Looking for practical Sesotho to Kokborok phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sesotho phrase first, then the Kokborok translation (Kokborok) — 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 Kokborok.
Tip: when a Kokborok phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Sesotho 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 Sesotho to Kokborok 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.
Lumelang
Nok(Nok)
Kea leboha
Nok aijw(Nok aijw)
Dumelang
Nok aijw bwn(Nok aijw bwn)
Molo
Nok aijw thang(Nok aijw thang)
Dumelang
Nok aijw bwnthang(Nok aijw bwnthang)
Borai
Nok aijw rwi(Nok aijw rwi)
Re tla kopana hamorao
Nok aijw khang(Nok aijw khang)
Tsamaya hantle
Nok aijw khang(Nok aijw khang)
O na le lebitso lefe?
Nok bwn aijw?(Nok bwn aijw?)
Lebitso la ka ke John
Aijw John(Aijw John)
O kae?
Nok bwn aijw?(Nok bwn aijw?)
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Nok aijw bwnthang(Nok aijw bwnthang)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Na u bua Senyesemane?
Nok English bisi?(Nok English bisi?)
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Nok Hindi bisi na(Nok Hindi bisi na)
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Nok na bisi(Nok na bisi)
Ka kopo bua butle
Bisi khum khum(Bisi khum khum)
Na u ka boela ua re?
Nok bisi khum khum?(Nok bisi khum khum?)
Ntloana e kae?
Bathroom naki?(Bathroom naki?)
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
City center naki khum?(City center naki khum?)
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Bokhoma khum(Bokhoma khum)
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Dakhoma khum(Dakhoma khum)
Eya ka pela
Sokhoma khum(Sokhoma khum)
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
Fare naki?(Fare naki?)
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Ek ticket, bisi(Ek ticket, bisi)
Na e hole le mona?
Naki khum na?(Naki khum na?)
Ke lahlehile
Nok khum na(Nok khum na)
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
SIM card naki bisi?(SIM card naki bisi?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Nai
Che
Nai na
Mohlomong
Nai hani
Ke lumela
Nai bisi
Ke sitwa
Nai bisi na
Seo se utloahala hantle
Aikhan bisi
O nahana eng?
Nai hani bisi?
Na o ka nthusa?
Nai bisi khang?
Ke hloka thuso
Nai khang bisi
Emisa motsotso
Nai khang nai
Ke maswabi
Nai khangna
Ha ho bothata
Nai na bisi
O amohelehile
Nai bisi khang
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Nai bisi jujuk
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Nai bisi khang trip
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?
Train station khangni?(khangni = where)
Ke kae borai?
Bus stop khangni?(khangni = where)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Platform khangni?(khangni = which)
Nako e kae e tlohang?
Kok khangni chuk?(khangni = what)
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?
Nok jani thok?(jani = right)
E haufi le mona
Ami khangni bisi(bisi = near)
E hole le mona
Ami khangni bisi na(na = far)
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?
Map khangni aikhani?(aikhani = show)
Emisa mona, ka kopo
Ami khangni thok, please(thok = stop)
E nka nako e kae?
Kok khangni chuk?(khangni = how long)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Se kostang hakaale?
Nok bisi bisi?(Nok bisi bisi?)
Seo ke se theko e phahameng
Aikha bisi bisi khang?(Aikha bisi bisi khang?)
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?
Nok bisi bisi khang khum?(Nok bisi bisi khang khum?)
Na nka lefa ka kharete?
Nok card bisi khang?(Nok card bisi khang?)
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli
Nok duijw bisi table(Nok duijw bisi table)
Bille, ka kopo
Bill bisi, please(Bill bisi, please)
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?
Service bisi khang?(Service bisi khang?)
Ke moithuti oa meroho
Nok vegetarian bisi(Nok vegetarian bisi)
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo
No spicy food bisi, please(No spicy food bisi, please)
Se monate
Aikha bisi khawng(Aikha bisi khawng)
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?
Nok menu bisi khang?(Nok menu bisi khang?)
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo
A glass water bisi, please(A glass water bisi, please)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Calla mapolesa
Police ni bwnai(Police ni bwnai)
Calla ambulance
Ambulance ni bwnai(Ambulance ni bwnai)
Ke hloka ngaka
Nok a doctor bwnai(Nok a doctor bwnai)
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
Nok khangni(Nok khangni)
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
Nok khawngni bwnai khichwi(Nok khawngni bwnai khichwi)
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Nok a hospital ni bwnai?(Nok a hospital ni bwnai?)
Ho bohloko mona
Nok a bwnai(Nok a bwnai)
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Nok passport ni bwnai(Nok passport ni bwnai)
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
Nok hotel ni bwnai?(Nok hotel ni bwnai?)
Thusa!
Bwnai!(Bwnai!)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena
Nok bisi bisi(Nok bisi bisi)
A re etse kopano
Amak bisi meeting bisi(Amak bisi meeting bisi)
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?
Nok bisi khan time?(Nok bisi khan time?)
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno
Ami report bisi thang(Ami report bisi thang)
Na re ka bua ka moso?
Amak bisi kal khan?(Amak bisi kal khan?)
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang
Nok bisi file bisi attach(Nok bisi file bisi attach)
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau
Nok bisi thang bisi(Nok bisi thang bisi)
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena
Ami nok bisi thang bisi(Ami nok bisi thang bisi)
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?
Nok bisi point bisi khan?(Nok bisi point bisi khan?)
A ke tle ke u boele
Ami nok bisi thang(Ami nok bisi thang)
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano
Deadline bisi Friday(Deadline bisi Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.