Looking for practical Tsonga to Tongan phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tsonga phrase first, then the Tongan translation (Tongan) — 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 Tongan.
Tip: when a Tongan 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 Tongan 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
Mālō
Ndza khensa
Mālō
Xewani xitulu
Mālō e lelei
Xewani ntlhanu
Mālō e lelei
Xewani nhloko
Mālō e lelei
Xewani xihlayo
Nofo ā
Tshamisa
Tōfā
Sala kahle
Tōfā
U vitaniwani?
Ko e hā ho hingoa?
Ndzina i John
Ko hoku hingoa ko John
U njhani?
Ofa atu?
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena
Faka'apa'apa kiate koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
U vulavula Xitsonga?
Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?(Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?)
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.
Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi(Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi)
A ndzi twisisi.
Oe te u 'ikai ma'u(Oe te u 'ikai ma'u)
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.
Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u(Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u)
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?
Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?(Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?)
Xikombiso xihi?
Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?(Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?)
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?
E fa'ahinga e u 'alu ki he tu'a o e kolo?(E fa'ahinga e u 'alu ki he tu'a o e kolo?)
Khandziya ekhaya.
Fakafoki ki he kolo(Fakafoki ki he kolo)
Khandziya ekunene.
Fakafoki ki he 'akau(Fakafoki ki he 'akau)
Famba u ya emahlweni.
Alu 'o e 'alu(Alu 'o e 'alu)
Mafambiselo ma yini?
E hā e totongi?(E hā e totongi?)
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.
Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole(Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole)
I yini ku tlula kona?
Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?(Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?)
Ndzi khomiwe.
Oku ou 'i ma'u(Oku ou 'i ma'u)
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?
Ko e fea 'oku ou ma'u e SIM card?(Ko e fea 'oku ou ma'u e SIM card?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Inhlawulo
Āe
A hi kona
Ikai
Swi nga va tano
Māfai
Ndzi amukela
Oku ou ʻilo
Ndzi nga amukeli
Oku ou ʻikai ʻilo
Iku na switlhavelo
Oku lelei ia
U ehleketa yini?
Ko e hā hoʻu manatu?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
Te u ʻofa mai?
Ndzi lava mpfuno
Oku ou fiemaʻu ʻofa
Hlayisa nkarhi
Fakamolemole
Ndzi tsundzuka
Oku ou fakamolemole
A hi na xiphiqo
Ikai ha palopalema
Ndzakuva
Fakaʻapaʻapa
Mavongele yo tsakela
Mālō e lelei ki he ʻaho mate
U va na ndlela yo olova
Fakaʻaongaʻi lelei
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Ko fea e falemai?(ko fea e fale mai)
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Ko fea e nofoa bus?(ko fea e nofoa bus)
I platform yihi?
Ko e feheia e pātala?(ko e feheia e patala)
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?
He taimi fē e 'alu ai?(he taimi fe e alu ai)
I ndlela leyi nga right?
Ko e ala lelei 'eni?(ko e ala lelei eni)
I kona edzongeni.
Ko ia 'i he vaha'a ni(ko ia i he vahaa ni)
I le n'hweti.
Ko ia 'i he tu'a(ko ia i he tua)
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?
Oka e faka'ali'ali mai kiate au 'i he mapa?(oka e fakaali ali mai kiate au i he mapa)
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.
Tū 'i he 'aiga, kataki(tu i he aiga kataki)
I nkarhi muni ku taka?
E taha e taimi?(e taha e taimi)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
I ku humelela njhani?
Ehia te fua o kēia?(ehia te fua o kehā)
I kona ku phindzelela.
Ko ia, e lahi loā(ko ia e lahi loa)
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?
Ofa mai ha meʻakai e ngāue?(ofa mai ha meakai e ngau)
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?
E mafai au ke totongi e pātu?(e mafai au ke totongi e patu)
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.
Ofa atu au ke he meʻakai e tolu(ofa atu au ke he meakai e tolu)
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.
Te fua, kataki(te fua kataki)
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?
E aofia ai te ngāue?(e aofia ai te ngau)
Ndza va vegetarian.
O au ko e meʻakai(o au ko e meakai)
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.
Kātoa ʻa e meʻakai ʻālohi, kataki(katoa a e meakai alohi kataki)
Leswi i switlhavi.
Ko ʻeni, e lelei(ko eni e lelei)
Ndzaku na menu?
E mafai au ke maʻu e meʻakai?(e mafai au ke mau e meakai)
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.
Ha ipu vai, kataki(ha ipu vai kataki)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tivisa mapolisa
Tū mai e polisi
Tivisa ambalansi
Tū mai e ambulance
Ndzi lava dokotela
Ofa mai e fomaʻi
Ndzi khoma ku vava
Oku ou fehi
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
Oku ou maʻu e fakamātoato ki e pīnati
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
Ko e fea e hōspitali lahi?
Ku vava laha
Oku ʻi ai e ʻā
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
Naʻe ou fā e pāsipoti
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
Te ke tū mai e hoteli ko hoku?
Shelp!
Fakamolemole!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena
Mālō e lelei
A hi endla xihlanganiso
Tōmua ta seti ha fakataha
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?
Ko e hā e taimi e lelei kiate koe?
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha
Te u fa'ahinga e lipooti 'i he 'aho ni
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?
Tēnā mafai ta talanoa 'i he 'aho 'apongipongi?
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa
Kātoa e faile 'oku fakafā
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena
Mālō 'aupito kiate koe
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena
Te u fie ma'u ke ngāue mo koe
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?
Kātoa e mafai ke ke fakakaukau 'a e konga 'o ia?
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena
Tēnā e 'alu au kiate koe
Nkarhi wo heta i Friday
Ko e ta'u 'o e ngāue ko e Falaite
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.