Looking for practical Maori to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Maori 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 Maori 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 Maori 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.
Kia ora
Dumela
Ngā mihi
Ke a leboga
Ata mārie
Dumelang
Pō mārie
Dumela mo afternoon
Pō nui
Dumela mo evening
Nō reira
Borai
Ka kite anō
Tsamaya sentle
Haere rā
Tsamaya sentle
Ko wai tō ingoa?
O na le leina mang?
Ko John tōku ingoa
Leina la me ke John
Kei te pēhea koe?
O kae?
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?
A o bua Seisemane?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Kaore au e mohio
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Tena koa korero āta
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Kei hea te wharepaku?
Borai bo kae?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Me pehea au e tae ki te pokapū o te tāone?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?(meh peh-heh-ah ow eh tie keh teh poh-kah-poo oh teh tah-oh-neh)
Huri ki mauī
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Huri ki te taha matau
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Haere tika
Tswelela ka fao(high-reh tee-kah)
E hia te utu?
Gaeletsi e bokae?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Kotahi te tikiti, please
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Kua ngaro au
Ke a latlhela(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Kei hea e taea ai e au te hoko kāri SIM?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?(kay he-ah eh tah-eh ah-ee eh ow teh hoh-koh kah-ree sim)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Āe
Ee
Kāo
Nnyaa
Tērā pea
Mafoko
Kei te whakaae au
Ke a dumela
Kāore au e whakaae
Ke sitwa go dumela
He pai tēnā
Seo se utlwisa molemo
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
O akanya eng?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
O ka nthusa?
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Ke tlhoka thuso
Tēnā tūrua
Emisa motsotso
Aroha mai
Ke maswabi
Kāore he raru
Ga go na bothata
Ngā mihi
A re amogele
Hari huritau
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Kia pai te haerenga
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kei hea te teihana tereina?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Kei hea te pooti?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ko wai te papa?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
He aha te wa e wehe ai?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Kei te tika tēnei ara?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Kei konei tata mai
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Kei tawhiti mai i konei
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Ka taea e koe te whakaatu ki ahau i runga i te mapi?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Tū mai i konei, koa
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E hia te wā e tango ana?
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.
E hia te utu o tēnei?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
He tino utu tēnā
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Tēnā, te rīhi.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
He veggie ahau.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
He reka tēnei.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Bua le mapolesa
Karanga ki te āwhina
Bua le ambulance
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
E mamae ana i konei
Go botlhoko fa
I ngaro taku pasapo
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Tautoko!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ka pai te kite i a koe
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Me hoki au ki a koe
A ke boele go wena
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.