Looking for practical Tsonga to Swahili phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tsonga phrase first, then the Swahili translation (Swahili) — 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 Swahili.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Swahili-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tsonga to Swahili 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
Habari
Ndza khensa
Asante
Xewani xitulu
Habari ya asubuhi
Xewani ntlhanu
Habari ya mchana
Xewani nhloko
Habari ya jioni
Xewani xihlayo
Usiku mwema
Tshamisa
Tutaonana baadaye
Sala kahle
Kwaheri
U vitaniwani?
Jina lako nani?
Ndzina i John
Jina langu ni John
U njhani?
Habari gani?
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
U vulavula Xitsonga?
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
A ndzi twisisi.
Sielewi.
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?
Unaweza kusema tena?
Xikombiso xihi?
Choo kiko wapi?
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Khandziya ekhaya.
Geuka kushoto.
Khandziya ekunene.
Geuka kulia.
Famba u ya emahlweni.
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Mafambiselo ma yini?
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
I yini ku tlula kona?
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Ndzi khomiwe.
Nimepotea.
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Inhlawulo
Ndio
A hi kona
Hapana
Swi nga va tano
Pengine
Ndzi amukela
Ninakubaliana
Ndzi nga amukeli
Sikubaliani
Iku na switlhavelo
Inasikika vizuri
U ehleketa yini?
Unafikiriaje?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Ndzi lava mpfuno
Nahitaji msaada
Hlayisa nkarhi
Subiri kidogo
Ndzi tsundzuka
Ninasikitika
A hi na xiphiqo
Hakuna shida
Ndzakuva
Hongera
Mavongele yo tsakela
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
U va na ndlela yo olova
Safari njema
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?
I platform yihi?
Ni jukwaa gani?
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?
Inatoka saa ngapi?
I ndlela leyi nga right?
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?
I kona edzongeni.
Iko karibu hapa
I le n'hweti.
Iko mbali na hapa
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.
Simama hapa, tafadhali
I nkarhi muni ku taka?
Inachukua muda gani?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
I ku humelela njhani?
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?(i ku humelela njhani?)
I kona ku phindzelela.
Hiyo ni ghali sana
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.
Tafadhali, bili
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?
Ndza va vegetarian.
Mimi ni mboga
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili
Leswi i switlhavi.
Hii ni tamu
Ndzaku na menu?
Naweza kupata menyu?
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tivisa mapolisa
Piga simu polisi
Tivisa ambalansi
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Ndzi lava dokotela
Nahitaji daktari
Ndzi khoma ku vava
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
Nina mzio wa karanga
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Ku vava laha
Inaniuma hapa
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Shelp!
Nisaidie!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
A hi endla xihlanganiso
Tuweke mkutano
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha
Nitaituma ripoti leo
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena
Asante kwa muda wako
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena
Nitarudi kwako
Nkarhi wo heta i Friday
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.