Looking for practical Qeqchi to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Qeqchi 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 Qeqchi 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 Qeqchi 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.
Sa'qi
Dumela(sah-kee)
Uxlab'äl
Ke a leboga(ook-lah-bahl)
Sa'qi k'ay
Dumelang(sah-kee kay)
Sa'qi k'ik'
Dumela mo afternoon(sah-kee keek)
Sa'qi k'ux
Dumela mo evening(sah-kee koosh)
Sa'qi k'ik' k'ux
Borai(sah-kee keek koosh)
K'ux k'ik'
Tsamaya sentle(koosh keek)
K'ux
Tsamaya sentle(koosh)
Jach'och' k'ut?
O na le leina mang?(ha-choch kut)
In k'ut John
Leina la me ke John(een koot John)
K'ut k'ax?
O kae?(kut k'ash)
K'ax k'ut k'ux
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(kash kut koosh)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
¿Ruk'uxik in English?
A o bua Seisemane?
Nuk'uxik Hindi man k'utun.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Nuk'uxik k'utun.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Por favor, ruk'uxik k'utun k'ay.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
¿Ruk'uxik k'utun k'ay?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
¿Ja' ri k'utun?
Borai bo kae?
¿Jas ri k'utun k'ay ri k'ay?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
K'utun ri k'ay.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
K'utun ri k'ay.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
K'utun k'ay.
Tswelela ka fao
¿Ja' ri k'utun?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
K'utun ri k'ay.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
¿Ja' ri k'utun?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Nuk'uxik k'utun.
Ke a latlhela
¿Ja' ri k'utun ri SIM?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ja'
Ee
Nok
Nnyaa
K'a riq
Mafoko
In k'ut
Ke a dumela
In k'ut nok
Ke sitwa go dumela
K'ut in k'ut
Seo se utlwisa molemo
¿Ja' k'ut in k'ut?
O akanya eng?
¿K'ax k'ut in k'uch?
O ka nthusa?
In k'uch k'ax
Ke tlhoka thuso
K'ut k'ax riq
Emisa motsotso
In k'ut k'ax
Ke maswabi
Nok k'ut
Ga go na bothata
K'ut in k'ut riq
A re amogele
K'ut in k'ut k'uch
Tlhogomelo e e monate
K'ut in k'ut riq k'uch
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
¿Ja' k'utun ri tren?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
¿Ja' k'utun ri bus?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
¿K'utun ri platform?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
¿Jas k'utun ri?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
¿¿¿K'utun ri k'ax?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Ri k'utun k'utun
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Ri k'utun k'ax
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
¿Jas k'utun ri mapa?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
¿K'utun ri, por favor?
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
¿Jas k'utun ri?
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'utun ri'?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
K'utun ri' k'utun ch'ich'
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
¿Ruk'ux ri' k'utun ch'ich'?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
¿K'utun ri' k'utun rax?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
In k'utun ri' k'ax ri' ch'och'
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Ri' k'utun, por favor
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
¿Ri' k'utun ch'ich'?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
In k'utun ri' vegetarian
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Man k'utun ri' ch'ich', por favor
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
K'utun ri' ch'ich'
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
¿K'utun ri' k'utun menú?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Ri' k'utun k'ay, por favor
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
K'uxi' ri policía
Bua le mapolesa
K'uxi' ri ambulancia
Bua le ambulance
In k'utun ri médico
Ke tlhoka ngaka
In k'utun ri k'ax
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
In k'utun ri k'ik'
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Ja ri hospital k'utun?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
K'ax ri' k'ot
Go botlhoko fa
In k'utun ri pasaporte
Ke sitwa passport ya me
¿K'uxi' ri hotel in?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Ayuda!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
K'utun ri' k'axk'ux
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(K'utun ri' k'axk'ux)
K'utun ri' xk'utun ri' k'axk'ux
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(K'utun ri' xk'utun ri' k'axk'ux)
K'utun ri' k'utun k'axk'ux?
Nako efe e go thusang?(K'utun ri' k'utun k'axk'ux?)
K'utun ri' k'utun k'axk'ux ri' k'axk'ux
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(K'utun ri' k'utun k'axk'ux ri' k'axk'ux)
K'utun ri' k'axk'ux ri' k'axk'ux?
A re ka bua ka borai?(K'utun ri' k'axk'ux ri' k'axk'ux?)
K'utun ri' k'axk'ux ri' k'axk'ux
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang(K'utun ri' k'axk'ux ri' k'axk'ux)
K'utun ri' k'axk'ux
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(K'utun ri' k'axk'ux)
K'utun ri' k'axk'ux
Ke itumelela go dira le wena(K'utun ri' k'axk'ux)
K'utun ri' k'axk'ux?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(K'utun ri' k'axk'ux?)
K'utun ri' k'axk'ux
A ke boele go wena(K'utun ri' k'axk'ux)
K'utun ri' k'axk'ux
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano(K'utun ri' k'axk'ux)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.