Looking for practical Tswana to Bambara phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana phrase first, then the Bambara translation (Bambara) — 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 Bambara.
Tip: pick five Bambara 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 Tswana to Bambara 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
I ni ce
Ke a leboga
I ni sogoma
Dumelang
I ni bɔ
Dumela mo afternoon
I ni kɛ
Dumela mo evening
I ni sɔgɔ
Borai
I ni tulu
Tsamaya sentle
N bɛ se ka
Tsamaya sentle
A bɛ se ka
O na le leina mang?
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
Leina la me ke John
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
O kae?
I ni fɛ?
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
A o bua Seisemane?
I ni ce English?(ee nee che English)
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
N mɔgɔ bɛ(N mo-go beh)
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
I ka fɔ a la?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Borai bo kae?
Bamanakan kɛn na?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Kɛlɛn bɔ(Keh-lehn boh)
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Tswelela ka fao
Fɔ kɛlɛn(Fo keh-lehn)
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Fɛ kɛ?(Feh keh)
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Kɛnɛ ticket, please(Ken-eh ticket, please)
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
Ke a latlhela
N tɛ bɔ(N teh boh)
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?(N beh fo SIM card ken)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Aye
Nnyaa
Ala
Mafoko
Bara
Ke a dumela
N bɛ bɔ
Ke sitwa go dumela
N bɛ fɔ
Seo se utlwisa molemo
I bɛ sɛbɛn
O akanya eng?
I ka fɛ kɛ?
O ka nthusa?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Ke tlhoka thuso
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Emisa motsotso
Sira kɛ
Ke maswabi
N tɛgɛ
Ga go na bothata
Ala ka fɔ
A re amogele
I ni kɛ
Tlhogomelo e e monate
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae borai jwa terene?
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ke phetogo efe?
I ni tîgê kô?(ke phetogo efe)
Nako efe e tlogang?
Kô tîgê bô?(nako efe e tlogang)
A ke tsela e e siameng?
I ni tîgê bô?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
E kgaogang fa
I tîgê kâ.(e kgaogang fa)
E le kgakala le fa
I tîgê kâ fô.(e le kgakala le fa)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?
I bô kô tîgê fô?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E tsaya nako e kae?
Kô tîgê kô?(e tsaya nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
I ni ce?(ke bo kae?)
Seo ke se expensive
O ye fɛɛrɛ.(se ke se expensive)
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Na nka lefa ka khadi?
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Bille, tsweetswee
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.(bille, tsweetswee)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Sɛbɛ ka fo?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ke movegetarian
N bɛ sɔgɔma.(ke mo vegetarian)
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Se ke se monate
I ye sɔgɔ.(se ke se monate)
Na nka nna le menu?
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?(na nka nna le menu?)
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bua le mapolesa
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ(nogo folo)
Bua le ambulance
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ(nogo koro)
Ke tlhoka ngaka
N bɛ sɔrɔ(n be soro)
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
N bɛ tɛgɛn(n be tegen)
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ(n be folokele)
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(n be koro folo)
Go botlhoko fa
I tɛgɛ fɛ(i tege fe)
Ke sitwa passport ya me
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ(n be kele folo)
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(i be nogo koro folo)
Thusa!
Tɛgɛ!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ(N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
Nako efe e go thusang?
I ni bɔ a la?(I ni bɔ a la?)
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
A re ka bua ka borai?
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
A ke boele go wena
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday(Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.