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Common Sesotho to Zulu phrases

100 practical Sesotho to Zulu phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Sesotho to Zulu phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sesotho phrase first, then the Zulu translation (Zulu) — 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 Zulu.

Tip: when a Zulu 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 Zulu 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.

  1. Lumelang

    Sawubona

  2. Kea leboha

    Ngiyabonga

  3. Dumelang

    Sawubona

  4. Molo

    Good afternoon

  5. Dumelang

    Ubusuku obuhle

  6. Borai

    Lala kahle

  7. Re tla kopana hamorao

    Sizobonana

  8. Tsamaya hantle

    Hamba kahle

  9. O na le lebitso lefe?

    Ubani igama lakho?

  10. Lebitso la ka ke John

    Igama lami nginguJohn

  11. O kae?

    Unjani?

  12. Ke thabela ho kopana le wena

    Ngiyajabula ukukwazi

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. Na u bua Senyesemane?

    Ukhuluma isiNgisi?

  2. Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle

    Angikhulumi kahle isiHindi.

  3. Ke sitwa ho utloisisa

    Angiqondi.

  4. Ka kopo bua butle

    Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.

  5. Na u ka boela ua re?

    Ungakuphinda lokho?

  6. Ntloana e kae?

    Iphi indlu yangasese?

  7. Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?

    Ngiyawufika kanjani emaphandleni?

  8. Fetola ho ea letsohong

    Jika kwesobunxele.

  9. Fetola ho ea ka ho letona

    Jika kwesokudla.

  10. Eya ka pela

    Hamba phambili.

  11. Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?

    Inani lokuhamba lingakanani?

  12. Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo

    Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela.

  13. Na e hole le mona?

    Ingabe kude lapha?

  14. Ke lahlehile

    Ngilahlekile.

  15. Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?

    Ngaphi engingathenga khona i-SIM card?

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Ee

    Yebo

  2. Che

    Cha

  3. Mohlomong

    Mhlawumbe

  4. Ke lumela

    Ngiyavuma

  5. Ke sitwa

    Angivumi

  6. Seo se utloahala hantle

    Lokho kuzwakala kahle

  7. O nahana eng?

    Ucabanga ukuthini?

  8. Na o ka nthusa?

    Ungangisiza?

  9. Ke hloka thuso

    Ngidinga usizo

  10. Emisa motsotso

    Linda umzuzu

  11. Ke maswabi

    Ngiyaxolisa

  12. Ha ho bothata

    Akukho nkinga

  13. O amohelehile

    Halala

  14. Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo

    Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

  15. Ebe le tsamaea hantle

    Uhambo olunempilo

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Ke kae seteishene sa terene?

    Iphi isitishi sesitimela? (iphi isitishi sesitimela)

  2. Ke kae borai?

    Iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi? (iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi)

  3. Ke sehlopha sefe?

    Iphi ipulatifomu? (iphi ipulatifomu)

  4. Nako e kae e tlohang?

    Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba? (ithini isikhathi sokuhamba)

  5. Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?

    Ingabe le yindlela efanele? (ingabe le yindlela efanele)

  6. E haufi le mona

    Ikhaya lapha eduze (ikhaya lapha eduze)

  7. E hole le mona

    Ikude lapha (ikude lapha)

  8. O ka mpontša ka mapeng?

    Ungangikhombisa emmaphini? (ungangikhombisa emmaphini)

  9. Emisa mona, ka kopo

    Misa lapha, ngiyacela (misa lapha, ngiyacela)

  10. E nka nako e kae?

    Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani? (kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. Se kostang hakaale?

    Kubiza malini lokhu? (se kostang hakaale)

  2. Seo ke se theko e phahameng

    Lokho kubiza kakhulu. (seo ke se theko e phahameng)

  3. Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?

    Unayo yini ethengiswa ngentengo ephansi? (na le na le eng e theko e tlase)

  4. Na nka lefa ka kharete?

    Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi? (na nka lefa ka kharete)

  5. Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli

    Ngifuna itafula labantu ababili. (ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)

  6. Bille, ka kopo

    Ibhili, ngiyacela. (bille, ka kopo)

  7. Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?

    Inkonzo ifakiwe? (na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)

  8. Ke moithuti oa meroho

    Ngiyisithuthuthu. (ke moithuti oa meroho)

  9. Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo

    Ngicela ukudla okungashisayo. (tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)

  10. Se monate

    Lokhu kuhle. (se monate)

  11. Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?

    Ngicela imenyu? (na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)

  12. Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo

    Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela. (khalase ea metsi, ka kopo)

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Calla mapolesa

    Shayela amaphoyisa

  2. Calla ambulance

    Shayela i-ambulensi

  3. Ke hloka ngaka

    Ngidinga udokotela

  4. Ke ikutloa ke sitwa

    Ngizizwa ngigula

  5. Ke na le allergy ho peanuts

    Ngine-allergy kumantongomane

  6. Hospital e haufi e kae?

    Iphi isibhedlela esiseduze?

  7. Ho bohloko mona

    Kubuhlungu lapha

  8. Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport

    Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami

  9. Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?

    Ungashayela ihhotela lami?

  10. Thusa!

    Usizo!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Ke thabile ho kopana le uena

    Ngiyajabula ukukwazi

  2. A re etse kopano

    Masihlele umhlangano

  3. Nako e kae e loketseng uena?

    Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele?

  4. Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno

    Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla

  5. Na re ka bua ka moso?

    Singakhuluma kusasa?

  6. Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang

    Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunywe

  7. Kea leboha ka nako ea hau

    Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi

  8. Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena

    Ngibheke phambili ekusebenzeni nawe

  9. Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?

    Ungacacisa leyo ndaba?

  10. A ke tle ke u boele

    Ngizobuyela kuwe

  11. Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano

    Usuku lokugcina nguLwesihlanu

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Ke hora efe?

    Kuyini isikhathi? (ku-yee-nee ee-sih-khah-teh?)

  2. Ke hora tse tharo

    Kuyisithathu (koo-yee-see-thah-thu)

  3. Kajeno

    Namuhla (nah-moo-hlah)

  4. Hosane

    Kusasa (koo-sah-sah)

  5. Maobane

    Izolo (ee-zoh-loh)

  6. Mantaha

    uMsombuluko (oom-sohm-boo-loo-koh)

  7. Labobeli

    uMsombuluko (oom-sohm-boo-loo-koh)

  8. Laboraro

    uLwesithathu (ool-weh-see-thah-thu)

  9. E le 'ngoe

    Kunye (koon-yeh)

  10. Pele

    Kubili (koo-bee-lee)

  11. Tharo

    Kuthathu (koo-thah-thu)

  12. Leshome

    Ishumi (ee-shoo-mee)

  13. Sekete

    Ishumi elinhlanu (ee-shoo-mee eh-leen-hlah-noo)

  14. Hlafuna

    Iphinifa (ee-pee-nee-fah)

  15. Haholo

    Okuningi (oh-koo-neen-gee)

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