Looking for practical Lingala to Sesotho phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Lingala 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 Lingala 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
Melesi
Kea leboha
Mbote na ntango ya mokolo
Dumelang
Mbote na ntango ya midi
Molo
Mbote na ntango ya soir
Dumelang
Malamu na butu
Borai
Tala yo nsima
Re tla kopana hamorao
Kende malamu
Tsamaya hantle
Nkombo na yo nani?
O na le lebitso lefe?
Nkombo na ngai ezali John
Lebitso la ka ke John
Ozalaki malamu?
O kae?
Nayoki malamu na yo
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ozali koloba lingala?
Na u bua Senyesemane?(ozali koloba lingala)
Nasalaka hindi malamu te
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle(nasalaka hindi malamu te)
Nalingi te
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa(nalingi te)
S'il vous plaît, koloba butu
Ka kopo bua butle(koloba butu)
Okoki koloba yango lisusu?
Na u ka boela ua re?(okoki koloba yango lisusu)
Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi?
Ntloana e kae?(bato ya nzoto)
Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?(nakokende na centre)
Tika na mobali
Fetola ho ea letsohong(tika na mobali)
Tika na mwasi
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona(tika na mwasi)
Kende na ntango
Eya ka pela(kende na ntango)
Mbala nini ezali?
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?(mbala nini)
Billet moko, s'il vous plaît
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo(billet moko)
Ezali na esika ya mbali?
Na e hole le mona?(ezali na esika ya mbali)
Nazali na esika ya mabe
Ke lahlehile(nazali na esika ya mabe)
Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card?
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?(nakokota SIM card)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Oyo
Ee
Te
Che
Soki
Mohlomong
Nalingi
Ke lumela
Nalingi te
Ke sitwa
Eza malamu
Seo se utloahala hantle
Oyo olingi nini?
O nahana eng?
Okoki kosalisa ngai?
Na o ka nthusa?
Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa
Ke hloka thuso
Sunga moke
Emisa motsotso
Nasalaki mabe
Ke maswabi
Nani azali na problème
Ha ho bothata
Mokolo malamu
O amohelehile
Mokolo ya mbotama malamu
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Zala na nzela ya malamu
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eko zali wapi?
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Eko zali wapi na bis?
Ke kae borai?(ke kae borai)
Eko zali na esika nini?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Ekozanga na ntango nini?
Nako e kae e tlohang?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
Ezali pene awa.
E haufi le mona(e haufi le mona)
Ezali mbali awa.
E hole le mona(e hole le mona)
Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.
Emisa mona, ka kopo(emisa mona, ka kopo)
Ekozala ntango nini?
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.
Mbongo ya yango eza nini?
Se kostang hakaale?(se kostang hakaale)
Yango eza mabe na mbongo.
Seo ke se theko e phahameng(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Nalingi kobonga na carte?
Na nka lefa ka kharete?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.
Bille, ka kopo(bille, ka kopo)
Service eza na kati?
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
Nazali mvegetarian.
Ke moithuti oa meroho(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Yango ezali malamu.
Se monate(se monate)
Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.
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.
Tindá polisi
Calla mapolesa
Tindá ambulance
Calla ambulance
Nalingi médecin
Ke hloka ngaka
Nazali na maladi
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
Nazali na allergie na mbala
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Ezalaka na nse awa
Ho bohloko mona
Nazwi passport na ngai
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
S.O.S!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nasepeli na yo
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena
Tika tozala na mitema
A re etse kopano
Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?
Naboya raport lelo
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno
Tango tozali na mposo?
Na re ka bua ka moso?
S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang
Mersi mpo na ntango na yo
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau
Nasalela yo na mosala
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena
Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?
Napesi yo nzela
A ke tle ke u boele
Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.