Looking for practical Luo to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luo 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 Luo 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 Luo 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.
Naki
Dumela(Naki)
Asante
Ke a leboga(Asante)
Naki chuo
Dumelang(Naki chuo)
Naki ng'ato
Dumela mo afternoon(Naki ng'ato)
Naki owadgi
Dumela mo evening(Naki owadgi)
Naki buya
Borai(Naki buya)
Ting' kendo
Tsamaya sentle(Ting' kendo)
Naki
Tsamaya sentle(Naki)
Ine ng'ama in?
O na le leina mang?(Ine ng'ama in?)
Inyalo John
Leina la me ke John(Inyalo John)
Okwere?
O kae?(Okwere?)
Naki konyo
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(Naki konyo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Naki konyo English?
A o bua Seisemane?
Naki konyo Hindi mako.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Nyingi.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Tende konyo chalo.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Naki konyo to?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Ith gi toilet?
Borai bo kae?
Ning'eyo konyo city center?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Konyo chike.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Konyo duto.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Yie chalo.
Tswelela ka fao
Ning'eyo koro?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Ticket moko, ndalo.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Nia ng'ato kendo?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Nin gi chalo.
Ke a latlhela
Ith gi SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ee
Ayi
Nnyaa
Kaka
Mafoko
Akwong'
Ke a dumela
Ayi Akwong'
Ke sitwa go dumela
Ong'eyo
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Ine owuon?
O akanya eng?
Naki gi chalo?
O ka nthusa?
Nind gi chalo
Ke tlhoka thuso
Chakre
Emisa motsotso
Naki
Ke maswabi
Ayi koro
Ga go na bothata
Naki chalo
A re amogele
Naki buo
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Naki chalo gi chalo
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Naki yieng' ma train?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Naki yieng' ma bus?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Naki platform ng'eyo?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Naki koro ng'ato?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Ning'eyo ni ng'ato?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Niko neno.
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Niko piny.
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Okwong' ni on map?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Dhi here, please.
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Naki koro ng'ato?
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.
Nia ni?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Owino ni gi chalo.
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
I konyo kanyo?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Inyalo nind gi kad?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Nin gi chula mar duong'.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Chakruok, plis.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Isango ni gi?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Nin gi vegeterian.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Naki chalo chalo, plis.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Owino ni gi dho.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Inyalo nind gi menu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Gik konyo mar maji, plis.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Nedhi polisi
Bua le mapolesa
Nedhi ambulance
Bua le ambulance
Aneedo daktari
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Akwong' gi chalo
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
An gi allergy kuom peanuts
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Naki hospital mar koro?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Okwong' mana
Go botlhoko fa
Nying' my passport
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Inyalo nedhi hotel ang'wen?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Konyo!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Naki konyo
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(Naki konyo)
Nying' konyo joma
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(Nying' konyo joma)
Naki konyo nigi?
Nako efe e go thusang?(Naki konyo nigi?)
Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka)
Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?
A re ka bua ka borai?(Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?)
Chieng' ni file ni
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang(Chieng' ni file ni)
Asante gi chako
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(Asante gi chako)
Nying' konyo gi nyaka
Ke itumelela go dira le wena(Nying' konyo gi nyaka)
Ning'eyo konyo ni?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(Ning'eyo konyo ni?)
Ning'eyo konyo nind gi
A ke boele go wena(Ning'eyo konyo nind gi)
Dede ni Friday
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano(Dede ni Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.