Looking for practical Tsonga to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tsonga phrase first, then the Maori translation (Maori) — 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 Maori.
Tip: pick five Maori 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 Maori 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
Kia ora
Ndza khensa
Ngā mihi
Xewani xitulu
Ata mārie
Xewani ntlhanu
Pō mārie
Xewani nhloko
Pō nui
Xewani xihlayo
Nō reira
Tshamisa
Ka kite anō
Sala kahle
Haere rā
U vitaniwani?
Ko wai tō ingoa?
Ndzina i John
Ko John tōku ingoa
U njhani?
Kei te pēhea koe?
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
U vulavula Xitsonga?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
A ndzi twisisi.
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Xikombiso xihi?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?
Me pehea au e tae ki te pokapū o te tāone?(meh peh-heh-ah ow eh tie keh teh poh-kah-poo oh teh tah-oh-neh)
Khandziya ekhaya.
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Khandziya ekunene.
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Famba u ya emahlweni.
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Mafambiselo ma yini?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
I yini ku tlula kona?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Ndzi khomiwe.
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?
Kei hea e taea ai e au te hoko kāri SIM?(kay he-ah eh tah-eh ah-ee eh ow teh hoh-koh kah-ree sim)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Inhlawulo
Āe
A hi kona
Kāo
Swi nga va tano
Tērā pea
Ndzi amukela
Kei te whakaae au
Ndzi nga amukeli
Kāore au e whakaae
Iku na switlhavelo
He pai tēnā
U ehleketa yini?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Ndzi lava mpfuno
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Hlayisa nkarhi
Tēnā tūrua
Ndzi tsundzuka
Aroha mai
A hi na xiphiqo
Kāore he raru
Ndzakuva
Ngā mihi
Mavongele yo tsakela
Hari huritau
U va na ndlela yo olova
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
I platform yihi?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
I ndlela leyi nga right?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
I kona edzongeni.
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
I le n'hweti.
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?
Ka taea e koe te whakaatu ki ahau i runga i te mapi?(Ka taea e koe te whakaatu ki ahau i runga i te mapi?)
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
I nkarhi muni ku taka?
E hia te wā e tango ana?(E hia te wā e tango ana?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
I ku humelela njhani?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
I kona ku phindzelela.
He tino utu tēnā
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.
Tēnā, te rīhi.
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
Ndza va vegetarian.
He veggie ahau.
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
Leswi i switlhavi.
He reka tēnei.
Ndzaku na menu?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tivisa mapolisa
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Tivisa ambalansi
Karanga ki te āwhina
Ndzi lava dokotela
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Ndzi khoma ku vava
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Ku vava laha
E mamae ana i konei
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
I ngaro taku pasapo
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Shelp!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena
Ka pai te kite i a koe
A hi endla xihlanganiso
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena
Me hoki au ki a koe
Nkarhi wo heta i Friday
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.