Looking for practical Sesotho to Somali phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sesotho phrase first, then the Somali translation (Somali) — 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 Somali.
Tip: when a Somali 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 Somali 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
Salaan
Kea leboha
Mahadsanid
Dumelang
Subax wanaagsan
Molo
Duhur wanaagsan
Dumelang
Habeen wanaagsan
Borai
Habeen wanaagsan
Re tla kopana hamorao
Ilaa dambe
Tsamaya hantle
Nabad gelyo
O na le lebitso lefe?
Magacaa maxay tahay?
Lebitso la ka ke John
Magacaygu waa John
O kae?
Sidee tahay?
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Aad ayaan ugu faraxsanahay in aan ku arko
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Na u bua Senyesemane?
Ma ku hadashaa Ingiriisi?(Ma ku hadashaa Ingiriisi?)
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Hindi si fiican uma hadlo
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Ma fahmin
Ka kopo bua butle
Fadlan si tartiib ah u hadal
Na u ka boela ua re?
Ma ku celin kartaa?
Ntloana e kae?
Musqusha xaggee buu yaalaa?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Sideen ku gaari karaa xarunta magaalada?
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Bidix u leexo
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Midig u leexo
Eya ka pela
Toos u soco
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
Immisa ayey tahay lacagta?
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Hal tigidh, fadlan
Na e hole le mona?
Ma fog tahay halkan?
Ke lahlehile
Waan lumay
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
Xaggee ka iibsan karaa kaarka SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Haa
Che
Maya
Mohlomong
Malaha
Ke lumela
Waan ku raacsanahay
Ke sitwa
Waan ku raacsaneyn
Seo se utloahala hantle
Taasi waa wax fiican
O nahana eng?
Maxaad u malaynaysaa?
Na o ka nthusa?
Ma i caawin kartaa?
Ke hloka thuso
Waxaan u baahanahay caawimaad
Emisa motsotso
Sug daqiiqad
Ke maswabi
Waan ka xumahay
Ha ho bothata
Dhib malahan
O amohelehile
Hambalyo
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Dhalasho wacan
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Safar wanaagsan
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?
Xagee buu tareenka jooga?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Ke kae borai?
Xagee buu basaska jooga?(ke kae borai)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Keenka sidee buu yahay?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Nako e kae e tlohang?
Goormee ayuu baxayaa?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?
Ma tan saxda ah?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
E haufi le mona
Waa halkan u dhow(e haufi le mona)
E hole le mona
Waa halkan fog(e hole le mona)
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?
Ma ii muujin kartaa khariidada?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Emisa mona, ka kopo
Halkan joog, fadlan(emisa mona, ka kopo)
E nka nako e kae?
Immisa waqti ayey qaadaneysaa?(e nka nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Se kostang hakaale?
Imisa ayuu ku kacayaa?(se kostang hakaale)
Seo ke se theko e phahameng
Taasi waa qaali aad u badan.(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?
Ma haysta wax ka jaban?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Na nka lefa ka kharete?
Ma bixin karaa kaarka?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli
Waxaan jeclaan lahaa miis laba qof ah.(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Bille, ka kopo
Fadlan, biilka.(bille, ka kopo)
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?
Ma ku jirtaa adeegga?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
Ke moithuti oa meroho
Anigu waxaan ahay khudradeed.(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo
Fadlan, cunto aan xawaash lahayn.(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Se monate
Tani waa macaan.(se monate)
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?
Ma heli karaa menu?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo
Fadlan, koob biyo ah.(khalase ea metsi, ka kopo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Calla mapolesa
Wac booliiska
Calla ambulance
Wac ambalaas
Ke hloka ngaka
Waxaan u baahanahay dhakhtar
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
Waxaan dareemayaa xanuun
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
Waxaan leeyahay xasaasiyad lowska
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Isbitaalka ugu dhow xagee buu yaalaa?
Ho bohloko mona
Halkaan ayaa i xanuunaya
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Dukumeentigayga safarka ayaan lumiyay
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
Ma wici kartaa hoteelkeyga?
Thusa!
Caawimaad!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena
Aad baan ugu faraxsanahay in aan ku arko
A re etse kopano
Aan qorshayno kulan
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?
Waa maxay waqtiga ku habboon adiga?
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno
Waxaan maanta soo diri doonaa warbixinta
Na re ka bua ka moso?
Ma ka hadli karnaa berri?
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang
Fadlan eeg faylka ku lifaaqan
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau
Waad ku mahadsan tahay waqtigaaga
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena
Waxaan rajeynayaa in aan kula shaqeeyo
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?
Ma faahfaahin kartaa dhibicdaas?
A ke tle ke u boele
Aan ku soo laabto
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano
Waqtiga kama dambaysta ah waa Jimcaha
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.