Looking for practical Jingpo to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Jingpo 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Tswana-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Jingpo 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.
Nangma
Dumela
Nangma aji
Ke a leboga
Nangma na
Dumelang
Nangma aji na
Dumela mo afternoon
Nangma aji zong
Dumela mo evening
Nangma aji zong na
Borai
Nangma aji zong na
Tsamaya sentle
Nangma aji
Tsamaya sentle
Nangma aji na?
O na le leina mang?
Nangma aji John na
Leina la me ke John
Nangma aji hna?
O kae?
Nangma aji hna zong
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nang saku English?
A o bua Seisemane?(nang saku English)
Nang Hindi hna hna
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(nang Hindi hna hna)
Nang hna na
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya(nang hna na)
Nang hna hna lo
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako(nang hna hna lo)
Nang hna hna a hna?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?(nang hna hna a hna)
Nang hna hna kachang?
Borai bo kae?(nang hna hna kachang)
Nang hna hna hka hna?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?(nang hna hna hka hna)
Nang hna hna hka
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona(nang hna hna hka)
Nang hna hna hka
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng(nang hna hna hka)
Nang hna hna hna
Tswelela ka fao(nang hna hna hna)
Nang hna hna hka?
Gaeletsi e bokae?(nang hna hna hka)
Nang hna hna hka
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee(nang hna hna hka)
Nang hna hna hka?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?(nang hna hna hka)
Nang hna hna
Ke a latlhela(nang hna hna)
Nang hna hna SIM card hna?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?(nang hna hna SIM card hna)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Ee
Baw
Nnyaa
Hka
Mafoko
Nanghka
Ke a dumela
Nangbaw
Ke sitwa go dumela
Nang hka a hka
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Nang hka hka?
O akanya eng?
Nang a hka hka?
O ka nthusa?
Nang a hka na
Ke tlhoka thuso
Hka hka hka
Emisa motsotso
Nang a hka hka
Ke maswabi
Baw a hka
Ga go na bothata
Nang a hka hka
A re amogele
Nang a hka a hka
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Nang a hka hka
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Nang hka hka hku?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Nang hka bus hka?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Nang hka hka hka?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Nang hka hka hka?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Nang hka hka hka?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Hka hka hka.
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Hka hka hka.
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Nang hka hka hka?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Hka hka hka.
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Hka hka hka?
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.
Nang hka hka hkam?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Nang hka hka hkam na hka
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Nang hka hka hkam hka na?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Nang hka hka hkam card hka?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Nang hka hka hkam hka hka hka
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Nang hka hka hkam bill
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Nang hka hka hkam service hka?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Nang hka hka hkam vegetarian
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Nang hka hka hkam spicy food na
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Nang hka hka hkam hka
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Nang hka hka hkam menu hka?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Nang hka hka hkam water hka
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Nang shang hku
Bua le mapolesa(nang shang hku)
Nang hku hpe
Bua le ambulance(nang hku hpe)
Nang hka hkam
Ke tlhoka ngaka(nang hka hkam)
Nang hku hpe na
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa(nang hku hpe na)
Nang hku hpe zung hka
Ke na le allergy go peanuts(nang hku hpe zung hka)
Hka hpe nang hku hpe?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?(hka hpe nang hku hpe)
Nang hku hpe na hka
Go botlhoko fa(nang hku hpe na hka)
Nang hka hpe hpe
Ke sitwa passport ya me(nang hka hpe hpe)
Nang hku hpe hka hpe?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?(nang hku hpe hka hpe)
Hku!
Thusa!(hku!)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nang a na kachang
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(nang a na kachang)
Nang a na hka hpe
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(nang a na hka hpe)
Nang a na hpe hka?
Nako efe e go thusang?(nang a na hpe hka?)
Nang a na hka hpe hka hpe
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(nang a na hka hpe hka hpe)
Nang a na hka hpe hka hpe?
A re ka bua ka borai?(nang a na hka hpe hka hpe?)
Nang a na hka hpe hka
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang(nang a na hka hpe hka)
Nang a na hka hpe
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(nang a na hka hpe)
Nang a na hka hpe hka
Ke itumelela go dira le wena(nang a na hka hpe hka)
Nang a na hka hpe hka?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(nang a na hka hpe hka?)
Nang a na hka hpe hka
A ke boele go wena(nang a na hka hpe hka)
Nang a na hka hpe
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano(nang a na hka hpe)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.