Looking for practical Luganda to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luganda 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: read the Tswana line out loud three times, then cover the Luganda side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Luganda 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.
Oli otya?
Dumela(Oli otya?)
Webale
Ke a leboga(Webale)
Osiibye otya?
Dumelang(Osiibye otya?)
Osiibye bulungi?
Dumela mo afternoon(Osiibye bulungi?)
Osiibye otya?
Dumela mo evening(Osiibye otya?)
Lwaki olugendo?
Borai(Lwaki olugendo?)
Tugenda kutya?
Tsamaya sentle(Tugenda kutya?)
Nkwagala
Tsamaya sentle(Nkwagala)
Erinnya lyo ani?
O na le leina mang?(Erinnya lyo ani?)
Erinnya lyange nze John
Leina la me ke John(Erinnya lyange nze John)
Oli otya?
O kae?(Oli otya?)
Nkwagala okukulaba
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(Nkwagala okukulaba)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
A o bua Seisemane?
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Sijja kumanya.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Ekitanda kiki?
Borai bo kae?
Nteekateeka owa city center?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Genda ku kkono.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Genda ku mwoyo.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Genda mu maaso.
Tswelela ka fao
Ekitundu kiki?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Ticket emu, please.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Kiki kirekera wano?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Ndi mu bubi.
Ke a latlhela
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ye
Ee
Nedda
Nnyaa
Okwagala
Mafoko
Nnaakuwandiika
Ke a dumela
Sikuwandiika
Ke sitwa go dumela
Kyo kyekirungi
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Otekayo ki?
O akanya eng?
Osobola okundabira?
O ka nthusa?
Nfuna obuyambi
Ke tlhoka thuso
Saba omukutu
Emisa motsotso
Nsaba
Ke maswabi
Tewali kibadde
Ga go na bothata
Okwagaliza
A re amogele
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Genda bulungi
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ekitangaala ki?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Okwetegeka kwe?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Kiri wano wansi
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Kiri mangu
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Ggenda wano, please
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Tewali bungi 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.
Kiki ky'ekitundu?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Ekitabo, please.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Ono mulungi.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Nneetaaga menu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Ekikopo ky'amata, please.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Mpozzi polisi
Bua le mapolesa
Mpozzi ambulance
Bua le ambulance
Nfuna daktari
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Ndi mu mbeera mbi
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Bikozesa wano
Go botlhoko fa
Nfuuse passport yange
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Mbadde!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nkwagala okubaako
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(Nkwagala okubaako)
Tugende mu nteekateeka
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(Tugende mu nteekateeka)
Okwesiga ki?
Nako efe e go thusang?(Okwesiga ki?)
Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero)
Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?
A re ka bua ka borai?(Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?)
Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang(Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa)
Webale ku ssaawa yo
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(Webale ku ssaawa yo)
Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe
Ke itumelela go dira le wena(Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe)
Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?)
Nja kukuwandiikira
A ke boele go wena(Nja kukuwandiikira)
Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano(Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.