Looking for practical Xhosa to Tongan phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Xhosa 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Tongan-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Xhosa 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.
Molo
Mālō
Enkosi
Mālō
Ubusuku obuhle
Mālō e lelei
Ubusuku obuhle
Mālō e lelei
Ubusuku obuhle
Mālō e lelei
Lala ngoxolo
Nofo ā
Ndiza kubonana kamva
Tōfā
Hamba kakuhle
Tōfā
Ngubani igama lakho?
Ko e hā ho hingoa?
Igama lam nguJohn
Ko hoku hingoa ko John
Unjani?
Ofa atu?
Kuhle ukukwazi
Faka'apa'apa kiate koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Uthetha isiNgesi?
Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?(Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?)
Andithethi isiHindi kakuhle
Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi(Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi)
Andiqondi
Oe te u 'ikai ma'u(Oe te u 'ikai ma'u)
Nceda thethe kancinci
Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u(Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u)
Ungakuphinda lokho?
Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?(Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?)
Iphi ibhafu?
Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?(Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?)
Ndingafika njani kwi mveliso ye dolophu?
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?)
Jolisa kwesokunxele
Fakafoki ki he kolo(Fakafoki ki he kolo)
Jolisa kwesokudla
Fakafoki ki he 'akau(Fakafoki ki he 'akau)
Hamba ngqo
Alu 'o e 'alu(Alu 'o e 'alu)
Iholo ingakanani?
E hā e totongi?(E hā e totongi?)
Ithikithi elinye, nceda
Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole(Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole)
Ingakanani ukusuka apha?
Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?(Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?)
Ndilahlekile
Oku ou 'i ma'u(Oku ou 'i ma'u)
Nphi endinokuthenga khona iSIM 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.
Ewe
Āe
Hayi
Ikai
Mhlawumbi
Māfai
Ndiyavuma
Oku ou ʻilo
Andivumi
Oku ou ʻikai ʻilo
Okuhle
Oku lelei ia
Ucinga ntoni?
Ko e hā hoʻu manatu?
Ungandinceda?
Te u ʻofa mai?
Ndidinga uncedo
Oku ou fiemaʻu ʻofa
Linda umzuzu
Fakamolemole
Ndicela uxolo
Oku ou fakamolemole
Akukho ngxaki
Ikai ha palopalema
Wamkelekile
Fakaʻapaʻapa
Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa
Mālō e lelei ki he ʻaho mate
Uhambo olukhuselekileyo
Fakaʻaongaʻi lelei
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uphi umphakathi wemithwalo?
Ko fea e falemai?(ko fea e fale mai)
Uphi umphakathi weebhasi?
Ko fea e nofoa bus?(ko fea e nofoa bus)
Yeyiphi iphondo?
Ko e feheia e pātala?(ko e feheia e patala)
Ihamba ngexesha elingakanani?
He taimi fē e 'alu ai?(he taimi fe e alu ai)
Ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo?
Ko e ala lelei 'eni?(ko e ala lelei eni)
Ikho kufutshane apha
Ko ia 'i he vaha'a ni(ko ia i he vahaa ni)
Ikude apha
Ko ia 'i he tu'a(ko ia i he tua)
Ungandibonisa kwiimeko?
Oka e faka'ali'ali mai kiate au 'i he mapa?(oka e fakaali ali mai kiate au i he mapa)
Misa apha, nceda
Tū 'i he 'aiga, kataki(tu i he aiga kataki)
Ithatha ixesha elingakanani?
E taha e taimi?(e taha e taimi)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ithini le mali?
Ehia te fua o kēia?(ehia te fua o kehā)
Le mali ibiza kakhulu.
Ko ia, e lahi loā(ko ia e lahi loa)
Unayo into engabizi?
Ofa mai ha meʻakai e ngāue?(ofa mai ha meakai e ngau)
Ndingakhokha ngekhadi?
E mafai au ke totongi e pātu?(e mafai au ke totongi e patu)
Ndicela itafula lempahla ezimbini.
Ofa atu au ke he meʻakai e tolu(ofa atu au ke he meakai e tolu)
Ibhili, nceda.
Te fua, kataki(te fua kataki)
Ingaba inkonzo ibandakanyekile?
E aofia ai te ngāue?(e aofia ai te ngau)
Ndiyavegetarian.
O au ko e meʻakai(o au ko e meakai)
Akukho ukutya okunobhotolo, nceda.
Kātoa ʻa e meʻakai ʻālohi, kataki(katoa a e meakai alohi kataki)
Oku kumnandi.
Ko ʻeni, e lelei(ko eni e lelei)
Ndingafumana imenyu?
E mafai au ke maʻu e meʻakai?(e mafai au ke mau e meakai)
Ingxube ye water, nceda.
Ha ipu vai, kataki(ha ipu vai kataki)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Biza uphondo
Tū mai e polisi
Biza i-ambulensi
Tū mai e ambulance
Ndifuna ugqirha
Ofa mai e fomaʻi
Ndiziva ndingalunganga
Oku ou fehi
Ndine-allergy kwi-peanuts
Oku ou maʻu e fakamātoato ki e pīnati
Uphi umphakathi oseduze?
Ko e fea e hōspitali lahi?
Kubuhlungu apha
Oku ʻi ai e ʻā
Ndilahlekelwe yi passport yam
Naʻe ou fā e pāsipoti
Ungabiza ihotele yam?
Te ke tū mai e hoteli ko hoku?
Uncedo!
Fakamolemole!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Kuhle ukukwazi
Mālō e lelei
Masihlele umhlangano
Tōmua ta seti ha fakataha
Yiphi ixesha elikufaneleyo?
Ko e hā e taimi e lelei kiate koe?
Ndiza kuthumela ingxelo namhlanje
Te u fa'ahinga e lipooti 'i he 'aho ni
Singathetha ngomso?
Tēnā mafai ta talanoa 'i he 'aho 'apongipongi?
Nceda ufumane ifayile ehlanganisiweyo
Kātoa e faile 'oku fakafā
Enkosi ngexesha lakho
Mālō 'aupito kiate koe
Ndijonge phambili ekusebenzeni nawe
Te u fie ma'u ke ngāue mo koe
Ungacacisa le ndawo?
Kātoa e mafai ke ke fakakaukau 'a e konga 'o ia?
Mna ndiza kubuyela kuwe
Tēnā e 'alu au kiate koe
Umhla wokugqibela nguLwesihlanu
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.