Useful phrases in Tswana

A collection of useful phrases in Tswana, a Bantu language spoken in Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

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See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.

Notes: sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person), >m = said to males, >f = said to females. The words rra (sir) and mma (madam) are used in formal phrases.

English Setswana (Tswana)
Welcome O amogetswe (sg)
Le amogetswe (pl)
Hello (General greeting) Dumela
How are you? O tsogile jang (sg)
Le kae? (sg)
Le tsogile jang? (pl)
Reply to 'How are you?' Ke tsogile sentle (sg)
Re teng (sg)
Re tsogile sentle (pl)
Long time no see Ke kgale re sa bonane
What's your name? Leina le gago ke mang? (frm)
O mang? (inf)
My name is ... Leina la me ke ...
Where are you from?< Ko gae ke kae?
I'm from ... Ke tswa ko ...
Pleased to meet you Ke itumelela go goitsi
Good morning
(Morning greeting)
Dumêla rra (frm>m)
Dumêla mma (frm>f)
Good afternoon
(Afternoon greeting)
Thupama e e monate
Good evening
(Evening greeting)
Muitsibowa a a monate
Good night Borôkô!
Robala sentle (sleep well)
Goodbye
(Parting phrases)
Tsamaya sentle (go well - said when leaving)
Sala sentle (stay well - said when staying)
Go siame (see you)
Ke tla go bona (see you)
Ke tla go bôna kamoso (see you tomorrow)
Ke tla go bôna kgantele (see you later)
Good luck! Masego ke ao
O nne le masego
Cheers! Good Health!
(Toasts used when drinking)
Pholo e ntle!
Have a nice day Tlhôla sentle
Bon appetit /
Have a nice meal
Itumelele dijo
Bon voyage /
Have a good journey
Tselatshweu
Tsmaya sentle (go peacefully)
I understand Ke a tlhaloganya
I don't understand Ga ke tlhaloganye
I don't know Ga ke itse sepe
Please speak more slowly Bua ka bonya
Please say that again Ke kopa o boeletse gape
Please write it down Ke kopa o e kwale fa fatshe
Do you speak Tswana? A o bua Setswana?
Yes, a little
(reply to 'Do you speak ...?')
Ee, fela ga nnyane
How do you say ... in Tswana? Wa bo o reng ... ka Setswana?
Excuse me Intshwarele
I would like ... Ke kopa ...
How much is this? E ke bokae?
Sorry Ke kopa tshwarelo
Please Tswêê-tswêê
Thank you Ke a leboga, rra (frm>m)
Ke a leboga, mma (frm>f)
Ke itumetse, rra (frm>m)
Ke itumetse, mma (frm>f)
Reply to thank you Ke itumetse, rra (frm>m)
Ke itumetse, mma (frm>f)
Where's the toilet / bathroom? Ntlwana ya boitiketso e kae?
This gentleman will pay for everything Lekau le le tsile go duela tsotlhe
This lady will pay for everything Lekgarebe le le tsile go duela tsotlhe
Would you like to dance with me? A ga o batle go bina?
I miss you Ke go gopotse
I love you Ke a go rata
Get well soon O fole ka potlako
Go away! Tsamaya kwa!
Leave me alone! Ntlogele!
Help! Nthuse!
Fire! Molelo!
Stop! Ema!
Call the police! Bitsa mapodisi!
Christmas greetings Keresemose e e monate le ngwaga o o itumedisang
Easter greetings Malatsi a paseka aa itumedisang
Birthday greetings Letsatsi la tswalo lele monate
One language is never enough Laleme le le lengwe ga le a lekanela
My hovercraft is full of eels Mokoro wa me o tletse ditlhapi

Tswana phrases and corrections provided by Peter Ndukulu, with additional phrases and corrections by Kgamanyane Ntsie and Hendrick Matlhomola Mantsho

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

Information about Tswana | Phrases | Numbers

Links

Other collections of Tswana phrases
http://www.setswana.info/wiki/index.php?title=Simple_phrases
http://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tswana_phrasebook
http://www.salanguages.com/setswana/words.htm

Phrases in Bantu languages

Bemba, Chichewa, Chokwe, Duala, Herero, Kikuyu, Kinyarwanda, Lingala, Lozi, Luganda, Ndebele (Northern - South Africa), Ndebele (Northern - Zimbabwe), Ndebele (Southern) Nkore, Northern Sotho, Oshiwambo, Shona, Southern Sotho (seSotho), Swahili, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Tumbuka, Umbundu, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu

Phrases in other languages

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