Looking for practical Tiv to Venda phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tiv phrase first, then the Venda translation (Venda) — 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 Venda.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Venda-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tiv to Venda 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
Ndi matsheloni
Ior na
Ndi a livhuwa
Mgbakpa u sha
Ndi matsheloni
Mgbakpa u kpa
Ndi masiari
Mgbakpa u ter
Ndi madekwana
Mgbakpa u ter sha
Ndi masiari a u fhela
Kpa a joo
Tshilidzi
Ior a joo
Vhuyani
Ior m ngu?
Ndi mini dzina lenu?
M ngu John
Dzina langa ndi John
Ior m nande?
Ni khou itea?
Ior m nande a joo
Ndi khou funa u vhuya na inwi
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I kpa English?
Ni a ṱhota ṅwambo?(ni a thota n'wambo)
M nahan Hindi nahan.
A ndi ṱhoti Hindi zwavhudi(a ndi thoti Hindi zwavhudi)
M nahan usha.
A ndi ḓivhi(a ndi dhiwi)
M nahan usha kpa.
Ndi ṱhanyela u ṱhota nga ṱhoho(ndi thanyela u thota nga thoho)
I kpa a sha?
Ndi a ṱanga zwenezwi?(ndi a thanga zwenezwi)
I we a joo?
Bani hu na khotani?(bani hu na khotani)
Nenge a kpa a city center?
Ndi ya hani u ya tsini na muṱa?(ndi ya hani u ya tsini na mutha)
Kpa a joo.
Fhulu u ya shango(fhulu u ya shango)
Kpa a nahan.
Fhulu u ya ṱhoho(fhulu u ya thoho)
Kpa a sha.
Ḓi ṱhota nga ṱhoho(dhi thota nga thoho)
Nenge a kpa a fare?
Fhasi i na hani?(fhasi i na hani)
I kpa a ticket, please.
Ticket ye ḽa, nd please(ticket ye la, nd please)
I we a nahan a nahan?
I na fhasi u bva hone?(i na fhasi u bva hone)
M nahan sha.
Ndi a fhedza(ndi a fhedza)
I we a kpa a SIM card?
Ndi nga wana SIM card phi?(ndi nga wana SIM card phi)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ee
Naa
Aih
Iye
Ndi nga si
M na a kpa
Ndi a livhuwa
M na a kpa nahan
Ndi a sa livhuwi
I kpa a kpa
Izwi zwine zwa ita zwavhuya
U kpa a nahan?
U vhona mini?
U kpa m nahan?
U nga nthusa?
M na a kpa nahan
Ndi na nyito
Kpa a kpa
Langa muthu
M na a kpa
Ndi a humbula
Naa a kpa
A hu na nḓila
I kpa a kpa
Ndi a livhuwa
A kpa a kpa
Ndi a ni ṱhonifha
U kpa a kpa
Ndi a ni ṱhonifha na u shuma
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ior a kpa?
Uphi i-station ye-train?
Ior a nyam?
Uphi i-bus stop?
Ior a gande?
I-platform efani na?
Nenge a kpa?
Iri ngafhi?
Ior a nenge a?
Iyi ndi ndowei efani?
I na kpa a.
Iri khathihi na.
I na kpa a kpa.
Iri khulwane na.
I ma ior a gande?
U nga nanga u tshi khou vhona kha maphu?
Kpa a, please.
Dzhia fhedzi, ndi khou livhuwa.
Nenge a kpa?
Zwi tshi dzhia ngafhi?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ior kwagh nahan?
Zwi khou itea ngani?(ior kwagh nahan)
Ior u kpa a kpa
Izwi ndi zwihulu.(ior u kpa a kpa)
Ior m ngu u kpa?
Ni na zwine zwa itea nga nṱha?(ior m ngu u kpa)
Ior m gban a card?
Ndi nga fhira nga khadi?(ior m gban a card)
A doo a table m ngu a yô
Ndi khou ṱoḓa tafela ya vhuṱanzi.(a doo a table m ngu a yô)
Ior a bill, please
Ndi ṱhoḓa muthu, ndapota.(ior a bill, please)
Ior a service m nahan?
Ndi na tshelete ya vhuṱanzi?(ior a service m nahan)
A m vegetarian
Ndi muvegetarian.(a m vegetarian)
A m nahan a spicy food
A si na food ya vhuṱhiri, ndapota.(a m nahan a spicy food)
Ior a kpa
Izi ndi zwitukwama.(ior a kpa)
Ior m gban a menu?
Ndi nga ṱoḓa menu?(ior m gban a menu)
A glass a water, please
Ndi ṱhoḓa glasi ya mvura, ndapota.(a glass a water)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Kpa a police
Fhonelela mapolisa
Kpa a ambulance
Fhonelela ambulanse
M ba a doctor
Ndi funa ngaka
M kpa a kpa
Ndi a shota
M kpa a nyam
Ndi na u shota kha phiri
I kpa a hospital mza?
Ndi wani hoso ya vhuṱungu?
I kpa a sha
Zwi a vha na mulalo hone
M kpa a passport m
Ndi fhedza pasipoti yangu
I kpa a hotel m?
U nga fhonelela hotele yangu?
Kpa!
Ramba!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ior u kpa.
Ndi khou livhuwa u vhulunga
Ka a hia ikyô.
A ri vhe na thendo
Nî kpa u kpa?
Ndi ngani ini u shuma na yone?
M gbanor u kpe.
Ndi do ruma ripoti ndayani
A hia nî u hia?
A ri nga bvela phanda nga ndayo?
M kpa u venge.
Ndi khou humbela u wana faele yo thomulwaho
Ior u nenge.
Ndi a livhuwa nga ha u ralo
M hia u kpa.
Ndi khou takalela u shuma na inwi
Ior a hia u mba?
A ni nga sumbedza nḓila iṅwe?
Ka m hia u.
Ndi do bva u ya u inwi
Ikyô u kpa a Friday.
Nḓila i khou fhela nga ṋaṅwe
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.