Looking for practical Kiga to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kiga 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 Kiga 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.
Okwagala
Dumela
Webale
Ke a leboga
Osiibye bulungi
Dumelang
Osiibye bulungi
Dumela mo afternoon
Osiibye bulungi
Dumela mo evening
Osiibye bulungi
Borai
Tugenda okukutana
Tsamaya sentle
Nkwagala
Tsamaya sentle
Erinnya lyo ani?
O na le leina mang?
Erinnya lyange nze John
Leina la me ke John
Oli otya?
O kae?
Nneebwanga okukuyita
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oli muwandiika kiingereza?
A o bua Seisemane?
Sikuwandiika Hindi bulungi.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Sikuganya.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Nkwenda okwandiika bulungi.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Osobola okuwandiika ekyo na?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Ekitanda kiki?
Borai bo kae?
Nkwenda otya mu kiti?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Genda ku kkono.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Genda ku ddyo.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Genda mu maaso.
Tswelela ka fao
Ekitundu kiki?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Ekitanda emu, nyamba.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Kiki ekitundu okuva wano?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Ndi mu kwegendereza.
Ke a latlhela
Nkwenda kutuuka wa SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eee
Ee
Oya
Nnyaa
Wali
Mafoko
Ndiinze
Ke a dumela
Sindiinze
Ke sitwa go dumela
Ekitanga kiza
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Oteka ki?
O akanya eng?
Okwetegera?
O ka nthusa?
Nfuna okwetegera
Ke tlhoka thuso
Leka akaseke
Emisa motsotso
Ndi mwefwe
Ke maswabi
Tera kintu
Ga go na bothata
Nkwagala
A re amogele
Okwagala omwaka omukya
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Okwetegera mu nsi
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eri heza y'ekitabo?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Eri heza y'ekibuga?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ekiyungiriro ki?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Ekitonde ki?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Oni omukono ogw'ekirungi?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Eri wansi wano
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Eri kure wano
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Oyinza okundabira ku karita?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Mugume wano, nyabo
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Ekitanga ki?
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.
Ekitanga ki?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Ekitanga ky'ekikula
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Oli n'ekintu ekirungi?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Nkwenda okwekwasa ku kadi?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Nkwenda akatabo ku b'abiri
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Ekitabo, nyabo
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Okwetegereza kuli mu?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ndi omukazi w'ebyokulya
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Tewali ebyokulya ebikalu
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Ekitanga ky'ekyokulya
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Nkwenda okufuna omukutu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Ekitanda ky'amazi, nyabo
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Funa polisi
Bua le mapolesa
Funa ambulance
Bua le ambulance
Nkeneye omuganga
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Ndi mu bubi
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ndi na allergy ku nkuzi
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Ehe hospital ey'ekyenkya?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Bikunyumya wano
Go botlhoko fa
Nfunye passport yange
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Okwesiga okufuna hotel yange?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Mbadde!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nishimwe kuganira
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(Nishimwe kuganira)
Tugende mu nama
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Ni ryari byakugendekera?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Twashobora kuganira ejo?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Nyamuneka reba dosiye iri hamwe
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Urakoze ku mwanya wawe
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ntegereje gukorana nawe
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Wansobanurira icyo?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Nzakugarukaho
A ke boele go wena
Igihe ntarengwa ni ku wa gatanu
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.