Looking for practical Nuer to Sesotho phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Nuer phrase first, then the Sesotho translation (Sesotho) — 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 Sesotho.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Sesotho-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Nuer to Sesotho 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.
Nhiar
Lumelang
Nyaak
Kea leboha
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r
Dumelang
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Molo
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Dumelang
Nhiar kɔ̈c
Borai
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Re tla kopana hamorao
Kɛ̈n
Tsamaya hantle
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?
O na le lebitso lefe?
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John
Lebitso la ka ke John
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?
O kae?
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nyaac ke nyin English?
Na u bua Senyesemane?
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Nyaac ma nyin.
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Yin ke nyin kɛl.
Ka kopo bua butle
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?
Na u ka boela ua re?
Yin thok a kɛl?
Ntloana e kae?
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Yin ke nyin a laar.
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Yin ke nyin a thok.
Eya ka pela
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
Yin ke nyin a ticket.
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Yin ke nyin a thok?
Na e hole le mona?
Nyaac ke nyin.
Ke lahlehile
Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Ee
Naa
Che
Nyaak
Mohlomong
Nyeek a kech
Ke lumela
Nyeek a kech naa
Ke sitwa
Iye kech kɛl
Seo se utloahala hantle
Nyaak a kech?
O nahana eng?
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?
Na o ka nthusa?
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl
Ke hloka thuso
Kɛl a jɔɔr
Emisa motsotso
Nyeek a kech
Ke maswabi
Naa a kech kɛl
Ha ho bothata
Aye kɛl
O amohelehile
Aye kɛl a wɛr
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?
Ke kae borai?(ke kae borai)
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?
Nako e kae e tlohang?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?
E haufi le mona(e haufi le mona)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?
E hole le mona(e hole le mona)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?
Emisa mona, ka kopo(emisa mona, ka kopo)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?
E nka nako e kae?(e nka nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nyaak cɛl?
Se kostang hakaale?(se kostang hakaale)
Kɛl yic kɛc
Seo ke se theko e phahameng(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?
Na nka lefa ka kharete?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl
Bille, ka kopo(bille, ka kopo)
Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
Nyaak cɛl wɛr
Ke moithuti oa meroho(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin
Se monate(se monate)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo(khalase ea metsi, ka kopo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Cïl wïr
Calla mapolesa(cil wir)
Cïl an ambulance
Calla ambulance(cil an ambulance)
Aŋ thïr a doctor
Ke hloka ngaka(ang thir a doctor)
Aŋ kɔc
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa(ang koc)
Aŋ kɔc a pïyït
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts(ang koc a piyit)
Cït kɛ̈n hospital?
Hospital e haufi e kae?(cit ken hospital)
Cïk bɛ̈t
Ho bohloko mona(cik bet)
Aŋ kɛ̈n passport
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport(ang ken passport)
Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?(ang ken cil my hotel)
Kɛ̈n!
Thusa!(ken)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nyeu ke nyin
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena(nyin = meet)
Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin
A re etse kopano
Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?
Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?
Na re ka bua ka moso?
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr file kɛ kɛth
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr a ke kɛth
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt a ke
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena
A ke jɔɔr kɛ kɛth a?
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ a ke
A ke tle ke u boele
Kɛ deadline kɛ Friday
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.