Looking for practical Bambara to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bambara 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: when a Tswana phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Bambara wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bambara 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.
I ni ce
Dumela
I ni sogoma
Ke a leboga
I ni bɔ
Dumelang
I ni kɛ
Dumela mo afternoon
I ni sɔgɔ
Dumela mo evening
I ni tulu
Borai
N bɛ se ka
Tsamaya sentle
A bɛ se ka
Tsamaya sentle
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
O na le leina mang?
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Leina la me ke John
I ni fɛ?
O kae?
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I ni ce English?
A o bua Seisemane?(ee nee che English)
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
N mɔgɔ bɛ
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya(N mo-go beh)
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
I ka fɔ a la?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Bamanakan kɛn na?
Borai bo kae?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Kɛlɛn bɔ
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona(Keh-lehn boh)
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Fɔ kɛlɛn
Tswelela ka fao(Fo keh-lehn)
Fɛ kɛ?
Gaeletsi e bokae?(Feh keh)
Kɛnɛ ticket, please
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee(Ken-eh ticket, please)
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
N tɛ bɔ
Ke a latlhela(N teh boh)
N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?(N beh fo SIM card ken)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Ee
Ala
Nnyaa
Bara
Mafoko
N bɛ bɔ
Ke a dumela
N bɛ fɔ
Ke sitwa go dumela
I bɛ sɛbɛn
Seo se utlwisa molemo
I ka fɛ kɛ?
O akanya eng?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
O ka nthusa?
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Ke tlhoka thuso
Sira kɛ
Emisa motsotso
N tɛgɛ
Ke maswabi
Ala ka fɔ
Ga go na bothata
I ni kɛ
A re amogele
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Tlhogomelo e e monate
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
I ni tîgê kô?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Kô tîgê bô?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
I ni tîgê bô?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
I tîgê kâ.
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
I tîgê kâ fô.
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
I bô kô tîgê fô?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Kô tîgê kô?
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.
I ni ce?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
O ye fɛɛrɛ.
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Sɛbɛ ka fo?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
N bɛ sɔgɔma.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
I ye sɔgɔ.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ
Bua le mapolesa(nogo folo)
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ
Bua le ambulance(nogo koro)
N bɛ sɔrɔ
Ke tlhoka ngaka(n be soro)
N bɛ tɛgɛn
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa(n be tegen)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ
Ke na le allergy go peanuts(n be folokele)
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?(n be koro folo)
I tɛgɛ fɛ
Go botlhoko fa(i tege fe)
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ
Ke sitwa passport ya me(n be kele folo)
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?(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 itumetse go kopana le wena(N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
I ni bɔ a la?
Nako efe e go thusang?(I ni bɔ a la?)
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?
A re ka bua ka borai?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ
Ke itumelela go dira le wena(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ
A ke boele go wena(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano(Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.