Looking for practical Chichewa to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Chichewa 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: pick five Tswana phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Chichewa 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.
Moni
Dumela
Zikomo
Ke a leboga
M'mawa wabwino
Dumelang
Masana abwino
Dumela mo afternoon
Madziwabwino
Dumela mo evening
Usiku wabwino
Borai
Tiwonana
Tsamaya sentle
Tsalani bwino
Tsamaya sentle
Dzina lako ndi ndani?
O na le leina mang?
Dzina langa ndi John
Leina la me ke John
Muli bwanji?
O kae?
Ndikufuna kukumana nanu
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Mukulankhula Chingerezi?
A o bua Seisemane?(Mukulankhula Chingerezi?)
Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino)
Sindikumva
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya(Sindikumva)
Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako(Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono)
Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?(Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?)
Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?
Borai bo kae?(Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?)
Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?(Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?)
Pangani kumanzere
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona(Pangani kumanzere)
Pangani kumanzere
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng(Pangani kumanzere)
Pitani mwachindunji
Tswelela ka fao(Pitani mwachindunji)
Ndi ndalama zingati?
Gaeletsi e bokae?(Ndi ndalama zingati?)
Tiket imodzi, chonde
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee(Tiket imodzi, chonde)
Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?(Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?)
Ndakhalapo
Ke a latlhela(Ndakhalapo)
Ndingatengere kuti SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?(Ndingatengere kuti SIM card?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Inde
Ee
Ayi
Nnyaa
Mwina
Mafoko
Ndikugwirizana
Ke a dumela
Sindikugwirizana
Ke sitwa go dumela
Zimakoma
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Mumaganiza chiyani?
O akanya eng?
Mungandithandize?
O ka nthusa?
Ndikufuna thandizo
Ke tlhoka thuso
Dikirani pang'ono
Emisa motsotso
Ndikupemphera
Ke maswabi
Palibe vuto
Ga go na bothata
Zikomo
A re amogele
Tsiku lobadwa labwino
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Pita bwino
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kuti ndi kuti sitima?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Kuti ndi kuti malo otsetsereka?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ndi chigawo chiti?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Ndi nthawi iti imatenga?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Ili pafupi pano
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Ili kutali pano
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Kodi mungandionetse pa mapu?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Khalani pano, chonde
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?
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.
Zimatenga ndalama zingati?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Izi ndizokwera mtengo kwambiri.
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Kodi muli ndi chinthu chotsika mtengo?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Ndingathe kulipira ndi khadi?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Chikonthe, chonde.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Kodi ntchito yakhala mu mtengo?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ndine mvegetarian.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Osati chakudya chotentha, chonde.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Izi ndizochuluka.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Ndingathe kupeza menyu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Galasi ya madzi, chonde.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fufuzani apolisi
Bua le mapolesa
Fufuzani ambulansi
Bua le ambulance
Ndikufuna dokotala
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Ndikumva kutopa
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ndine wosokoneza ndi ma nuts a phala
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Kuti ndi kuti chibadwe chachikondi?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Kukonda apa
Go botlhoko fa
Ndapeza pasipoti yanga
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Thandizani!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndikuyamikira kukumana nanu
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Tiyeni tikhazikitse meeting
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Ndi nthawi yanji yomwe ikugwira ntchito kwa inu?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Ndzatumiza lipoti lero
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Tingathe kulankhula mawa?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Chonde pezani fayilo yowonjezedwa
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyo?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Nditheke kubwerera kwa inu
A ke boele go wena
Nthawi yotsiriza ndi Lachisanu
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.