Looking for practical Tiv to Sesotho phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tiv phrase first, then the Sesotho translation (Sesotho) — 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 Sesotho.
Tip: read the Sesotho line out loud three times, then cover the Tiv 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 Tiv to Sesotho 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.
Mgbakpa
Lumelang
Ior na
Kea leboha
Mgbakpa u sha
Dumelang
Mgbakpa u kpa
Molo
Mgbakpa u ter
Dumelang
Mgbakpa u ter sha
Borai
Kpa a joo
Re tla kopana hamorao
Ior a joo
Tsamaya hantle
Ior m ngu?
O na le lebitso lefe?
M ngu John
Lebitso la ka ke John
Ior m nande?
O kae?
Ior m nande a joo
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I kpa English?
Na u bua Senyesemane?
M nahan Hindi nahan.
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
M nahan usha.
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
M nahan usha kpa.
Ka kopo bua butle
I kpa a sha?
Na u ka boela ua re?
I we a joo?
Ntloana e kae?
Nenge a kpa a city center?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Kpa a joo.
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Kpa a nahan.
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Kpa a sha.
Eya ka pela
Nenge a kpa a fare?
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
I kpa a ticket, please.
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
I we a nahan a nahan?
Na e hole le mona?
M nahan sha.
Ke lahlehile
I we a kpa a SIM card?
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ee
Naa
Che
Iye
Mohlomong
M na a kpa
Ke lumela
M na a kpa nahan
Ke sitwa
I kpa a kpa
Seo se utloahala hantle
U kpa a nahan?
O nahana eng?
U kpa m nahan?
Na o ka nthusa?
M na a kpa nahan
Ke hloka thuso
Kpa a kpa
Emisa motsotso
M na a kpa
Ke maswabi
Naa a kpa
Ha ho bothata
I kpa a kpa
O amohelehile
A kpa a kpa
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
U kpa a kpa
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ior a kpa?
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Ior a nyam?
Ke kae borai?(ke kae borai)
Ior a gande?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Nenge a kpa?
Nako e kae e tlohang?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Ior a nenge a?
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
I na kpa a.
E haufi le mona(e haufi le mona)
I na kpa a kpa.
E hole le mona(e hole le mona)
I ma ior a gande?
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Kpa a, please.
Emisa mona, ka kopo(emisa mona, ka kopo)
Nenge a kpa?
E nka nako e kae?(e nka nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ior kwagh nahan?
Se kostang hakaale?(se kostang hakaale)
Ior u kpa a kpa
Seo ke se theko e phahameng(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Ior m ngu u kpa?
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Ior m gban a card?
Na nka lefa ka kharete?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
A doo a table m ngu a yô
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Ior a bill, please
Bille, ka kopo(bille, ka kopo)
Ior a service m nahan?
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
A m vegetarian
Ke moithuti oa meroho(ke moithuti oa meroho)
A m nahan a spicy food
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Ior a kpa
Se monate(se monate)
Ior m gban a menu?
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
A glass a water, please
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo(khalase ea metsi, ka kopo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Kpa a police
Calla mapolesa
Kpa a ambulance
Calla ambulance
M ba a doctor
Ke hloka ngaka
M kpa a kpa
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
M kpa a nyam
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
I kpa a hospital mza?
Hospital e haufi e kae?
I kpa a sha
Ho bohloko mona
M kpa a passport m
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
I kpa a hotel m?
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
Kpa!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ior u kpa.
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena
Ka a hia ikyô.
A re etse kopano
Nî kpa u kpa?
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?
M gbanor u kpe.
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno
A hia nî u hia?
Na re ka bua ka moso?
M kpa u venge.
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang
Ior u nenge.
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau
M hia u kpa.
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena
Ior a hia u mba?
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?
Ka m hia u.
A ke tle ke u boele
Ikyô u kpa a Friday.
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.