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Common Tiv to Xhosa phrases

100 practical Tiv to Xhosa phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Tiv to Xhosa phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tiv phrase first, then the Xhosa translation (Xhosa) — 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 Xhosa.

Tip: when a Xhosa phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Tiv 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 Tiv to Xhosa 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. Mgbakpa

    Molo

  2. Ior na

    Enkosi

  3. Mgbakpa u sha

    Ubusuku obuhle

  4. Mgbakpa u kpa

    Ubusuku obuhle

  5. Mgbakpa u ter

    Ubusuku obuhle

  6. Mgbakpa u ter sha

    Lala ngoxolo

  7. Kpa a joo

    Ndiza kubonana kamva

  8. Ior a joo

    Hamba kakuhle

  9. Ior m ngu?

    Ngubani igama lakho?

  10. M ngu John

    Igama lam nguJohn

  11. Ior m nande?

    Unjani?

  12. Ior m nande a joo

    Kuhle ukukwazi

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. I kpa English?

    Uthetha isiNgesi?

  2. M nahan Hindi nahan.

    Andithethi isiHindi kakuhle

  3. M nahan usha.

    Andiqondi

  4. M nahan usha kpa.

    Nceda thethe kancinci

  5. I kpa a sha?

    Ungakuphinda lokho?

  6. I we a joo?

    Iphi ibhafu?

  7. Nenge a kpa a city center?

    Ndingafika njani kwi mveliso ye dolophu?

  8. Kpa a joo.

    Jolisa kwesokunxele

  9. Kpa a nahan.

    Jolisa kwesokudla

  10. Kpa a sha.

    Hamba ngqo

  11. Nenge a kpa a fare?

    Iholo ingakanani?

  12. I kpa a ticket, please.

    Ithikithi elinye, nceda

  13. I we a nahan a nahan?

    Ingakanani ukusuka apha?

  14. M nahan sha.

    Ndilahlekile

  15. I we a kpa a SIM card?

    Nphi endinokuthenga khona iSIM card?

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Ee

    Ewe

  2. Naa

    Hayi

  3. Iye

    Mhlawumbi

  4. M na a kpa

    Ndiyavuma

  5. M na a kpa nahan

    Andivumi

  6. I kpa a kpa

    Okuhle

  7. U kpa a nahan?

    Ucinga ntoni?

  8. U kpa m nahan?

    Ungandinceda?

  9. M na a kpa nahan

    Ndidinga uncedo

  10. Kpa a kpa

    Linda umzuzu

  11. M na a kpa

    Ndicela uxolo

  12. Naa a kpa

    Akukho ngxaki

  13. I kpa a kpa

    Wamkelekile

  14. A kpa a kpa

    Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

  15. U kpa a kpa

    Uhambo olukhuselekileyo

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ior a kpa?

    Uphi umphakathi wemithwalo? (uphi umphakathi wemithwalo)

  2. Ior a nyam?

    Uphi umphakathi weebhasi? (uphi umphakathi weebhasi)

  3. Ior a gande?

    Yeyiphi iphondo? (yeyiphi iphondo)

  4. Nenge a kpa?

    Ihamba ngexesha elingakanani? (ihamba ngexesha elingakanani)

  5. Ior a nenge a?

    Ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo? (ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo)

  6. I na kpa a.

    Ikho kufutshane apha

  7. I na kpa a kpa.

    Ikude apha

  8. I ma ior a gande?

    Ungandibonisa kwiimeko? (ungandibonisa kwiimeko)

  9. Kpa a, please.

    Misa apha, nceda

  10. Nenge a kpa?

    Ithatha ixesha elingakanani?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Ior kwagh nahan?

    Ithini le mali? (ior kwagh nahan)

  2. Ior u kpa a kpa

    Le mali ibiza kakhulu. (ior u kpa a kpa)

  3. Ior m ngu u kpa?

    Unayo into engabizi? (ior m ngu u kpa)

  4. Ior m gban a card?

    Ndingakhokha ngekhadi? (ior m gban a card)

  5. A doo a table m ngu a yô

    Ndicela itafula lempahla ezimbini. (a doo a table m ngu a yô)

  6. Ior a bill, please

    Ibhili, nceda. (ior a bill, please)

  7. Ior a service m nahan?

    Ingaba inkonzo ibandakanyekile? (ior a service m nahan)

  8. A m vegetarian

    Ndiyavegetarian. (a m vegetarian)

  9. A m nahan a spicy food

    Akukho ukutya okunobhotolo, nceda. (a m nahan a spicy food)

  10. Ior a kpa

    Oku kumnandi. (ior a kpa)

  11. Ior m gban a menu?

    Ndingafumana imenyu? (ior m gban a menu)

  12. A glass a water, please

    Ingxube ye water, nceda. (a glass a water)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Kpa a police

    Biza uphondo

  2. Kpa a ambulance

    Biza i-ambulensi

  3. M ba a doctor

    Ndifuna ugqirha

  4. M kpa a kpa

    Ndiziva ndingalunganga

  5. M kpa a nyam

    Ndine-allergy kwi-peanuts

  6. I kpa a hospital mza?

    Uphi umphakathi oseduze?

  7. I kpa a sha

    Kubuhlungu apha

  8. M kpa a passport m

    Ndilahlekelwe yi passport yam

  9. I kpa a hotel m?

    Ungabiza ihotele yam?

  10. Kpa!

    Uncedo!

Work and business

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

  1. Ior u kpa.

    Kuhle ukukwazi

  2. Ka a hia ikyô.

    Masihlele umhlangano

  3. Nî kpa u kpa?

    Yiphi ixesha elikufaneleyo?

  4. M gbanor u kpe.

    Ndiza kuthumela ingxelo namhlanje

  5. A hia nî u hia?

    Singathetha ngomso?

  6. M kpa u venge.

    Nceda ufumane ifayile ehlanganisiweyo

  7. Ior u nenge.

    Enkosi ngexesha lakho

  8. M hia u kpa.

    Ndijonge phambili ekusebenzeni nawe

  9. Ior a hia u mba?

    Ungacacisa le ndawo?

  10. Ka m hia u.

    Mna ndiza kubuyela kuwe

  11. Ikyô u kpa a Friday.

    Umhla wokugqibela nguLwesihlanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ior a kpa?

    Yintoni ixesha? (Yin-toh-nee ikh-leh-zah?)

  2. Ior a tyoor

    Iiyure ezintathu (Ee-yoo-reh e-zin-tah-thu)

  3. Ior

    Namhlanje (Nam-hlan-je)

  4. Kpa

    Manga (Man-gah)

  5. Ior a sha

    Izolo (Ee-zoh-loh)

  6. Ior a yô

    Mvulo (M-vu-lo)

  7. Ior a kô

    Lwesibini (Lwe-si-bi-nee)

  8. Ior a ngô

    Lwesithathu (Lwe-si-tha-thu)

  9. Mba

    Ene (Eh-neh)

  10. Ishô

    Mbini (M-bee-nee)

  11. Tyoor

    Thathu (Thah-thu)

  12. Ishê

    Ishumi (Ee-shoo-mee)

  13. Mba kpa

    Ishumi elinye (Ee-shoo-mee eh-leen-yeh)

  14. Ior a kpa

    Umgama (Um-gah-mah)

  15. Ior a kpa

    Ngaphezulu (Ngah-peh-zulu)

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