Looking for practical Lingala to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Lingala 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: when a Tswana phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Lingala wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Lingala 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
Melesi
Ke a leboga
Mbote na ntango ya mokolo
Dumelang
Mbote na ntango ya midi
Dumela mo afternoon
Mbote na ntango ya soir
Dumela mo evening
Malamu na butu
Borai
Tala yo nsima
Tsamaya sentle
Kende malamu
Tsamaya sentle
Nkombo na yo nani?
O na le leina mang?
Nkombo na ngai ezali John
Leina la me ke John
Ozalaki malamu?
O kae?
Nayoki malamu na yo
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ozali koloba lingala?
A o bua Seisemane?(ozali koloba lingala)
Nasalaka hindi malamu te
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(nasalaka hindi malamu te)
Nalingi te
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya(nalingi te)
S'il vous plaît, koloba butu
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako(koloba butu)
Okoki koloba yango lisusu?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?(okoki koloba yango lisusu)
Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi?
Borai bo kae?(bato ya nzoto)
Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?(nakokende na centre)
Tika na mobali
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona(tika na mobali)
Tika na mwasi
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng(tika na mwasi)
Kende na ntango
Tswelela ka fao(kende na ntango)
Mbala nini ezali?
Gaeletsi e bokae?(mbala nini)
Billet moko, s'il vous plaît
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee(billet moko)
Ezali na esika ya mbali?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?(ezali na esika ya mbali)
Nazali na esika ya mabe
Ke a latlhela(nazali na esika ya mabe)
Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?(nakokota SIM card)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Oyo
Ee
Te
Nnyaa
Soki
Mafoko
Nalingi
Ke a dumela
Nalingi te
Ke sitwa go dumela
Eza malamu
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Oyo olingi nini?
O akanya eng?
Okoki kosalisa ngai?
O ka nthusa?
Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa
Ke tlhoka thuso
Sunga moke
Emisa motsotso
Nasalaki mabe
Ke maswabi
Nani azali na problème
Ga go na bothata
Mokolo malamu
A re amogele
Mokolo ya mbotama malamu
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Zala na nzela ya malamu
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eko zali wapi?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Eko zali wapi na bis?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Eko zali na esika nini?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Ekozanga na ntango nini?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Ezali pene awa.
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Ezali mbali awa.
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Ekozala ntango nini?
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.
Mbongo ya yango eza nini?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Yango eza mabe na mbongo.
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Nalingi kobonga na carte?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Service eza na kati?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Nazali mvegetarian.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Yango ezali malamu.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tindá polisi
Bua le mapolesa
Tindá ambulance
Bua le ambulance
Nalingi médecin
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Nazali na maladi
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Nazali na allergie na mbala
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Ezalaka na nse awa
Go botlhoko fa
Nazwi passport na ngai
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
S.O.S!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nasepeli na yo
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Tika tozala na mitema
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Naboya raport lelo
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Tango tozali na mposo?
A re ka bua ka borai?
S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Mersi mpo na ntango na yo
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Nasalela yo na mosala
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Napesi yo nzela
A ke boele go wena
Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.