Everything below is what a beginner actually needs first: greetings, polite words, numbers, family, food, time and getting around. Each entry shows the Tshivenda spelling, the English meaning, and a respelling with the stressed syllable in capitals so you can say it out loud without guessing.
First words Greet someone and be polite
Ndaa Hello Ndo livhuwa Thank you Nga khouvhona Please Kha ri sale Goodbye Ee Yes Hai No Ndi khou humbela pfarelo Sorry Ni a tanganedzwa Welcome Meeting people Introduce yourself and ask how someone is
Ndi nnyi zwina lawe? What is your name? Zwina langa ndi Amara My name is Amara Vho vuwa hani? How are you? Ndi khou takala I am fine Khonani Friend Madi Water Nnḓu House Ṅwana Child Counting Numbers and market basics
Thihi One Mbili Two Raru Three Ṋa Four Ṱhanu Five Ndi lini? How much is it? Musika Market Madi Water Tshelede Money Questions people ask about Tshivenda Is Tshivenda hard to learn? Underlined consonants are made with the tongue behind the teeth. Tone is meaningful. Distinct from both Nguni and Sotho–Tswana languages. Where is Tshivenda spoken? Limpopo, South Africa, and southern Zimbabwe — around 1.5 million. Writing system: Latin alphabet with underlined letters (ṱ, ḓ, ṅ, ḽ).
Can I learn Tshivenda for free? Yes. This phrasebook is free to read, and SemaSoma gives you the first three units of the course plus 15 translations a day before anything is paid.