Looking for practical Dombe to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dombe 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 Dombe 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 Dombe 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.
Salibonani
Dumela
Ngiyabonga
Ke a leboga
Ubusuku obuhle
Dumelang
Uhlanga oluhle
Dumela mo afternoon
Ubusuku obuhle
Dumela mo evening
Lala kahle
Borai
Siyaphinda
Tsamaya sentle
Hamba kahle
Tsamaya sentle
Ubani igama lakho?
O na le leina mang?
Igama lami nguJohn
Leina la me ke John
Unjani?
O kae?
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Uta kuta chiRungu?
A o bua Seisemane?
Ndi ndakuta Hindi zvakanaka.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Ndi ndinzwisise.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Ndapota kuta zvishoma.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Ungazvitaura zvakare?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Chikamu chechimbuzi chiri kupi?
Borai bo kae?
Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwekugara?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Tendeuka kuruboshwe.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Tendeuka kurudyi.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Enda mberi.
Tswelela ka fao
Mitero inodhura zvakadini?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Tikiti imwe, ndapota.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Iri kure here kubva pano?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Ndakanyura.
Ke a latlhela
Ndingatenga sei kadhi reSIM?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ehe
Ee
Aih
Nnyaa
Zvichida
Mafoko
Ndinobvumirana
Ke a dumela
Ndinopikisa
Ke sitwa go dumela
Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Unofungei?
O akanya eng?
Unogona kundibatsira here?
O ka nthusa?
Ndiri kuda rubatsiro
Ke tlhoka thuso
Mirira kwechinguva
Emisa motsotso
Ndine hurombo
Ke maswabi
Hapana dambudziko
Ga go na bothata
Makorokoto
A re amogele
Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Iva nerwendo rwakanaka
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kupi yehamba yechitima?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Kupi yehamba yebhazi?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ndeipi chikuva?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Ndeipi nguva inobva?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Iyi ndiyo nzira yakarurama?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Iri pedyo pano
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Iri kure nepanotangira
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Unogona kundiratidza pamepu?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Mira pano, ndapota
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Inotora nguva yakareba?
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.
Iri chingani?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Iri kutengesa kwazvo
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Une chimwe chiri kutengesa chiri pasi?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ndinoda tafura yevaviri
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Chikwereti, ndapota
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Sevhisi yakasanganisirwa here?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ndiri vegetarian
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Iri rinonaka
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Ndingawana menyu here?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Girazi remvura, ndapota
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fona mapurisa
Bua le mapolesa
Fona amburensi
Bua le ambulance
Ndiri kuda chiremba
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Ndiri kurwara
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ndine allergy kumapere
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Papi chipatara chiri pedyo?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Zvinorwadza pano
Go botlhoko fa
Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Unogona kufona hotera yangu?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Rubatsiro!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndiwe wakanaka
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Ngatironge musangano
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Ndichatumira mushumo nhasi
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Tingataure mangwana here?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Ndapota tsvaga faira rakabatanidzwa
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Ndatenda nenguva yako
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Ungajekesa ipapo here?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Nditende kuti ndidzoke kwauri
A ke boele go wena
Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.