Looking for practical Tiv to Tongan phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tiv phrase first, then the Tongan translation (Tongan) — 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 Tongan.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Tongan-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tiv to Tongan 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
Mālō
Ior na
Mālō
Mgbakpa u sha
Mālō e lelei
Mgbakpa u kpa
Mālō e lelei
Mgbakpa u ter
Mālō e lelei
Mgbakpa u ter sha
Nofo ā
Kpa a joo
Tōfā
Ior a joo
Tōfā
Ior m ngu?
Ko e hā ho hingoa?
M ngu John
Ko hoku hingoa ko John
Ior m nande?
Ofa atu?
Ior m nande a joo
Faka'apa'apa kiate koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I kpa English?
Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?(Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?)
M nahan Hindi nahan.
Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi(Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi)
M nahan usha.
Oe te u 'ikai ma'u(Oe te u 'ikai ma'u)
M nahan usha kpa.
Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u(Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u)
I kpa a sha?
Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?(Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?)
I we a joo?
Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?(Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?)
Nenge a kpa a city center?
E fa'ahinga e u 'alu ki he tu'a o e kolo?(E fa'ahinga e u 'alu ki he tu'a o e kolo?)
Kpa a joo.
Fakafoki ki he kolo(Fakafoki ki he kolo)
Kpa a nahan.
Fakafoki ki he 'akau(Fakafoki ki he 'akau)
Kpa a sha.
Alu 'o e 'alu(Alu 'o e 'alu)
Nenge a kpa a fare?
E hā e totongi?(E hā e totongi?)
I kpa a ticket, please.
Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole(Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole)
I we a nahan a nahan?
Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?(Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?)
M nahan sha.
Oku ou 'i ma'u(Oku ou 'i ma'u)
I we a kpa a SIM card?
Ko e fea 'oku ou ma'u e SIM card?(Ko e fea 'oku ou ma'u e SIM card?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Āe
Naa
Ikai
Iye
Māfai
M na a kpa
Oku ou ʻilo
M na a kpa nahan
Oku ou ʻikai ʻilo
I kpa a kpa
Oku lelei ia
U kpa a nahan?
Ko e hā hoʻu manatu?
U kpa m nahan?
Te u ʻofa mai?
M na a kpa nahan
Oku ou fiemaʻu ʻofa
Kpa a kpa
Fakamolemole
M na a kpa
Oku ou fakamolemole
Naa a kpa
Ikai ha palopalema
I kpa a kpa
Fakaʻapaʻapa
A kpa a kpa
Mālō e lelei ki he ʻaho mate
U kpa a kpa
Fakaʻaongaʻi lelei
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ior a kpa?
Ko fea e falemai?(ko fea e fale mai)
Ior a nyam?
Ko fea e nofoa bus?(ko fea e nofoa bus)
Ior a gande?
Ko e feheia e pātala?(ko e feheia e patala)
Nenge a kpa?
He taimi fē e 'alu ai?(he taimi fe e alu ai)
Ior a nenge a?
Ko e ala lelei 'eni?(ko e ala lelei eni)
I na kpa a.
Ko ia 'i he vaha'a ni(ko ia i he vahaa ni)
I na kpa a kpa.
Ko ia 'i he tu'a(ko ia i he tua)
I ma ior a gande?
Oka e faka'ali'ali mai kiate au 'i he mapa?(oka e fakaali ali mai kiate au i he mapa)
Kpa a, please.
Tū 'i he 'aiga, kataki(tu i he aiga kataki)
Nenge a kpa?
E taha e taimi?(e taha e taimi)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ior kwagh nahan?
Ehia te fua o kēia?(ehia te fua o kehā)
Ior u kpa a kpa
Ko ia, e lahi loā(ko ia e lahi loa)
Ior m ngu u kpa?
Ofa mai ha meʻakai e ngāue?(ofa mai ha meakai e ngau)
Ior m gban a card?
E mafai au ke totongi e pātu?(e mafai au ke totongi e patu)
A doo a table m ngu a yô
Ofa atu au ke he meʻakai e tolu(ofa atu au ke he meakai e tolu)
Ior a bill, please
Te fua, kataki(te fua kataki)
Ior a service m nahan?
E aofia ai te ngāue?(e aofia ai te ngau)
A m vegetarian
O au ko e meʻakai(o au ko e meakai)
A m nahan a spicy food
Kātoa ʻa e meʻakai ʻālohi, kataki(katoa a e meakai alohi kataki)
Ior a kpa
Ko ʻeni, e lelei(ko eni e lelei)
Ior m gban a menu?
E mafai au ke maʻu e meʻakai?(e mafai au ke mau e meakai)
A glass a water, please
Ha ipu vai, kataki(ha ipu vai kataki)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Kpa a police
Tū mai e polisi
Kpa a ambulance
Tū mai e ambulance
M ba a doctor
Ofa mai e fomaʻi
M kpa a kpa
Oku ou fehi
M kpa a nyam
Oku ou maʻu e fakamātoato ki e pīnati
I kpa a hospital mza?
Ko e fea e hōspitali lahi?
I kpa a sha
Oku ʻi ai e ʻā
M kpa a passport m
Naʻe ou fā e pāsipoti
I kpa a hotel m?
Te ke tū mai e hoteli ko hoku?
Kpa!
Fakamolemole!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ior u kpa.
Mālō e lelei
Ka a hia ikyô.
Tōmua ta seti ha fakataha
Nî kpa u kpa?
Ko e hā e taimi e lelei kiate koe?
M gbanor u kpe.
Te u fa'ahinga e lipooti 'i he 'aho ni
A hia nî u hia?
Tēnā mafai ta talanoa 'i he 'aho 'apongipongi?
M kpa u venge.
Kātoa e faile 'oku fakafā
Ior u nenge.
Mālō 'aupito kiate koe
M hia u kpa.
Te u fie ma'u ke ngāue mo koe
Ior a hia u mba?
Kātoa e mafai ke ke fakakaukau 'a e konga 'o ia?
Ka m hia u.
Tēnā e 'alu au kiate koe
Ikyô u kpa a Friday.
Ko e ta'u 'o e ngāue ko e Falaite
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.