Looking for practical Sepedi to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sepedi phrase first, then the Yoruba translation (Yoruba) — 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 Yoruba.
Tip: pick five Yoruba phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Sepedi to Yoruba 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
Bawo(bawoh)
Ke a leboga
O seun(oh shayoon)
Dumelang
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Mokhutsong o motle
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Mokhutsong o motle
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Borai bo botle
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
Tsamaya sentle
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Siyabonga
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
O na le leina lefe?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Leina la ka ke John
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
O kae?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Ke thabela go kopana le wena
Inu mi dun lati pade e(ee-noo mee doon lah-tee pah-deh eh)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Na o bua Seisemane?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Ke sitwa go kwele
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
Tsweetswee bua ka borai
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Borai bo kae?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Ke etse eng go ya borai?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Fetola go le letšatši
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Fetola go le letona
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Ya ka pela
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
Phetho ke bokae?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
Na ke kgole go tswa fano?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Ke sitwa go etse
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?
Nibo ni mo ti le ra kaadi SIM?(Nee-boh nee moh tee leh rah kah-dee SIM)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Bẹẹni
Aowa
Rara
Mohlomong
Bóyá
Ke a dumela
Mo gba
Ke sitwa go dumela
Mo kọ
Seo se utlwa sentle
Iyẹn dára
O nagana eng?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
O ka nthusa?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
Ke hloka thuso
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Emela nako
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Ke maswabi
Mo bínú
Ga go na bothata
Kò sí ìṣòro
Dumelang
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
Tlhogong e monate
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
Dira leeto le le bolokehileng
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
Nako efe e tlo fofa?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
A ke tsela e nepahetseng?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
E haufi le fa
O sunmọ ibi yi(E haufi le fa)
E hole le fa
O jinna si ibi yi(E hole le fa)
O ka mpontsha ka mape?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Duro nibi, jọwọ(Emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E nka nako e kae?
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?(E nka nako e kae?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
Nka lefa ka khadi?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Bille, tswarela
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
Ke movegetarian
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
Se ke se monate
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
Nka fumana lenaneo?
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
Khalase ya metsi, tswarela
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
B calla mapolesa
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
B calla ambulance
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Ke hloka ngaka
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
Ke ikutlwa ke bolaya
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Hospital e hwetšwa kae?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
Go a bohloko fa
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Ke lahlehetšwe ke passport ya ka
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
O ka bitsa hotel ya ka?
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
Thusa!
I ranlọwọ!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke thabile go kopana le wena
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade
Nako efe e go kgonang?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?
Ke tla romela reportone gompieno
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni
A re ka bua ka moso?
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?
Tsweetswee bona faele e amanang
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
O seun fun akoko rẹ
Ke lebeletse go dira le wena
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ
A o ka hlalosa ntlha eo?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?
A ke tle ke boe go wena
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ
Nako ya borai ke Labohlano
Akoko ipari ni Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.