Looking for practical Tumbuka to Romani phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tumbuka phrase first, then the Romani translation (Romani) — 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 Romani.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Romani-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tumbuka to Romani 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
Sastimos
Zikomo
Dikhes
Muli bwanji
Sar san o drom
Muli bwanji
Sar san o drom
Muli bwanji
Sar san o večer
Usiku wabwino
Sar san o noć
Tiwonana
Sikav tuke na jekh
Tsalani bwino
Sastipen
Dzina lanu ndi ndani?
So t'avel tiri navn?
Dzina langa ndi John
Mande t'avel John
Muli bwanji?
Soske tuke?
Ndine wokondwa kukumana nanu
Rromale tuke
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Muli ndi Chingerezi?
Aš tuke anglis thaj?(ash tooke anglis thaj)
Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino
Na thajav Hindi sar o baro(na thajav Hindi sar o baro)
Sindikumva
Na sam tuke(na sam tooke)
Chonde yankhulani pang'ono
Sikav tuke buti(sikav tooke buti)
Mungandiyankhulepo?
Suk tuke so khanav avri?(suk tooke so khanav avri)
Kuti ndi kuti?
Kade si o toalet?(kade si o toalet)
Ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu?
Sako me džanav katar o centar?(sako me jhanav katar o centar)
Pita kumanzere
Džanav levo(jhanav levo)
Pita kumanja
Džanav pravo(jhanav pravo)
Pita mwendo
Džanav buti(jhanav buti)
Ndi ndalama zingati?
Sako si o tarifo?(sako si o tarifo)
Tiketi imodzi, chonde
Eka tiketa, please(eka tiketa, please)
Ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano?
Si o baro katar here?(si o baro katar here)
Ndakhalapo
Me si na džanav(me si na jhanav)
Ndingatengere kuti kuti SIM card?
Kade me džanav kupi o SIM kardo?(kade me jhanav kupi o SIM kardo)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Iye
Ja
Ayi
Na
Pang'ono
Možda
Ndikugwirizana
Sukalav
Sindikugwirizana
Nesukalav
Ichi chimaoneka bwino
To so boro
Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize?
So te phendav?
Mungandithandize?
Sako te mikerav?
Ndikufuna thandizo
Me mangav miker
Dikirani pang’ono
Phirav kher
Ndikupemphera
Me som te bachtal
Palibe vutoli
Na problem
Zikomo
Sukalav tuke
Tsiku lobadwa labwino
Sukal tuke kher
Pita bwino pa ulendo
Sakona safar kher
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga?
Kasa jekh train station?
Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi?
Kasa jekh bus stop?
Ndi chigawo chiti?
Kasa platform?
Nanga nthawi itangopita?
So kalo khera?
Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?
So si jekh pravas?
Iyi ndi pafupi apa
So si buchi tu?
Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa
So si dikh le tu?
Mungandionetse pa chithunzi?
Tu kheres me le mapa?
Chimitsa apa, chonde
Sti le tu, please.
Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?
Kado kheras?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe?
Sako kheres thaj?(sako kheres thaj)
Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa
Taj e bori drago(taj e bori drago)
Muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo?
Aso tuke katar chede?(aso tuke katar chede)
Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi?
Sakava kade kerdan?(sakava kade kerdan)
Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri
Mande sar o buchi for duj(mande sar o buchi for duj)
Chikalata, chonde
O bil, please(o bil, please)
Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa?
Sar o servis included?(sar o servis included)
Ndine wopanda nyama
Mande so vegetarian(mande so vegetarian)
Chonde, osati chakudya chothira
Na spicy khana, please(na spicy khana, please)
Iyi ndi yokoma
Taj e delikates(taj e delikates)
Ningathe kupeza menyu?
Sakava kade o menu?(sakava kade o menu)
Galasi ya madzi, chonde
O buchi thaj, please(o buchi thaj, please)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fufuzani polisi
Zhanav te policija
Fufuzani ambulansi
Zhanav te ambulanca
Ndikufuna dokotala
Mane kaj doctoro
Ndikuwona bwino
Mane si mala
Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts
Mane si alergik te kikiriki
Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?
Kade si najbliža bolnica?
Kuli kuuma apa
Sikav tut here
Ndasowa pasipoti yangu
Mane si zhalav my passport
Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?
Sukare te zhanav my hotel?
Thandizani!
Pomoć!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndalumba kukumana nanu
Sastipen te kerel tuke
Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi
Aven te kerdan o kher
Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito?
So kher o vremi te tuke?
Ndidzatumiza lipoti lero
Me phenen o raport thaj dikh
Tingathe kulankhula mawa?
Kade te gindim sar o dikhes?
Chonde onani fayilo yolembedwa
Phral te jekh file kerdik
Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu
Sastim te for o vremi tuke
Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu
Me dikhav te kerel thaj tuke
Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyi?
Kade te jekh kher o pun?
Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni
Aven me kerdan nazar tuke
Nthawi yomaliza ndi Lachisanu
O deadline si o Vrihda
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.