Bantu language of the Tsonga people of southern Africa

Phrasebooks > Tsonga phrasebook

Tsonga (Xitsonga) is one of the main languages of South Africa.

Pronunciation guide edit

Vowels edit

Consonants edit

Common diphthongs edit

Phrase list edit

Basics edit

Common signs

OPEN
CLOSED
ENTRANCE
EXIT
PUSH
PULL
TOILET
MEN
WOMEN
FORBIDDEN
Hello.
Avuxeni. ( )
Hello. (informal)
Ahee. ( )
How are you?
Kunjhani? (inf.) (KOON-jah-nee):Minjhani? (MEEN-jah-nee)
Fine, thank you.
Ni pfukile, na khensa. (NEE fook-EE-leh, NAH KEHN-sah)
What is your name?
Vito ra wena i mani? (bee-TOH RAH WEH-nah ee MAH-nee?)
My name is ______ .
Hi mina ____ . (HEE MEE-nah _____ .)
Nice to meet you.
. ( )
Please.
. ( )
Thank you.
Inkomu. ( )
You're welcome.
Ku khensa mina. (koo KEN-sah mee-nah )
Yes.
Ina. ( )
No.
e-e. ( )
Excuse me. (getting attention)
. ( )
Excuse me. (begging pardon)
. ( )
I'm sorry.
. ( )
Goodbye
Salani kahle. ( )
Goodbye (informal)
. ( )
I can't speak Tsonga [well].
A ni vulavuli Xitsonga [kahle].
Do you speak English?
U vulavula Xilungu? (inf.) ( ?):Mi vulavula Xilungu? (formal)
Is there someone here who speaks English?
? ( ?)
Help!
! ( !)
Look out!
! ( !)
Good morning.
Xewani. ( )
Good evening.
Ri perile. ( )
Good night.
. ( )
Good night (to sleep)
. ( )
I don't understand.
A ni twisisi. (AH nee twee-SEE-see )
Where is the toilet?
? ( ?)

Problems edit

Leave me alone.
. ( .)
Don't touch me!
! ( !)
I'll call the police.
. ( .)
Police!
! ( !)
Stop! Thief!
! ! ( ! !)
I need your help.
. ( .)
It's an emergency.
. ( .)
I'm lost.
. ( .)
I lost my bag.
. ( .)
I lost my wallet.
. ( .)
I'm sick.
. ( .)
I've been injured.
. ( .)
I need a doctor.
Ni lava dokodela. ( )
Can I use your phone?
? ( ?)

Numbers edit

1
N'me( )
2
Mbirhi( )
3
Nharhu( )
4
Mune( )
5
Ntlhanu( )
6
Tsevu( )
7
Nkombo( )
8
Nhungu( )
9
Kaye( )
10
Khume( )
11
Khumen'we( )
12
Khumembirhi( )
13
Khumenharhu( )
14
Kehumemune( )
15
Khumentlhanu( )
16
Khumetsevu( )
17
Khumenkomba( )
18
Khumenhungu( )
19
Khumekaye( )
20
Makumembirhi( )
21
Makumembirhin'we( )
22
Makumembirhimbirhi( )
23
Makumembirhinharhu( )
30
Makumenharhu( )
40
Makumemune( )
50
Makumentlhanu( )
60
Makumetsevu( )
70
Makumenkombo( )
80
Makumenhungu( )
90
makumekaye( )
100
Dzana( )
200
( )
300
( )
1,000
( )
2,000
( )
1,000,000
( )
1,000,000,000
( )
1,000,000,000,000
( )
number _____ (train, bus, etc.)
( )
half
( )
less
( )
more
( )

Time edit

now
( )
later
( )
before
( )
morning
( )
afternoon
( )
evening
( )
night
( )

Clock time edit

one o'clock AM
( )
two o'clock AM
( )
noon
( )
one o'clock PM
( )
two o'clock PM
( )
midnight
( )

Duration edit

_____ minute(s)
( )
_____ hour(s)
( )
_____ day(s)
( )
_____ week(s)
( )
_____ month(s)
( )
_____ year(s)
( )

Days edit

today
Namuntlha( )
yesterday
Tolo( )
tomorrow
Mundzuku( )
this week
( )
last week
( )
next week
( )
Sunday
( )
Monday
( )
Tuesday
( )
Wednesday
( )
Thursday
( )
Friday
( )
Saturday
( )

Months edit

January
Sunguti( )
February
Nyenyenyani( )
March
Nyenyankulu( )
April
Dzivamisoko( )
May
Mudyaxihi( )
June
Khotavuxika( )
July
Mawuwani( )
August
Mhawuri( )
September
Ndzati( )
October
Nhlangula( )
November
Hukuri( )
December
N'wendzamhala( )

Writing time and date edit

Colors edit

black
Ntima( )
white
Basa( )
gray
( )
red
Tshwuka( )
blue
Wasi( )
yellow
Xitshopana( )
green
Rihlaza( )
orange
Lamula( )
purple
( )
brown
Ribungwa( )

Transportation edit

Bus and train edit

How much is a ticket to _____?
Xana i mali muni ku ya e___? ( )
One ticket to _____, please.
( )
Where does this train/bus go?
( )
Where is the train/bus to _____?
( )
Does this train/bus stop in _____?
( )
When does the train/bus for _____ leave?
( )
When will this train/bus arrive in _____?
( )

Directions edit

How do I get to _____ ?
( )
...the train station?
( )
no ena khandle xi kho
...the bus station?
( )
...the airport?
( )
...downtown?
( )
...the youth hostel?
( )
...the _____ hotel?
( )
...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate?
( )
Where are there a lot of...
( )
...hotels?
( )
...restaurants?
( )
...bars?
( )
...sites to see?
( )
Can you show me on the map?
( )
street
( )
Turn left.
( )
Turn right.
( )
left
( )
right
( )
straight ahead
( )
towards the _____
( )
past the _____
( )
before the _____
( )
Watch for the _____.
( )
intersection
( )
north
( )
south
( )
east
( )
west
( )
uphill
( )
downhill
( )

Taxi edit

Taxi!
( )
Take me to _____, please.
( )
How much does it cost to get to _____?
( )
Take me there, please.
( )

Lodging edit

Do you have any rooms available?
( )
How much is a room for one person/two people?
( )
Does the room come with...
( )
...bedsheets?
( )
...a bathroom?
( )
...a telephone?
( )
...a TV?
( )
May I see the room first?
( )
Do you have anything quieter?
( )
...bigger?
( )
...cleaner?
( )
...cheaper?
( )
OK, I'll take it.
( )
I will stay for _____ night(s).
( )
Can you suggest another hotel?
( )
Do you have a safe?
( )
...lockers?
( )
Is breakfast/supper included?
( )
What time is breakfast/supper?
( )
Please clean my room.
( )
Can you wake me at _____?
( )
I want to check out.
( )

Money edit

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?
( )
Do you accept British pounds?
( )
Do you accept euros?
( )
Do you accept credit cards?
( )
Can you change money for me?
( )
Where can I get money changed?
( )
Can you change a traveler's check for me?
( )
Where can I get a traveler's check changed?
( )
What is the exchange rate?
( )
Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?
( )

Eating edit

A table for one person/two people, please.
( )
Can I look at the menu, please?
( )
Can I look in the kitchen?
( )
Is there a house specialty?
( )
Is there a local specialty?
( )
I'm a vegetarian.
( )
I don't eat pork.
( )
I don't eat beef.
( )
I only eat kosher food.
( )
Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard)
( )
fixed-price meal
( )
a la carte
( )
breakfast
Swakudya swa nampundzu( )
lunch
Swakudya swa na nhlikani( )
tea (meal)
( )
supper
( )
I want _____.
( )
I want a dish containing _____.
( )
chicken
Huku( )
beef
Nyama ya homu( )
fish
Nhlampfi( )
ham
( )
sausage
( )
cheese
Shizi( )
eggs
Ntandza( )
salad
( )
(fresh) vegetables
( )
(fresh) fruit
( )
bread
Xinkwa (SHEEN-kwah)
toast
( )
noodles
( )
rice
( )
beans
( )
May I have a glass of _____?
( )
May I have a cup of _____?
( )
May I have a bottle of _____?
( )
coffee
( )
tea (drink)
tiya (TEE-yah)
juice
( )
(bubbly) water
( )
(still) water
( )
beer
( )
red/white wine
( )
May I have some _____?
( )
salt
( )
black pepper
( )
butter
( )
Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)
( )
I'm finished.
( )
It was delicious.
( )
Please clear the plates.
( )
The check, please.
( )

Bars edit

Do you serve alcohol?
( )
Is there table service?
( )
A beer/two beers, please.
( )
A glass of red/white wine, please.
( )
A pint, please.
( )
A bottle, please.
( )
_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please.
( )
whiskey
( )
vodka
( )
rum
( )
water
( )
club soda
( )
tonic water
( )
orange juice
( )
Coke (soda)
( )
Do you have any bar snacks?
( )
One more, please.
( )
Another round, please.
( )
When is closing time?
( )
Cheers!
( )

Shopping edit

Do you have this in my size?
( )
How much is this?
( )
That's too expensive.
( )
Would you take _____?
( )
expensive
( )
cheap
( )
I can't afford it.
( )
I don't want it.
( )
You're cheating me.
( )
I'm not interested.
(..)
OK, I'll take it.
( )
Can I have a bag?
( )
Do you ship (overseas)?
( )
I need...
( )
...toothpaste.
( )
...a toothbrush.
( )
...tampons.
. ( )
...soap.
( )
...shampoo.
( )
...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen)
( )
...cold medicine.
( )
...stomach medicine.
... ( )
...a razor.
( )
...an umbrella.
( )
...sunblock lotion.
( )
...a postcard.
( )
...postage stamps.
( )
...batteries.
( )
...writing paper.
( )
...a pen.
( )
...English-language books.
( )
...English-language magazines.
( )
...an English-language newspaper.
( )
...an English-English dictionary.
( )

Driving edit

I want to rent a car.
( )
Can I get insurance?
( )
stop (on a street sign)
( )
one way
( )
yield
( )
no parking
( )
speed limit
( )
gas (petrol) station
( )
petrol
( )
diesel
( )

Authority edit

I haven't done anything wrong.
( )
It was a misunderstanding.
( )
Where are you taking me?
( )
Am I under arrest?
( )
I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.
( )
I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.
( )
I want to talk to a lawyer.
( )
Can I just pay a fine now?
( )


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