Looking for practical Tsonga to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tsonga phrase first, then the Yoruba translation (Yoruba) — 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 Yoruba.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Yoruba-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tsonga to Yoruba 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
Bawo(bawoh)
Ndza khensa
O seun(oh shayoon)
Xewani xitulu
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Xewani ntlhanu
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Xewani nhloko
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Xewani xihlayo
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
Tshamisa
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Sala kahle
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
U vitaniwani?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Ndzina i John
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
U njhani?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena
Inu mi dun lati pade e(ee-noo mee doon lah-tee pah-deh eh)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
U vulavula Xitsonga?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
A ndzi twisisi.
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Xikombiso xihi?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Khandziya ekhaya.
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Khandziya ekunene.
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Famba u ya emahlweni.
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
Mafambiselo ma yini?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
I yini ku tlula kona?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Ndzi khomiwe.
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?
Nibo ni mo ti le ra kaadi SIM?(Nee-boh nee moh tee leh rah kah-dee SIM)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Inhlawulo
Bẹẹni
A hi kona
Rara
Swi nga va tano
Bóyá
Ndzi amukela
Mo gba
Ndzi nga amukeli
Mo kọ
Iku na switlhavelo
Iyẹn dára
U ehleketa yini?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
Ndzi lava mpfuno
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Hlayisa nkarhi
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Ndzi tsundzuka
Mo bínú
A hi na xiphiqo
Kò sí ìṣòro
Ndzakuva
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
Mavongele yo tsakela
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
U va na ndlela yo olova
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
I platform yihi?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
I ndlela leyi nga right?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
I kona edzongeni.
O sunmọ ibi yi
I le n'hweti.
O jinna si ibi yi
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.
Duro nibi, jọwọ
I nkarhi muni ku taka?
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
I ku humelela njhani?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
I kona ku phindzelela.
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
Ndza va vegetarian.
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
Leswi i switlhavi.
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
Ndzaku na menu?
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tivisa mapolisa
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
Tivisa ambalansi
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Ndzi lava dokotela
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
Ndzi khoma ku vava
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
Ku vava laha
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
Shelp!
I ranlọwọ!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
A hi endla xihlanganiso
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena
O seun fun akoko rẹ
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ
Nkarhi wo heta i Friday
Akoko ipari ni Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.