Tsonga

20 Tsonga phrases for greetings and everyday courtesy, from Hello (Xewani) to Cheers! (Hambani kahle!).

Hello

Xewani, pronounced she-WA-ni

Good morning

Avuxeni, pronounced a-vu-SHE-ni

Good evening

Xewani, pronounced she-WA-ni

Good night

Lala kahle, pronounced LA-la KAH-le

Goodbye

Sala kahle, pronounced SA-la KAH-le

How are you?

U njhani?, pronounced u NJHA-ni

I'm fine

Ndzi kahle, pronounced ndzi KAH-le

Thank you

Inkomu, pronounced in-KO-mu

Please

Kombela, pronounced kom-BE-la

You're welcome

Ku sva nchumu, pronounced ku sva N-chu-mu

Sorry

Ndzi kolota, pronounced ndzi ko-LO-ta

Excuse me

Ndzi rivalela, pronounced ndzi ri-va-LE-la

Yes

Ina, pronounced I-na

No

Hina, pronounced HI-na

My name is

Vito ra mina i, pronounced VI-to ra MI-na i

Nice to meet you

Ndzi tsakile ku ku hlangana, pronounced ndzi tsa-KI-le ku ku hla-NGA-na

Do you speak English?

U vulavula Xinghezi?, pronounced u vu-la-VU-la shi-N-GHE-zi

I don't understand

A ndzi twisisi, pronounced a ndzi twi-SI-si

Help!

Ndzorora!, pronounced ndzO-ro-ra

Cheers!

Hambani kahle!, pronounced ham-BA-ni KAH-le

20 Tsonga phrases for getting around, from Where is...? (...yi kwihi?) to I'm lost (Ndzi lahlekilwe).

Where is...?

...yi kwihi?, pronounced yi KWI-hi

How much does it cost?

Yi malani?, pronounced yi ma-LA-ni

I need a ticket

Ndzi lava tikiti, pronounced ndzi LA-va ti-KI-ti

Train station

Siteshi ya xikolwana, pronounced si-TE-shi ya shi-kol-WA-na

Airport

Ndzhawu ya ndiza, pronounced N-DZHA-wu ya N-DI-za

Hotel

Hotele, pronounced ho-TE-le

Hospital

Hospitala, pronounced hos-pi-TA-la

Pharmacy

Ndzhawu ya mihandzu, pronounced N-DZHA-wu ya mi-HAN-dzu

Police

Mapholisa, pronounced ma-po-LI-sa

Restaurant

Hotele ya ku dya, pronounced ho-TE-le ya ku dya

Bank

Banka, pronounced BAN-ka

Toilet

Ndzhawu ya ku hlambela, pronounced N-DZHA-wu ya ku hla-mBE-la

Left

Xileleti, pronounced shi-le-LE-ti

Right

Xinene, pronounced shi-NE-ne

Straight ahead

Loko u ya emahlweni, pronounced LO-ko u ya e-mahl-WE-ni

Open

Vuleka, pronounced vu-LE-ka

Closed

Vhariwile, pronounced vha-ri-WI-le

Entrance

Nyangwana, pronounced nya-NGWA-na

Exit

Ndlela yo humela, pronounced N-DLE-la yo hu-ME-la

I'm lost

Ndzi lahlekilwe, pronounced ndzi lah-le-KI-lwe

20 Tsonga phrases for eating and drinking, from I'm hungry (Ndzi na ndlala) to Salty (Ku na munyu).

I'm hungry

Ndzi na ndlala, pronounced ndzi na N-DLA-la

I'm thirsty

Ndzi na psandzeko, pronounced ndzi na psa-NDE-ko

Water

Mati, pronounced MA-ti

Bread

Xinkwa, pronounced SHIN-kwa

Meat

Nyama, pronounced NYA-ma

Vegetarian

Mudyi wa mihungu, pronounced MU-dyi wa mi-HU-ngu

The menu, please

Menyu, kombela, pronounced ME-nyu kom-BE-la

The bill, please

Bili, kombela, pronounced BI-li kom-BE-la

Delicious

A ku tsaka, pronounced a ku TSA-ka

Wine

Wayini, pronounced wa-YI-ni

Coffee

Kofi, pronounced KO-fi

Beer

Byela, pronounced BYE-la

Breakfast

Swihovela swa kusasa, pronounced swi-ho-VE-la swa ku-SA-sa

Lunch

Swihovela swa masiku, pronounced swi-ho-VE-la swa ma-SI-ku

Dinner

Swihovela swa nusiku, pronounced swi-ho-VE-la swa nu-SI-ku

I'm allergic to

Ndzi na alerji eka, pronounced ndzi na a-LER-ji E-ka

No sugar

Hina shukela, pronounced HI-na shu-KE-la

Spicy

Ku tshoveka, pronounced ku tsho-VE-ka

Sweet

Ku tsaka, pronounced ku TSA-ka

Salty

Ku na munyu, pronounced ku na MU-nyu

14 Tsonga phrases for emergencies and health, from Help! (Ndzorora!) to Go away! (Hamba!).

Help!

Ndzorora!, pronounced ndzO-ro-ra

Call the police!

Binya mapholisa!, pronounced BI-nya ma-po-LI-sa

Call an ambulance!

Binya ambulance!, pronounced BI-nya am-bu-LANS

I'm sick

Ndzi lwala, pronounced ndzi LWA-la

I need a doctor

Ndzi lava dokodela, pronounced ndzi LA-va do-ko-DE-la

Fire!

Mulilo!, pronounced mu-LI-lo

Thief!

Nkhwirikwiri!, pronounced nkhwi-ri-KWI-ri

I'm lost

Ndzi lahlekilwe, pronounced ndzi lah-le-KI-lwe

I've been robbed

Va nkhensile swa mina, pronounced va nkhe-N-SI-le swa MI-na

Emergency

Xiyimo xa xihatla, pronounced shi-YI-mo sha shi-HA-tla

I need help

Ndzi lava nhluvuko, pronounced ndzi LA-va nhlu-VU-ko

Danger

Nandzu, pronounced NA-ndzu

Stop!

Yima!, pronounced YI-ma

Go away!

Hamba!, pronounced HAM-ba

14 Tsonga phrases for work and money, from Meeting (Nhlengeletano) to Strategy (Xiyenge xa ku endla).

Meeting

Nhlengeletano, pronounced nhle-nge-le-TA-no

Contract

Xivumbeko, pronounced shi-vum-BE-ko

Invoice

Bili ra ku hakela, pronounced BI-li ra ku ha-KE-la

Payment

Ku hakela, pronounced ku ha-KE-la

Deadline

Nkarhi wo hetelela, pronounced N-KA-ri wo he-te-LE-la

Partner

Munhu wa ku tirhisana naye, pronounced MU-nhu wa ku tir-hi-SA-na NA-ye

Office

Hofisi, pronounced ho-FI-si

Email

Email, pronounced EE-mel

Report

Ripoti, pronounced ri-PO-ti

Budget

Bajete, pronounced ba-JE-te

Agreement

Xivumbeko, pronounced shi-vum-BE-ko

Manager

Maneja, pronounced ma-NE-ja

Project

Proyeke, pronounced pro-YE-ke

Strategy

Xiyenge xa ku endla, pronounced shi-YE-nge sha ku EN-dla

19 Tsonga phrases for numbers, days and time, from One (Xin'we) to Friday (Lasimukanye).

One

Xin'we, pronounced shi-N-we

Two

Mbirhi, pronounced M-BI-ri

Three

Mharhu, pronounced M-HA-ru

Four

Mune, pronounced MU-ne

Five

Ntlhanu, pronounced N-TLha-nu

Six

Tsevu, pronounced TSE-vu

Seven

Nkombo, pronounced N-KOM-bo

Eight

Nhungu, pronounced N-HU-ngu

Nine

Ntsevu, pronounced N-TSE-vu

Ten

Khume, pronounced KHU-me

Twenty

Makume mambirhi, pronounced ma-KU-me ma-M-BI-ri

Hundred

Dzana, pronounced DZA-na

Thousand

Nxadza, pronounced N-SHA-dza

What time is it?

Nkarhi wu fika rini?, pronounced N-KA-ri wu FI-ka RI-ni

Today

Namuntlha, pronounced na-MUN-tla

Tomorrow

Mangwana, pronounced ma-NGWA-na

Yesterday

Xisiku xa ku hundza, pronounced shi-SI-ku sha ku HUN-dza

Monday

Musumbhunuku, pronounced mu-sum-BHU-nu-ku

Friday

Lasimukanye, pronounced la-si-mu-KA-nye

house

yindlu, pronounced yind-LU

water

mati, pronounced MA-ti

bread

vinkwa, pronounced VINK-wa

time

nkarhi, pronounced NKAR-hi

person

munhu, pronounced MUN-hu

day

siku, pronounced SI-ku

road / way

ndlela, pronounced NDLE-la

work

ntirho, pronounced NTIR-ho

money

mali, pronounced MA-li

city

dorobha, pronounced do-ROB-ha

school

xikolo, pronounced xi-KO-lo

book

buku, pronounced BU-ku

name

vito, pronounced VI-to

child

n'wana, pronounced NWA-na

friend

xilaveko, pronounced xi-la-VE-ko

food

kos, pronounced kos

language

ririmi, pronounced ri-RI-mi

earth / land

misava, pronounced mi-SA-va

hand

voko, pronounced VO-ko

dog

huku, pronounced HU-ku

to be

va, pronounced va

to go

famba, pronounced FAM-ba

to come

ta, pronounced ta

to speak

vulavula, pronounced vu-la-VU-la

to eat

dya, pronounced dya

to drink

nwa, pronounced nwa

to see

vona, pronounced VO-na

to know

tiva, pronounced TI-va

to want

lava, pronounced LA-va

to give

nyika, pronounced NYI-ka

to take

teka, pronounced TE-ka

to do

endla, pronounced END-la

to think

ehleketa, pronounced e-hle-KE-ta

to live

phila, pronounced PHI-la

to read

hlaya, pronounced HLA-ya

to write

tsala, pronounced TSA-la

to work

tirha, pronounced TIR-ha

to help

pfuna, pronounced PFU-na

to find

kuma, pronounced KU-ma

to hold

tshinya, pronounced TSHIN-ya

good

kahle, pronounced KAH-le

bad

biha, pronounced BI-ha

big

kulu, pronounced KU-lu

small

ntsongo, pronounced NTSON-go

new

ntshwa, pronounced NTSH-wa

old

khale, pronounced KHA-le

beautiful

saseka, pronounced sa-SE-ka

fast

hatlisa, pronounced hat-LI-sa

slow

nonon, pronounced NO-non

long / tall

leha, pronounced LE-ha

short

fupfi, pronounced FUP-fi

warm / hot

fisa, pronounced FI-sa

cold

tsipa, pronounced TSI-pa

strong

tiyela, pronounced ti-YE-la

easy

olova, pronounced o-LO-va

difficult

tisa, pronounced TI-sa

important

xahle, pronounced XAH-le

interesting

tsakisa, pronounced tsa-KI-sa

happy

tsakile, pronounced tsa-KI-le

expensive

rindza, pronounced RIND-za

now

zvino, pronounced ZVI-no

today

namuntlha, pronounced na-MUN-tla

tomorrow

manguana, pronounced man-GWA-na

yesterday

xinkarhini, pronounced xin-kar-HI-ni

here

laha, pronounced LA-ha

there

kona, pronounced KO-na

quickly

hatlisa, pronounced hat-LI-sa

slowly

nonon, pronounced NO-non

well

kahle, pronounced KAH-le

very / a lot

ngopfu, pronounced NGOP-fu

also / too

na, pronounced na

not / no

a, pronounced a

yes

ina, pronounced I-na

already

kare, pronounced KA-re

still / yet

naswona, pronounced nas-WO-na

only / just

ntsena, pronounced NTSE-na

really

hi ntiyiso, pronounced hi nti-YI-so

a lot

ngopfu, pronounced NGOP-fu

a little

hatlana, pronounced hat-LA-na

immediately

sweswi, pronounced SWES-wi