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
|
- 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!
- ! Pfunani
- 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?
- ( )