Looking for practical Sepedi to Fon phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sepedi phrase first, then the Fon translation (Fon) — 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 Fon.
Tip: when a Fon phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Sepedi 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 Sepedi to Fon 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.
Dumela
Nɔ́(nɔ́)
Ke a leboga
Mèdɔ́(mèdɔ́)
Dumelang
Mèdɔ́ agblɔ(mèdɔ́ agblɔ)
Mokhutsong o motle
Mèdɔ́ ɖe(mèdɔ́ ɖe)
Mokhutsong o motle
Mèdɔ́ ɖeɖe(mèdɔ́ ɖeɖe)
Borai bo botle
Mèdɔ́ xɔxɔ(mèdɔ́ xɔxɔ)
Tsamaya sentle
Nɔ́ wɛ(nɔ́ wɛ)
Siyabonga
Nɔ́ wɛ ɖe(nɔ́ wɛ ɖe)
O na le leina lefe?
Nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?(nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?)
Leina la ka ke John
Mè nɔ́ John(mè nɔ́ John)
O kae?
Nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?(nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?)
Ke thabela go kopana le wena
Mèdɔ́ nɔ́(mèdɔ́ nɔ́)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Na o bua Seisemane?
I gbè yé èdè Gẹ̀ẹ́sì?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Mè n'gbè yé Èdè Hindi kè.
Ke sitwa go kwele
Mè n'kó nù.
Tsweetswee bua ka borai
S'il vous plaît, gbè yé kè.
Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?
Mè s'kà yé nù?
Borai bo kae?
Èwé n'kà dɔ́?
Ke etse eng go ya borai?
Mè n'kà yé nù àlà nà?
Fetola go le letšatši
Tò n'kà kè.
Fetola go le letona
Tò n'kà pɔ́.
Ya ka pela
Lè n'kà kè.
Phetho ke bokae?
Kí n'kà dɔ́?
Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Mè s'kà àyé, s'il vous plaît.
Na ke kgole go tswa fano?
Èwé n'kà mɛ́?
Ke sitwa go etse
Mè n'kà nɔ́.
Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?
Èwé n'kà nɔ́ SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ɛ(e)
Aowa
Ayi(ayi)
Mohlomong
Mɛ(me)
Ke a dumela
Mè yé(me ye)
Ke sitwa go dumela
Mè n'yi(me n'yi)
Seo se utlwa sentle
N'kɔ nɔ(n'ko no)
O nagana eng?
N'kɔ a kɔ?(n'ko a ko)
O ka nthusa?
I n'kɔ mɛ?(i n'ko me)
Ke hloka thuso
Mè n'kɔ mɛ(me n'ko me)
Emela nako
Tɔ́ nɔ(to no)
Ke maswabi
Mè nɔ n'kɔ(me no n'ko)
Ga go na bothata
Ayi n'kɔ(ayi n'ko)
Dumelang
Mè nɔ wé(me no we)
Tlhogong e monate
Mè nɔ tɔ́(me no to)
Dira leeto le le bolokehileng
N'kɔ a wé dɔ(n'ko a we do)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?
N'ye wé train station?(N'ye wé train station?)
Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?
N'ye wé bus stop?(N'ye wé bus stop?)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Ké platform na?(Ké platform na?)
Nako efe e tlo fofa?
Ké sa a yé?(Ké sa a yé?)
A ke tsela e nepahetseng?
N'ye wé yé na?(N'ye wé yé na?)
E haufi le fa
Yé na hɛn(Yé na hɛn)
E hole le fa
Yé na hɛn gbo(Yé na hɛn gbo)
O ka mpontsha ka mape?
Mè wé hɛn n'ye map?(Mè wé hɛn n'ye map?)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Tó hɛn, s'il vous plaît(Tó hɛn, s'il vous plaît)
E nka nako e kae?
Ké sa a yé?(Ké sa a yé?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
Mè wé na?(ke bo-ka-e)
Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi
Yè wé bɔ́ nɔ́.(seo ke se-bo-pe-go se se ko-tsi)
O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?
A wé nɔ́ dɔ́?(o na le se-ngwe se se the-ko e tla-se)
Nka lefa ka khadi?
Mè wé hɛn nɔ́?(nka le-fa ka kha-di)
Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi
Mè wé dɔ́ nɔ́ fɔ́.(ke ra-ta ta-fo-le ya ba-tho ba ba-be-di)
Bille, tswarela
A wé nɔ́ bɔ́.(bil-le tswa-re-la)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Sè wé bɔ́?(na tse-be-let-so e a-ka-re-tswe)
Ke movegetarian
Mè wé kɔ́ nɔ́.(ke mo-ve-ge-ta-ri-an)
Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela
Mè wé nɔ́ kɔ́ nɔ́.(a-o-wa di-jo tse di pha-di-leng tswa-re-la)
Se ke se monate
Yè wé sɔ́.(se ke se mo-na-te)
Nka fumana lenaneo?
Mè wé nɔ́ mɛ́ nɔ́?(nka fu-ma-na le-na-e-no)
Khalase ya metsi, tswarela
Mè wé nɔ́ gɔ́ nɔ́.(kha-la-se ya me-tsi tswa-re-la)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.