Looking for practical Rundi to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Rundi 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Tswana-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Rundi 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.
Naki
Dumela(na-kee)
Urakoze
Ke a leboga(oo-rah-koh-zeh)
Mwaramutse
Dumelang(mwa-rah-moot-seh)
Mwiriwe
Dumela mo afternoon(mwee-ree-weh)
Mwiriwe
Dumela mo evening(mwee-ree-weh)
Ijoro ryiza
Borai(ee-jo-roh ree-zah)
Nzakubona
Tsamaya sentle(nza-koo-boh-nah)
Nuhagurane
Tsamaya sentle(nuh-ha-goo-rah-neh)
Icyo witwa n'iki?
O na le leina mang?(ee-cho wee-twah n'ee-kee)
Nitwa John
Leina la me ke John(nee-twah John)
Umeze gute?
O kae?(oo-meh-zeh goo-teh)
Nishimiye kukumenya
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(nee-shee-mee-yeh koo-koo-meh-nya)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Uravuga Icyongereza?
A o bua Seisemane?
Sinavuga Hindi neza.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Sinumva.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Ndagusaba uvuge buhoro.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Woshobora kubivuga ukundi?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Ihantu h'ubwiherero ni hehe?
Borai bo kae?
Nkoze nte ngo ngerere mu mugi?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Hindukira ibumoso.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Hindukira iburyo.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Genda imbere.
Tswelela ka fao
Igiciro ni igiki?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Tike imwe, ndakwinginze.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Birakomeye kuva hano?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Ndi mu kaga.
Ke a latlhela
Nshobora kugura ikarita ya SIM hehe?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yego
Ee
Oya
Nnyaa
Birashoboka
Mafoko
Ndemera
Ke a dumela
Ntidemera
Ke sitwa go dumela
Ivyo birashimishije
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Utekereza iki?
O akanya eng?
Urashobora kumfasha?
O ka nthusa?
Nkeneye gufasha
Ke tlhoka thuso
Teza akanya
Emisa motsotso
Ndi umwiyahuzi
Ke maswabi
Nta kibazo
Ga go na bothata
Ishimwe
A re amogele
Isabukuru nziza
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Urugendo rwiza
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Aho hantu y'igari?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Aho hantu y'ibisohoka?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ihagararo ni irihe?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Igihe ni igiki gishika?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Ubu ni bwo buryo?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Birahari hafi
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Birahari kure
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Urashobora kumfasha ku ikarita?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Hagarara hano, nyabuna
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Bifata igihe kingana iki?
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.
Iyi irahenda angahe?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Iyo irahenda cane
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Ufise ikintu ciza cane?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Noshobora kwishyura n'ikarita?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Nkeneye ameza y'abantu babiri
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Ibarura, ndakwinginze
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Serivisi irarimwo?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ndi umworozi w'ibihingwa
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Ntimukore ibiryo biryoshye, ndakwinginze
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Iyi iraryoshye
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Noshobora kubona urutonde rw'ibiryo?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Igikombe c'amazi, ndakwinginze
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Terefona polisi
Bua le mapolesa
Terefona ambulance
Bua le ambulance
Ndakeneye umuganga
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Ndumva ndarwaye
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ndi umunyabwoba ku mbuto z'ibihaza
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Ihoteri yegereye iri hehe?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Birandya hano
Go botlhoko fa
Nabuze pasiporo yanje
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Woshobora guterefona ihoteli yanje?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Mfasha!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nishimiye kukumenya
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Tugire inama
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Igihe kiwukora?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Dushobora kuganira ejo?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Nyabuna, reba dosiye iri hamwe
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Urakoze ku mwanya wawe
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ntegereje gukorana nawe
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Woshobora gusobanura ico?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Ndemeye kubandanya
A ke boele go wena
Igihe ntarengwa ni ku wa gatanu
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.