Looking for practical Tumbuka to Hawaiian phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tumbuka phrase first, then the Hawaiian translation (Hawaiian) — 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 Hawaiian.
Tip: pick five Hawaiian phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tumbuka to Hawaiian 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.
Moni
Aloha
Zikomo
Mahalo
Muli bwanji
Aloha kakahiaka
Muli bwanji
Aloha ʻauinalā
Muli bwanji
Aloha ahiahi
Usiku wabwino
Aloha pō
Tiwonana
A hui hou
Tsalani bwino
Aloha
Dzina lanu ndi ndani?
O wai kou inoa?
Dzina langa ndi John
O koʻu inoa, ʻo John
Muli bwanji?
Pehea ʻoe?
Ndine wokondwa kukumana nanu
Pili ka ʻike ʻana iā ʻoe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Muli ndi Chingerezi?
Kōkua ʻoe i ka ʻōlelo Pelekānia?(ko-ku-a oe ee ka o-le-lo pe-le-ka-nia)
Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino
Aia nō ka ʻōlelo Hindi ʻole au(ai-a no ka o-le-lo hin-di o-le)
Sindikumva
Aʻole au e ʻike(a-o-le au ee ee-ke)
Chonde yankhulani pang'ono
E ʻoluʻolu e ʻōlelo i ka manawa(e o-lu-o-lu e o-le-lo ee ka ma-na-wa)
Mungandiyankhulepo?
E ʻoluʻolu e ʻōlelo hou?(e o-lu-o-lu e o-le-lo how)
Kuti ndi kuti?
O nā wahi e noho ai?(o na wa-hi e no-ho ai)
Ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu?
Pehea e loaʻa ai au i ke kūlana o ke kūlanakauhale?(pe-he-a e lo-a-i ai au ee ke ku-la-na o ke ku-la-na-kau-ha-le)
Pita kumanzere
E huli i ka ʻākau(e hu-li ee ka a-ka-u)
Pita kumanja
E huli i ka hema(e hu-li ee ka he-ma)
Pita mwendo
E hele pololei(e he-le po-lo-lei)
Ndi ndalama zingati?
Ehia ka uku?(e-hi-a ka u-ku)
Tiketi imodzi, chonde
E ʻoluʻolu, hoʻokomo i ka pepa hoʻokipa hoʻokahi(e o-lu-o-lu ho-o-komo ee ka pe-pa ho-o-ki-pa ho-o-ka-hi)
Ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano?
Pāʻoihana kēia mai kēia?(pa-o-i-ha-na ke-ia mai ke-ia)
Ndakhalapo
Ua nalowale au(ua na-lo-wa-le au)
Ndingatengere kuti kuti SIM card?
E nā wahi e loaʻa ai ka kaʻa SIM?(e na wa-hi e lo-a-i ai ka ka-a sim)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Iye
Āe
Ayi
Aʻole
Pang'ono
Pono paha
Ndikugwirizana
Ke ʻae nei au
Sindikugwirizana
Ke nānā ʻole au
Ichi chimaoneka bwino
He mea maikaʻi ia
Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize?
He aha kāu manaʻo?
Mungandithandize?
E kōkua ana ʻoe iaʻu?
Ndikufuna thandizo
Ke pono nei au i ke kōkua
Dikirani pang’ono
E kali i kekahi manawa
Ndikupemphera
E kala mai
Palibe vutoli
Aʻohe pilikia
Zikomo
Aloha wau ia ʻoe
Tsiku lobadwa labwino
Hauʻoli lā hānau
Pita bwino pa ulendo
E mālama i kāu huakaʻi
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga?
Aia i hea ke alanui kaʻa?(Aia i hea ke alanui kaʻa?)
Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi?
Aia i hea ke koho?(Aia i hea ke koho?)
Ndi chigawo chiti?
O wai ke alanui?(O wai ke alanui?)
Nanga nthawi itangopita?
He aha ka manawa e haʻalele ai?(He aha ka manawa e haʻalele ai?)
Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?
He ala kūpono kēia?(He ala kūpono kēia?)
Iyi ndi pafupi apa
Aia i loko o kēia wahi(Aia i loko o kēia wahi)
Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa
Lōʻihi mai kēia wahi(Lōʻihi mai kēia wahi)
Mungandionetse pa chithunzi?
E hiki anei iā ʻoe ke hōʻike mai i ka ʻāina?(E hiki anei iā ʻoe ke hōʻike mai i ka ʻāina?)
Chimitsa apa, chonde
E kū i kēia wahi, e ʻoluʻolu(E kū i kēia wahi, e ʻoluʻolu)
Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?
Ehia ka manawa e lawe ai?(Ehia ka manawa e lawe ai?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe?
Ehia ka mea e loaʻa ai?(ehia ka mea e loaʻa ai)
Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa
O ia hoʻi, he mau kālā ko ia(o ia hoʻi, he mau kālā ko ia)
Muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo?
He mea cheaper anei kāu?(he mea cheaper anei kāu)
Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi?
E hiki iaʻu ke uku ma ke kāleka?(e hiki iaʻu ke uku ma ke kāleka)
Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri
Makemake au i ke pākīpika no nā mea ʻelua(makemake au i ke pākīpika no nā mea ʻelua)
Chikalata, chonde
Ke kuleana, e ʻoluʻolu(ke kuleana, e ʻoluʻolu)
Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa?
E komo pū ana ka lawelawe?(e komo pū ana ka lawelawe)
Ndine wopanda nyama
He meaʻai ʻai au(he meaʻai ʻai au)
Chonde, osati chakudya chothira
E ʻoluʻolu, ʻaʻole i ka mea ʻai ʻono(e ʻoluʻolu, ʻaʻole i ka mea ʻai ʻono)
Iyi ndi yokoma
He mea ʻono kēia(he mea ʻono kēia)
Ningathe kupeza menyu?
E hiki iaʻu ke loaʻa i ka menu?(e hiki iaʻu ke loaʻa i ka menu)
Galasi ya madzi, chonde
He ipu wai, e ʻoluʻolu(he ipu wai, e ʻoluʻolu)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fufuzani polisi
E kāhea i ke aupuni
Fufuzani ambulansi
E kāhea i ka ʻauʻau
Ndikufuna dokotala
Pili au i ke kanaka mālama
Ndikuwona bwino
E ʻike au i ka maʻi
Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts
He ʻeha koʻu i nā pāpaʻi
Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?
Aia i hea ka lāʻau mālama kokua?
Kuli kuuma apa
E ʻeha ana i kēia wahi
Ndasowa pasipoti yangu
Ua nalowale koʻu pepa hoʻokipa
Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?
E kāhea anei ʻoe i koʻu wahi noho?
Thandizani!
Kōkua!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndalumba kukumana nanu
He mea maikaʻi ke ʻike iā ʻoe(Heh meh-ah mai-kee kay ee-keh ee-ah oh-eh)
Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi
E hoʻomaikaʻi kā mākou hui(Eh hoh-mah-kai kah mah-kou hoo-ee)
Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito?
Aia i ka hora kūpono no ʻoe?(Ih ah-ee ee kah hoh-rah koo-pu-no no oh-eh)
Ndidzatumiza lipoti lero
E hoʻouna ana au i ka report i kēia lā(Eh hoh-oo-nah ah-nah ow ee kah reh-port ee kay-ah lah)
Tingathe kulankhula mawa?
E hiki anei ke kamaʻilio i ke aupuni?(Eh hee-kee ah-nay keh kah-mah-ee-lee-oh ee keh ow-poo-nee)
Chonde onani fayilo yolembedwa
E ʻoluʻolu e ʻike i ka faila i hoʻopili ʻia(Eh oh-loo-oh-loo eh ee-keh ee kah fie-lah ee ho-oh-pee-lee ee-ah)
Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu
Mahalo no kāu manawa(Mah-hah-loh no kah-oo mah-nah-vah)
Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu
Ke nānā aku nei au e hana pū me ʻoe(Kay nah-nah ah-koo nay ow eh hah-nah poo meh oh-eh)
Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyi?
E hiki anei iā ʻoe ke hoʻomaikaʻi i kēlā kiko?(Eh hee-kee ah-nay ee-ah oh-eh keh hoh-mah-kai ee kay-lah kee-koh)
Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni
E ʻoluʻolu e hoʻi mai au(Eh oh-loo-oh-loo eh ho-ee my ow)
Nthawi yomaliza ndi Lachisanu
O nā lā pau o ka Pōʻalima(Oh nah lah pow oo kah poh-ah-lee-ma)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.