English–Tumbuka Dictionary

Browse common English words and their Tumbuka translations, with parts of speech and example sentences. Use this dictionary to look up everyday vocabulary or as a starting point for learning Tumbuka.

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Browse common Tumbuka vocabulary

Word	Part of speech	Translation	Example
I	pronoun	ine	I am here now. Ine ndili pano sono.
you	pronoun	iwe	You are very kind. Iwe ndiwe muwemi chomene.
he	pronoun	iyo	He is my friend. Iyo ni mubwezi wane.
we	pronoun	ise	We are going home. Ise tikuluta kunyumba.
they	pronoun	iwo	They are at school. Iwo ŵali ku sukulu.
what	pronoun	vichi	What do you want? Ukukhumba vichi?
where	adverb	nkhu	Where is your house? Nyumba yako yiri nkhu?
when	adverb	pawuli	When will you come? Ukwizenge pawuli?
who	pronoun	njani	Who is that person? Ni njani munthu yura?
why	adverb	chifukwa wuli	Why are you sad? Chifukwa wuli uli wachitima?
how	adverb	uli	How are you today? Uli uli muhanya uno?
to be	verb	kuŵa	She will be happy. Wazamkuŵa wakukondwa.
to do	verb	kuchita	We do our work. Tikuchita ntchito yithu.
to go	verb	kuluta	They go to town. Iwo ŵakuluta ku tawuni.
to come	verb	kwiza	Please come tomorrow morning. Chonde, wizani namachero mlenji.
to see	verb	kuwona	I see the mountain. Nikuona phiri.
to know	verb	kumanya	I know his name. Nikumanya zina lake.
to think	verb	kughanaghana	We think about life. Tikughanaghana za umoyo.
to want	verb	kukhumba	I want some water. Nkhukhumba maji ghanyake.
to need	verb	kukhumba	We need more food. Tikukhumba chakurya chinandi.
to make	verb	kupanga	They make good bread. Iwo ŵakupanga chingwa chiwemi.
to take	verb	kutora	Take the book home. Tora buku kuluta nalo kunyumba.
to give	verb	kupeleka	Give me the book. Nipe buku.
to say	verb	kuyowoya	Do not say that. Ungayowoyanga nthena yayi.
to ask	verb	kufumba	Ask the teacher now. Fumbani msambizgi sono.
to find	verb	kusanga	I found my book. Nasanga buku lane.
to look	verb	kuwona	Look at the sky. Wona kuchanya.
to use	verb	kugwiliskira ntchito	We use this table. Tikugwiliskira ntchito tebulo ili.
to work	verb	kugwira ntchito	They work every day. Iwo ŵakugwira ntchito zuŵa lililose.
to eat	verb	kurya	Children eat rice here. Ŵana ŵakurya mpunga pano.
to drink	verb	kumwa	I drink tea daily. Nikumwa tiyi zuŵa lililose.
to sleep	verb	kugona	The child sleeps well. Mwana wakugona makora.
to walk	verb	kwenda	We walk to school. Tikwenda ku sukulu.
to run	verb	kuchimbira	Boys run very fast. Ŵanyamata ŵakuchimbira mwaluŵiro chomene.
to read	verb	kuŵazga	I read this book. Nikuŵazga buku ili.
to write	verb	kulemba	She writes a letter. Wakulemba kalata.
to speak	verb	kuyowoya	They speak Tumbuka well. Iwo ŵakuyowoya Chitumbuka makora.
to listen	verb	kupulika	Listen to the teacher. Pulikizgani msambizgi.
to hear	verb	kupulika	I hear the music. Nkhupulika sumu.
to buy	verb	kugura	We buy fresh fish. Tikugura somba ziphya.
to sell	verb	kuguliska	They sell fruit here. Iwo ŵakuguliska vipambi pano.
to pay	verb	kulipira	I pay the money. Nakulipira ndalama.
to help	verb	kovwira	Please help the child. Chonde, vwirani mwana.
to love	verb	kutemwa	I love my family. Nkhutemwa banja lane.
to live	verb	kukhala	We live in town. Tikukhala mu tawuni.
to die	verb	kufwa	Old trees die slowly. Miti yakale yikufwa pachokopachoko.
to learn	verb	kusambira	Children learn at school. Ŵana ŵakusambira ku sukulu.
to teach	verb	kusambizga	They teach young children. Iwo ŵakusambizga ŵana ŵachoko.
to open	verb	kujura	Open the door now. Jura muryango sono.
to close	verb	kujara	Close the window please. Jara windo chonde.
person	noun	munthu	That person is kind. Munthu yura ngwa lusungu.
man	noun	mfumu	The man is tall. Mfumu njitali.
woman	noun	mwanakazi	The woman is singing. Mwanakazi wakwimba.
child	noun	mwana	The child is sleeping. Mwana wakugona.
boy	noun	mwana mwanalume	The boy runs fast. Mwana mwanalume wakuchimbira luŵiro.
girl	noun	mwana mwanakazi	The girl is reading. Mwana mwanakazi wakuŵazga.
family	noun	banja	My family is large. Banja lane likuru.
mother	noun	nyina	My mother is cooking. Nyina wakuphika.
father	noun	wiske	My father is working. Wiske wakugwira ntchito.
friend	noun	mubwezi	He is my friend. Iyo ni mubwezi wane.
house	noun	nyumba	The house is new. Nyumba njiphya.
home	noun	kunyumba	We are going home. Tikuluta kunyumba.
school	noun	sukulu	The school is nearby. Sukulu yiri pafupi.
city	noun	tawuni	This city is busy. Tawuni iyi yili na ntchito zinandi.
country	noun	charu	Our country is beautiful. Charu chithu ntchiwemi.
world	noun	charu	The world is large. Charu ntchikuru.
room	noun	chipinda	The room is clean. Chipinda ntchakutowa.
time	noun	nyengo	Time passes very quickly. Nyengo yikumara mwaluŵiro chomene.
day	noun	zuŵa	Today is a good day. Muhanya uno ni zuŵa liwemi.
night	noun	usiku	The night is cold. Usiku ngwakuzizima.
morning	noun	mlenji	This morning is cold. Mlenji uwu ngwakuzizima.
evening	noun	mise	Come here this evening. Wiza pano mise iyi.
week	noun	sabata	I will come next week. Nizamkwiza sabata yikwiza.
month	noun	mwezi	This month is busy. Mwezi uwu ngwakusuzga.
year	noun	chaka	This year is different. Chaka ichi ntchakupambana.
today	adverb	muhanya uno	I am busy today. Ndili wakutangwanika muhanya uno.
tomorrow	adverb	namachero	We will travel tomorrow. Tilutenge namachero.
yesterday	adverb	mayiro	He came yesterday morning. Iyo wakiza mayiro mlenji.
now	adverb	sono	Come here now. Wiza pano sono.
sun	noun	zuŵa	The sun is hot. Zuŵa likotcha.
moon	noun	mwezi	The moon is bright. Mwezi ukuŵala.
star	noun	nyenyezi	The star is bright. Nyenyezi yikuŵala.
sky	noun	kuchanya	The sky is blue. Kuchanya nkhabuluu.
earth	noun	charu	The earth is round. Charu ntchakuzingilizga.
fire	noun	moto	The fire is hot. Moto ngwakotcha.
water	noun	maji	The water is cold. Maji ngakuzizima.
rain	noun	vura	The rain is falling. Vura yikulokwa.
wind	noun	mphepo	The wind is strong. Mphepo njankhongono.
tree	noun	mti	The tree is tall. Mti ngutali.
flower	noun	maluwa	The flower is beautiful. Maluwa ngawemi.
mountain	noun	phiri	That mountain is high. Phiri lira ntchitali.
river	noun	mronga	The river is wide. Mronga ngukuru.
sea	noun	nyanja	The sea is far. Nyanja yiri kutali.
food	noun	chakurya	The food is ready. Chakurya chanjira.
bread	noun	chingwa	I bought fresh bread. Nagura chingwa chiphya.
rice	noun	mpunga	The rice is cooking. Mpunga ukuphika.
meat	noun	nyama	The meat smells good. Nyama yikununkhira makora.
fish	noun	somba	We are eating fish. Tikurya somba.
egg	noun	sumbi	The egg is broken. Sumbi laphyoka.
milk	noun	mkaka	The milk is warm. Mkaka ngwakufunda.
fruit	noun	chipambi	This fruit is sweet. Chipambi ichi ntchakunowa.
tea	noun	tiyi	She drinks hot tea. Wakumwa tiyi wakotcha.
coffee	noun	khofi	I like hot coffee. Nkhutemwa khofi wakotcha.
head	noun	mutu	My head hurts today. Mutu wane ukupweteka muhanya uno.
eye	noun	jiso	Her eye is red. Jiso lake lituŵira.
ear	noun	khutu	My ear hurts. Khutu lane likupweteka.
mouth	noun	mulomo	Open your mouth wide. Jura mulomo wako chomene.
nose	noun	mphuno	My nose is cold. Mphuno yane njakuzizima.
hand	noun	woko	Wash your hand now. Samba woko lwako sono.
foot	noun	lundi	My foot hurts. Lundi lane likupweteka.
heart	noun	mtima	His heart is strong. Mtima wake ngwankhongono.
name	noun	zina	Your name is beautiful. Zina lako nliwemi.
book	noun	buku	This book is new. Buku ili nliphya.
word	noun	mazgu	That word is difficult. Lizgu lira lakusuzga.
language	noun	chiyowoyero	Tumbuka is a language. Chitumbuka ni chiyowoyero.
money	noun	ndalama	I need money today. Nkhukhumba ndalama muhanya uno.
work	noun	ntchito	This work is hard. Ntchito iyi njakusuzga.
love	noun	chitemwa	Love is very important. Chitemwa ntchakukhumbikwa chomene.
music	noun	sumu	The music is beautiful. Sumu njiwemi.
story	noun	nkhani	Tell me a story. Niphalire nkhani.
way	noun	nthowa	This way is easier. Nthowa iyi njipusu.
thing	noun	chinthu	That thing is heavy. Chinthu chira ntchikuru.
life	noun	umoyo	Life is not easy. Umoyo ngwa chipusu yayi.
door	noun	muryango	The door is open. Muryango wajuka.
table	noun	tebulo	The table is clean. Tebulo ndakutowa.
chair	noun	mpando	The chair is broken. Mpando waphyoka.
car	noun	galimoto	The car is fast. Galimoto yikuchimbira.
good	adjective	wemi	This food is good. Chakurya ichi ntchiwemi.
bad	adjective	uheni	That road is bad. Nthowa yira njiheni.
big	adjective	kuru	We have a big house. Tili na nyumba yikuru.
small	adjective	choko	The child is small. Mwana ngwachoko.
new	adjective	phya	I bought a new book. Nagura buku liphya.
old	adjective	kale	That house is old. Nyumba yira njakale.
long	adjective	tali	The road is long. Nthowa njitali.
short	adjective	pfupi	This rope is short. Chingwe ichi ntchifupi.
high	adjective	tali	That mountain is high. Phiri lira ntchitali.
low	adjective	pasi	The wall is low. Luŵaza ndapasi.
hot	adjective	kotcha	The tea is hot. Tiyi wakotcha.
cold	adjective	zizima	The water is cold. Maji ngakuzizima.
happy	adjective	wakukondwa	The children are happy. Ŵana ŵakukondwa.
sad	adjective	wachitima	She feels sad today. Wali wachitima muhanya uno.
beautiful	adjective	wemi	The flower is beautiful. Luwa nliwemi.
easy	adjective	chipusu	This work is easy. Ntchito iyi njakupusu.
hard	adjective	kusuzga	This question is hard. Fumbo ili nlakusuzga.
fast	adjective	mwaluŵiro	That car is fast. Galimoto yira yikuchimbira mwaluŵiro.
slow	adjective	pachokopachoko	The old man walks slow. Mfumu yakale yikwenda pachokopachoko.
right	adjective	unenesko	Your answer is right. Zgoro lako ndunenesko.
wrong	adjective	uheni	That answer is wrong. Zgoro lira ndiheni.
important	adjective	chakukhumbikwa	This book is important. Buku ili ntchakukhumbikwa.
true	adjective	unenesko	His story is true. Nkhani yake njunenesko.
full	adjective	zura	The cup is full. Nkhombo yazura.
empty	adjective	pachoko	The room is empty. Chipinda chilije kanthu.
young	adjective	mwana	The boy is young. Mwana mwanalume ngwachoko.
strong	adjective	wankhongono	That man is strong. Mfumu yira njankhongono.
weak	adjective	wambura nkhongono	The child is weak. Mwana walije nkhongono.
red	adjective	tuŵira	The flower is red. Luwa lituŵira.
blue	adjective	buluu	The sky is blue. Kuchanya nkhabuluu.
green	adjective	biribiri	The grass is green. Uteka mbiribiri.
black	adjective	fita	The dog is black. Nkhumba yifita.
white	adjective	tuŵa	The shirt is white. Malaya ngatuŵa.
yes	interjection	enya	Yes, I am ready. Enya, ndanjira.
no	interjection	yayi	No, I do not know. Yayi, nkhumanya yayi.
not	adverb	yayi	I am not tired. Ndaneta yayi.
and	conjunction	na	Mother and father are here. Nyina na wiske ŵali pano.
or	conjunction	panji	Tea or coffee is fine. Tiyi panji khofi vyose viwemi.
but	conjunction	kweni	I came, but he left. Niza, kweni iyo waluta.
if	conjunction	usange	If you come, I stay. Usange ukwiza, nikhalenge.
because	conjunction	chifukwa	I stayed because it rained. Nkakhala chifukwa kukawa vura.
with	preposition	na	I came with my friend. Niza na mubwezi wane.
without	preposition	kwambura	He left without money. Iyo waluta kwambura ndalama.
for	preposition	kwa	This gift is for you. Chawanangwa ichi ntchako.
from	preposition	kufuma	I came from town. Niza kufuma ku tawuni.
to	preposition	ku	We walked to school. Tikwenda ku sukulu.