Looking for practical Shona to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Shona phrase first, then the Tswana translation (Tswana) — 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 Tswana.
Tip: pick five Tswana 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 Shona to Tswana 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.
Mhoro
Dumela
Ndatenda
Ke a leboga
Mangwanani akanaka
Dumelang
Masikati akanaka
Dumela mo afternoon
Manheru akanaka
Dumela mo evening
Usiku hwakanaka
Borai
Tichasangana gare gare
Tsamaya sentle
Sara zvakanaka
Tsamaya sentle
Zita rako ndiani?
O na le leina mang?
Zita rangu ndiri John
Leina la me ke John
Uri sei?
O kae?
Ndinofara kukuziva
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Unotaura Chirungu here?
A o bua Seisemane?(unotaura chirungu here)
Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(handitauri hindi zvakanaka)
Handinzwisisi
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya(handinzwisisi)
Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako(ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)
Ungazvitaura zvakare here?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?(ungazvitaura zvakare here)
Chimbuzi chiripi?
Borai bo kae?(chimbuzi chiripi)
Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?(ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)
Tendeuka kuruboshwe
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona(tendeuka kuruboshwe)
Tendeuka kurudyi
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng(tendeuka kurudyi)
Enda mberi
Tswelela ka fao(enda mberi)
Mari yechikwereti ingani?
Gaeletsi e bokae?(mari yechikwereti ingani)
Tikiti imwe, ndapota
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee(tikiti imwe, ndapota)
Iko kure here kubva pano?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?(iko kure here kubva pano)
Ndakakanganiswa
Ke a latlhela(ndakakanganiswa)
Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?(ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ehe
Ee
Kwete
Nnyaa
Pangove
Mafoko
Ndinobvumirana
Ke a dumela
Handibvumirane
Ke sitwa go dumela
Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Unofungei?
O akanya eng?
Unogona kundibatsira here?
O ka nthusa?
Ndiri kuda rubatsiro
Ke tlhoka thuso
Mirira kwechinguva
Emisa motsotso
Ndine urombo
Ke maswabi
Hapana chakaipa
Ga go na bothata
Makorokoto
A re amogele
Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Iva nerwendo rwakanaka
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kupi kune chiteshi chechitima?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ndeipi puratifomu?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Inobva nenguva ipi?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Iri pedyo pano
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Iri kure nepano
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Mira pano, ndapota
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei?
E tsaya nako e kae?(e tsaya nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Zvinodhura here?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ndingada tafura yevaviri
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Chikwereti, ndapota
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Sevhisi iri mukati here?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ndiri muvegetarian
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Izvi zvinonaka
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Ndingawana menyu here?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Girazi remvura, ndapota
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fonera mapurisa
Bua le mapolesa
Fonera amburensi
Bua le ambulance
Ndiri kuda chiremba
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ndine allergic kumapundu
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Zvinorwadza pano
Go botlhoko fa
Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Rubatsiro!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndinofara kukusangana
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Ngatirongei musangano
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Tingataure mangwana here?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Ndatenda nenguva yako
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Ndichadzoka kwauri
A ke boele go wena
Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.