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Learn Xitsonga: the words and phrases you'll use first
Xitsonga is spoken by 2M+ people in South Africa · Mozambique. Start with these 92 everyday phrases, each with a say-it-like guide, checked by native-speaking tutors. Tap Listen to hear 10 of them.
- 92 starter phrases
- 10 to listen to
- 233 in the full Xitsonga library
Practise: 20 phrases to know first
0 / 20 knownHow do you say "Hello / Good morning"?
Avuxeni
ah-voo-SHE-ni
How do you say "Hello"?
Xewani
sheh-WAH-ni
How do you say "Hi / hello there"?
Ahee!
ah-HEH
How do you say "Good afternoon / good day"?
Inhlekanhi
in-hleh-KAH-nyi
How do you say "Good evening"?
Riperile
ree-peh-REE-leh
How do you say "How are you?"?
Minjhani?
min-JAH-ni
How do you say "I'm fine"?
Ndzi pfukile
ndzee pfoo-KEE-leh
How do you say "We are well"?
Hi kona
hee KOH-nah
How do you say "Thank you"?
Ndza khensa
ndzah KHEN-sah
How do you say "Please"?
Ndza kombela
ndzah kohm-BEH-lah
How do you say "You're welcome"?
U amukelekile
oo-ah-moo-keh-leh-KEE-leh
How do you say "Yes"?
Ina
EE-nah
How do you say "No"?
E-e
EH-eh
How do you say "Sorry / forgive me"?
Ndzi rivaleleni
ndzee ree-vah-leh-LEH-ni
How do you say "Excuse me"?
Ndzi khomeleni
ndzee kho-meh-LEH-ni
How do you say "Goodbye"?
Sala kahle
SAH-lah KAH-hleh
How do you say "Good morning"?
Avuxeni
ah-voo-SHE-ni
How do you say "My name is…"?
Vito ra mina i…
VEE-toh rah MEE-nah ee
How do you say "What is your name?"?
Vito ra wena i mani?
VEE-toh rah WEH-nah ee MAH-ni
How do you say "I am… / it's me…"?
Hi mina…
hee MEE-nah
You know all 20 first Xitsonga phrases
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Greetings & courtesy
- AvuxeniHello / Good morningah-voo-SHE-ni›
- XewaniHellosheh-WAH-ni›
- Ahee!Hi / hello thereah-HEH›
- InhlekanhiGood afternoon / good dayin-hleh-KAH-nyi›
- RiperileGood eveningree-peh-REE-leh›
- Minjhani?How are you?min-JAH-ni›
- Ndzi pfukileI'm finendzee pfoo-KEE-leh›
- Hi konaWe are wellhee KOH-nah›
- Ndza khensaThank youndzah KHEN-sah›
- Ndza kombelaPleasendzah kohm-BEH-lah›
- U amukelekileYou're welcomeoo-ah-moo-keh-leh-KEE-leh›
- InaYesEE-nah›
- E-eNoEH-eh›
- Ndzi rivaleleniSorry / forgive mendzee ree-vah-leh-LEH-ni›
- Ndzi khomeleniExcuse mendzee kho-meh-LEH-ni›
- Sala kahleGoodbyeSAH-lah KAH-hleh›
- AvuxeniGood morningah-voo-SHE-ni›
Introducing yourself
- Vito ra mina i…My name is…VEE-toh rah MEE-nah ee›
- Vito ra wena i mani?What is your name?VEE-toh rah WEH-nah ee MAH-ni›
- Hi mina…I am… / it's me…hee MEE-nah›
- U huma kwihi?Where are you from?oo HOO-mah KWEE-hi›
- Ndzi huma e…I am from…ndzee HOO-mah eh›
- U tshama kwihi?Where do you live?oo TSHAH-mah KWEE-hi›
- Ndzi tshama e…I live in…ndzee TSHAH-mah eh›
- Ndzi dyondza XitsongaI am learning Xitsongandzee DYOHN-dzah shee-TSOH-ngah›
- Ndzi vulavula XingheziI speak Englishndzee voo-lah-VOO-lah shin-GEH-zi›
- Ndzi vulavula Xitsonga switsongoI speak a little Xitsongandzee voo-lah-VOO-lah shee-TSOH-ngah swee-TSOH-ngoh›
Speaking like a local
- Hi swonaAll right / that's ithee SWOH-nah›
- A ndzi vulavuli Xitsonga kahleI don't speak Xitsonga wellah ndzee voo-lah-VOO-li shee-TSOH-ngah KAH-hleh›
- Pfunani!Help!pfoo-NAH-ni›
- Ka hisaIt is hotkah HEE-sah›
- Mpfula ya naIt is rainingMPFOO-lah yah NAH›
- Ri xileThe sun is upree SHEE-leh›
- nkatekoHappiness / good lucknkah-TEH-koh›
Numbers
- n'weOnen-WEH›
- mbirhiTwomBEE-rhi›
- nharhuThreeNHAH-rhoo›
- muneFourMOO-neh›
- ntlhanuFivenTLHAH-noo›
- ntsevuSixnTSEH-voo›
- nkomboSevennKOHM-boh›
- nhunguEightNHOON-goo›
- nkayeNinenKAH-yeh›
- khumeTenKHOO-meh›
- makume mbirhiTwentymah-KOO-meh mBEE-rhi›
- makume nharhuThirtymah-KOO-meh NHAH-rhoo›
Days & time
- MusumbhunukuMondaymoo-soom-bhoo-NOO-koo›
- RavumbirhiTuesdayrah-voom-BEE-rhi›
- RavunharhuWednesdayrah-voon-HAH-rhoo›
- RavumuneThursdayrah-voo-MOO-neh›
- RavuntlhanuFridayrah-voon-TLHAH-noo›
- MugqivelaSaturdaymoo-gqee-VEH-lah›
- SontoSundaySOHN-toh›
- namuntlhaTodaynah-MOON-tlhah›
- mundzukuTomorrowmoon-DZOO-koo›
- toloYesterdayTOH-loh›
Food & drink
- swakudyaFoodswah-KOO-dyah›
- matiWaterMAH-ti›
- vuswaPap / stiff maize porridgeVOO-swah›
- nyamaMeatNYAH-mah›
- xinkwaBreadSHIN-kwah›
- masiMilkMAH-si›
- mpungaRicemPOON-gah›
- tihoveSamptee-HOH-veh›
- Ndzi twa ndlalaI am hungryndzee twah nDLAH-lah›
- Ndzi twa torhaI am thirstyndzee twah TOH-rhah›
Shopping & money
- Xana…?'is it that…?'SHAH-nah›
- yini?What?YEE-ni›
- mani?Who?MAH-ni›
- kwihi?Where?KWEE-hi›
- rini?When?REE-ni›
- ha yini?Why?hah YEE-ni›
- njhani?How?nJAH-ni›
- Xana i malimuni?How much is it?SHAH-nah ee mah-lee-MOO-ni›
Places & directions
- xikoloSchoolshee-KOH-loh›
- xibedhleleHospitalshee-beh-DHLEH-leh›
- klinikiClinicklee-NEE-ki›
- kerekeChurchkeh-REH-keh›
- dorobaTowndoh-ROH-bah›
- ndlelaRoad / waynDLEH-lah›
- kusuhiNearkoo-SOO-hi›
- kuleFarKOO-leh›
Family & people
- ndyanguFamilynDYAHN-goo›
- mananaMothermah-NAH-nah›
- tatanaFathertah-TAH-nah›
- n'wanaChildn-WAH-nah›
- makwerhuMy siblingmah-KWEH-rhoo›
- butiBrotherBOO-ti›
- sesiSisterSEH-si›
- kokwanaGrandparentkoh-KWAH-nah›
- malumeUnclemah-LOO-meh›
- hahaniAunthah-HAH-ni›