Looking for practical Tswana to Afar phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana phrase first, then the Afar translation (Afar) — 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 Afar.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Afar-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tswana to Afar 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.
Dumela
Nagaad(nagaad)
Ke a leboga
Galatooma(galatooma)
Dumelang
Bariis(bariis)
Dumela mo afternoon
Galab(galab)
Dumela mo evening
Haal(haal)
Borai
Haalka habeen(haalka habeen)
Tsamaya sentle
Ilaa mar kale(ilaa mar kale)
Tsamaya sentle
Nagaad(nagaad)
O na le leina mang?
Maa magacaa?(maa magacaa)
Leina la me ke John
Magacaygu waa John(magacaygu waa John)
O kae?
Iska waran?(iska waran)
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Aad baan ku faraxsanahay(aad baan ku faraxsanahay)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
A o bua Seisemane?
Inni ingiriisi maahaa?(Inni ingiriisi maahaa?)
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Hindi maahaa hinjiru(Hindi maahaa hinjiru)
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Ani hinfahmi(Ani hinfahmi)
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Fadlan si maahaa siib(Fadlan si maahaa siib)
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Maahaa inna marra?(Maahaa inna marra?)
Borai bo kae?
Maalin baadhu?(Maalin baadhu?)
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Akkam an magaalatti gahu?(Akkam an magaalatti gahu?)
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Boodha kaaf(Boodha kaaf)
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Boodha mirga(Boodha mirga)
Tswelela ka fao
Si qodhi(Si qodhi)
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Maalin abaal?(Maalin abaal?)
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Tiket tokkon, fadlan(Tiket tokkon, fadlan)
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Maalin faga?(Maalin faga?)
Ke a latlhela
Ani dhumtu(Ani dhumtu)
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?(Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Eeyy(ee-yee)
Nnyaa
Maya(mah-yah)
Mafoko
Gara(gah-rah)
Ke a dumela
Anigu waaq(ah-nee-goo wahk)
Ke sitwa go dumela
Anigu ma waaq(ah-nee-goo mah wahk)
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Tani waa'ee(tah-nee wah-ee)
O akanya eng?
Ilaa ma waaq?(ee-lah mah wahk)
O ka nthusa?
Ilaa naxar?(ee-lah nah-khar)
Ke tlhoka thuso
Naxar aniga(nah-khar ah-nee-gah)
Emisa motsotso
Soo'aa(soo-ah)
Ke maswabi
Waa'ee aniga(wah-ee ah-nee-gah)
Ga go na bothata
Maya dhib(mah-yah dheeb)
A re amogele
Hambalyo(ham-bahl-yo)
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Bariis gadhay(bah-rees gah-thai)
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Safar amni(sah-far am-nee)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae borai jwa terene?
Eeyyoo taayka daab?(eyyoo taayka daab)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?
Eeyyoo gaari daab?(eyyoo gaari daab)
Ke phetogo efe?
Keenya kaafaa?(keenya kaafaa)
Nako efe e tlogang?
Waqti maayti?(waqti maayti)
A ke tsela e e siameng?
Maayta kaan?(maayta kaan)
E kgaogang fa
Ittaa hara(ittaa hara)
E le kgakala le fa
Ittaa faar(ittaa faar)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?
Maafaa naafaa?(maafaa naafaa)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Hara dhaaf, fadlan(hara dhaaf, fadlan)
E tsaya nako e kae?
Waqti mee?(waqti mee)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.