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Common Tsonga to Tumbuka phrases

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

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

Tip: when a Tumbuka 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 Tumbuka 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

    Moni

  2. Ndza khensa

    Zikomo

  3. Xewani xitulu

    Muli bwanji

  4. Xewani ntlhanu

    Muli bwanji

  5. Xewani nhloko

    Muli bwanji

  6. Xewani xihlayo

    Usiku wabwino

  7. Tshamisa

    Tiwonana

  8. Sala kahle

    Tsalani bwino

  9. U vitaniwani?

    Dzina lanu ndi ndani?

  10. Ndzina i John

    Dzina langa ndi John

  11. U njhani?

    Muli bwanji?

  12. Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena

    Ndine wokondwa kukumana nanu

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. U vulavula Xitsonga?

    Muli ndi Chingerezi? (muli ndi chingerezi)

  2. A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.

    Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino (sikuyankhula hindi bwino)

  3. A ndzi twisisi.

    Sindikumva (sindikumva)

  4. Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.

    Chonde yankhulani pang'ono (chonde yankhulani pang'ono)

  5. U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?

    Mungandiyankhulepo? (mungandiyankhulepo)

  6. Xikombiso xihi?

    Kuti ndi kuti? (kuti ndi kuti)

  7. Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?

    Ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu? (ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu)

  8. Khandziya ekhaya.

    Pita kumanzere (pita kumanzere)

  9. Khandziya ekunene.

    Pita kumanja (pita kumanja)

  10. Famba u ya emahlweni.

    Pita mwendo (pita mwendo)

  11. Mafambiselo ma yini?

    Ndi ndalama zingati? (ndi ndalama zingati)

  12. Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.

    Tiketi imodzi, chonde (tiketi imodzi, chonde)

  13. I yini ku tlula kona?

    Ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano? (ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano)

  14. Ndzi khomiwe.

    Ndakhalapo (ndakhalapo)

  15. Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?

    Ndingatengere kuti kuti SIM card? (ndingatengere kuti kuti sim card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Inhlawulo

    Iye

  2. A hi kona

    Ayi

  3. Swi nga va tano

    Pang'ono

  4. Ndzi amukela

    Ndikugwirizana

  5. Ndzi nga amukeli

    Sindikugwirizana

  6. Iku na switlhavelo

    Ichi chimaoneka bwino

  7. U ehleketa yini?

    Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize?

  8. U nga ndzi pfuna?

    Mungandithandize?

  9. Ndzi lava mpfuno

    Ndikufuna thandizo

  10. Hlayisa nkarhi

    Dikirani pang’ono

  11. Ndzi tsundzuka

    Ndikupemphera

  12. A hi na xiphiqo

    Palibe vutoli

  13. Ndzakuva

    Zikomo

  14. Mavongele yo tsakela

    Tsiku lobadwa labwino

  15. U va na ndlela yo olova

    Pita bwino pa ulendo

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?

    Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga?

  2. Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?

    Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi?

  3. I platform yihi?

    Ndi chigawo chiti?

  4. I nkarhi muni yi hamba?

    Nanga nthawi itangopita?

  5. I ndlela leyi nga right?

    Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?

  6. I kona edzongeni.

    Iyi ndi pafupi apa

  7. I le n'hweti.

    Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa

  8. U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?

    Mungandionetse pa chithunzi?

  9. Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.

    Chimitsa apa, chonde

  10. I nkarhi muni ku taka?

    Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. I ku humelela njhani?

    Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe? (iyi ikuguliradi chingwe)

  2. I kona ku phindzelela.

    Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa (iyi ndi mtengo wopusa)

  3. U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?

    Muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo? (muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo)

  4. Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?

    Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi? (ningathe kulipira ndi khadi)

  5. Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.

    Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri (ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri)

  6. Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.

    Chikalata, chonde (chikalata, chonde)

  7. I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?

    Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa? (ntchito ikuphatikizidwa)

  8. Ndza va vegetarian.

    Ndine wopanda nyama (ndine wopanda nyama)

  9. A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.

    Chonde, osati chakudya chothira (chonde, osati chakudya chothira)

  10. Leswi i switlhavi.

    Iyi ndi yokoma (iyi ndi yokoma)

  11. Ndzaku na menu?

    Ningathe kupeza menyu? (ningathe kupeza menyu)

  12. Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.

    Galasi ya madzi, chonde (galasi ya madzi, chonde)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Tivisa mapolisa

    Fufuzani polisi

  2. Tivisa ambalansi

    Fufuzani ambulansi

  3. Ndzi lava dokotela

    Ndikufuna dokotala

  4. Ndzi khoma ku vava

    Ndikuwona bwino

  5. Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri

    Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts

  6. Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?

    Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?

  7. Ku vava laha

    Kuli kuuma apa

  8. Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina

    Ndasowa pasipoti yangu

  9. U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?

    Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

  10. Shelp!

    Thandizani!

Work and business

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

  1. Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena

    Ndalumba kukumana nanu

  2. A hi endla xihlanganiso

    Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi

  3. Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?

    Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito?

  4. Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha

    Ndidzatumiza lipoti lero

  5. Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?

    Tingathe kulankhula mawa?

  6. Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa

    Chonde onani fayilo yolembedwa

  7. Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena

    Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu

  8. Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena

    Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu

  9. U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?

    Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyi?

  10. A ndzi ta vuya eka wena

    Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni

  11. Nkarhi wo heta i Friday

    Nthawi yomaliza ndi Lachisanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. I yini nkarhi?

    Ndi chiyani nthawi? (Ndi chiyani nthawi?)

  2. I na nkarhi wa ntlhanu

    Ndi saa tatu

  3. Namuntlha

    Lero

  4. Swaswivula

    Maŵa

  5. Vulavula

    Kale

  6. Mondza

    Lolemba

  7. Tiyu

    Lachiwiri

  8. Wensde

    Lachitatu

  9. N'we

    Mmodzi

  10. N'hlanu

    Awiri

  11. N'khulu

    Atatu

  12. N'khume

    Kumi

  13. N'khulu

    Zana

  14. N'hlangula

    Pachikhalidwe

  15. Kopfu

    Zambiri

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