Looking for practical Bemba to Sesotho phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba 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 Bemba 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 Bemba 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.
Shani
Lumelang
Natotela
Kea leboha
Muli shani
Dumelang
Muli shani
Molo
Muli shani
Dumelang
Shalenipo bwino
Borai
Tukakutana
Re tla kopana hamorao
Twalumba
Tsamaya hantle
Iwe ulishani?
O na le lebitso lefe?
Ndefwaya John
Lebitso la ka ke John
Uli bwanji?
O kae?
Nashitasha kukumona
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
Na u bua Senyesemane?
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Ka kopo bua butle
Ningaloleleko?
Na u ka boela ua re?
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Ntloana e kae?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Fumya kumwendo
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Fumya kumwendo
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Enda pamo
Eya ka pela
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
Ticket imwe, nomba
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
Na e hole le mona?
Ndi lost
Ke lahlehile
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eya
Ee
Awe
Che
Panga
Mohlomong
Ndi bwino
Ke lumela
Ndi bwino na
Ke sitwa
Ilyo lishibukile
Seo se utloahala hantle
Uchite shani?
O nahana eng?
Ushakufwa?
Na o ka nthusa?
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Ke hloka thuso
Leka ifi
Emisa motsotso
Nshakufwa
Ke maswabi
Takwaba shani
Ha ho bothata
Nshakufwa bwino
O amohelehile
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
Ke kae borai?(ke kae borai)
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Ninshi ikalamba?
Nako e kae e tlohang?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
Ili pamo na pano.
E haufi le mona(e haufi le mona)
Ili lishilu na pano.
E hole le mona(e hole le mona)
Ushibukishe pa mape?
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Leka pano, chonde.
Emisa mona, ka kopo(emisa mona, ka kopo)
Kuli shani?
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.
Ili shani?
Se kostang hakaale?(se kostang hakaale)
Ili lya kuli
Seo ke se theko e phahameng(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Muli na chimo chibulu?
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Ningakupanga na kadi?
Na nka lefa ka kharete?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Icilanga, tapali
Bille, ka kopo(bille, ka kopo)
Ubufyashi bwakupanga?
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
Ndi mvegetarian
Ke moithuti oa meroho(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Ili lya bwino
Se monate(se monate)
Ningakonda ifyalo?
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
Icupa ca mvula, tapali
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.
Tuma abashitisha
Calla mapolesa
Tuma ambulance
Calla ambulance
Nshikala na doctor
Ke hloka ngaka
Nshikala bwino
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
Ndi na allergy ku nsalu
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Kuli ububi pano
Ho bohloko mona
Nashitile passport yangu
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Nawe tuma hotel yangu?
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
Chikondi!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nashamukeni
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena(na-sha-mu-ke-ni)
Tulefwaya ukusanga
A re etse kopano(tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)
Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?(nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)
Nizakutuma ifishina lelo
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno(ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)
Twafwaya ukusambilila lero?
Na re ka bua ka moso?(twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)
Nomba fwebo file iliko
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang(nom-ba fwe-bo fi-le i-li-ko)
Natotela pa nshita
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau(na-to-te-la pa nshi-ta)
Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena(ni-fwa-ya u-ku-shan-da na i-we)
Wakosa ukufumya icikomo?
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?(wa-ko-sa u-ku-fum-ya i-ci-ko-mo)
Nizakukumbusha
A ke tle ke u boele(ni-za-ku-kum-bu-sha)
Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano(i-shi-na lya-ku-pe-la ni Lwa-pu-la)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.