Looking for practical Sepedi to Krio phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sepedi phrase first, then the Krio translation (Krio) — 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 Krio.
Tip: when a Krio 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 Krio 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
Hello
Ke a leboga
Tenki
Dumelang
Gud mɔnin
Mokhutsong o motle
Gud aftanun
Mokhutsong o motle
Gud ivnin
Borai bo botle
Gud nait
Tsamaya sentle
Si yu leta
Siyabonga
Bai
O na le leina lefe?
Wetɛn na yu neym?
Leina la ka ke John
Ma neym na John
O kae?
Ow yu de?
Ke thabela go kopana le wena
Naes fo mit yu
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Na o bua Seisemane?
Yu sabi English?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
A no sabi Hindi well.
Ke sitwa go kwele
A no sabi.
Tsweetswee bua ka borai
Plis, tok slow.
Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?
Yu fit tok dat again?
Borai bo kae?
Weh na di toilet?
Ke etse eng go ya borai?
Ow A go fit reach di city center?
Fetola go le letšatši
Turn left.
Fetola go le letona
Turn right.
Ya ka pela
Go straight.
Phetho ke bokae?
Ow much na di fare?
Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee
One ticket, plis.
Na ke kgole go tswa fano?
E far from ya?
Ke sitwa go etse
A don lost.
Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?
Weh A go fit buy SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Yes
Aowa
No
Mohlomong
Maybe
Ke a dumela
A mi agree
Ke sitwa go dumela
A no agree
Seo se utlwa sentle
Dat na fine
O nagana eng?
Wet in you tink?
O ka nthusa?
You fit help me?
Ke hloka thuso
A need help
Emela nako
Wait small
Ke maswabi
A sorry
Ga go na bothata
No problem
Dumelang
Congratulations
Tlhogong e monate
Happy birthday
Dira leeto le le bolokehileng
Get safe trip
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?
Weh na di train station?(Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?)
Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?
Weh na di bus stop?(Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Which platform na im?(Ke sehlopha sefe?)
Nako efe e tlo fofa?
Wetin time e go lef?(Nako efe e tlo fofa?)
A ke tsela e nepahetseng?
Dis na di right way?(A ke tsela e nepahetseng?)
E haufi le fa
E dey near here(E haufi le fa)
E hole le fa
E far from here(E hole le fa)
O ka mpontsha ka mape?
Yu fit show me pan di map?(O ka mpontsha ka mape?)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Stop here, pliz(Emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E nka nako e kae?
How long e go tek?(E nka nako e kae?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
How much dis cost?(ke bo-ka-e)
Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi
Dat too expensive.(seo ke se-bo-pe-go se se ko-tsi)
O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?
You get anytin wey cheaper?(o na le se-ngwe se se the-ko e tla-se)
Nka lefa ka khadi?
I fit pay by card?(nka le-fa ka kha-di)
Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi
I wan table for two.(ke ra-ta ta-fo-le ya ba-tho ba ba-be-di)
Bille, tswarela
Di bill, please.(bil-le tswa-re-la)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Service dey include?(na tse-be-let-so e a-ka-re-tswe)
Ke movegetarian
I na vegetarian.(ke mo-ve-ge-ta-ri-an)
Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela
No spicy food, please.(a-o-wa di-jo tse di pha-di-leng tswa-re-la)
Se ke se monate
Dis dey sweet.(se ke se mo-na-te)
Nka fumana lenaneo?
I fit get di menu?(nka fu-ma-na le-na-e-no)
Khalase ya metsi, tswarela
A glass of water, please.(kha-la-se ya me-tsi tswa-re-la)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
B calla mapolesa
Call di police
B calla ambulance
Call ambulance
Ke hloka ngaka
A need doctor
Ke ikutlwa ke bolaya
A dey feel sick
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
A get allergy for peanuts
Hospital e hwetšwa kae?
Weh di nearest hospital de?
Go a bohloko fa
E dey pain here
Ke lahlehetšwe ke passport ya ka
A don lose mi passport
O ka bitsa hotel ya ka?
You fit call mi hotel?
Thusa!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke thabile go kopana le wena
Na nice for meet you
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Make we plan wan meeting
Nako efe e go kgonang?
Wetin time go work for you?
Ke tla romela reportone gompieno
A go send di report tiday
A re ka bua ka moso?
We go fit talk tomorrow?
Tsweetswee bona faele e amanang
Abeg find di file wey attach
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Tenki for your time
Ke lebeletse go dira le wena
A dey look forward for work with you
A o ka hlalosa ntlha eo?
You fit clarify dat point?
A ke tle ke boe go wena
Make I get back to you
Nako ya borai ke Labohlano
Di deadline na Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.