A collection of useful phrases in Tumbuka, a Bantu language spoken in parts of Malawi and Zambia.
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: >m = said to men, >f = said to women, >eld = said to old people, >pl = said to more than one person
If you can help fill in the gaps on this page, please contact me.
| English | chiTumbuka (Tumbuka) |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Tempokani |
| Hello (General greeting) | Monile Monire a mama (>f) Monire a dada (>m) Monire a gogo (>eld) Monire mose (>pl) |
| How are you? | Muli uli? |
| Reply to 'How are you?' | Nili makola, kwali imwe? |
| Long time no see | |
| What's your name? | Zina linu ndimwe njani? |
| My name is ... | Zina lane ndine ... |
| Where are you from? | |
| I'm from ... | |
| Pleased to meet you | Chatowa kuwonana namwe |
| Good morning (Morning greeting) |
Mwagona uli? (How did you sleep?) Nauka makola, kwali imwe? (Fine, and you?) - reply |
| Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting) |
Mwatandala uli? (How has your day been?) Natandara makola, kwali imwe? (I had a fine day, how about you?) - reply |
| Good evening (Evening greeting) |
|
| Good night | Usiku uwemi (good night) Mugone makola (sleep well) |
| Goodbye (Parting phrases) |
Paweme Mwende makola (travel well) |
| Good luck! | Viwemi vyose |
| Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking) |
|
| Have a nice day | |
| Bon appetit / Have a nice meal |
|
| Bon voyage / Have a good journey |
|
| I don't understand | Nkhupulika yayi |
| Please speak more slowly | |
| Please say that again | |
| Please write it down | |
| Do you speak Tumbuka? | Kasi mukhuyowoya ChiTumbuka? |
| Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?') |
Nkhuyowoya ChiTumbuka pachoko |
| I don't speak Tumbuka | Ine nkhuyowoya chiTumbuka yayi |
| How do you say ... in? | Mukuti uli ...? |
| Excuse me | Phepani |
| How much is this? | Nizilinga ichi? |
| Sorry | Phepani Phepani chomene (very sorry) |
| Please | Chonde Nabeya |
| Thank you | Nawonga chomene (I thank you) Tawonga chomene (We thank you) Yewo chomene (Thank you very much) Yewo |
| Reply to thank you | Ndimwe wakupokeleka Palije suzgo |
| Where's the toilet / bathroom? | Chimbuzi chili nkhuni? |
| This gentleman will pay for everything | |
| This lady will pay for everything | |
| Would you like to dance with me? | |
| I love you | Nkhukutemwa |
| Get well soon | |
| Leave me alone! | Ni lekani! |
| Help! | Novwire! |
| Fire! | Leka! |
| Stop! | |
| Call the police! | |
| Christmas greetings | |
| Easter greetings | |
| Birthday greetings |
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Information about Tumbuka | Phrases | Numbers | Tower of Babel
Other collections of Tumbuka phrases
http://wikitravel.org/en/Tumbuka_phrasebook
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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