Looking for practical Tswana to Tsonga phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana phrase first, then the Tsonga translation (Tsonga) — 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 Tsonga.
Tip: read the Tsonga line out loud three times, then cover the Tswana 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 Tswana to Tsonga 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.
Dumela
Xewani
Ke a leboga
Ndza khensa
Dumelang
Xewani xitulu
Dumela mo afternoon
Xewani ntlhanu
Dumela mo evening
Xewani nhloko
Borai
Xewani xihlayo
Tsamaya sentle
Tshamisa
Tsamaya sentle
Sala kahle
O na le leina mang?
U vitaniwani?
Leina la me ke John
Ndzina i John
O kae?
U njhani?
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
A o bua Seisemane?
U vulavula Xitsonga?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
A ndzi twisisi.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?
Borai bo kae?
Xikombiso xihi?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Khandziya ekhaya.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Khandziya ekunene.
Tswelela ka fao
Famba u ya emahlweni.
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Mafambiselo ma yini?
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
I yini ku tlula kona?
Ke a latlhela
Ndzi khomiwe.
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Inhlawulo
Nnyaa
A hi kona
Mafoko
Swi nga va tano
Ke a dumela
Ndzi amukela
Ke sitwa go dumela
Ndzi nga amukeli
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Iku na switlhavelo
O akanya eng?
U ehleketa yini?
O ka nthusa?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
Ke tlhoka thuso
Ndzi lava mpfuno
Emisa motsotso
Hlayisa nkarhi
Ke maswabi
Ndzi tsundzuka
Ga go na bothata
A hi na xiphiqo
A re amogele
Ndzakuva
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Mavongele yo tsakela
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
U va na ndlela yo olova
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae borai jwa terene?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ke phetogo efe?
I platform yihi?(ke phetogo efe)
Nako efe e tlogang?
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?(nako efe e tlogang)
A ke tsela e e siameng?
I ndlela leyi nga right?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
E kgaogang fa
I kona edzongeni.(e kgaogang fa)
E le kgakala le fa
I le n'hweti.(e le kgakala le fa)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E tsaya nako e kae?
I nkarhi muni ku taka?(e tsaya nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
I ku humelela njhani?(i ku humelela njhani?)
Seo ke se expensive
I kona ku phindzelela.(se ke se expensive)
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Na nka lefa ka khadi?
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Bille, tsweetswee
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.(bille, tsweetswee)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ke movegetarian
Ndza va vegetarian.(ke mo vegetarian)
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Se ke se monate
Leswi i switlhavi.(se ke se monate)
Na nka nna le menu?
Ndzaku na menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bua le mapolesa
Tivisa mapolisa
Bua le ambulance
Tivisa ambalansi
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Ndzi lava dokotela
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ndzi khoma ku vava
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
Go botlhoko fa
Ku vava laha
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
Thusa!
Shelp!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
A hi endla xihlanganiso
Nako efe e go thusang?
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha
A re ka bua ka borai?
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?
A ke boele go wena
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Nkarhi wo heta i Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.