Looking for practical Sesotho to Swahili phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sesotho phrase first, then the Swahili translation (Swahili) — 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 Swahili.
Tip: read the Swahili line out loud three times, then cover the Sesotho side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Sesotho to Swahili 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
Habari
Kea leboha
Asante
Dumelang
Habari ya asubuhi
Molo
Habari ya mchana
Dumelang
Habari ya jioni
Borai
Usiku mwema
Re tla kopana hamorao
Tutaonana baadaye
Tsamaya hantle
Kwaheri
O na le lebitso lefe?
Jina lako nani?
Lebitso la ka ke John
Jina langu ni John
O kae?
Habari gani?
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Na u bua Senyesemane?
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Sielewi.
Ka kopo bua butle
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Na u ka boela ua re?
Unaweza kusema tena?
Ntloana e kae?
Choo kiko wapi?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Geuka kushoto.
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Geuka kulia.
Eya ka pela
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Na e hole le mona?
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Ke lahlehile
Nimepotea.
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ndio
Che
Hapana
Mohlomong
Pengine
Ke lumela
Ninakubaliana
Ke sitwa
Sikubaliani
Seo se utloahala hantle
Inasikika vizuri
O nahana eng?
Unafikiriaje?
Na o ka nthusa?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Ke hloka thuso
Nahitaji msaada
Emisa motsotso
Subiri kidogo
Ke maswabi
Ninasikitika
Ha ho bothata
Hakuna shida
O amohelehile
Hongera
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Safari njema
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Ke kae borai?
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?(ke kae borai)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Ni jukwaa gani?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Nako e kae e tlohang?
Inatoka saa ngapi?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
E haufi le mona
Iko karibu hapa(e haufi le mona)
E hole le mona
Iko mbali na hapa(e hole le mona)
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Emisa mona, ka kopo
Simama hapa, tafadhali(emisa mona, ka kopo)
E nka nako e kae?
Inachukua muda gani?(e nka nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Se kostang hakaale?
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?(se kostang hakaale)
Seo ke se theko e phahameng
Hiyo ni ghali sana(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Na nka lefa ka kharete?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Bille, ka kopo
Tafadhali, bili(bille, ka kopo)
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
Ke moithuti oa meroho
Mimi ni mboga(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Se monate
Hii ni tamu(se monate)
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?
Naweza kupata menyu?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji(khalase ea metsi, ka kopo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Calla mapolesa
Piga simu polisi
Calla ambulance
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Ke hloka ngaka
Nahitaji daktari
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
Nina mzio wa karanga
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Ho bohloko mona
Inaniuma hapa
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Thusa!
Nisaidie!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
A re etse kopano
Tuweke mkutano
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno
Nitaituma ripoti leo
Na re ka bua ka moso?
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau
Asante kwa muda wako
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
A ke tle ke u boele
Nitarudi kwako
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.