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