Looking for practical Tiv to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tiv 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 Tiv 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.
Mgbakpa
Dumela
Ior na
Ke a leboga
Mgbakpa u sha
Dumelang
Mgbakpa u kpa
Dumela mo afternoon
Mgbakpa u ter
Dumela mo evening
Mgbakpa u ter sha
Borai
Kpa a joo
Tsamaya sentle
Ior a joo
Tsamaya sentle
Ior m ngu?
O na le leina mang?
M ngu John
Leina la me ke John
Ior m nande?
O kae?
Ior m nande a joo
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I kpa English?
A o bua Seisemane?
M nahan Hindi nahan.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
M nahan usha.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
M nahan usha kpa.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
I kpa a sha?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
I we a joo?
Borai bo kae?
Nenge a kpa a city center?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Kpa a joo.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Kpa a nahan.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Kpa a sha.
Tswelela ka fao
Nenge a kpa a fare?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
I kpa a ticket, please.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
I we a nahan a nahan?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
M nahan sha.
Ke a latlhela
I we a kpa a SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ee
Naa
Nnyaa
Iye
Mafoko
M na a kpa
Ke a dumela
M na a kpa nahan
Ke sitwa go dumela
I kpa a kpa
Seo se utlwisa molemo
U kpa a nahan?
O akanya eng?
U kpa m nahan?
O ka nthusa?
M na a kpa nahan
Ke tlhoka thuso
Kpa a kpa
Emisa motsotso
M na a kpa
Ke maswabi
Naa a kpa
Ga go na bothata
I kpa a kpa
A re amogele
A kpa a kpa
Tlhogomelo e e monate
U kpa a kpa
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ior a kpa?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Ior a nyam?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ior a gande?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Nenge a kpa?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Ior a nenge a?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
I na kpa a.
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
I na kpa a kpa.
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
I ma ior a gande?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Kpa a, please.
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Nenge a kpa?
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.
Ior kwagh nahan?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Ior u kpa a kpa
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Ior m ngu u kpa?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Ior m gban a card?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
A doo a table m ngu a yô
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Ior a bill, please
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Ior a service m nahan?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
A m vegetarian
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
A m nahan a spicy food
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Ior a kpa
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Ior m gban a menu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
A glass a water, please
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Kpa a police
Bua le mapolesa
Kpa a ambulance
Bua le ambulance
M ba a doctor
Ke tlhoka ngaka
M kpa a kpa
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
M kpa a nyam
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
I kpa a hospital mza?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
I kpa a sha
Go botlhoko fa
M kpa a passport m
Ke sitwa passport ya me
I kpa a hotel m?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Kpa!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ior u kpa.
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Ka a hia ikyô.
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Nî kpa u kpa?
Nako efe e go thusang?
M gbanor u kpe.
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
A hia nî u hia?
A re ka bua ka borai?
M kpa u venge.
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Ior u nenge.
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
M hia u kpa.
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Ior a hia u mba?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Ka m hia u.
A ke boele go wena
Ikyô u kpa a Friday.
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.