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Common Xhosa to Kikongo phrases

100 practical Xhosa to Kikongo phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Xhosa to Kikongo phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Xhosa phrase first, then the Kikongo translation (Kikongo) — 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 Kikongo.

Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Kikongo-speaking trip in a few weeks.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Xhosa to Kikongo 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. Molo

    Mbote

  2. Enkosi

    Mele

  3. Ubusuku obuhle

    Mokolo mayele

  4. Ubusuku obuhle

    Mokolo ya ntango

  5. Ubusuku obuhle

    Mokolo ya mambu

  6. Lala ngoxolo

    Mokolo ya mpembe

  7. Ndiza kubonana kamva

    Tala mosi

  8. Hamba kakuhle

    Tata

  9. Ngubani igama lakho?

    Nki yina nzo?

  10. Igama lam nguJohn

    Nzo yami ke John

  11. Unjani?

    Oko wanga?

  12. Kuhle ukukwazi

    Nki ya mosi na yo

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Uthetha isiNgesi?

    Oyo o zola kutu English?

  2. Andithethi isiHindi kakuhle

    Nkeni kutu Hindi na mosi.

  3. Andiqondi

    Nkeni kanga.

  4. Nceda thethe kancinci

    Mokolo, zola kutu na mosi.

  5. Ungakuphinda lokho?

    Oyo o zola kutu na mosi?

  6. Iphi ibhafu?

    Kutu wapi banzela?

  7. Ndingafika njani kwi mveliso ye dolophu?

    Nki zola kuenda na kati ya mbanza?

  8. Jolisa kwesokunxele

    Tanda na luma.

  9. Jolisa kwesokudla

    Tanda na mambu.

  10. Hamba ngqo

    Enda na mosi.

  11. Iholo ingakanani?

    Nki mbongo ya ndako?

  12. Ithikithi elinye, nceda

    Ticket mosi, mokolo.

  13. Ingakanani ukusuka apha?

    Nki feti na wapi?

  14. Ndilahlekile

    Nkeni zola.

  15. Nphi endinokuthenga khona iSIM card?

    Kutu wapi nki zola ku tanga SIM?

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Ewe

    Ewe

  2. Hayi

    Te

  3. Mhlawumbi

    Kasi

  4. Ndiyavuma

    Nkiadi

  5. Andivumi

    Nkiadi te

  6. Okuhle

    Oyo ke nkiadi malamu

  7. Ucinga ntoni?

    Nkiadi nini?

  8. Ungandinceda?

    Okanza kudi nki?

  9. Ndidinga uncedo

    Nkiadi kudi nki

  10. Linda umzuzu

    Lela na nki

  11. Ndicela uxolo

    Nkiadi na nki

  12. Akukho ngxaki

    Te na nki

  13. Wamkelekile

    Tata na nki

  14. Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

    Mokolo ya mbote

  15. Uhambo olukhuselekileyo

    Tala na nzala ya malamu

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Uphi umphakathi wemithwalo?

    Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo? (Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo?)

  2. Uphi umphakathi weebhasi?

    Wana wanga na bus? (Wana wanga na bus?)

  3. Yeyiphi iphondo?

    Nki platform yai? (Nki platform yai?)

  4. Ihamba ngexesha elingakanani?

    Soki nki ntangu yina yenda? (Soki nki ntangu yina yenda?)

  5. Ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo?

    Yai ke nzila ya nki? (Yai ke nzila ya nki?)

  6. Ikho kufutshane apha

    Eza na nsi ya nzo (Eza na nsi ya nzo)

  7. Ikude apha

    Eza na mosi ya nzo (Eza na mosi ya nzo)

  8. Ungandibonisa kwiimeko?

    Okanisa ngai na mape? (Okanisa ngai na mape?)

  9. Misa apha, nceda

    Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît (Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît)

  10. Ithatha ixesha elingakanani?

    Nki ntangu yina yenda? (Nki ntangu yina yenda?)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Ithini le mali?

    Nki yina kudi? (nki yina kudi)

  2. Le mali ibiza kakhulu.

    Yina kele na nsi (yina kele na nsi)

  3. Unayo into engabizi?

    Ona kima ki nsi? (ona kima ki nsi)

  4. Ndingakhokha ngekhadi?

    Ncanza kudi na kadi? (ncanza kudi na kadi)

  5. Ndicela itafula lempahla ezimbini.

    Nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi (nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi)

  6. Ibhili, nceda.

    Kadi, ndakisa (kadi, ndakisa)

  7. Ingaba inkonzo ibandakanyekile?

    Kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na? (kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na)

  8. Ndiyavegetarian.

    Ndi muvegetari (ndi muvegetari)

  9. Akukho ukutya okunobhotolo, nceda.

    Kaka mfu, ndakisa (kaka mfu, ndakisa)

  10. Oku kumnandi.

    Yina kele na nsi (yina kele na nsi)

  11. Ndingafumana imenyu?

    Ncanza na menu? (ncanza na menu)

  12. Ingxube ye water, nceda.

    Ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa (ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Biza uphondo

    Landa boma

  2. Biza i-ambulensi

    Landa ambulance

  3. Ndifuna ugqirha

    Nkeni mosi

  4. Ndiziva ndingalunganga

    Nkeni na mbisi

  5. Ndine-allergy kwi-peanuts

    Nkeni na nsembu ya nsembu

  6. Uphi umphakathi oseduze?

    Wana hospital ya mbote?

  7. Kubuhlungu apha

    Eka na nki

  8. Ndilahlekelwe yi passport yam

    Nkeni tanga pasipoti na ngai

  9. Ungabiza ihotele yam?

    Olanda hotel na ngai?

  10. Uncedo!

    Tala!

Work and business

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

  1. Kuhle ukukwazi

    Nzo ya kima (Nzò ya kima)

  2. Masihlele umhlangano

    Tukala na mbandu (Tukàla na mbàndu)

  3. Yiphi ixesha elikufaneleyo?

    Nki nsi ya ntangu? (Nki nsi ya ntángu?)

  4. Ndiza kuthumela ingxelo namhlanje

    Ndi zola ku sendela nsi ya lufulu (Ndi zòla ku sendèla nsi ya lufùlu)

  5. Singathetha ngomso?

    Tukala na kanda se (Tukàla na kànda sè?)

  6. Nceda ufumane ifayile ehlanganisiweyo

    Tula nsi ya file ya kima (Tùla nsi ya file ya kima)

  7. Enkosi ngexesha lakho

    Mosi na nsi ya ntangu (Mòsi na nsi ya ntángu)

  8. Ndijonge phambili ekusebenzeni nawe

    Ndi zola ku zola na yo (Ndi zòla ku zòla na yò)

  9. Ungacacisa le ndawo?

    Nki o zola ku zola nki? (Nki o zòla ku zòla nki?)

  10. Mna ndiza kubuyela kuwe

    Ndi zola ku yindula na yo (Ndi zòla ku yìndula na yò)

  11. Umhla wokugqibela nguLwesihlanu

    Nsi ya kima yina nsi ya mposo (Nsi ya kima yìna nsi ya mposò)

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Yintoni ixesha?

    Nkiadi ki zole? (Nkiadi ki zole?)

  2. Iiyure ezintathu

    Kikuma kinsatu (Kikuma kinsatu)

  3. Namhlanje

    Lelo (Nam-hlan-je)

  4. Manga

    Kuna (Man-gah)

  5. Izolo

    Kima (Ee-zoh-loh)

  6. Mvulo

    Mokolo wa mbandu (M-vu-lo)

  7. Lwesibini

    Mokolo wa mosi (Lwe-si-bi-nee)

  8. Lwesithathu

    Mokolo wa ntete (Lwe-si-tha-thu)

  9. Ene

    Mosi (Eh-neh)

  10. Mbini

    Mbale (M-bee-nee)

  11. Thathu

    Mitatu (Thah-thu)

  12. Ishumi

    Kumi (Ee-shoo-mee)

  13. Ishumi elinye

    Kimo na nkama (Ee-shoo-mee eh-leen-yeh)

  14. Umgama

    Nseke (Um-gah-mah)

  15. Ngaphezulu

    Nzo (Ngah-peh-zulu)

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