Markets & Souvenirs

1. Kasi msika uli nkhu?

   Where is the market?

   Usage

   Asks a passer-by where the market is

   Grammar Note

   "… li nkhu?" asks where something is, with a prefix that agrees with the noun before "li" (u- for "msika"). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

2. Kasi ni ndalama zilinga?

   How much is it?

   Usage

   Asks the price; say it while pointing at the item

   Grammar Note

   "ni ndalama zilinga" is literally "how much money is it"; with an item it can read "Kasi malaya agha ni ndalama zilinga?"

3. Mtengo ni wapatali chomene

   The price is too high

   Usage

   Says the price is too high, to open a bargaining talk

   Grammar Note

   "wapatali" means "costly" and carries the wa- that agrees with "mtengo"; "chomene" strengthens it. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

4. Kasi mungachepeska mtengo?

   Could you lower the price?

   Usage

   Asks for a lower price, politely, as is usual in a market

   Grammar Note

   "mu-nga-" is polite "you can"; "chepeska" means "reduce". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

5. Nkhukhumba kugula somba

   I want to buy fish

   Usage

   Tells the seller what you want to buy; swap "somba" for any other item

   Grammar Note

   "Nkhukhumba + infinitive (ku-)" means "I want to …". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

6. Kasi muli na mphangwe?

   Do you have vegetables?

   Usage

   Asks a seller whether they stock something; replace "mphangwe" with another item

   Grammar Note

   "muli na" is polite "you have". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

7. Nitolenge ichi

   I'll take this one

   Usage

   Says you agree on the price and will buy

   Grammar Note

   The ending "-nge" marks the future; "ichi" is "this" for a chi- noun. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

8. Nkhuwona waka, yewo

   I'm just looking, thank you

   Usage

   Politely turns down a seller's pitch while you browse

   Grammar Note

   "waka" means "just, merely". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

9. Msika

   Market

   Usage

   Market; "pa msika" means "at the market"

   Grammar Note

   "msika" is the noun for market; put the locative "pa" before it for "at the market"

10. Ndalama

    Money

    Usage

    Money; the word you meet most often when talking prices

    Grammar Note

    "ndalama" takes plural agreement, as in "ndalama zinandi" ("a lot of money")

Browse all TravelPhrases languages