Looking for practical Mam to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Mam 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 Mam 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 Mam 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.
Xo'j
Dumela(sho'j)
Tz'ik
Ke a leboga(tz'ik)
Xo'j nax
Dumelang(sho'j nax)
Xo'j q'ij
Dumela mo afternoon(sho'j q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Dumela mo evening(sho'j k'ux)
Xo'j k'ux nax
Borai(sho'j k'ux nax)
K'ux q'ij
Tsamaya sentle(k'ux q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Tsamaya sentle(sho'j k'ux)
Ja' k'ux nax?
O na le leina mang?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Ja' k'ux nax John
Leina la me ke John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Jach' k'ux?
O kae?(hach' k'ux?)
Nab' k'ux
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
¿K'ax k'utun English?
A o bua Seisemane?
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Borai bo kae?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
K'utun k'ux.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
K'utun k'ux.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
K'utun k'ux.
Tswelela ka fao
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Ke a latlhela
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Juj
Ee(hoo)
Man
Nnyaa(mah)
K'ux
Mafoko(k'ush)
Juj k'ux
Ke a dumela(hoo k'ush)
Man k'ux
Ke sitwa go dumela(mah k'ush)
K'ux juj
Seo se utlwisa molemo(k'ush hoo)
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?
O akanya eng?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?
O ka nthusa?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut
Ke tlhoka thuso(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux k'ut
Emisa motsotso(k'ush k'ut)
Juj k'ux k'ut
Ke maswabi(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Man k'ux k'ut
Ga go na bothata(mah k'ush k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut
A re amogele(k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Tlhogomelo e e monate(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Ri k'ut pa ri.
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
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.
K'ux k'ulub' ri'?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
K'ux ri' k'ulub'?
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Ri' k'ulub', por favor
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
K'uxik la policía
Bua le mapolesa
K'uxik un ambulancia
Bua le ambulance
Nek' a doctor
Ke tlhoka ngaka
K'utun k'ax
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Nek' a k'uxi' ch'ich'
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Jach' k'uxik la hospital?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
K'utun k'uxi' aquí
Go botlhoko fa
Nek' a k'uxik mi pasaporte
Ke sitwa passport ya me
¿K'uxik a k'uxik mi hotel?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
¡Ayuda!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Chik'oj ch'ab'ej
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(chee-k'oh chahb'eh)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ulb'al
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(kah-hee k'ah-wik ree kool-bahl)
K'ut ri k'utal k'axik?
Nako efe e go thusang?(k'oot ree k'oo-tahl kah-hee)
In k'axik ri k'ik'oj ch'ich'
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(een kah-hee ree kee-k'oh ch'eech')
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ik'oj k'ay?
A re ka bua ka borai?(kah-hee ch'ah-wik ree kee-k'oh kahy)
Ch'awik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang(ch'ah-wik ree kool-bahl kah-hee)
Tz'ib'ej ri k'utal
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(tzee-beh-eh ree k'oo-tahl)
In k'axik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Ke itumelela go dira le wena(een kah-hee ree kool-bahl kah-hee)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'utal?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(kah-hee ch'ah-wik ree k'oo-tahl)
K'axik in k'axik ch'awik
A ke boele go wena(kah-hee een kah-hee ch'ah-wik)
Ri k'utal k'axik k'ay
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano(ree k'oo-tahl kah-hee kahy)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.