Looking for practical Tumbuka to Sepedi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tumbuka phrase first, then the Sepedi translation (Sepedi) — 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 Sepedi.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Sepedi-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tumbuka to Sepedi 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
Dumela
Zikomo
Ke a leboga
Muli bwanji
Dumelang
Muli bwanji
Mokhutsong o motle
Muli bwanji
Mokhutsong o motle
Usiku wabwino
Borai bo botle
Tiwonana
Tsamaya sentle
Tsalani bwino
Siyabonga
Dzina lanu ndi ndani?
O na le leina lefe?
Dzina langa ndi John
Leina la ka ke John
Muli bwanji?
O kae?
Ndine wokondwa kukumana nanu
Ke thabela go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Muli ndi Chingerezi?
Na o bua Seisemane?(muli ndi chingerezi)
Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(sikuyankhula hindi bwino)
Sindikumva
Ke sitwa go kwele(sindikumva)
Chonde yankhulani pang'ono
Tsweetswee bua ka borai(chonde yankhulani pang'ono)
Mungandiyankhulepo?
Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?(mungandiyankhulepo)
Kuti ndi kuti?
Borai bo kae?(kuti ndi kuti)
Ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu?
Ke etse eng go ya borai?(ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu)
Pita kumanzere
Fetola go le letšatši(pita kumanzere)
Pita kumanja
Fetola go le letona(pita kumanja)
Pita mwendo
Ya ka pela(pita mwendo)
Ndi ndalama zingati?
Phetho ke bokae?(ndi ndalama zingati)
Tiketi imodzi, chonde
Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee(tiketi imodzi, chonde)
Ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano?
Na ke kgole go tswa fano?(ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano)
Ndakhalapo
Ke sitwa go etse(ndakhalapo)
Ndingatengere kuti kuti SIM card?
Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?(ndingatengere kuti kuti sim card)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Iye
Ee
Ayi
Aowa
Pang'ono
Mohlomong
Ndikugwirizana
Ke a dumela
Sindikugwirizana
Ke sitwa go dumela
Ichi chimaoneka bwino
Seo se utlwa sentle
Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize?
O nagana eng?
Mungandithandize?
O ka nthusa?
Ndikufuna thandizo
Ke hloka thuso
Dikirani pang’ono
Emela nako
Ndikupemphera
Ke maswabi
Palibe vutoli
Ga go na bothata
Zikomo
Dumelang
Tsiku lobadwa labwino
Tlhogong e monate
Pita bwino pa ulendo
Dira leeto le le bolokehileng
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga?
Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?(Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?)
Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi?
Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?(Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?)
Ndi chigawo chiti?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(Ke sehlopha sefe?)
Nanga nthawi itangopita?
Nako efe e tlo fofa?(Nako efe e tlo fofa?)
Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?
A ke tsela e nepahetseng?(A ke tsela e nepahetseng?)
Iyi ndi pafupi apa
E haufi le fa(E haufi le fa)
Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa
E hole le fa(E hole le fa)
Mungandionetse pa chithunzi?
O ka mpontsha ka mape?(O ka mpontsha ka mape?)
Chimitsa apa, chonde
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(Emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?
E nka nako e kae?(E nka nako e kae?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe?
Ke bokae?(ke bo-ka-e)
Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa
Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi(seo ke se-bo-pe-go se se ko-tsi)
Muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo?
O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?(o na le se-ngwe se se the-ko e tla-se)
Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi?
Nka lefa ka khadi?(nka le-fa ka kha-di)
Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri
Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi(ke ra-ta ta-fo-le ya ba-tho ba ba-be-di)
Chikalata, chonde
Bille, tswarela(bil-le tswa-re-la)
Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tse-be-let-so e a-ka-re-tswe)
Ndine wopanda nyama
Ke movegetarian(ke mo-ve-ge-ta-ri-an)
Chonde, osati chakudya chothira
Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela(a-o-wa di-jo tse di pha-di-leng tswa-re-la)
Iyi ndi yokoma
Se ke se monate(se ke se mo-na-te)
Ningathe kupeza menyu?
Nka fumana lenaneo?(nka fu-ma-na le-na-e-no)
Galasi ya madzi, chonde
Khalase ya metsi, tswarela(kha-la-se ya me-tsi tswa-re-la)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fufuzani polisi
B calla mapolesa
Fufuzani ambulansi
B calla ambulance
Ndikufuna dokotala
Ke hloka ngaka
Ndikuwona bwino
Ke ikutlwa ke bolaya
Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?
Hospital e hwetšwa kae?
Kuli kuuma apa
Go a bohloko fa
Ndasowa pasipoti yangu
Ke lahlehetšwe ke passport ya ka
Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?
O ka bitsa hotel ya ka?
Thandizani!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndalumba kukumana nanu
Ke thabile go kopana le wena
Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito?
Nako efe e go kgonang?
Ndidzatumiza lipoti lero
Ke tla romela reportone gompieno
Tingathe kulankhula mawa?
A re ka bua ka moso?
Chonde onani fayilo yolembedwa
Tsweetswee bona faele e amanang
Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu
Ke lebeletse go dira le wena
Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyi?
A o ka hlalosa ntlha eo?
Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni
A ke tle ke boe go wena
Nthawi yomaliza ndi Lachisanu
Nako ya borai ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.