Looking for practical Bambara to Sesotho phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bambara 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Sesotho-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bambara to Sesotho 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.
I ni ce
Lumelang
I ni sogoma
Kea leboha
I ni bɔ
Dumelang
I ni kɛ
Molo
I ni sɔgɔ
Dumelang
I ni tulu
Borai
N bɛ se ka
Re tla kopana hamorao
A bɛ se ka
Tsamaya hantle
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
O na le lebitso lefe?
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Lebitso la ka ke John
I ni fɛ?
O kae?
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I ni ce English?
Na u bua Senyesemane?(ee nee che English)
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
N mɔgɔ bɛ
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa(N mo-go beh)
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ
Ka kopo bua butle(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
I ka fɔ a la?
Na u ka boela ua re?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Bamanakan kɛn na?
Ntloana e kae?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Kɛlɛn bɔ
Fetola ho ea letsohong(Keh-lehn boh)
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Fɔ kɛlɛn
Eya ka pela(Fo keh-lehn)
Fɛ kɛ?
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?(Feh keh)
Kɛnɛ ticket, please
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo(Ken-eh ticket, please)
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?
Na e hole le mona?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
N tɛ bɔ
Ke lahlehile(N teh boh)
N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?(N beh fo SIM card ken)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Ee
Ala
Che
Bara
Mohlomong
N bɛ bɔ
Ke lumela
N bɛ fɔ
Ke sitwa
I bɛ sɛbɛn
Seo se utloahala hantle
I ka fɛ kɛ?
O nahana eng?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Na o ka nthusa?
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Ke hloka thuso
Sira kɛ
Emisa motsotso
N tɛgɛ
Ke maswabi
Ala ka fɔ
Ha ho bothata
I ni kɛ
O amohelehile
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?
Ke kae borai?(ke kae borai)
I ni tîgê kô?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Kô tîgê bô?
Nako e kae e tlohang?(nako e kae e tlohang)
I ni tîgê bô?
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
I tîgê kâ.
E haufi le mona(e haufi le mona)
I tîgê kâ fô.
E hole le mona(e hole le mona)
I bô kô tîgê fô?
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Emisa mona, ka kopo(emisa mona, ka kopo)
Kô tîgê kô?
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.
I ni ce?
Se kostang hakaale?(se kostang hakaale)
O ye fɛɛrɛ.
Seo ke se theko e phahameng(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?
Na nka lefa ka kharete?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.
Bille, ka kopo(bille, ka kopo)
Sɛbɛ ka fo?
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
N bɛ sɔgɔma.
Ke moithuti oa meroho(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
I ye sɔgɔ.
Se monate(se monate)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.
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.
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ
Calla mapolesa(nogo folo)
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ
Calla ambulance(nogo koro)
N bɛ sɔrɔ
Ke hloka ngaka(n be soro)
N bɛ tɛgɛn
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa(n be tegen)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts(n be folokele)
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
Hospital e haufi e kae?(n be koro folo)
I tɛgɛ fɛ
Ho bohloko mona(i tege fe)
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport(n be kele folo)
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?(i be nogo koro folo)
Tɛgɛ!
Thusa!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena(N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ
A re etse kopano(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
I ni bɔ a la?
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?(I ni bɔ a la?)
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?
Na re ka bua ka moso?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ
A ke tle ke u boele(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano(Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.