Looking for practical Sango to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sango 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 Sango 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.
Mbote
Dumela
Mokolo
Ke a leboga
Mbote na nganga
Dumelang
Mbote na nganga ya zanga
Dumela mo afternoon
Mbote na nganga ya sika
Dumela mo evening
Ndeko na nganga
Borai
Tango na yo
Tsamaya sentle
Ayo
Tsamaya sentle
Nani na yo?
O na le leina mang?
Nani na nga John
Leina la me ke John
Oza malamu?
O kae?
Mokili na yo
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
O yo na nganga English?
A o bua Seisemane?
O na yo na nganga Hindi na mboka.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
O na yo na mboka.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Sokou, yo na nganga na mboka.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
O tanga na mboka?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Banga na yo na ndako?
Borai bo kae?
Nde na yo na banga na mboka?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Kanga na mboko.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Kanga na nganga.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Kende na mboka.
Tswelela ka fao
Nde na yo na mboka?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Mokolo na ticket, sokou.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
O na mboka na mboka?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
O na yo na mboka.
Ke a latlhela
Banga na yo na tanga SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
O
Ee
Té
Nnyaa
Sâ
Mafoko
Ngâ tî
Ke a dumela
Ngâ té tî
Ke sitwa go dumela
O bô
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Nâ tî yé?
O akanya eng?
O kâ yé tî?
O ka nthusa?
Ngâ kâ tî
Ke tlhoka thuso
Bê na
Emisa motsotso
Ngâ tî na
Ke maswabi
Té bô
Ga go na bothata
Mâ tî
A re amogele
Mâ na mbâ
Tlhogomelo e e monate
O kâ na mbê
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
O na wâ na gare?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
O na wâ na station de taxi?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
O na wâ na plateforme?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
O na tî na mbô?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
O na wâ na yâ?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
O na bô na kâ.
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
O na fâ na kâ.
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
O kâ tî na mappa?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Kâ na kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
O na tî na mbô?
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.
Mboka na yo?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Oko na mboka mingi
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Ozo na nanga mboka?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Naka na yeke na carte?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Naka na table ya mibale
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Bilan, s'il vous plaît
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Service ezali na yango?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Nani na mboka ya nyama
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Te na mabele ya sika, s'il vous plaît
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Oyo ezali malamu
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Naka na menu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Bokoko ya mai, s'il vous plaît
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Banga nganga
Bua le mapolesa
Banga ambulance
Bua le ambulance
Mbi na doctor
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Mbi na yeke
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Mbi na alerji na kolo
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
A na hospital ya mboka?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
E yeke na mboko
Go botlhoko fa
Mbi tanga passport na ngai
Ke sitwa passport ya me
O tanga hotel na ngai?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Sango!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Mbi na yo
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(Mbi na yo)
Tala na yeke mboka
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Nani ti na yo?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Nde na yeke report na tî
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Oka na yeke na lobi?
A re ka bua ka borai?
S'il vous plaît, tî na file na mî
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Mesi na yo na tî
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Nde na tî na yeke na yo
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Oka na yeke na sî na tî?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Tala na yeke na yo
A ke boele go wena
Nani na lobi na vendredi
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.