Looking for practical Tumbuka to Tongan phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tumbuka phrase first, then the Tongan translation (Tongan) — 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 Tongan.
Tip: when a Tongan phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Tumbuka wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tumbuka to Tongan 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
Mālō
Zikomo
Mālō
Muli bwanji
Mālō e lelei
Muli bwanji
Mālō e lelei
Muli bwanji
Mālō e lelei
Usiku wabwino
Nofo ā
Tiwonana
Tōfā
Tsalani bwino
Tōfā
Dzina lanu ndi ndani?
Ko e hā ho hingoa?
Dzina langa ndi John
Ko hoku hingoa ko John
Muli bwanji?
Ofa atu?
Ndine wokondwa kukumana nanu
Faka'apa'apa kiate koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Muli ndi Chingerezi?
Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?(Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?)
Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino
Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi(Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi)
Sindikumva
Oe te u 'ikai ma'u(Oe te u 'ikai ma'u)
Chonde yankhulani pang'ono
Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u(Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u)
Mungandiyankhulepo?
Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?(Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?)
Kuti ndi kuti?
Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?(Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?)
Ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu?
E fa'ahinga e u 'alu ki he tu'a o e kolo?(E fa'ahinga e u 'alu ki he tu'a o e kolo?)
Pita kumanzere
Fakafoki ki he kolo(Fakafoki ki he kolo)
Pita kumanja
Fakafoki ki he 'akau(Fakafoki ki he 'akau)
Pita mwendo
Alu 'o e 'alu(Alu 'o e 'alu)
Ndi ndalama zingati?
E hā e totongi?(E hā e totongi?)
Tiketi imodzi, chonde
Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole(Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole)
Ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano?
Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?(Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?)
Ndakhalapo
Oku ou 'i ma'u(Oku ou 'i ma'u)
Ndingatengere kuti kuti SIM card?
Ko e fea 'oku ou ma'u e SIM card?(Ko e fea 'oku ou ma'u e SIM card?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Iye
Āe
Ayi
Ikai
Pang'ono
Māfai
Ndikugwirizana
Oku ou ʻilo
Sindikugwirizana
Oku ou ʻikai ʻilo
Ichi chimaoneka bwino
Oku lelei ia
Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize?
Ko e hā hoʻu manatu?
Mungandithandize?
Te u ʻofa mai?
Ndikufuna thandizo
Oku ou fiemaʻu ʻofa
Dikirani pang’ono
Fakamolemole
Ndikupemphera
Oku ou fakamolemole
Palibe vutoli
Ikai ha palopalema
Zikomo
Fakaʻapaʻapa
Tsiku lobadwa labwino
Mālō e lelei ki he ʻaho mate
Pita bwino pa ulendo
Fakaʻaongaʻi lelei
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga?
Ko fea e falemai?(ko fea e fale mai)
Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi?
Ko fea e nofoa bus?(ko fea e nofoa bus)
Ndi chigawo chiti?
Ko e feheia e pātala?(ko e feheia e patala)
Nanga nthawi itangopita?
He taimi fē e 'alu ai?(he taimi fe e alu ai)
Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?
Ko e ala lelei 'eni?(ko e ala lelei eni)
Iyi ndi pafupi apa
Ko ia 'i he vaha'a ni(ko ia i he vahaa ni)
Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa
Ko ia 'i he tu'a(ko ia i he tua)
Mungandionetse pa chithunzi?
Oka e faka'ali'ali mai kiate au 'i he mapa?(oka e fakaali ali mai kiate au i he mapa)
Chimitsa apa, chonde
Tū 'i he 'aiga, kataki(tu i he aiga kataki)
Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?
E taha e taimi?(e taha e taimi)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe?
Ehia te fua o kēia?(ehia te fua o kehā)
Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa
Ko ia, e lahi loā(ko ia e lahi loa)
Muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo?
Ofa mai ha meʻakai e ngāue?(ofa mai ha meakai e ngau)
Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi?
E mafai au ke totongi e pātu?(e mafai au ke totongi e patu)
Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri
Ofa atu au ke he meʻakai e tolu(ofa atu au ke he meakai e tolu)
Chikalata, chonde
Te fua, kataki(te fua kataki)
Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa?
E aofia ai te ngāue?(e aofia ai te ngau)
Ndine wopanda nyama
O au ko e meʻakai(o au ko e meakai)
Chonde, osati chakudya chothira
Kātoa ʻa e meʻakai ʻālohi, kataki(katoa a e meakai alohi kataki)
Iyi ndi yokoma
Ko ʻeni, e lelei(ko eni e lelei)
Ningathe kupeza menyu?
E mafai au ke maʻu e meʻakai?(e mafai au ke mau e meakai)
Galasi ya madzi, chonde
Ha ipu vai, kataki(ha ipu vai kataki)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fufuzani polisi
Tū mai e polisi
Fufuzani ambulansi
Tū mai e ambulance
Ndikufuna dokotala
Ofa mai e fomaʻi
Ndikuwona bwino
Oku ou fehi
Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts
Oku ou maʻu e fakamātoato ki e pīnati
Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?
Ko e fea e hōspitali lahi?
Kuli kuuma apa
Oku ʻi ai e ʻā
Ndasowa pasipoti yangu
Naʻe ou fā e pāsipoti
Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?
Te ke tū mai e hoteli ko hoku?
Thandizani!
Fakamolemole!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndalumba kukumana nanu
Mālō e lelei
Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi
Tōmua ta seti ha fakataha
Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito?
Ko e hā e taimi e lelei kiate koe?
Ndidzatumiza lipoti lero
Te u fa'ahinga e lipooti 'i he 'aho ni
Tingathe kulankhula mawa?
Tēnā mafai ta talanoa 'i he 'aho 'apongipongi?
Chonde onani fayilo yolembedwa
Kātoa e faile 'oku fakafā
Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu
Mālō 'aupito kiate koe
Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu
Te u fie ma'u ke ngāue mo koe
Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyi?
Kātoa e mafai ke ke fakakaukau 'a e konga 'o ia?
Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni
Tēnā e 'alu au kiate koe
Nthawi yomaliza ndi Lachisanu
Ko e ta'u 'o e ngāue ko e Falaite
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.