Looking for practical Tongan to Kanuri phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tongan phrase first, then the Kanuri translation (Kanuri) — 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 Kanuri.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Kanuri-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tongan to Kanuri 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.
Mālō
Sannu
Mālō
Nagode
Mālō e lelei
Ina kwana
Mālō e lelei
Ina yamma
Mālō e lelei
Ina dare
Nofo ā
Sai da safe
Tōfā
Zan ganka
Tōfā
Sai anjima
Ko e hā ho hingoa?
Menene sunanka?
Ko hoku hingoa ko John
Sunana John
Ofa atu?
Lafiya lau?
Faka'apa'apa kiate koe
Na ji dadin haduwa da kai
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?
Kuna magana da Turanci?(Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?)
Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi
Ba na magana da Hindi sosai.(Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi)
Oe te u 'ikai ma'u
Ba na fahimta.(Oe te u 'ikai ma'u)
Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u
Don Allah, ku yi magana a hankali.(Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u)
Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?
Za ku iya faɗin hakan sake?(Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?)
Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?
Ina wanka?(Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?)
E fa'ahinga e u 'alu ki he tu'a o e kolo?
Ta yaya zan isa tsakiyar birni?(E fa'ahinga e u 'alu ki he tu'a o e kolo?)
Fakafoki ki he kolo
Juya hagu.(Fakafoki ki he kolo)
Fakafoki ki he 'akau
Juya dama.(Fakafoki ki he 'akau)
Alu 'o e 'alu
Tafiya kai tsaye.(Alu 'o e 'alu)
E hā e totongi?
Nawa ne farashin?(E hā e totongi?)
Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole
Tiket ɗaya, don Allah.(Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole)
Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?
Shin yana da nisa daga nan?(Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?)
Oku ou 'i ma'u
Na ɓace.(Oku ou 'i ma'u)
Ko e fea 'oku ou ma'u e SIM card?
Ina zan iya sayen kati na SIM?(Ko e fea 'oku ou ma'u e SIM card?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Āe
Eey(ee-y)
Ikai
A'a(ah-ah)
Māfai
Wata(wah-tah)
Oku ou ʻilo
Na amu(nah ah-moo)
Oku ou ʻikai ʻilo
Na a'a amu(nah ah-ah ah-moo)
Oku lelei ia
Iya na(ee-yah nah)
Ko e hā hoʻu manatu?
Kaya ka yi tunani?(kah-yah kah yee too-nah-nee)
Te u ʻofa mai?
Za ka iya taimaka min?(zah kah ee-yah tie-mah-kah meen)
Oku ou fiemaʻu ʻofa
Na bukaci taimako(nah boo-kah-chee tie-mah-koh)
Fakamolemole
Duba dan lokaci(doo-bah dahn loh-kah-chee)
Oku ou fakamolemole
Na yi hakuri(nah yee hah-koo-ree)
Ikai ha palopalema
Babu matsala(bah-boo maht-sah-lah)
Fakaʻapaʻapa
Taya murna(tah-yah moor-nah)
Mālō e lelei ki he ʻaho mate
Barka da haihuwa(bar-kah dah hai-hoo-wah)
Fakaʻaongaʻi lelei
Ka yi tafiya lafiya(kah yee tah-fee-yah lah-fee-yah)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ko fea e falemai?
Nye boko na gari?(ko fea e fale mai)
Ko fea e nofoa bus?
Nye boko na bas?(ko fea e nofoa bus)
Ko e feheia e pātala?
Wane boko na?(ko e feheia e patala)
He taimi fē e 'alu ai?
Wane lokaci ya tafi?(he taimi fe e alu ai)
Ko e ala lelei 'eni?
Shin wannan hanya ce?(ko e ala lelei eni)
Ko ia 'i he vaha'a ni
Yana kusa da nan(ko ia i he vahaa ni)
Ko ia 'i he tu'a
Yana nesa da nan(ko ia i he tua)
Oka e faka'ali'ali mai kiate au 'i he mapa?
Za ka iya nuna mini a taswirar?(oka e fakaali ali mai kiate au i he mapa)
Tū 'i he 'aiga, kataki
Tsaida nan, don Allah(tu i he aiga kataki)
E taha e taimi?
Yaya tsawon lokaci?(e taha e taimi)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ehia te fua o kēia?
Nayi na kudi?(Nayi na kudi?)
Ko ia, e lahi loā
Wannan ya yi tsada sosai.(ko ia e lahi loa)
Ofa mai ha meʻakai e ngāue?
Shin kuna da wani abu mai rahusa?(ofa mai ha meakai e ngau)
E mafai au ke totongi e pātu?
Zan iya biyan kudi da kati?(e mafai au ke totongi e patu)
Ofa atu au ke he meʻakai e tolu
Ina so tebur don biyu.(ofa atu au ke he meakai e tolu)
Te fua, kataki
Lissafi, don Allah.(te fua kataki)
E aofia ai te ngāue?
Shin sabis ya haɗa?(e aofia ai te ngau)
O au ko e meʻakai
Ni mai ganyayyaki ne.(o au ko e meakai)
Kātoa ʻa e meʻakai ʻālohi, kataki
Ba tare da zaki ba, don Allah.(katoa a e meakai alohi kataki)
Ko ʻeni, e lelei
Wannan yana da dadi.(ko eni e lelei)
E mafai au ke maʻu e meʻakai?
Zan iya samun menu?(e mafai au ke mau e meakai)
Ha ipu vai, kataki
Kofin ruwa, don Allah.(ha ipu vai kataki)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tū mai e polisi
Dawari janga(Dawari janga)
Tū mai e ambulance
Dawari ambulan(Dawari ambulan)
Ofa mai e fomaʻi
Ni na doctor(Ni na doctor)
Oku ou fehi
Ni na jaga(Ni na jaga)
Oku ou maʻu e fakamātoato ki e pīnati
Ni na haji goro(Ni na haji goro)
Ko e fea e hōspitali lahi?
Ina asibiti na kusa?(Ina asibiti na kusa?)
Oku ʻi ai e ʻā
Yana ciwo a nan(Yana ciwo a nan)
Naʻe ou fā e pāsipoti
Ni na rasa passport na(Ni na rasa passport na)
Te ke tū mai e hoteli ko hoku?
Za ka iya dawari otel na?(Za ka iya dawari otel na?)
Fakamolemole!
Taimako!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Mālō e lelei
Nde gaishe(nde gaishe)
Tōmua ta seti ha fakataha
Mu gaishe taro(mu gaishe taro)
Ko e hā e taimi e lelei kiate koe?
Wai gaishe lokaci?(wai gaishe lokaci)
Te u fa'ahinga e lipooti 'i he 'aho ni
Zan tura rahoto yau(zan tura rahoto yau)
Tēnā mafai ta talanoa 'i he 'aho 'apongipongi?
Zamu iya magana gobe?(zamu iya magana gobe)
Kātoa e faile 'oku fakafā
Don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala(don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala)
Mālō 'aupito kiate koe
Na gode da lokacinka(na gode da lokacinka)
Te u fie ma'u ke ngāue mo koe
Ina fatan aiki tare da kai(ina fatan aiki tare da kai)
Kātoa e mafai ke ke fakakaukau 'a e konga 'o ia?
Za ka iya fayyace wannan batu?(za ka iya fayyace wannan batu)