Looking for practical Sesotho to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sesotho 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 Sesotho 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.
Lumelang
Bawo(bawoh)
Kea leboha
O seun(oh shayoon)
Dumelang
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Molo
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Dumelang
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Borai
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
Re tla kopana hamorao
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Tsamaya hantle
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
O na le lebitso lefe?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Lebitso la ka ke John
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
O kae?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Ke thabela ho 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 u bua Senyesemane?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
Ka kopo bua butle
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
Na u ka boela ua re?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Ntloana e kae?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Eya ka pela
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
Na e hole le mona?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Ke lahlehile
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
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
Che
Rara
Mohlomong
Bóyá
Ke lumela
Mo gba
Ke sitwa
Mo kọ
Seo se utloahala hantle
Iyẹn dára
O nahana eng?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
Na o ka nthusa?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
Ke hloka thuso
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Emisa motsotso
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Ke maswabi
Mo bínú
Ha ho bothata
Kò sí ìṣòro
O amohelehile
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
Ke kae borai?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
Nako e kae e tlohang?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
E haufi le mona
O sunmọ ibi yi(e haufi le mona)
E hole le mona
O jinna si ibi yi(e hole le mona)
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
Emisa mona, ka kopo
Duro nibi, jọwọ(emisa mona, ka kopo)
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.
Se kostang hakaale?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
Seo ke se theko e phahameng
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
Na nka lefa ka kharete?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Bille, ka kopo
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
Ke moithuti oa meroho
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
Se monate
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Calla mapolesa
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
Calla ambulance
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Ke hloka ngaka
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
Ho bohloko mona
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea 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 ho kopana le uena
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
A re etse kopano
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni
Na re ka bua ka moso?
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau
O seun fun akoko rẹ
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?
A ke tle ke u boele
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano
Akoko ipari ni Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.