ChiTumbuka is a language spoken in some parts of Northern Malawi, Zambia and Tanzania. I will not introduce you to the grammar of ChiTumbuka language but will go straight to sharing the few words and phrases a typical foreigner might need.
The ChiTumbuka alphabet:
A= [ah as in astound] e= [eh as in enter] I= [ee as in east] o= [oh as in open] u= [oo as in Utah with U sounding as in "woo"] = vowels (WHEREVER THESE VOWELS ARE SPOTTED THEY ARE TO SOUND AS DENOTED HERE)
Ba (as in bad) be- as in be, bi-as in bee, bo as in bold, bu- as in bully,
There is no independent "C" but always attached to "H" thus Cha che chi cho chu
Da- as in Dad
All "e" are pronounce as "eh" and does not stand alone
Fa as in Father
Gu- as in good
Hu-as in hooker
I is pronounced "eee" and doesn't stand alone
Jo- as in Job
Ko- as is cold
La le- as in left, li lo Lu (in classic ChiTumbuka "L" doesn't exist but the diluted form has incorporated it in words like "Chipatala" which are mostly borrowed and coined)
Mo- as in motto
Ni- as in Knee
"O" doesn't stand alone and is pronounced "oh"
Po-as in Pot
There is no "Q" in ChiTumbuka though the "Q" sound can be heard in words like "Kwiza" and "Kwacha"
Ri- as in Rinse (it's advisable to pronounce all "L" words in ChiTumbuka as "R" ones)
So- as in son
To-as in top
"U" doesn't stand alone but is pronounced as "oo" as in "ooze"
Vo -as in volume
Wa we wi (there is no word in the language that has "wu" or "wo" there are instead taken up by the use of "U" for "wu" and "o" for "Wo")
There is no "X" in the language
zu-as in zoo
Me= ine but note that the prefix N- and Nk- are also used to make a me meaning as in Nkhulya= am eating and as in n- + luta = naluta (am gone)
NB: you will notice that there is no ChiTumbuka word that ends without a vowel so its important to pronounce them as such.
Arrival: Kufika [coo-fee-ker]
Visitor: Mulendo [moo-leh-ndoh]
Going: Kuluta [koo-looter]
Coming: Kwiza [queezer]
Airport: Chibanja cha ndege [chee-wa-njer cher nde-ghe]
Money: Ndalama/ Makopara/ matambala [mah-koperer]
Man: Mwanalume [Mooneroomie]
Woman: Mwanakazi/ mwali/ msungwana/ swengha [moonerkerzie]
Child: Mwana
Car/ vehicle: Galimoto [ghalee-motor]
Plane: ndege
How are you/ hi/ hello: Monire [moo-woh-nilly]
Am fine and you: ndili makora kwalimwe
Thanks: yebo
Come here: zakuno
Am going to: Nkhuluta ku-
Am coming from: Nafuma ku-
Am looking for: nkhupenja-
Me: ine, n-, nkh-
You: iwe
I need change: nisithaniko makopara
Where is Chenda motel: Motelo ya Kwa Chenda yili Nkhu?
I want a taxi: nkhupenja Taxi
How much: Zilinga
I got little: Zachepa
Food: Chakulya
Chicken: Nkhuku
Beef: Nyama ya Ng'ombe
Pork: Nkhumba
Rice: Mpunga
Irish Potatoes: Katofyeni
Fish: somba
Lake: Nyanja
Bed: bedi
Sleep: gona (v)
To sleep: kugona
He/she is sleeping: wakugona
Sex (coition): kugundana (extremely taboo, better said in English)
I want sex with you: tiye tikagundane (extremely taboo, better said in English)
Condom: kondomu
Disease: nthenda
No: yayi
Prostitute: hule
Fool: chindere
Penis: nkhule (extremely taboo, better said in English)
Vagina: Choli (extremely taboo, better said in English)
Buttocks: matako
Head: mutu
Fire: moto
Arm: kawoko
Leg: kalundi
Snake: njoka
Medicine: munkhwala
Hospital: Chipatala
Church: tchalicthi
God: Chiuta
Jesus: Yesu
Paul: Paulos
River: Msinje
People: wanthu
Person: munthu
Hill: phiri
Animal: nyama
Mother: mama
Father: dada
His mother: wamama wake
His father: wadada wake
Your mother: wanyoko
Your father: wawuso
Aunt: wa nkhazi
Uncle: wa Sibweni
Son/ daughter: mwana (same with child)
Cigarette/ tobacco: hona
Beer/ wine: wine
Drugs: we got none available
Gun: futi
Rob: kwiba
Robber: munkhungu
I have been robbed: it will not happen to you here
I want a place to sleep: nkhupenja kwa kugona
Hire: hayala
One; limo
Two: viuwiri
Three: vitatu
Four: vinayi
Five vinkhonde
Six: vinkhonde na chimo
Seven: vinkhonde na viwiri
Eight: vinkhonde na vitatu
Nine: vinkhonde na vinayi
Ten: khumi
Eleven: khumi na chimo
20: makhumi ghawiri
55: makhumi ghankhonde na vinkhonde
1000: makhumi khumi khumi
Phone: foni
Email: internet
Internet: intaneti
My friend: mnyani
My wife: mwanakazi wane
Bye: paweme
Tree: khuni
Him: yula
Them: wala
Us: ise
You (plural): imwe
You (singular): iwe
Croc: ng'wina (whenever the apostrophe ' separates "Ng" and another word, it is pronounced as "ng" in 'running'
Weed: chamba
Police: polisi
Chief: fumu
Love: chitemwa
I love you: nkhukutemwa ("mwa" pronounced as the French "moi")
Ouch: ayo
It's delicious: yikunowa
Tea: tiyi
Restaurant: Restoranti
Spoon: spuni
Folk: foloku
Soup: msuni
Breakfast: tiyi
Canoe: wato
Paddle: nkhafi
Boat/ cruise: boti
Any form of hitch hiking: matola
Bus: basi
Time: nyengo
Night: usiku
Day: muhanya
It's getting dark: kukufipa
Hair: sisi
Eyes: maso
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