Translate now

Common Tswana to Tumbuka phrases

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

← Back to Tswana to Tumbuka Translator

Looking for practical Tswana to Tumbuka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana 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: read the Tumbuka 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 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. Dumela

    Moni

  2. Ke a leboga

    Zikomo

  3. Dumelang

    Muli bwanji

  4. Dumela mo afternoon

    Muli bwanji

  5. Dumela mo evening

    Muli bwanji

  6. Borai

    Usiku wabwino

  7. Tsamaya sentle

    Tiwonana

  8. Tsamaya sentle

    Tsalani bwino

  9. O na le leina mang?

    Dzina lanu ndi ndani?

  10. Leina la me ke John

    Dzina langa ndi John

  11. O kae?

    Muli bwanji?

  12. Ke itumetse go kopana le wena

    Ndine wokondwa kukumana nanu

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. A o bua Seisemane?

    Muli ndi Chingerezi? (muli ndi chingerezi)

  2. Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle

    Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino (sikuyankhula hindi bwino)

  3. Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya

    Sindikumva (sindikumva)

  4. Tsweetswee bua ka bonako

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

  5. A o ka bo o bua seo gape?

    Mungandiyankhulepo? (mungandiyankhulepo)

  6. Borai bo kae?

    Kuti ndi kuti? (kuti ndi kuti)

  7. Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?

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

  8. Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona

    Pita kumanzere (pita kumanzere)

  9. Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng

    Pita kumanja (pita kumanja)

  10. Tswelela ka fao

    Pita mwendo (pita mwendo)

  11. Gaeletsi e bokae?

    Ndi ndalama zingati? (ndi ndalama zingati)

  12. Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee

    Tiketi imodzi, chonde (tiketi imodzi, chonde)

  13. A ke kgole go tswa fano?

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

  14. Ke a latlhela

    Ndakhalapo (ndakhalapo)

  15. Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang 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. Ee

    Iye

  2. Nnyaa

    Ayi

  3. Mafoko

    Pang'ono

  4. Ke a dumela

    Ndikugwirizana

  5. Ke sitwa go dumela

    Sindikugwirizana

  6. Seo se utlwisa molemo

    Ichi chimaoneka bwino

  7. O akanya eng?

    Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize?

  8. O ka nthusa?

    Mungandithandize?

  9. Ke tlhoka thuso

    Ndikufuna thandizo

  10. Emisa motsotso

    Dikirani pang’ono

  11. Ke maswabi

    Ndikupemphera

  12. Ga go na bothata

    Palibe vutoli

  13. A re amogele

    Zikomo

  14. Tlhogomelo e e monate

    Tsiku lobadwa labwino

  15. O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong

    Pita bwino pa ulendo

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ke kae borai jwa terene?

    Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga? (ke kae borai jwa terene)

  2. Ke kae borai jwa boso?

    Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi? (ke kae borai jwa boso)

  3. Ke phetogo efe?

    Ndi chigawo chiti? (ke phetogo efe)

  4. Nako efe e tlogang?

    Nanga nthawi itangopita? (nako efe e tlogang)

  5. A ke tsela e e siameng?

    Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera? (a ke tsela e e siameng)

  6. E kgaogang fa

    Iyi ndi pafupi apa (e kgaogang fa)

  7. E le kgakala le fa

    Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa (e le kgakala le fa)

  8. O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?

    Mungandionetse pa chithunzi? (o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)

  9. Emisa fa, tsweetswee

    Chimitsa apa, chonde (emisa fa, tsweetswee)

  10. E tsaya nako e kae?

    Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji? (e tsaya nako e kae)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Ke bokae?

    Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe? (iyi ikuguliradi chingwe)

  2. Seo ke se expensive

    Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa (iyi ndi mtengo wopusa)

  3. A o na le sengwe se se cheap?

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

  4. Na nka lefa ka khadi?

    Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi? (ningathe kulipira ndi khadi)

  5. Ke kopa tafole ya babedi

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

  6. Bille, tsweetswee

    Chikalata, chonde (chikalata, chonde)

  7. Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?

    Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa? (ntchito ikuphatikizidwa)

  8. Ke movegetarian

    Ndine wopanda nyama (ndine wopanda nyama)

  9. A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee

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

  10. Se ke se monate

    Iyi ndi yokoma (iyi ndi yokoma)

  11. Na nka nna le menu?

    Ningathe kupeza menyu? (ningathe kupeza menyu)

  12. Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee

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

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Bua le mapolesa

    Fufuzani polisi

  2. Bua le ambulance

    Fufuzani ambulansi

  3. Ke tlhoka ngaka

    Ndikufuna dokotala

  4. Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa

    Ndikuwona bwino

  5. Ke na le allergy go peanuts

    Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts

  6. Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?

    Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?

  7. Go botlhoko fa

    Kuli kuuma apa

  8. Ke sitwa passport ya me

    Ndasowa pasipoti yangu

  9. O ka bua le hotele ya me?

    Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

  10. Thusa!

    Thandizani!

Work and business

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

  1. Ke itumetse go kopana le wena

    Ndalumba kukumana nanu

  2. A re beye ngwaga ya kopano

    Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi

  3. Nako efe e go thusang?

    Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito?

  4. Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno

    Ndidzatumiza lipoti lero

  5. A re ka bua ka borai?

    Tingathe kulankhula mawa?

  6. Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang

    Chonde onani fayilo yolembedwa

  7. Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago

    Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu

  8. Ke itumelela go dira le wena

    Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu

  9. A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?

    Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyi?

  10. A ke boele go wena

    Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni

  11. Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano

    Nthawi yomaliza ndi Lachisanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ke neng?

    Ndi chiyani nthawi? (Ndi chiyani nthawi?)

  2. Ke borai

    Ndi saa tatu (Ke borai)

  3. Gompieno

    Lero

  4. Borai

    Maŵa

  5. Maabane

    Kale

  6. Mošupologo

    Lolemba

  7. Labobedi

    Lachiwiri

  8. Labone

    Lachitatu

  9. Ngwaga

    Mmodzi

  10. Beke

    Awiri

  11. Borai

    Atatu

  12. Lesome

    Kumi

  13. Bolekane

    Zana

  14. Sephiri

    Pachikhalidwe

  15. Go feta

    Zambiri

Need to translate your own text? Use the free Tswana to Tumbuka translator.

Open translator