Looking for practical Bemba to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba 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 Bemba 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 Bemba 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.
Shani
Dumela
Natotela
Ke a leboga
Muli shani
Dumelang
Muli shani
Dumela mo afternoon
Muli shani
Dumela mo evening
Shalenipo bwino
Borai
Tukakutana
Tsamaya sentle
Twalumba
Tsamaya sentle
Iwe ulishani?
O na le leina mang?
Ndefwaya John
Leina la me ke John
Uli bwanji?
O kae?
Nashitasha kukumona
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
A o bua Seisemane?
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Ningaloleleko?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Borai bo kae?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Fumya kumwendo
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Fumya kumwendo
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Enda pamo
Tswelela ka fao
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Ticket imwe, nomba
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Ndi lost
Ke a latlhela
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eya
Ee
Awe
Nnyaa
Panga
Mafoko
Ndi bwino
Ke a dumela
Ndi bwino na
Ke sitwa go dumela
Ilyo lishibukile
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Uchite shani?
O akanya eng?
Ushakufwa?
O ka nthusa?
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Ke tlhoka thuso
Leka ifi
Emisa motsotso
Nshakufwa
Ke maswabi
Takwaba shani
Ga go na bothata
Nshakufwa bwino
A re amogele
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Ube na mulimo wabwino
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Ninshi ikalamba?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Ili pamo na pano.
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Ili lishilu na pano.
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Ushibukishe pa mape?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Leka pano, chonde.
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Kuli shani?
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.
Ili shani?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Ili lya kuli
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Muli na chimo chibulu?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Ningakupanga na kadi?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Icilanga, tapali
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Ubufyashi bwakupanga?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ndi mvegetarian
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Ili lya bwino
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Ningakonda ifyalo?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Icupa ca mvula, tapali
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tuma abashitisha
Bua le mapolesa
Tuma ambulance
Bua le ambulance
Nshikala na doctor
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Nshikala bwino
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ndi na allergy ku nsalu
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Kuli ububi pano
Go botlhoko fa
Nashitile passport yangu
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Nawe tuma hotel yangu?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Chikondi!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nashamukeni
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(na-sha-mu-ke-ni)
Tulefwaya ukusanga
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)
Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?
Nako efe e go thusang?(nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)
Nizakutuma ifishina lelo
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)
Twafwaya ukusambilila lero?
A re ka bua ka borai?(twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)
Nomba fwebo file iliko
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang(nom-ba fwe-bo fi-le i-li-ko)
Natotela pa nshita
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(na-to-te-la pa nshi-ta)
Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe
Ke itumelela go dira le wena(ni-fwa-ya u-ku-shan-da na i-we)
Wakosa ukufumya icikomo?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(wa-ko-sa u-ku-fum-ya i-ci-ko-mo)
Nizakukumbusha
A ke boele go wena(ni-za-ku-kum-bu-sha)
Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula
Nako ya go fela 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.