Looking for practical Swahili to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Swahili 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: read the Tswana line out loud three times, then cover the Swahili side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Swahili 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.
Habari
Dumela
Asante
Ke a leboga
Habari ya asubuhi
Dumelang
Habari ya mchana
Dumela mo afternoon
Habari ya jioni
Dumela mo evening
Usiku mwema
Borai
Tutaonana baadaye
Tsamaya sentle
Kwaheri
Tsamaya sentle
Jina lako nani?
O na le leina mang?
Jina langu ni John
Leina la me ke John
Habari gani?
O kae?
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
A o bua Seisemane?
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Sielewi.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Unaweza kusema tena?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Choo kiko wapi?
Borai bo kae?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Geuka kushoto.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Geuka kulia.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Tswelela ka fao
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Nimepotea.
Ke a latlhela
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ndio
Ee
Hapana
Nnyaa
Pengine
Mafoko
Ninakubaliana
Ke a dumela
Sikubaliani
Ke sitwa go dumela
Inasikika vizuri
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Unafikiriaje?
O akanya eng?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
O ka nthusa?
Nahitaji msaada
Ke tlhoka thuso
Subiri kidogo
Emisa motsotso
Ninasikitika
Ke maswabi
Hakuna shida
Ga go na bothata
Hongera
A re amogele
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Safari njema
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ni jukwaa gani?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Inatoka saa ngapi?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Iko karibu hapa
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Iko mbali na hapa
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Simama hapa, tafadhali
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Inachukua muda gani?
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.
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Hiyo ni ghali sana
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Tafadhali, bili
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Mimi ni mboga
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Hii ni tamu
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Naweza kupata menyu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Piga simu polisi
Bua le mapolesa
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Bua le ambulance
Nahitaji daktari
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Nina mzio wa karanga
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Inaniuma hapa
Go botlhoko fa
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Nisaidie!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Tuweke mkutano
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Nitaituma ripoti leo
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Asante kwa muda wako
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Nitarudi kwako
A ke boele go wena
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.