Looking for practical Tsonga to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tsonga 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 Tsonga 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 Tsonga 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.
Xewani
Dumela
Ndza khensa
Ke a leboga
Xewani xitulu
Dumelang
Xewani ntlhanu
Dumela mo afternoon
Xewani nhloko
Dumela mo evening
Xewani xihlayo
Borai
Tshamisa
Tsamaya sentle
Sala kahle
Tsamaya sentle
U vitaniwani?
O na le leina mang?
Ndzina i John
Leina la me ke John
U njhani?
O kae?
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
U vulavula Xitsonga?
A o bua Seisemane?
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
A ndzi twisisi.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Xikombiso xihi?
Borai bo kae?
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Khandziya ekhaya.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Khandziya ekunene.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Famba u ya emahlweni.
Tswelela ka fao
Mafambiselo ma yini?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
I yini ku tlula kona?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Ndzi khomiwe.
Ke a latlhela
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Inhlawulo
Ee
A hi kona
Nnyaa
Swi nga va tano
Mafoko
Ndzi amukela
Ke a dumela
Ndzi nga amukeli
Ke sitwa go dumela
Iku na switlhavelo
Seo se utlwisa molemo
U ehleketa yini?
O akanya eng?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
O ka nthusa?
Ndzi lava mpfuno
Ke tlhoka thuso
Hlayisa nkarhi
Emisa motsotso
Ndzi tsundzuka
Ke maswabi
A hi na xiphiqo
Ga go na bothata
Ndzakuva
A re amogele
Mavongele yo tsakela
Tlhogomelo e e monate
U va na ndlela yo olova
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
I platform yihi?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
I ndlela leyi nga right?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
I kona edzongeni.
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
I le n'hweti.
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
I nkarhi muni ku taka?
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.
I ku humelela njhani?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
I kona ku phindzelela.
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ndza va vegetarian.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Leswi i switlhavi.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Ndzaku na menu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tivisa mapolisa
Bua le mapolesa
Tivisa ambalansi
Bua le ambulance
Ndzi lava dokotela
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Ndzi khoma ku vava
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Ku vava laha
Go botlhoko fa
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
Ke sitwa passport ya me
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Shelp!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
A hi endla xihlanganiso
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena
A ke boele go wena
Nkarhi wo heta i 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.