Useful Sesotho phrases

A collection of useful phrases in Sesotho / Southern Sotho. Click on the English phrases to see them in many other languages.

Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person).

English	seSotho (Sesotho)
Welcome	Kena ka kgotso! (sg) Kenang ka kgotso! (pl)
Hello	Lumela / Dumela (sg) Dumelang (pl) Helele
How are you? I'm fine, thanks. And you?	O kae? (Where are you?) O phela joang? (How are you living?)
How are you? I'm fine, thanks. And you?	Ke teng, wena o kae ? (I'm here, where are you?) Ke phela hantle, wena o phela jwang? (I'm living fine, how are you living?)
What's your name? My name is ...	Lebitso la hao ke mang?
What's your name? My name is ...	Lebitso laka ke ...
Where are you from? I'm from ...	O tswa kae?
Where are you from? I'm from ...	Ndivela e...
Good morning	Mmoro (sg) Mmorong (pl)
Good evening/Good night	Fonane (sg) Fonaneng (pl)
Goodbye	Sala hantle (to person staying) Tsamaya hantle (to person leaving)
Good luck	Ke o lakaletsa mohlohonolo
Bon voyage	O tsamaye hantle / Tsela tsweu (white road)
I don't understand	Ha ke utlwisise
Do you speak Sesotho? Yes	O a bua Sesotho? Na o a bua Sesotho?
Do you speak Sesotho? Yes	Ee
Do you speak English?	O a bua Senyesemane? Na o a bua Senyesemane?
Excuse me	Ntshwarele / Ntsoarele
How much is this?	Ke bokae?
Sorry	Ntshwarele
Thank you Response (You're welcome)	Ke a leboha / Ke a leboha haholo
Thank you Response (You're welcome)	O amohetswe
Where's the toilet?	Batekamore e kae?
I love you	Ke a o rata
Help!	Thusa!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year	Keresemese e monate le mahlohonolo a selemo se setjha
Happy Birthday	Letsatsi le monate la tswalo

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, please contact me.

Links

Sesotho, Xhosa, Zulu