Looking for practical Tsonga to NKo phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tsonga phrase first, then the NKo translation (NKo) — 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 NKo.
Tip: read the NKo line out loud three times, then cover the Tsonga 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 Tsonga to NKo 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
ᎣᏍᏆ(Oscha)
Ndza khensa
ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ(Ascadodi)
Xewani xitulu
ᎣᏍᏆ ᎡᏚᏙᏗ(Oscha Edodhi)
Xewani ntlhanu
ᎣᏍᏆ ᎠᏧᏍᏆᏗ(Oscha Atsachadi)
Xewani nhloko
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᎦᏚᏗ(Oscha Dagadudi)
Xewani xihlayo
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᏥᏍᏆ(Oscha Datsicha)
Tshamisa
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᎦᏙᏗ(Oscha Dagadodi)
Sala kahle
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᏁᏙᏗ(Oscha Danodi)
U vitaniwani?
ᎯᏍᏆ ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ ᎢᏳᏍᏆ?(Hisch Ascadodi Iyuscha?)
Ndzina i John
ᎠᏓ ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ ᎠᏍᏆ ᏥᏍᏆ(Ada Ascadodi Ascha Tischa)
U njhani?
ᎯᏍᏆ ᎯᏍᏆ?(Hisch Hisch?)
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena
ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ ᏓᏥᏍᏆ(Ascadodi Tischa)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
U vulavula Xitsonga?
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߡߊ߬ߟߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߡߊ߬ߟߊ߬ ߗߊ߬ߓߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
A ndzi twisisi.
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߡߊ߬ߟߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߓߊ߬(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.
ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߗߊ߬ߓߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?
ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
Xikombiso xihi?
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?
ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
Khandziya ekhaya.
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
Khandziya ekunene.
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
Famba u ya emahlweni.
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
Mafambiselo ma yini?
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
I yini ku tlula kona?
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
Ndzi khomiwe.
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?(aɡa ɡa ɡa ɡa)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Inhlawulo
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢
A hi kona
𞤈𞤢𞤣
Swi nga va tano
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢
Ndzi amukela
𞤉𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢𞤲𞤢
Ndzi nga amukeli
𞤉𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢𞤲𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
Iku na switlhavelo
𞤈𞤢𞤣 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
U ehleketa yini?
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
U nga ndzi pfuna?
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤉𞤢𞤣𞤢
Ndzi lava mpfuno
𞤉𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Hlayisa nkarhi
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
Ndzi tsundzuka
𞤉𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
A hi na xiphiqo
𞤈𞤢𞤣 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Ndzakuva
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Mavongele yo tsakela
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
U va na ndlela yo olova
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߛߌ߬ߟߊ߬ߙߌ߬(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߛߌ߬ߟߊ߬ߙߌ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
I platform yihi?
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߛߌ߬ߟߊ߬ߙߌ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߛߌ߬ߟߊ߬ߙߌ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
I ndlela leyi nga right?
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
I kona edzongeni.
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
I le n'hweti.
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
I nkarhi muni ku taka?
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬(bɛrɛ ɲaŋa)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
I ku humelela njhani?
ߊߞߊ ߟߌ߬ߓߊ ߞߊ߬ߙߌߟߌ?(aɡa fɔtɔ?)
I kona ku phindzelela.
߉ߠߊ ߞߊ߬ߙߌ ߞߊ ߟߌ߬ߓߊ ߞߊ߬ߙߌ(aɡa ɲa fɔtɔ)
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?
ߊߞߊ ߡߊ߬ߙߌ ߞߊ ߞߊ߬ߙߌ ߞߊ ߞߌ߬ߙߌ?(aɡa ɲa fɔtɔ?)
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?
ߊߞߊ ߡߊ߬ߙߌ ߞߊ ߡߌ߬ߙߌ ߞߊ ߞߌ߬ߙߌ?(aɡa ɲa fɔtɔ?)
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.
ߊߞߊ ߡߊ ߞߊ ߞߌ߬ߙߌ ߞߊ ߡߌ߬ߙߌ(aɡa ɲa fɔtɔ?)
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.
ߊߞߊ ߡߊ ߞߌ߬ߙߌ ߞߊ ߡߌ߬ߙߌ(aɡa ɲa fɔtɔ?)
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?
ߊߞߊ ߡߊ߬ߙߌ ߞߊ ߞߊ߬ߙߌ ߞߊ ߞߌ߬ߙߌ?(aɡa ɲa fɔtɔ?)
Ndza va vegetarian.
ߊߞߊ ߡߊ ߞߊ ߞߌ߬ߙߌ ߞߊ ߡߌ߬ߙߌ(aɡa ɲa fɔtɔ?)
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.
ߊߞߊ ߡߊ ߞߊ ߞߌ߬ߙߌ ߞߊ ߡߌ߬ߙߌ(aɡa ɲa fɔtɔ?)
Leswi i switlhavi.
ߊߞߊ ߡߊ ߞߊ ߞߌ߬ߙߌ ߞߊ ߡߌ߬ߙߌ(aɡa ɲa fɔtɔ?)
Ndzaku na menu?
ߊߞߊ ߡߊ ߞߊ ߞߌ߬ߙߌ ߞߊ ߡߌ߬ߙߌ?(aɡa ɲa fɔtɔ?)
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.
ߊߞߊ ߡߊ ߞߊ ߞߌ߬ߙߌ ߞߊ ߡߌ߬ߙߌ(aɡa ɲa fɔtɔ?)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.