Looking for practical Tsonga to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tsonga phrase first, then the Acholi translation (Acholi) — 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 Acholi.
Tip: pick five Acholi phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tsonga to Acholi 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.
Xewani
Ayo(ah-yo)
Ndza khensa
Naki(nah-kee)
Xewani xitulu
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Xewani ntlhanu
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Xewani nhloko
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Xewani xihlayo
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Tshamisa
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Sala kahle
Itye(ee-tye)
U vitaniwani?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Ndzina i John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
U njhani?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
U vulavula Xitsonga?
Itye konyo English?
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
A ndzi twisisi.
Nye neno.
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Xikombiso xihi?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Khandziya ekhaya.
Konyo kuc.
Khandziya ekunene.
Konyo kuc.
Famba u ya emahlweni.
Tye kanyim.
Mafambiselo ma yini?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.
One ticket, please.
I yini ku tlula kona?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Ndzi khomiwe.
Nye konyo.
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Inhlawulo
Aye
A hi kona
Bila
Swi nga va tano
Kweyo
Ndzi amukela
Ng'ato konyo
Ndzi nga amukeli
Ng'ato konyo ni
Iku na switlhavelo
Okwero kany
U ehleketa yini?
Ika kany?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
Ikwok kany?
Ndzi lava mpfuno
Ng'ato konyo kany
Hlayisa nkarhi
Tye kany
Ndzi tsundzuka
Ng'ato konyo
A hi na xiphiqo
Bila kany
Ndzakuva
Tye kany
Mavongele yo tsakela
Aye konyo
U va na ndlela yo olova
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
I platform yihi?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
I ndlela leyi nga right?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
I kona edzongeni.
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
I le n'hweti.
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
I nkarhi muni ku taka?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
I ku humelela njhani?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
I kona ku phindzelela.
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Ndza va vegetarian.
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Leswi i switlhavi.
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Ndzaku na menu?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tivisa mapolisa
Yat ma police
Tivisa ambalansi
Yat ma ambulance
Ndzi lava dokotela
Nye konyo doctor
Ndzi khoma ku vava
Nye konyo wot
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
Nye konyo kany kic
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Ku vava laha
Okwero ineno
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
Nye tye konyo passport
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Shelp!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
A hi endla xihlanganiso
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Nkarhi wo heta i Friday
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.