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100 Common ChiTonga Words
The 114 most useful Zimbabwe Tonga words, with English meaning, pronunciation and audio. Tap 🔊 to listen.
Greetings
13 words- Mwapona? How are you? / Hello mwa-PO-na
- Ndapona I am well nda-PO-na
- Mwabuka buti? Good morning (How did you wake up?) mwa-BU-ka BU-ti
- Ndabuka kabotu I woke up well nda-BU-ka ka-BO-tu
- Kabotu Fine / Well / Good ka-BO-tu
- Twalumba Thank you twa-LU-mba
- Twalumba kapati Thank you very much twa-LU-mba ka-PA-ti
- Ndalomba Please (I request) nda-LO-mba
- Ee Yes eh-eh
- Peepe No PEH-peh
- Kamuya kabotu Go well (goodbye to someone leaving) ka-MU-ya ka-BO-tu
- Kamukkala kabotu Stay well (goodbye to someone staying) ka-mu-KKA-la ka-BO-tu
- Zina lyangu ndi... My name is... ZI-na LYA-ngu ndi
Numbers
11 wordsFamily & People
13 words- Taata Father TAA-ta
- Baama Mother BAA-ma
- Mwana Child MWA-na
- Bana Children BA-na
- Mukaintu Woman / Wife mu-ka-I-ntu
- Mwaalumi Man / Husband mwaa-LU-mi
- Musankwa Boy / Young man mu-SA-nkwa
- Musimbi Girl / Young woman mu-SI-mbi
- Mucizi Younger sibling mu-CHI-zi
- Mukwasyi Family mu-KWA-shi
- Muntu Person MU-ntu
- Bantu People BA-ntu
- Mweenzinyina Friend mweh-nzi-NYI-na
Animals
13 wordsFood & Drink
12 words- Cakulya Food cha-KU-lya
- Insima Maize porridge (sadza / nshima) i-NSI-ma
- Meenda Water MEH-nda
- Mukaka Milk mu-KA-ka
- Nyama Meat NYA-ma
- Busu Flour / Mealie-meal BU-su
- Mapopwe Maize ma-PO-pweh
- Nyemu Groundnuts / Peanuts NYEH-mu
- Mpunga Rice MPU-nga
- Munyo Salt MU-nyo
- Buuci Honey BUU-chi
- Maungu Pumpkins ma-U-ngu
Nature
12 words- Mulonga River / Zambezi River mu-LO-nga
- Lwizi Lake (e.g. Lake Kariba) LWI-zi
- Izuba Sun i-ZU-ba
- Mwezi Moon / Month MWEH-zi
- Inyenyezi Stars i-nyeh-NYEH-zi
- Mvula Rain MVU-la
- Muwo Wind MU-wo
- Mulilo Fire mu-LI-lo
- Musamu Tree mu-SA-mu
- Ibwe Stone / Rock I-bweh
- Bulongo Soil / Earth bu-LO-ngo
- Kujulu Sky / Above ku-JU-lu
Time
6 wordsEveryday Things
9 wordsVerbs
23 words- Kulya To eat KU-lya
- Kunywa To drink KU-nywa
- Kuyanda To love / To want ku-YA-nda
- Kweenda To walk KWEH-nda
- Kubala To read / To count ku-BA-la
- Kulemba To write ku-LEH-mba
- Kwiiya To learn KWII-ya
- Kulila To cry ku-LI-la
- Kuseka To laugh ku-SEH-ka
- Kuboola To come ku-BOO-la
- Kuunka To go KUU-nka
- Kusika To arrive ku-SI-ka
- Kubona To see ku-BO-na
- Kumvwa To hear / To feel KU-mvwa
- Kwaamba To speak / To say KWAA-mba
- Kuzyiba To know ku-ZHI-ba
- Koona To sleep KOO-na
- Kubeleka To work ku-beh-LEH-ka
- Kwiimba To sing KWII-mba
- Kupa To give KU-pa
- Kukkala To sit / To stay ku-KKA-la
- Kuyeeya To think ku-YEH-ya
- Kuluba To forget ku-LU-ba
Phrases
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