Habari ya mchana
Mgbakpa u ter
Habari ya jioni
Mgbakpa u ter sha
Usiku mwema
Kpa a joo
Tutaonana baadaye
Ior a joo
Kwaheri
Ior m ngu?
Jina lako nani?
M ngu John
Jina langu ni John
Ior m nande?
Habari gani?
Ior m nande a joo
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I kpa English?
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
M nahan Hindi nahan.
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
M nahan usha.
Sielewi.
M nahan usha kpa.
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
I kpa a sha?
Unaweza kusema tena?
I we a joo?
Choo kiko wapi?
Nenge a kpa a city center?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Kpa a joo.
Geuka kushoto.
Kpa a nahan.
Geuka kulia.
Kpa a sha.
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Nenge a kpa a fare?
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
I kpa a ticket, please.
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
I we a nahan a nahan?
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
M nahan sha.
Nimepotea.
I we a kpa a SIM card?
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ndio
Naa
Hapana
Iye
Pengine
M na a kpa
Ninakubaliana
M na a kpa nahan
Sikubaliani
I kpa a kpa
Inasikika vizuri
U kpa a nahan?
Unafikiriaje?
U kpa m nahan?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
M na a kpa nahan
Nahitaji msaada
Kpa a kpa
Subiri kidogo
M na a kpa
Ninasikitika
Naa a kpa
Hakuna shida
I kpa a kpa
Hongera
A kpa a kpa
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
U kpa a kpa
Safari njema
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ior a kpa?
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?
Ior a nyam?
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?
Ior a gande?
Ni jukwaa gani?
Nenge a kpa?
Inatoka saa ngapi?
Ior a nenge a?
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?
I na kpa a.
Iko karibu hapa
I na kpa a kpa.
Iko mbali na hapa
I ma ior a gande?
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?
Kpa a, please.
Simama hapa, tafadhali
Nenge a kpa?
Inachukua muda gani?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ior kwagh nahan?
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?(ior kwagh nahan)
Ior u kpa a kpa
Hiyo ni ghali sana(ior u kpa a kpa)
Ior m ngu u kpa?
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?(ior m ngu u kpa)
Ior m gban a card?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?(ior m gban a card)
A doo a table m ngu a yô
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili(a doo a table m ngu a yô)
Ior a bill, please
Tafadhali, bili(ior a bill, please)
Ior a service m nahan?
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?(ior a service m nahan)
A m vegetarian
Mimi ni mboga(a m vegetarian)
A m nahan a spicy food
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili(a m nahan a spicy food)
Ior a kpa
Hii ni tamu(ior a kpa)
Ior m gban a menu?
Naweza kupata menyu?(ior m gban a menu)
A glass a water, please
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji(a glass a water)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Kpa a police
Piga simu polisi
Kpa a ambulance
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
M ba a doctor
Nahitaji daktari
M kpa a kpa
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
M kpa a nyam
Nina mzio wa karanga
I kpa a hospital mza?
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
I kpa a sha
Inaniuma hapa
M kpa a passport m
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
I kpa a hotel m?
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Kpa!
Nisaidie!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ior u kpa.
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
Ka a hia ikyô.
Tuweke mkutano
Nî kpa u kpa?
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
M gbanor u kpe.
Nitaituma ripoti leo
A hia nî u hia?
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
M kpa u venge.
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Ior u nenge.
Asante kwa muda wako
M hia u kpa.
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
Ior a hia u mba?
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
Ka m hia u.
Nitarudi kwako
Ikyô u kpa a Friday.
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.