Looking for practical Afar to Sepedi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Afar phrase first, then the Sepedi translation (Sepedi) — 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 Sepedi.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Sepedi-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Afar to Sepedi 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.
Nagaad
Dumela(nagaad)
Galatooma
Ke a leboga(galatooma)
Bariis
Dumelang(bariis)
Galab
Mokhutsong o motle(galab)
Haal
Mokhutsong o motle(haal)
Haalka habeen
Borai bo botle(haalka habeen)
Ilaa mar kale
Tsamaya sentle(ilaa mar kale)
Nagaad
Siyabonga(nagaad)
Maa magacaa?
O na le leina lefe?(maa magacaa)
Magacaygu waa John
Leina la ka ke John(magacaygu waa John)
Iska waran?
O kae?(iska waran)
Aad baan ku faraxsanahay
Ke thabela go kopana le wena(aad baan ku faraxsanahay)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Inni ingiriisi maahaa?
Na o bua Seisemane?(Inni ingiriisi maahaa?)
Hindi maahaa hinjiru
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(Hindi maahaa hinjiru)
Ani hinfahmi
Ke sitwa go kwele(Ani hinfahmi)
Fadlan si maahaa siib
Tsweetswee bua ka borai(Fadlan si maahaa siib)
Maahaa inna marra?
Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?(Maahaa inna marra?)
Maalin baadhu?
Borai bo kae?(Maalin baadhu?)
Akkam an magaalatti gahu?
Ke etse eng go ya borai?(Akkam an magaalatti gahu?)
Boodha kaaf
Fetola go le letšatši(Boodha kaaf)
Boodha mirga
Fetola go le letona(Boodha mirga)
Si qodhi
Ya ka pela(Si qodhi)
Maalin abaal?
Phetho ke bokae?(Maalin abaal?)
Tiket tokkon, fadlan
Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee(Tiket tokkon, fadlan)
Maalin faga?
Na ke kgole go tswa fano?(Maalin faga?)
Ani dhumtu
Ke sitwa go etse(Ani dhumtu)
Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?
Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?(Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eeyy
Ee(ee-yee)
Maya
Aowa(mah-yah)
Gara
Mohlomong(gah-rah)
Anigu waaq
Ke a dumela(ah-nee-goo wahk)
Anigu ma waaq
Ke sitwa go dumela(ah-nee-goo mah wahk)
Tani waa'ee
Seo se utlwa sentle(tah-nee wah-ee)
Ilaa ma waaq?
O nagana eng?(ee-lah mah wahk)
Ilaa naxar?
O ka nthusa?(ee-lah nah-khar)
Naxar aniga
Ke hloka thuso(nah-khar ah-nee-gah)
Soo'aa
Emela nako(soo-ah)
Waa'ee aniga
Ke maswabi(wah-ee ah-nee-gah)
Maya dhib
Ga go na bothata(mah-yah dheeb)
Hambalyo
Dumelang(ham-bahl-yo)
Bariis gadhay
Tlhogong e monate(bah-rees gah-thai)
Safar amni
Dira leeto le le bolokehileng(sah-far am-nee)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eeyyoo taayka daab?
Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?(Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?)
Eeyyoo gaari daab?
Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?(Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?)
Keenya kaafaa?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(Ke sehlopha sefe?)
Waqti maayti?
Nako efe e tlo fofa?(Nako efe e tlo fofa?)
Maayta kaan?
A ke tsela e nepahetseng?(A ke tsela e nepahetseng?)
Ittaa hara
E haufi le fa(E haufi le fa)
Ittaa faar
E hole le fa(E hole le fa)
Maafaa naafaa?
O ka mpontsha ka mape?(O ka mpontsha ka mape?)
Hara dhaaf, fadlan
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(Emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Waqti mee?
E nka nako e kae?(E nka nako e kae?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iyayka mi'aa?
Ke bokae?(ke bo-ka-e)
Iyayka xayl
Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi(seo ke se-bo-pe-go se se ko-tsi)
Ma'ayka hara gabbir?
O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?(o na le se-ngwe se se the-ko e tla-se)
Karta ka'ayka?
Nka lefa ka khadi?(nka le-fa ka kha-di)
Mi'ayka mi'ida laba
Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi(ke ra-ta ta-fo-le ya ba-tho ba ba-be-di)
Xisaab, fadlan
Bille, tswarela(bil-le tswa-re-la)
Adeegku ma ku jira?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tse-be-let-so e a-ka-re-tswe)
Anigu waxaan ahay khudradeed
Ke movegetarian(ke mo-ve-ge-ta-ri-an)
Cunto kulul ma jirto, fadlan
Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela(a-o-wa di-jo tse di pha-di-leng tswa-re-la)
Tani waa macaan
Se ke se monate(se ke se mo-na-te)
Mi'ayka liiska?
Nka fumana lenaneo?(nka fu-ma-na le-na-e-no)
Dharbaaxda biyo, fadlan
Khalase ya metsi, tswarela(kha-la-se ya me-tsi tswa-re-la)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Waaqa booliisi
B calla mapolesa(Call the police)
Waaqa ambulaansii
B calla ambulance(Call an ambulance)
Dooktar naaf barbaachisa
Ke hloka ngaka
Naanu dhukkuba qaba
Ke ikutlwa ke bolaya
Qoricha fooniif dhukkuba qaba
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Hospitaala dhihoo eessa?
Hospital e hwetšwa kae?
Asitti dhukkuba qaba
Go a bohloko fa
Paaspoortii koo dhabe
Ke lahlehetšwe ke passport ya ka
Hoteela koo waaqa?
O ka bitsa hotel ya ka?
Gargaarsa!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nagaad waayi
Ke thabile go kopana le wena(na-gaad waa-yi)
Nagaad kaabirna waayi
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(na-gaad kaa-bir-na waa-yi)
Waqti mee waayi?
Nako efe e go kgonang?(waq-ti mee waa-yi)
Warqad kaan diraya harra
Ke tla romela reportone gompieno(war-qad kaan di-ra-ya har-ra)
Maanta waayi hadalnaa?
A re ka bua ka moso?(maan-ta waa-yi ha-dal-naa)
Faylka ku lifaaqan fadlan
Tsweetswee bona faele e amanang(fayl-ka ku li-faa-qan fad-lan)
Mahadsanid waqtigaaga
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(ma-had-sa-nid waq-ti-ga-a-ga)
Waxaan rajeynayaa inaan la shaqeeyo
Ke lebeletse go dira le wena(wax-aan ra-jeen-yaa-in aan la sha-qee-yo)
Ma cadayn kartaa dhibicdaas?
A o ka hlalosa ntlha eo?(ma ca-dayn kar-taa dhi-bi-cda-as)
Iga raadi dib
A ke tle ke boe go wena(i-ga raa-di dib)
Waqtiga kama dambaysta waa Jimco
Nako ya borai ke Labohlano(waq-ti-ga ka-ma dam-bay-sta waa jim-co)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.