Looking for practical Somali to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Somali 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 Somali 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.
Salaan
Dumela
Mahadsanid
Ke a leboga
Subax wanaagsan
Dumelang
Duhur wanaagsan
Dumela mo afternoon
Habeen wanaagsan
Dumela mo evening
Habeen wanaagsan
Borai
Ilaa dambe
Tsamaya sentle
Nabad gelyo
Tsamaya sentle
Magacaa maxay tahay?
O na le leina mang?
Magacaygu waa John
Leina la me ke John
Sidee tahay?
O kae?
Aad ayaan ugu faraxsanahay in aan ku arko
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ma ku hadashaa Ingiriisi?
A o bua Seisemane?(Ma ku hadashaa Ingiriisi?)
Hindi si fiican uma hadlo
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Ma fahmin
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Fadlan si tartiib ah u hadal
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Ma ku celin kartaa?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Musqusha xaggee buu yaalaa?
Borai bo kae?
Sideen ku gaari karaa xarunta magaalada?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Bidix u leexo
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Midig u leexo
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Toos u soco
Tswelela ka fao
Immisa ayey tahay lacagta?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Hal tigidh, fadlan
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Ma fog tahay halkan?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Waan lumay
Ke a latlhela
Xaggee ka iibsan karaa kaarka SIM?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Haa
Ee
Maya
Nnyaa
Malaha
Mafoko
Waan ku raacsanahay
Ke a dumela
Waan ku raacsaneyn
Ke sitwa go dumela
Taasi waa wax fiican
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Maxaad u malaynaysaa?
O akanya eng?
Ma i caawin kartaa?
O ka nthusa?
Waxaan u baahanahay caawimaad
Ke tlhoka thuso
Sug daqiiqad
Emisa motsotso
Waan ka xumahay
Ke maswabi
Dhib malahan
Ga go na bothata
Hambalyo
A re amogele
Dhalasho wacan
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Safar wanaagsan
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Xagee buu tareenka jooga?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Xagee buu basaska jooga?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Keenka sidee buu yahay?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Goormee ayuu baxayaa?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Ma tan saxda ah?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Waa halkan u dhow
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Waa halkan fog
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Ma ii muujin kartaa khariidada?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Halkan joog, fadlan
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Immisa waqti ayey qaadaneysaa?
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.
Imisa ayuu ku kacayaa?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Taasi waa qaali aad u badan.
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Ma haysta wax ka jaban?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Ma bixin karaa kaarka?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Waxaan jeclaan lahaa miis laba qof ah.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Fadlan, biilka.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Ma ku jirtaa adeegga?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Anigu waxaan ahay khudradeed.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Fadlan, cunto aan xawaash lahayn.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Tani waa macaan.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Ma heli karaa menu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Fadlan, koob biyo ah.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Wac booliiska
Bua le mapolesa
Wac ambalaas
Bua le ambulance
Waxaan u baahanahay dhakhtar
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Waxaan dareemayaa xanuun
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Waxaan leeyahay xasaasiyad lowska
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Isbitaalka ugu dhow xagee buu yaalaa?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Halkaan ayaa i xanuunaya
Go botlhoko fa
Dukumeentigayga safarka ayaan lumiyay
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Ma wici kartaa hoteelkeyga?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Caawimaad!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Aad baan ugu faraxsanahay in aan ku arko
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Aan qorshayno kulan
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Waa maxay waqtiga ku habboon adiga?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Waxaan maanta soo diri doonaa warbixinta
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Ma ka hadli karnaa berri?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Fadlan eeg faylka ku lifaaqan
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Waad ku mahadsan tahay waqtigaaga
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Waxaan rajeynayaa in aan kula shaqeeyo
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Ma faahfaahin kartaa dhibicdaas?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Aan ku soo laabto
A ke boele go wena
Waqtiga kama dambaysta ah waa Jimcaha
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.