Looking for practical Tok Pisin to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tok Pisin 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 Tok Pisin 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.
Halo
Dumela
Tenkyu
Ke a leboga
Gutpela moning
Dumelang
Gutpela apinun
Dumela mo afternoon
Gutpela nait
Dumela mo evening
Gutpela nait
Borai
Lukim yu bihain
Tsamaya sentle
Gudbai
Tsamaya sentle
Wanem nem bilong yu?
O na le leina mang?
Mi nem em John
Leina la me ke John
Yu stap gut?
O kae?
Gutpela long mitim yu
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Yu tok Pisin?
A o bua Seisemane?
Mi no tok Hindi gut.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Mi no save.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Plis, tok liklik.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Yu ken tokim gen?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Wea toilet?
Borai bo kae?
Olsem wanem mi ken go long centa?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Taim yu go, tanim left.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Taim yu go, tanim raet.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Go stret.
Tswelela ka fao
Olsem wanem pris bilong fare?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Wan tiket, plis.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Em i long long wanem?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Mi lus.
Ke a latlhela
Wea mi ken baim SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yes
Ee
No
Nnyaa
Baibe
Mafoko
Mi agri
Ke a dumela
Mi no agri
Ke sitwa go dumela
Em i gut
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Yu ting wanem?
O akanya eng?
Yu inap helpim mi?
O ka nthusa?
Mi nidim help
Ke tlhoka thuso
Wai liklik
Emisa motsotso
Mi sori
Ke maswabi
No problem
Ga go na bothata
Tenkyu
A re amogele
Hapi baisde
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Lukaut long trip
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Wea em train stesen?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Wea em bus stop?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Wea em platform?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Wanem taim em i likim?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Dispela em stret rot?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Em i klostu hia
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Em i longwe long hia
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Yu inap soim mi long map?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Stap hia, plis
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Hao long em i tek?
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.
Hamamas dispela i kost?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Dispela i tu mipela
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Yu gat wanpela samting i nap?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Inap mi peim long kad?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Mi laikim wanpela tebol bilong tupela
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Bil, plis
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Service i stap insait?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Mi vegetarian
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
No spicy kaikai, plis
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Dispela i naispela
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Inap mi kisim menu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Wanpela glas bilong wota, plis
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Kolim polis
Bua le mapolesa
Kolim ambulans
Bua le ambulance
Mi nidim dokta
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Mi sik
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Mi gat alergi long pinat
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Wea hospital i klostu?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
I penim hia
Go botlhoko fa
Mi lusim paspot
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Yu inap kolim hotel bilong mi?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Help!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nais long mitim yu
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Makim wanpela miting
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Wanem taim i gut long yu?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Mi bai sendim report tude
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Inap bilong yumi tokim tede?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Plis lukim fael i atach
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Tenkyu long yu taim
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Mi lukim forward long wok wantaim yu
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Yu inap kliaim dispela point?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Lukim mi bai kam bek long yu
A ke boele go wena
Deidlain i Fraida
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.