Looking for practical Tongan to Mam phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tongan phrase first, then the Mam translation (Mam) — 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 Mam.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Mam-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tongan to Mam 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
Xo'j(sho'j)
Mālō
Tz'ik(tz'ik)
Mālō e lelei
Xo'j nax(sho'j nax)
Mālō e lelei
Xo'j q'ij(sho'j q'ij)
Mālō e lelei
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Nofo ā
Xo'j k'ux nax(sho'j k'ux nax)
Tōfā
K'ux q'ij(k'ux q'ij)
Tōfā
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Ko e hā ho hingoa?
Ja' k'ux nax?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Ko hoku hingoa ko John
Ja' k'ux nax John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Ofa atu?
Jach' k'ux?(hach' k'ux?)
Faka'apa'apa kiate koe
Nab' k'ux(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?
¿K'ax k'utun English?(Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?)
Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.(Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi)
Oe te u 'ikai ma'u
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.(Oe te u 'ikai ma'u)
Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.(Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u)
Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?(Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?)
Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?
¿Jach'och k'ux?(Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?)
E fa'ahinga e u 'alu ki he tu'a o e kolo?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?(E fa'ahinga e u 'alu ki he tu'a o e kolo?)
Fakafoki ki he kolo
K'utun k'ux.(Fakafoki ki he kolo)
Fakafoki ki he 'akau
K'utun k'ux.(Fakafoki ki he 'akau)
Alu 'o e 'alu
K'utun k'ux.(Alu 'o e 'alu)
E hā e totongi?
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?(E hā e totongi?)
Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.(Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole)
Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?(Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?)
Oku ou 'i ma'u
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.(Oku ou 'i ma'u)
Ko e fea 'oku ou ma'u e SIM card?
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun 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
Juj(hoo)
Ikai
Man(mah)
Māfai
K'ux(k'ush)
Oku ou ʻilo
Juj k'ux(hoo k'ush)
Oku ou ʻikai ʻilo
Man k'ux(mah k'ush)
Oku lelei ia
K'ux juj(k'ush hoo)
Ko e hā hoʻu manatu?
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
Te u ʻofa mai?
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Oku ou fiemaʻu ʻofa
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
Fakamolemole
K'ux k'ut(k'ush k'ut)
Oku ou fakamolemole
Juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Ikai ha palopalema
Man k'ux k'ut(mah k'ush k'ut)
Fakaʻapaʻapa
K'ux juj k'ut(k'ush hoo k'ut)
Mālō e lelei ki he ʻaho mate
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Fakaʻaongaʻi lelei
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ko fea e falemai?
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?(ko fea e fale mai)
Ko fea e nofoa bus?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?(ko fea e nofoa bus)
Ko e feheia e pātala?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?(ko e feheia e patala)
He taimi fē e 'alu ai?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?(he taimi fe e alu ai)
Ko e ala lelei 'eni?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?(ko e ala lelei eni)
Ko ia 'i he vaha'a ni
Ri k'ut pa ri.(ko ia i he vahaa ni)
Ko ia 'i he tu'a
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.(ko ia i he tua)
Oka e faka'ali'ali mai kiate au 'i he mapa?
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?(oka e fakaali ali mai kiate au i he mapa)
Tū 'i he 'aiga, kataki
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?(tu i he aiga kataki)
E taha e taimi?
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?(e taha e taimi)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.