Looking for practical Afar to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Afar 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 Afar 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 Afar 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.
Nagaad
Dumela(nagaad)
Galatooma
Ke a leboga(galatooma)
Bariis
Dumelang(bariis)
Galab
Dumela mo afternoon(galab)
Haal
Dumela mo evening(haal)
Haalka habeen
Borai(haalka habeen)
Ilaa mar kale
Tsamaya sentle(ilaa mar kale)
Nagaad
Tsamaya sentle(nagaad)
Maa magacaa?
O na le leina mang?(maa magacaa)
Magacaygu waa John
Leina la me ke John(magacaygu waa John)
Iska waran?
O kae?(iska waran)
Aad baan ku faraxsanahay
Ke itumetse 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?
A o bua Seisemane?(Inni ingiriisi maahaa?)
Hindi maahaa hinjiru
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(Hindi maahaa hinjiru)
Ani hinfahmi
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya(Ani hinfahmi)
Fadlan si maahaa siib
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako(Fadlan si maahaa siib)
Maahaa inna marra?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?(Maahaa inna marra?)
Maalin baadhu?
Borai bo kae?(Maalin baadhu?)
Akkam an magaalatti gahu?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?(Akkam an magaalatti gahu?)
Boodha kaaf
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona(Boodha kaaf)
Boodha mirga
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng(Boodha mirga)
Si qodhi
Tswelela ka fao(Si qodhi)
Maalin abaal?
Gaeletsi e bokae?(Maalin abaal?)
Tiket tokkon, fadlan
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee(Tiket tokkon, fadlan)
Maalin faga?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?(Maalin faga?)
Ani dhumtu
Ke a latlhela(Ani dhumtu)
Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?(Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eeyy
Ee(ee-yee)
Maya
Nnyaa(mah-yah)
Gara
Mafoko(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 utlwisa molemo(tah-nee wah-ee)
Ilaa ma waaq?
O akanya eng?(ee-lah mah wahk)
Ilaa naxar?
O ka nthusa?(ee-lah nah-khar)
Naxar aniga
Ke tlhoka thuso(nah-khar ah-nee-gah)
Soo'aa
Emisa motsotso(soo-ah)
Waa'ee aniga
Ke maswabi(wah-ee ah-nee-gah)
Maya dhib
Ga go na bothata(mah-yah dheeb)
Hambalyo
A re amogele(ham-bahl-yo)
Bariis gadhay
Tlhogomelo e e monate(bah-rees gah-thai)
Safar amni
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong(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 borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Eeyyoo gaari daab?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Keenya kaafaa?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Waqti maayti?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Maayta kaan?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Ittaa hara
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Ittaa faar
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Maafaa naafaa?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Hara dhaaf, fadlan
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Waqti mee?
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.
Iyayka mi'aa?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Iyayka xayl
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Ma'ayka hara gabbir?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Karta ka'ayka?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Mi'ayka mi'ida laba
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Xisaab, fadlan
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Adeegku ma ku jira?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Anigu waxaan ahay khudradeed
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Cunto kulul ma jirto, fadlan
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Tani waa macaan
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Mi'ayka liiska?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Dharbaaxda biyo, fadlan
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Waaqa booliisi
Bua le mapolesa(Call the police)
Waaqa ambulaansii
Bua le ambulance(Call an ambulance)
Dooktar naaf barbaachisa
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Naanu dhukkuba qaba
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Qoricha fooniif dhukkuba qaba
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Hospitaala dhihoo eessa?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Asitti dhukkuba qaba
Go botlhoko fa
Paaspoortii koo dhabe
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Hoteela koo waaqa?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Gargaarsa!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nagaad waayi
Ke itumetse 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 thusang?(waq-ti mee waa-yi)
Warqad kaan diraya harra
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(war-qad kaan di-ra-ya har-ra)
Maanta waayi hadalnaa?
A re ka bua ka borai?(maan-ta waa-yi ha-dal-naa)
Faylka ku lifaaqan fadlan
Tsweetswee, etse fa 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 itumelela go dira le wena(wax-aan ra-jeen-yaa-in aan la sha-qee-yo)
Ma cadayn kartaa dhibicdaas?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(ma ca-dayn kar-taa dhi-bi-cda-as)
Iga raadi dib
A ke boele go wena(i-ga raa-di dib)
Waqtiga kama dambaysta waa Jimco
Nako ya go fela 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.