Translate now

Common Tsonga to Bemba phrases

100 practical Tsonga to Bemba phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

← Back to Tsonga to Bemba Translator

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

Tip: when a Bemba phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Tsonga 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 Tsonga to Bemba 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. Xewani

    Shani

  2. Ndza khensa

    Natotela

  3. Xewani xitulu

    Muli shani

  4. Xewani ntlhanu

    Muli shani

  5. Xewani nhloko

    Muli shani

  6. Xewani xihlayo

    Shalenipo bwino

  7. Tshamisa

    Tukakutana

  8. Sala kahle

    Twalumba

  9. U vitaniwani?

    Iwe ulishani?

  10. Ndzina i John

    Ndefwaya John

  11. U njhani?

    Uli bwanji?

  12. Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena

    Nashitasha kukumona

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. U vulavula Xitsonga?

    Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?

  2. A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.

    Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino

  3. A ndzi twisisi.

    Ndefwaya kumfwa

  4. Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.

    Nimwandi ulukanda buteko

  5. U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?

    Ningaloleleko?

  6. Xikombiso xihi?

    Ili kuti ikalamba?

  7. Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?

    Ningalileka shani ku city center?

  8. Khandziya ekhaya.

    Fumya kumwendo

  9. Khandziya ekunene.

    Fumya kumwendo

  10. Famba u ya emahlweni.

    Enda pamo

  11. Mafambiselo ma yini?

    Kuli shani ifyabukata?

  12. Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.

    Ticket imwe, nomba

  13. I yini ku tlula kona?

    Kuli lishilu ukulya?

  14. Ndzi khomiwe.

    Ndi lost

  15. Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?

    Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Inhlawulo

    Eya

  2. A hi kona

    Awe

  3. Swi nga va tano

    Panga

  4. Ndzi amukela

    Ndi bwino

  5. Ndzi nga amukeli

    Ndi bwino na

  6. Iku na switlhavelo

    Ilyo lishibukile

  7. U ehleketa yini?

    Uchite shani?

  8. U nga ndzi pfuna?

    Ushakufwa?

  9. Ndzi lava mpfuno

    Ndefwaya ifyakufwa

  10. Hlayisa nkarhi

    Leka ifi

  11. Ndzi tsundzuka

    Nshakufwa

  12. A hi na xiphiqo

    Takwaba shani

  13. Ndzakuva

    Nshakufwa bwino

  14. Mavongele yo tsakela

    Nashala bwino mu mwaka

  15. U va na ndlela yo olova

    Ube na mulimo wabwino

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?

    Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?

  2. Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?

    Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?

  3. I platform yihi?

    Ninshi ni platform iyi?

  4. I nkarhi muni yi hamba?

    Ninshi ikalamba?

  5. I ndlela leyi nga right?

    Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?

  6. I kona edzongeni.

    Ili pamo na pano.

  7. I le n'hweti.

    Ili lishilu na pano.

  8. U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?

    Ushibukishe pa mape?

  9. Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.

    Leka pano, chonde.

  10. I nkarhi muni ku taka?

    Kuli shani?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. I ku humelela njhani?

    Ili shani? (Ili shani?)

  2. I kona ku phindzelela.

    Ili lya kuli (Ili lya kuli)

  3. U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?

    Muli na chimo chibulu? (Muli na chimo chibulu?)

  4. Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?

    Ningakupanga na kadi? (Ningakupanga na kadi?)

  5. Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.

    Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili (Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili)

  6. Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.

    Icilanga, tapali (Icilanga, tapali)

  7. I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?

    Ubufyashi bwakupanga? (Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)

  8. Ndza va vegetarian.

    Ndi mvegetarian (Ndi mvegetarian)

  9. A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.

    Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali (Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali)

  10. Leswi i switlhavi.

    Ili lya bwino (Ili lya bwino)

  11. Ndzaku na menu?

    Ningakonda ifyalo? (Ningakonda ifyalo?)

  12. Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.

    Icupa ca mvula, tapali (Icupa ca mvula, tapali)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Tivisa mapolisa

    Tuma abashitisha

  2. Tivisa ambalansi

    Tuma ambulance

  3. Ndzi lava dokotela

    Nshikala na doctor

  4. Ndzi khoma ku vava

    Nshikala bwino

  5. Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri

    Ndi na allergy ku nsalu

  6. Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?

    Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?

  7. Ku vava laha

    Kuli ububi pano

  8. Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina

    Nashitile passport yangu

  9. U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?

    Nawe tuma hotel yangu?

  10. Shelp!

    Chikondi!

Work and business

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

  1. Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena

    Nashamukeni (na-sha-mu-ke-ni)

  2. A hi endla xihlanganiso

    Tulefwaya ukusanga (tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)

  3. Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?

    Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe? (nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)

  4. Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha

    Nizakutuma ifishina lelo (ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)

  5. Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?

    Twafwaya ukusambilila lero? (twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)

  6. Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa

    Nomba fwebo file iliko (nom-ba fwe-bo fi-le i-li-ko)

  7. Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena

    Natotela pa nshita (na-to-te-la pa nshi-ta)

  8. Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena

    Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe (ni-fwa-ya u-ku-shan-da na i-we)

  9. U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?

    Wakosa ukufumya icikomo? (wa-ko-sa u-ku-fum-ya i-ci-ko-mo)

  10. A ndzi ta vuya eka wena

    Nizakukumbusha (ni-za-ku-kum-bu-sha)

  11. Nkarhi wo heta i Friday

    Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula (i-shi-na lya-ku-pe-la ni Lwa-pu-la)

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. I yini nkarhi?

    Ninshi ilya shani? (Ninshi ilya shani?)

  2. I na nkarhi wa ntlhanu

    Kuli nomba itatu. (Kuli nomba itatu.)

  3. Namuntlha

    Lelo. (Lelo.)

  4. Swaswivula

    Mwaume. (Mwaume.)

  5. Vulavula

    Kale. (Kale.)

  6. Mondza

    Lwandi. (Lwandi.)

  7. Tiyu

    Lwakabamba. (Lwakabamba.)

  8. Wensde

    Lwapili. (Lwapili.)

  9. N'we

    Imwe. (Imwe.)

  10. N'hlanu

    Ibili. (Ibili.)

  11. N'khulu

    Itatu. (Itatu.)

  12. N'khume

    Icumi. (Icumi.)

  13. N'khulu

    Cikumi. (Cikumi.)

  14. N'hlangula

    Pafya. (Pafya.)

  15. Kopfu

    Ilyo. (Ilyo.)

Need to translate your own text? Use the free Tsonga to Bemba translator.

Open translator