Looking for practical Fon to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Fon 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 Fon 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 Fon 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.
Nɔ́
Dumela(nɔ́)
Mèdɔ́
Ke a leboga(mèdɔ́)
Mèdɔ́ agblɔ
Dumelang(mèdɔ́ agblɔ)
Mèdɔ́ ɖe
Dumela mo afternoon(mèdɔ́ ɖe)
Mèdɔ́ ɖeɖe
Dumela mo evening(mèdɔ́ ɖeɖe)
Mèdɔ́ xɔxɔ
Borai(mèdɔ́ xɔxɔ)
Nɔ́ wɛ
Tsamaya sentle(nɔ́ wɛ)
Nɔ́ wɛ ɖe
Tsamaya sentle(nɔ́ wɛ ɖe)
Nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?
O na le leina mang?(nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?)
Mè nɔ́ John
Leina la me ke John(mè nɔ́ John)
Nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?
O kae?(nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?)
Mèdɔ́ nɔ́
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(mèdɔ́ nɔ́)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I gbè yé èdè Gẹ̀ẹ́sì?
A o bua Seisemane?
Mè n'gbè yé Èdè Hindi kè.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Mè n'kó nù.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
S'il vous plaît, gbè yé kè.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Mè s'kà yé nù?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Èwé n'kà dɔ́?
Borai bo kae?
Mè n'kà yé nù àlà nà?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Tò n'kà kè.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Tò n'kà pɔ́.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Lè n'kà kè.
Tswelela ka fao
Kí n'kà dɔ́?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Mè s'kà àyé, s'il vous plaît.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Èwé n'kà mɛ́?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Mè n'kà nɔ́.
Ke a latlhela
Èwé n'kà nɔ́ SIM?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ɛ
Ee(e)
Ayi
Nnyaa(ayi)
Mɛ
Mafoko(me)
Mè yé
Ke a dumela(me ye)
Mè n'yi
Ke sitwa go dumela(me n'yi)
N'kɔ nɔ
Seo se utlwisa molemo(n'ko no)
N'kɔ a kɔ?
O akanya eng?(n'ko a ko)
I n'kɔ mɛ?
O ka nthusa?(i n'ko me)
Mè n'kɔ mɛ
Ke tlhoka thuso(me n'ko me)
Tɔ́ nɔ
Emisa motsotso(to no)
Mè nɔ n'kɔ
Ke maswabi(me no n'ko)
Ayi n'kɔ
Ga go na bothata(ayi n'ko)
Mè nɔ wé
A re amogele(me no we)
Mè nɔ tɔ́
Tlhogomelo e e monate(me no to)
N'kɔ a wé dɔ
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong(n'ko a we do)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
N'ye wé train station?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
N'ye wé bus stop?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ké platform na?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Ké sa a yé?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
N'ye wé yé na?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Yé na hɛn
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Yé na hɛn gbo
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Mè wé hɛn n'ye map?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Tó hɛn, s'il vous plaît
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Ké sa a yé?
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.
Mè wé na?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Yè wé bɔ́ nɔ́.
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
A wé nɔ́ dɔ́?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Mè wé hɛn nɔ́?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Mè wé dɔ́ nɔ́ fɔ́.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
A wé nɔ́ bɔ́.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Sè wé bɔ́?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Mè wé kɔ́ nɔ́.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Mè wé nɔ́ kɔ́ nɔ́.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Yè wé sɔ́.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Mè wé nɔ́ mɛ́ nɔ́?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Mè wé nɔ́ gɔ́ nɔ́.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Nɔ̀ nɔ́ wɛ́
Bua le mapolesa(nɔ̀ nɔ́ wɛ́)
Nɔ̀ nɔ́ àmblans
Bua le ambulance(nɔ̀ nɔ́ àmblans)
Mè hùn wá dɔ́ktɛ́
Ke tlhoka ngaka(mè hùn wá dɔ́ktɛ́)
Mè tɔ́ dɔ́
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa(mè tɔ́ dɔ́)
Mè wá nùmɛ́ kɔ́
Ke na le allergy go peanuts(mè wá nùmɛ́ kɔ́)
Fɔ́ wɛ́ dɔ́kita nɔ́?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?(fɔ́ wɛ́ dɔ́kita nɔ́?)
A hùn nɔ́
Go botlhoko fa(a hùn nɔ́)
Mè lɔ́ mɔ́ kɔ́tɔ́
Ke sitwa passport ya me(mè lɔ́ mɔ́ kɔ́tɔ́)
Kɔ́ nɔ́ nɔ́ wɛ́ mɔ́ hɔ́tɛ́l?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?(kɔ́ nɔ́ nɔ́ wɛ́ mɔ́ hɔ́tɛ́l?)
Sè!
Thusa!(sè!)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Mè wá nɔ́
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(Me wa no)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(Me to no ko so)
Nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́ kó?
Nako efe e go thusang?(No ko so ko?)
Mè yé sɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ bɔ́
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(Me ye so no ko bo)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ bɔ́ kɔ́
A re ka bua ka borai?(Me to no ko bo ko)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́ nɔ́
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang(Me to no ko so no)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ nɔ́
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(Me to no ko no)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́
Ke itumelela go dira le wena(Me to no ko so)
Nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́ kó?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(No ko so ko?)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́
A ke boele go wena(Me to no ko so)
Nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́ kó
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano(No ko so ko)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.