A collection of useful phrases in Tsonga, a Bantu language spoken mainly in South Africa, and also in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Swaziland.
See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.
Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person)
| Phrase | Xitsonga (Tsonga) |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Hami amukela (sg) Ndzaku amukela (pl) |
| Hello (General greeting) | Xewani Avuxeni (sg) Ahee (reply) |
| Hello (on phone) | |
| How are you? | Kunjhani? (sg) Minjhani? (pl/frm) |
| Reply to 'How are you?' | Ni kona Ndzi kona Ndzi kona ndza nkhensa |
| Long time no see | IKhale hinga vonani |
| What's your name? | Hi wena mani vito? Hi wena mani vito ra wena? (frm)) U wa ka mani xivongo? (What is your surname?) |
| My name is ... | Hi mina ... Vito ra mina i... |
| Where are you from? | U huma kwihi? (sg) Mi huma kwihi? (pl) |
| I'm from ... | Ndzi huma e ... |
| Pleased to meet you | Ni tsakele ku ku tiva (sg) Ni tsakele ku mi tiva (pl/frm) |
| Good morning (Morning greeting) |
Avuxeni |
| Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting) |
Inhlikanhi (sg) Indzengha |
| Good evening (Evening greeting) |
Riperile (sg) Imadyambu |
| Good night | U etlela kahle (sg - sleep well) Mi etlela kahle (pl) |
| Goodbye (Parting phrases) |
Sala kahle (sg - to person staying) Salani kahle (pl/frm - to person staying) Famba kahle (sg - to person leaving) Fambani kahle (pl/frm - to person leaving) |
| Good luck! | Ndzi ku navelela mikateko |
| Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking) |
|
| Have a nice day | U va ni siku lerinene (sg) Mi va ni siku lerinene (pl) |
| Bon appetit / Have a nice meal |
|
| Bon voyage / Have a good journey |
Famba hi ku rhula! |
| I understand | Na swi twisisa |
| I don't understand | A ni swi twisisi |
| Yes | Ina |
| No | E-e |
| Maybe | Kumbe xana |
| I don't know | A ndzi tivi |
| Please speak more slowly | Vulavula hi ku nonoka u nga hatlisi |
| Please say that again | Ni kombela u vula sweswo nakambe |
| Please write it down | Swi tsale ehansi |
| Do you speak English? | Xana wa xitiva Xinghezi ke? |
| Do you speak Tsonga? | Xana wa xitiva Xitsonga ke? |
| Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?') |
Ina ndzivulavula switsongo Ina ndzivulavula swintsanana |
| Speak to me in Tsonga | Vulavula na mina Hi Xitsonga |
| How do you say ... in Tsonga? | Hi Xitsonga u ri yini loko u ku ...? |
| Excuse me | Ndzi khomeleni |
| I would like ... | Ndzi kombela ... |
| How much is this? | Xana i malimuni? Xi durha malimuni? |
| Sorry | Ndzi kombela ku khomeriwa |
| Please | Ndza kombela |
| Thank you | Ndza nkhensa Ndzi khense ngopfu Inkomu swinene |
| Reply to thank you | U amukelekile (sg) Mi amukelekile (pl/frm) |
| Where's the toilet / bathroom? | Xana xi kumeka kwihi xihambukelo? |
| This gentleman will pay for everything | Njinga leyi yita hakela hikwaswo |
| This lady will pay for everything | Khomba leyi yita hakela hinkwaswo |
| Would you like to dance with me? | Ungaswitsakela ku cina na mina xana |
| I miss you | Ndzaku Khumbula Ndzaku Tsunduka |
| I love you | Ndza ku rhandza |
| Get well soon | |
| Go away! | |
| Leave me alone! | |
| Help! | Ndzi pfuneni! |
| Fire! | Ndzilo! |
| Stop! | Yima! |
| Call the police! | Vitanani maphorisa! |
| Christmas greetings | Khisimusi lerinene |
| New Year greetings | Lembe Lerintshwa lerinene |
| Easter greetings | Paseka ya kahle swinene |
| Birthday greetings | Ndzi tlangela siku ro velekiwa Siku lerinene ro velekiwa |
| One language is never enough | |
| My hovercraft is full of eels |
Some phrases provided by Vongani Trinity Ngwenya
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Hear some Tsonga phrases:
Information about Tsonga | Phrases | Numbers | Tower of Babel
Other collections of Tsonga phrases
http://www.salanguages.com/xitsonga/words.htm
https://kcmakhubele.wordpress.com/2014/05/06/useful-tsonga-to-english-words-phrases/
http://madyondza.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/tsonga-as-foreign-language-most-common.html
Bemba, Chichewa, Chokwe, Duala, Herero, Ibinda, Kikuyu, Kinyarwanda, Lingala, Lozi, Luganda, Ndebele (Northern - South Africa), Ndebele (Northern - Zimbabwe), Ndebele (Southern) Ngoni, Nkore, Northern Sotho, Oshiwambo, Shona, Southern Sotho (seSotho), Swahili, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Tumbuka, Umbundu, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
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