Looking for practical Papiamento to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Papiamento 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 Papiamento 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 Papiamento 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.
Halo
Dumela
Dank'i
Ke a leboga
Bon dia
Dumelang
Bon tardi
Dumela mo afternoon
Bon nochi
Dumela mo evening
Bon nochi
Borai
Hasta luego
Tsamaya sentle
Ayo
Tsamaya sentle
Kiko ta bo nòmber?
O na le leina mang?
Mi nòmber ta John
Leina la me ke John
Kon ta bai?
O kae?
Dushi pa konosé bo
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Bo ta papia Ingles?
A o bua Seisemane?(Bo ta papia Ingles?)
Mi no ta papia Hindi bon
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(Mi no ta papia Hindi bon)
Mi no ta komprondé
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya(Mi no ta komprondé)
Por fabor, papia lentamente
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako(Por fabor, papia lentamente)
Podé bo duna e palabra otro vez?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?(Podé bo duna e palabra otro vez?)
Unda ta e baño?
Borai bo kae?(Unda ta e baño?)
Kiko mi mester hasi pa yega na centro di ciudad?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?(Kiko mi mester hasi pa yega na centro di ciudad?)
Duna ku left
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona(Duna ku left)
Duna ku right
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng(Duna ku right)
Bai straight
Tswelela ka fao(Bai straight)
Kantu ta e tarifa?
Gaeletsi e bokae?(Kantu ta e tarifa?)
Un tiket, por fabor
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee(Un tiket, por fabor)
Ta leu for di aki?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?(Ta leu for di aki?)
Mi ta perdo
Ke a latlhela(Mi ta perdo)
Unda mi por komprá un SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?(Unda mi por komprá un SIM card?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Si
Ee
No
Nnyaa
Quizás
Mafoko
Mi ta akordá
Ke a dumela
Mi no ta akordá
Ke sitwa go dumela
Esaki ta suena bon
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Kiko bo ta pensa?
O akanya eng?
Bo por yuda mi?
O ka nthusa?
Mi mester yuda
Ke tlhoka thuso
Spera un momentu
Emisa motsotso
Mi ta diskulpa
Ke maswabi
No tin problema
Ga go na bothata
Felicidades
A re amogele
Feliz cumpleaños
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Ten un viahe seguro
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Unda ta e stasyon di tren?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Unda ta e parada di bus?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Kual plataforma ta?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Kico ora e ta bai?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Esaki ta e manera correctu?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
E ta cerca aki
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
E ta leu for di aki
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Poei mostra mi na e mapa?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Para aki, por fabor
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Kantu tempu e ta tuma?
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.
Kiko ta e precio di esaki?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Esaki ta demasiado caro.
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Bo tin algo mas barato?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Porke mi por paga ku tarjeta?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Mi ke un mesa pa dos.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
E cuenta, por fabor.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
E servicio ta inkludí?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Mi ta vegetariano.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
No komida picante, por fabor.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Esaki ta sabroso.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Porke mi por tin e menu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Un bashi di awa, por fabor.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Llama polis
Bua le mapolesa
Llama un ambulansia
Bua le ambulance
Mi mester un doktor
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Mi ta sinti mal
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Mi ta alergiko pa maní
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Unda ta e hospital mas cercano?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Ta doli aki
Go botlhoko fa
Mi a perde mi pasaporte
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Bo por llama mi hotel?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Yuda!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Bon dii pa conoce bo
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Deja nos programa un reuníon
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Kiko ora ta bon pa bo?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Mi ta manda e report di awor
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Por ta papia mañan?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Por fabor, haya e file anexa
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Danki pa bo tempo
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Mi ta spera pa traha ku bo
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Bo por klarifica esaki?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Deja mi a volve na bo
A ke boele go wena
E deadline ta dia dushi
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.