Looking for practical Tetum to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum 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 Tetum 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.
Olá
Dumela
Obrigadu
Ke a leboga
Bondia
Dumelang
Bona tarde
Dumela mo afternoon
Bona noite
Dumela mo evening
Bona noite
Borai
Ami hanesan
Tsamaya sentle
Adeus
Tsamaya sentle
Quale naran ida?
O na le leina mang?
Naran hau John.
Leina la me ke John
Kona ba o?
O kae?
Diak ba halo ho o.
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Keta fala Inglês?
A o bua Seisemane?
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Hau la hatene.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Favor fala ba moris.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Keta bele fala fali?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Onde mak banheira?
Borai bo kae?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Virar ba hadau.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Virar ba direita.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Baa diretamente.
Tswelela ka fao
Iha ne'e barak?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Ticket ida, favor.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Iha ne'e laran ka?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Hau nune'e.
Ke a latlhela
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Sim
Ee
La
Nnyaa
Talvez
Mafoko
Hau hakarak
Ke a dumela
Hau la hakarak
Ke sitwa go dumela
Nia mak diak
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Ita nian ideia sa?
O akanya eng?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
O ka nthusa?
Hau precisa ajuda
Ke tlhoka thuso
Hakarak momentu
Emisa motsotso
Hau mós
Ke maswabi
La problema
Ga go na bothata
Parabens
A re amogele
Parabens ba aniversario
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Hau haruka viagen diak
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Onde está a estacão de trem?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Hora ne'e sai?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Iha ne'e perto
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Iha ne'e laran
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Kona ba mapa?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Parar iha ne'e, favor
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Kona tempu hira?
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.
Ita nia presu sa'o?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Esa mak baratu demais.
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Fatu, por favor.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Servisu iha ka?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Hau vegetarian.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Esa mak saboru.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Kopa agua, por favor.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Liga ba polícia
Bua le mapolesa
Liga ba ambulansia
Bua le ambulance
Hau precisa doutor
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Hau sente sick
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Go botlhoko fa
Hau hasai passport
Ke sitwa passport ya me
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Help!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Kita halo reunião
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Hau sei volta ba ita
A ke boele go wena
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.