Looking for practical Kikongo to Sesotho phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kikongo phrase first, then the Sesotho translation (Sesotho) — 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 Sesotho.
Tip: pick five Sesotho phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Kikongo to Sesotho 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.
Mbote
Lumelang
Mele
Kea leboha
Mokolo mayele
Dumelang
Mokolo ya ntango
Molo
Mokolo ya mambu
Dumelang
Mokolo ya mpembe
Borai
Tala mosi
Re tla kopana hamorao
Tata
Tsamaya hantle
Nki yina nzo?
O na le lebitso lefe?
Nzo yami ke John
Lebitso la ka ke John
Oko wanga?
O kae?
Nki ya mosi na yo
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oyo o zola kutu English?
Na u bua Senyesemane?
Nkeni kutu Hindi na mosi.
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Nkeni kanga.
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Mokolo, zola kutu na mosi.
Ka kopo bua butle
Oyo o zola kutu na mosi?
Na u ka boela ua re?
Kutu wapi banzela?
Ntloana e kae?
Nki zola kuenda na kati ya mbanza?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Tanda na luma.
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Tanda na mambu.
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Enda na mosi.
Eya ka pela
Nki mbongo ya ndako?
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
Ticket mosi, mokolo.
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Nki feti na wapi?
Na e hole le mona?
Nkeni zola.
Ke lahlehile
Kutu wapi nki zola ku tanga SIM?
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ewe
Ee
Te
Che
Kasi
Mohlomong
Nkiadi
Ke lumela
Nkiadi te
Ke sitwa
Oyo ke nkiadi malamu
Seo se utloahala hantle
Nkiadi nini?
O nahana eng?
Okanza kudi nki?
Na o ka nthusa?
Nkiadi kudi nki
Ke hloka thuso
Lela na nki
Emisa motsotso
Nkiadi na nki
Ke maswabi
Te na nki
Ha ho bothata
Tata na nki
O amohelehile
Mokolo ya mbote
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Tala na nzala ya malamu
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo?
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Wana wanga na bus?
Ke kae borai?(ke kae borai)
Nki platform yai?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Soki nki ntangu yina yenda?
Nako e kae e tlohang?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Yai ke nzila ya nki?
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
Eza na nsi ya nzo
E haufi le mona(e haufi le mona)
Eza na mosi ya nzo
E hole le mona(e hole le mona)
Okanisa ngai na mape?
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît
Emisa mona, ka kopo(emisa mona, ka kopo)
Nki ntangu yina yenda?
E nka nako e kae?(e nka nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nki yina kudi?
Se kostang hakaale?(se kostang hakaale)
Yina kele na nsi
Seo ke se theko e phahameng(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Ona kima ki nsi?
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Ncanza kudi na kadi?
Na nka lefa ka kharete?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
Nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Kadi, ndakisa
Bille, ka kopo(bille, ka kopo)
Kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na?
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
Ndi muvegetari
Ke moithuti oa meroho(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Kaka mfu, ndakisa
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Yina kele na nsi
Se monate(se monate)
Ncanza na menu?
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
Ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo(khalase ea metsi, ka kopo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Landa boma
Calla mapolesa
Landa ambulance
Calla ambulance
Nkeni mosi
Ke hloka ngaka
Nkeni na mbisi
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
Nkeni na nsembu ya nsembu
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
Wana hospital ya mbote?
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Eka na nki
Ho bohloko mona
Nkeni tanga pasipoti na ngai
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Olanda hotel na ngai?
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
Tala!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nzo ya kima
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena(Nzò ya kima)
Tukala na mbandu
A re etse kopano(Tukàla na mbàndu)
Nki nsi ya ntangu?
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?(Nki nsi ya ntángu?)
Ndi zola ku sendela nsi ya lufulu
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno(Ndi zòla ku sendèla nsi ya lufùlu)
Tukala na kanda se
Na re ka bua ka moso?(Tukàla na kànda sè?)
Tula nsi ya file ya kima
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang(Tùla nsi ya file ya kima)
Mosi na nsi ya ntangu
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau(Mòsi na nsi ya ntángu)
Ndi zola ku zola na yo
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena(Ndi zòla ku zòla na yò)
Nki o zola ku zola nki?
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?(Nki o zòla ku zòla nki?)
Ndi zola ku yindula na yo
A ke tle ke u boele(Ndi zòla ku yìndula na yò)
Nsi ya kima yina nsi ya mposo
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano(Nsi ya kima yìna nsi ya mposò)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.