Looking for practical Susu to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Susu 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Tswana-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Susu 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.
N'ko
Dumela(n'ko)
A dɔɔ
Ke a leboga(a doo)
N'ko fɔ
Dumelang(n'ko fo)
N'ko kɛ
Dumela mo afternoon(n'ko ke)
N'ko sɔ
Dumela mo evening(n'ko so)
N'ko tɔ
Borai(n'ko to)
N'ko jɛ
Tsamaya sentle(n'ko je)
N'ko fɔlɔ
Tsamaya sentle(n'ko foloo)
I bɛ n'ko?
O na le leina mang?(i be n'ko)
N'ko yɛ John
Leina la me ke John(n'ko ye John)
I bɛ fɔ?
O kae?(i be fo)
N'ko tɔɔ fɔ
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(n'ko too fo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nye na fɔlɔ English?
A o bua Seisemane?
Nye na fɔlɔ Hindi kɛlɛ.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Nye na bɔ fɔ.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Bɔ fɔ kɛlɛ.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Nye na bɔ fɔ kɛ?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Bɔ fɔ nɛ bɔrɔ?
Borai bo kae?
Nye na bɔ fɔ kɛ nɛn?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Bɔ fɔ kɛ.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Bɔ fɔ bɔ.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Bɔ fɔ kɛ.
Tswelela ka fao
Fɔlɔ kɛ nɛn?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Nye na fɔlɔ kɛ.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Nɛn fɔ nɛ?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Nye na bɔ.
Ke a latlhela
Bɔ fɔ nɛ SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Iye
Ee
Ala
Nnyaa
Bokono
Mafoko
Maa fɔ
Ke a dumela
Maa nɔ fɔ
Ke sitwa go dumela
Iye, e fɛ
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Nye na i fɔ?
O akanya eng?
I na fɔ mɔ?
O ka nthusa?
Maa na fɔ mɔ
Ke tlhoka thuso
Fɔlɔ a yɛn
Emisa motsotso
Maa sɔrɛ
Ke maswabi
Ala fɔlɔ
Ga go na bothata
Ala fɔ i
A re amogele
Bɔkɔ fɛ i
Tlhogomelo e e monate
I na yɛn fɛ fɔlɔ
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Nin na kɛlɛ fɔlɔ?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Nin na bɔs fɔlɔ?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Nin na fɔlɔ kɛ?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Nin na kɛlɛ fɔlɔ kɛ?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
I na kɛ lɔ?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
I na kɛlɛ fɔlɔ
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
I na bɔ fɔlɔ
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
I na fɔlɔ ma mi na kɛ?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Bɔ fɔlɔ, plis
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Nin na kɛlɛ bɔ?
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.
Nda fɔlɔ nɛn?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
I nɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
A fɔlɔ kɛlɛ nɛn?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Nda bɛ kɔrɔ?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Mɛ fɔlɔ kɛ nɛ bɔ
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Fɔlɔ, jɛlɛ
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Sɛrvi sɔrɔ kɛ?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Mɛ nɛ vegeterian
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Nda kɛlɛ fɔlɔ, jɛlɛ
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
I nɛ dɛgɛ
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Nda bɛ menu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Jɛlɛ bɔkɔ fɔlɔ
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fɔlɔ fɔlɔ
Bua le mapolesa(fɔlɔ fɔlɔ)
Fɔlɔ ambilans
Bua le ambulance(fɔlɔ ambilans)
Mɛ fɔlɔ dɔktɛ
Ke tlhoka ngaka(mɛ fɔlɔ dɔktɛ)
Mɛ fɛlɛ siki
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa(mɛ fɛlɛ siki)
Mɛ ni alɛjɛrɛk to pɛnut
Ke na le allergy go peanuts(mɛ ni alɛjɛrɛk to pɛnut)
Wɛrɛ nɛ hɔspital?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?(wɛrɛ nɛ hɔspital?)
I tɔtɔ hɛrɛ
Go botlhoko fa(i tɔtɔ hɛrɛ)
Mɛ lɔs ma pɛspɔt
Ke sitwa passport ya me(mɛ lɔs ma pɛspɔt)
Kɛn yu fɔlɔ ma hɔtɛl?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?(kɛn yu fɔlɔ ma hɔtɛl?)
Hɛlp!
Thusa!(hɛlp!)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
A ni fɔlɛn
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(a ni fo-len)
A yɛn fɔlɛn bɔ
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(a yen fo-len bo)
Kɛ jɛn bɔ fɔlɛn?
Nako efe e go thusang?(ke yen bo fo-len)
Mɛ bɔ report nɛ
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(me bo report ne)
A yɛn bɔ nɛ fɔlɛn?
A re ka bua ka borai?(a yen bo ne fo-len)
Bɔ bɛ file nɛ
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang(bo be file ne)
A yɛn fɔlɛn nɛ
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(a yen fo-len ne)
Mɛ fɔlɛn bɔ a
Ke itumelela go dira le wena(me fo-len bo a)
A bɛ fɔlɛn kɛ?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(a be fo-len ke)
A yɛn bɔ fɔlɛn
A ke boele go wena(a yen bo fo-len)
Deadline nɛ Friday
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano(deadline ne Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.