Looking for practical Sepedi to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sepedi 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 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 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.
Dumela
Dumela
Ke a leboga
Ke a leboga
Dumelang
Dumelang
Mokhutsong o motle
Dumela mo afternoon
Mokhutsong o motle
Dumela mo evening
Borai bo botle
Borai
Tsamaya sentle
Tsamaya sentle
Siyabonga
Tsamaya sentle
O na le leina lefe?
O na le leina mang?
Leina la ka ke John
Leina la me ke John
O kae?
O kae?
Ke thabela go kopana le wena
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Na o bua Seisemane?
A o bua Seisemane?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Ke sitwa go kwele
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Tsweetswee bua ka borai
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Borai bo kae?
Borai bo kae?
Ke etse eng go ya borai?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Fetola go le letšatši
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Fetola go le letona
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Ya ka pela
Tswelela ka fao
Phetho ke bokae?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Na ke kgole go tswa fano?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Ke sitwa go etse
Ke a latlhela
Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ee
Aowa
Nnyaa
Mohlomong
Mafoko
Ke a dumela
Ke a dumela
Ke sitwa go dumela
Ke sitwa go dumela
Seo se utlwa sentle
Seo se utlwisa molemo
O nagana eng?
O akanya eng?
O ka nthusa?
O ka nthusa?
Ke hloka thuso
Ke tlhoka thuso
Emela nako
Emisa motsotso
Ke maswabi
Ke maswabi
Ga go na bothata
Ga go na bothata
Dumelang
A re amogele
Tlhogong e monate
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Dira leeto le le bolokehileng
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Nako efe e tlo fofa?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
A ke tsela e nepahetseng?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
E haufi le fa
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
E hole le fa
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
O ka mpontsha ka mape?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E nka nako e kae?
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.
Ke bokae?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Nka lefa ka khadi?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Bille, tswarela
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ke movegetarian
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Se ke se monate
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Nka fumana lenaneo?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Khalase ya metsi, tswarela
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
B calla mapolesa
Bua le mapolesa
B calla ambulance
Bua le ambulance
Ke hloka ngaka
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Ke ikutlwa ke bolaya
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Hospital e hwetšwa kae?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Go a bohloko fa
Go botlhoko fa
Ke lahlehetšwe ke passport ya ka
Ke sitwa passport ya me
O ka bitsa hotel ya ka?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Thusa!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke thabile go kopana le wena
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Nako efe e go kgonang?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Ke tla romela reportone gompieno
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
A re ka bua ka moso?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Tsweetswee bona faele e amanang
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ke lebeletse go dira le wena
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
A o ka hlalosa ntlha eo?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
A ke tle ke boe go wena
A ke boele go wena
Nako ya borai ke Labohlano
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.