Looking for practical Acholi to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Acholi phrase first, then the Tswana translation (Tswana) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Tswana.
Tip: read the Tswana line out loud three times, then cover the Acholi side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Acholi to Tswana translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Ayo
Dumela(ah-yo)
Naki
Ke a leboga(nah-kee)
Bok moti
Dumelang(bok mo-tee)
Bok nongo
Dumela mo afternoon(bok non-go)
Bok obedo
Dumela mo evening(bok oh-beh-do)
Bok ngat
Borai(bok ngat)
Tye kany
Tsamaya sentle(tye kan-yee)
Itye
Tsamaya sentle(ee-tye)
Iti ma ineno?
O na le leina mang?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Ineno John
Leina la me ke John(ee-neh-no John)
Iti ma inyo?
O kae?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Gat ma inyo
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Itye konyo English?
A o bua Seisemane?
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Nye neno.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Borai bo kae?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Konyo kuc.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Konyo kuc.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Tye kanyim.
Tswelela ka fao
Iti kanyim ngat?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
One ticket, please.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Iti kanyim kanyim?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Nye konyo.
Ke a latlhela
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Ee
Bila
Nnyaa
Kweyo
Mafoko
Ng'ato konyo
Ke a dumela
Ng'ato konyo ni
Ke sitwa go dumela
Okwero kany
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Ika kany?
O akanya eng?
Ikwok kany?
O ka nthusa?
Ng'ato konyo kany
Ke tlhoka thuso
Tye kany
Emisa motsotso
Ng'ato konyo
Ke maswabi
Bila kany
Ga go na bothata
Tye kany
A re amogele
Aye konyo
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Tye kany ma ng'ato
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Atye kany kwo?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Atye kany bura?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Kati onyo kwo?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Nye kwo nongo?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Kik kwo gwen?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Okwang kany ici
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Okwang kany piny
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Nye konyo i map?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Doko ici, pe?
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Nye kwo ngat?
E tsaya nako e kae?(e tsaya nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nye keken me?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Okwero keken
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Itye keken me?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Nye konyo kadi?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Nye tye kany kwo
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Kaka, nyinga
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Kati kany me?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Nye konyo wot
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Kati wot kany, nyinga
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Iti kany
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Nye konyo kadi me?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Kadi me kic, nyinga
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Yat ma police
Bua le mapolesa
Yat ma ambulance
Bua le ambulance
Nye konyo doctor
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Nye konyo wot
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Nye konyo kany kic
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Okwero ineno
Go botlhoko fa
Nye tye konyo passport
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Yat!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nye kany me
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(Nye kany me)
Dano kany oting
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(Dano kany oting)
Nye kany ma kany?
Nako efe e go thusang?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ngatye kany report kany
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(Ngatye kany report kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
A re ka bua ka borai?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nye kany ma file kany
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang(Nye kany ma file kany)
Atye kany ma kany
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(Atye kany ma kany)
Nye kany ma kany kany
Ke itumelela go dira le wena(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Dano kany ma kany
A ke boele go wena(Dano kany ma kany)
Kany kany Friday
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.