Looking for practical Afar to Sesotho phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Afar phrase first, then the Sesotho translation (Sesotho) — 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 Sesotho.
Tip: when a Sesotho phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Afar wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
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Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Nagaad
Lumelang(nagaad)
Galatooma
Kea leboha(galatooma)
Bariis
Dumelang(bariis)
Galab
Molo(galab)
Haal
Dumelang(haal)
Haalka habeen
Borai(haalka habeen)
Ilaa mar kale
Re tla kopana hamorao(ilaa mar kale)
Nagaad
Tsamaya hantle(nagaad)
Maa magacaa?
O na le lebitso lefe?(maa magacaa)
Magacaygu waa John
Lebitso la ka ke John(magacaygu waa John)
Iska waran?
O kae?(iska waran)
Aad baan ku faraxsanahay
Ke thabela ho 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 u bua Senyesemane?(Inni ingiriisi maahaa?)
Hindi maahaa hinjiru
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle(Hindi maahaa hinjiru)
Ani hinfahmi
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa(Ani hinfahmi)
Fadlan si maahaa siib
Ka kopo bua butle(Fadlan si maahaa siib)
Maahaa inna marra?
Na u ka boela ua re?(Maahaa inna marra?)
Maalin baadhu?
Ntloana e kae?(Maalin baadhu?)
Akkam an magaalatti gahu?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?(Akkam an magaalatti gahu?)
Boodha kaaf
Fetola ho ea letsohong(Boodha kaaf)
Boodha mirga
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona(Boodha mirga)
Si qodhi
Eya ka pela(Si qodhi)
Maalin abaal?
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?(Maalin abaal?)
Tiket tokkon, fadlan
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo(Tiket tokkon, fadlan)
Maalin faga?
Na e hole le mona?(Maalin faga?)
Ani dhumtu
Ke lahlehile(Ani dhumtu)
Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?(Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eeyy
Ee(ee-yee)
Maya
Che(mah-yah)
Gara
Mohlomong(gah-rah)
Anigu waaq
Ke lumela(ah-nee-goo wahk)
Anigu ma waaq
Ke sitwa(ah-nee-goo mah wahk)
Tani waa'ee
Seo se utloahala hantle(tah-nee wah-ee)
Ilaa ma waaq?
O nahana eng?(ee-lah mah wahk)
Ilaa naxar?
Na o ka nthusa?(ee-lah nah-khar)
Naxar aniga
Ke hloka thuso(nah-khar ah-nee-gah)
Soo'aa
Emisa motsotso(soo-ah)
Waa'ee aniga
Ke maswabi(wah-ee ah-nee-gah)
Maya dhib
Ha ho bothata(mah-yah dheeb)
Hambalyo
O amohelehile(ham-bahl-yo)
Bariis gadhay
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo(bah-rees gah-thai)
Safar amni
Ebe le tsamaea hantle(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 seteishene sa terene?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Eeyyoo gaari daab?
Ke kae borai?(ke kae borai)
Keenya kaafaa?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Waqti maayti?
Nako e kae e tlohang?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Maayta kaan?
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
Ittaa hara
E haufi le mona(e haufi le mona)
Ittaa faar
E hole le mona(e hole le mona)
Maafaa naafaa?
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Hara dhaaf, fadlan
Emisa mona, ka kopo(emisa mona, ka kopo)
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?
Se kostang hakaale?(se kostang hakaale)
Iyayka xayl
Seo ke se theko e phahameng(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Ma'ayka hara gabbir?
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Karta ka'ayka?
Na nka lefa ka kharete?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
Mi'ayka mi'ida laba
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Xisaab, fadlan
Bille, ka kopo(bille, ka kopo)
Adeegku ma ku jira?
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
Anigu waxaan ahay khudradeed
Ke moithuti oa meroho(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Cunto kulul ma jirto, fadlan
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Tani waa macaan
Se monate(se monate)
Mi'ayka liiska?
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
Dharbaaxda biyo, fadlan
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo(khalase ea metsi, ka kopo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Waaqa booliisi
Calla mapolesa(Call the police)
Waaqa ambulaansii
Calla ambulance(Call an ambulance)
Dooktar naaf barbaachisa
Ke hloka ngaka
Naanu dhukkuba qaba
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
Qoricha fooniif dhukkuba qaba
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
Hospitaala dhihoo eessa?
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Asitti dhukkuba qaba
Ho bohloko mona
Paaspoortii koo dhabe
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Hoteela koo waaqa?
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
Gargaarsa!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nagaad waayi
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena(na-gaad waa-yi)
Nagaad kaabirna waayi
A re etse kopano(na-gaad kaa-bir-na waa-yi)
Waqti mee waayi?
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?(waq-ti mee waa-yi)
Warqad kaan diraya harra
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno(war-qad kaan di-ra-ya har-ra)
Maanta waayi hadalnaa?
Na re ka bua ka moso?(maan-ta waa-yi ha-dal-naa)
Faylka ku lifaaqan fadlan
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang(fayl-ka ku li-faa-qan fad-lan)
Mahadsanid waqtigaaga
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau(ma-had-sa-nid waq-ti-ga-a-ga)
Waxaan rajeynayaa inaan la shaqeeyo
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena(wax-aan ra-jeen-yaa-in aan la sha-qee-yo)
Ma cadayn kartaa dhibicdaas?
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?(ma ca-dayn kar-taa dhi-bi-cda-as)
Iga raadi dib
A ke tle ke u boele(i-ga raa-di dib)
Waqtiga kama dambaysta waa Jimco
Nako e felletseng 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.