Looking for practical Dyula to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dyula 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 Dyula 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 Dyula 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(ee nee che)
I ni sogoma
Ke a leboga(ee nee so-goh-mah)
I ni bɛɛ
Dumelang(ee nee beh)
I ni kɛlɛ
Dumela mo afternoon(ee nee keh-leh)
I ni tɔɔrɔ
Dumela mo evening(ee nee toh-roh)
I ni fɔlɔ
Borai(ee nee fo-loh)
N bɛ sɔrɔ
Tsamaya sentle(n beh so-roh)
Ka kɛ
Tsamaya sentle(kah keh)
I bɛ na?
O na le leina mang?(ee beh nah)
N na John
Leina la me ke John(n nah John)
I ni fɛ?
O kae?(ee nee feh)
N bɛ sɔrɔ i
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(n beh so-roh ee)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I ni kɔrɔ English?
A o bua Seisemane?(I ni kɔrɔ English?)
N tɛgɛ Hindi bɛɛ kɔrɔ
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(N tɛgɛ Hindi bɛɛ kɔrɔ)
N tɛgɛ
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya(N tɛgɛ)
Sɔrɔ, i kɔrɔ sɔgɔ
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako(Sɔrɔ, i kɔrɔ sɔgɔ)
I bɛ kɔrɔ a fɔ?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?(I bɛ kɔrɔ a fɔ?)
Bɔlɔ fɔlɔ kɔ?
Borai bo kae?(Bɔlɔ fɔlɔ kɔ?)
N bɛ kɔ bɔlɔ kɛlɛ?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?(N bɛ kɔ bɔlɔ kɛlɛ?)
Fɔlɔ kɛ
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona(Fɔlɔ kɛ)
Fɔlɔ bɛ
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng(Fɔlɔ bɛ)
Kɔ sɔgɔ
Tswelela ka fao(Kɔ sɔgɔ)
N bɛ kɔrɔ kɛlɛ?
Gaeletsi e bokae?(N bɛ kɔrɔ kɛlɛ?)
Kɔtɔ, sɔrɔ
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee(Kɔtɔ, sɔrɔ)
I bɛ fɔlɔ kɛ?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?(I bɛ fɔlɔ kɛ?)
N bɛ tɛgɛ
Ke a latlhela(N bɛ tɛgɛ)
N bɛ fɔlɔ SIM card kɛ?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?(N bɛ fɔlɔ SIM card kɛ?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Awa
Ee
Ayi
Nnyaa
Sama
Mafoko
N bɛ sɔrɔ
Ke a dumela
N bɛ sɔrɔ kɛ
Ke sitwa go dumela
I bɛ sɔrɔ kɛ
Seo se utlwisa molemo
I bɛ sɔrɔ kɛn?
O akanya eng?
I bɛ tɔgɔ mɛn?
O ka nthusa?
N bɛ tɔgɔ
Ke tlhoka thuso
Fɔlɔ kɔrɔ
Emisa motsotso
N bɛ sɔrɔ
Ke maswabi
Ayi bɛ sɔrɔ
Ga go na bothata
N bɛ sɔrɔ fɛ
A re amogele
Bara fɛsɛ
Tlhogomelo e e monate
I bɛ kɔ fɛ kɛ
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
N ye train station kɔ?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
N ye bus stop kɔ?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
N bɛɛ platform kɔ?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
N bɛɛ jɔ kɔ?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
I ye nyɛ kɔ?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
I ye bɔ kɔ a la.
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
I ye bɔ kɔ a la bɔ.
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
I bɛ tɛgɛ mɛn kɔ map la?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Sɔrɔ a la, bɛɛ.
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
N bɛɛ jɔ kɔ bɔ?
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 fɔlɔ.
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
I bɛ ye kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
N bɛ tɔɔrɔ kɔ?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ tɔɔ.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
N bɛ fɔlɔ, jɛ.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Sɛbɛ bɛ fɔlɔ?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Ala fɔlɔ kɔrɔ, jɛ.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
I ye fɛ.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
N bɛ fɔlɔ dɔɔni, jɛ.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
N ka bɛɛ yera
Bua le mapolesa(N ka bɛɛ yera)
N ka bɛɛ kɔrɔ
Bua le ambulance(N ka bɛɛ kɔrɔ)
N bɛɛ fɔlɔ
Ke tlhoka ngaka(N bɛɛ fɔlɔ)
N bɛɛ sɔrɔ
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa(N bɛɛ sɔrɔ)
N bɛɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ
Ke na le allergy go peanuts(N bɛɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ)
Ala kɔrɔ bɛɛ fɔlɔ?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?(Ala kɔrɔ bɛɛ fɔlɔ?)
I bɛɛ sɔrɔ
Go botlhoko fa(I bɛɛ sɔrɔ)
N bɛɛ sɔgɔ kɔrɔ
Ke sitwa passport ya me(N bɛɛ sɔgɔ kɔrɔ)
I bɛɛ kɔrɔ n bɛɛ kɔrɔ?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?(I bɛɛ kɔrɔ n bɛɛ kɔrɔ?)
Yɛlɛ!
Thusa!(Yɛlɛ!)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
N'ko fôlô
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(n'ko folo)
N'ko bôlô fôlô
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(n'ko bolo folo)
N'ko fôlô kôlô?
Nako efe e go thusang?(n'ko folo kolo)
N'ko têgê fôlô kô
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(n'ko tege folo ko)
N'ko bôlô kô fôlô
A re ka bua ka borai?(n'ko bolo ko folo)
N'ko bôlô fôlô kô
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang(n'ko bolo folo ko)
N'ko sôgô fôlô
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(n'ko sogo folo)
N'ko fôlô kô fôlô
Ke itumelela go dira le wena(n'ko folo ko folo)
N'ko fôlô kô
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(n'ko folo ko)
N'ko bôlô fôlô
A ke boele go wena(n'ko bolo folo)
N'ko fôlô kô
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano(n'ko folo ko)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.