Looking for practical Kikongo to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kikongo 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: pick five Tswana 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 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.
Mbote
Dumela
Mele
Ke a leboga
Mokolo mayele
Dumelang
Mokolo ya ntango
Dumela mo afternoon
Mokolo ya mambu
Dumela mo evening
Mokolo ya mpembe
Borai
Tala mosi
Tsamaya sentle
Tata
Tsamaya sentle
Nki yina nzo?
O na le leina mang?
Nzo yami ke John
Leina la me ke John
Oko wanga?
O kae?
Nki ya mosi na yo
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oyo o zola kutu English?
A o bua Seisemane?
Nkeni kutu Hindi na mosi.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Nkeni kanga.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Mokolo, zola kutu na mosi.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Oyo o zola kutu na mosi?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Kutu wapi banzela?
Borai bo kae?
Nki zola kuenda na kati ya mbanza?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Tanda na luma.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Tanda na mambu.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Enda na mosi.
Tswelela ka fao
Nki mbongo ya ndako?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Ticket mosi, mokolo.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Nki feti na wapi?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Nkeni zola.
Ke a latlhela
Kutu wapi nki zola ku tanga SIM?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ewe
Ee
Te
Nnyaa
Kasi
Mafoko
Nkiadi
Ke a dumela
Nkiadi te
Ke sitwa go dumela
Oyo ke nkiadi malamu
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Nkiadi nini?
O akanya eng?
Okanza kudi nki?
O ka nthusa?
Nkiadi kudi nki
Ke tlhoka thuso
Lela na nki
Emisa motsotso
Nkiadi na nki
Ke maswabi
Te na nki
Ga go na bothata
Tata na nki
A re amogele
Mokolo ya mbote
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Tala na nzala ya malamu
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Wana wanga na bus?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Nki platform yai?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Soki nki ntangu yina yenda?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Yai ke nzila ya nki?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Eza na nsi ya nzo
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Eza na mosi ya nzo
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Okanisa ngai na mape?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Nki ntangu yina yenda?
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.
Nki yina kudi?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Yina kele na nsi
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Ona kima ki nsi?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Ncanza kudi na kadi?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Kadi, ndakisa
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ndi muvegetari
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Kaka mfu, ndakisa
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Yina kele na nsi
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Ncanza na menu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Landa boma
Bua le mapolesa
Landa ambulance
Bua le ambulance
Nkeni mosi
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Nkeni na mbisi
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Nkeni na nsembu ya nsembu
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Wana hospital ya mbote?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Eka na nki
Go botlhoko fa
Nkeni tanga pasipoti na ngai
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Olanda hotel na ngai?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Tala!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nzo ya kima
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(Nzò ya kima)
Tukala na mbandu
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(Tukàla na mbàndu)
Nki nsi ya ntangu?
Nako efe e go thusang?(Nki nsi ya ntángu?)
Ndi zola ku sendela nsi ya lufulu
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(Ndi zòla ku sendèla nsi ya lufùlu)
Tukala na kanda se
A re ka bua ka borai?(Tukàla na kànda sè?)
Tula nsi ya file ya kima
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang(Tùla nsi ya file ya kima)
Mosi na nsi ya ntangu
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(Mòsi na nsi ya ntángu)
Ndi zola ku zola na yo
Ke itumelela go dira le wena(Ndi zòla ku zòla na yò)
Nki o zola ku zola nki?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(Nki o zòla ku zòla nki?)
Ndi zola ku yindula na yo
A ke boele go wena(Ndi zòla ku yìndula na yò)
Nsi ya kima yina nsi ya mposo
Nako ya go fela 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.