Tswana to Kalaallisut Phrases

Looking for practical Tswana to Kalaallisut phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana phrase first, then the Kalaallisut translation (Kalaallisut) — 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 Kalaallisut.

Tip: when a Kalaallisut phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Tswana wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.

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Greetings and pleasantries

Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.

Dumela

Aluu
Ke a leboga

Qujanaq
Dumelang

Ullut qupp. imaarlutit
Dumela mo afternoon

Ullut qupp. imaarlutit
Dumela mo evening

Ullut qupp. imaarlutit
Borai

Ullut qupp. imaarlutit
Tsamaya sentle

Tassunga tulluusimavunga
Tsamaya sentle

Tassunga
O na le leina mang?

Ilinniaritsi qanoq atit?
Leina la me ke John

Atikuuvoq John
O kae?

Qanoq ippit?
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena

Tassunga uanga angusinnaavunga

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

A o bua Seisemane?

Ilinniaritsi qallunaatuut? (iliniaritsi qallanaat?)
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle

Hindi-pit maani allaat (hindi-pit maani allaat)
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya

Naluara (naluara)
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako

Tassuma siullermik oqalukkiartorneq (tassuma siullermik oqalukkiartorneq)
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?

Taanna ilisarit? (taanna ilisarit?)
Borai bo kae?

Qarsoq kikkulluunniit? (qarsoq kikkulluunniit?)
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?

Kangerlussuaq-kut kangerlussuup tungaanut qanoq ingerlaqqissinnaavunga? (kangerlussuaq-kut kangerlussuup tungaanut)
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona

Silaannaq (silaannaq)
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng

Timmisartoq (timmisartoq)
Tswelela ka fao

Ilaqutariit (ilaqutariit)
Gaeletsi e bokae?

Kissavik qanoq? (kissavik qanoq?)
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee

Ataaseq tikit, qaaqqi (ataaseq tikit, qaaqqi)
A ke kgole go tswa fano?

Tassunga qangali? (tassunga qangali?)
Ke a latlhela

Naluara (naluara)
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?

SIM-kortip qanoq pissarsiarisinnaavara? (sim-kortip qanoq pissarsiarisinnaavara?)

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

Ee

Aap (aap)
Nnyaa

Ila (ila)
Mafoko

Piginnaasat (piginnaasat)
Ke a dumela

Sukumi (sukumi)
Ke sitwa go dumela

Sukumiinnaq (sukumiinnaq)
Seo se utlwisa molemo

Tassuma pingaaruteqarpa (tassuma)
O akanya eng?

Qanoq isumaqarpit? (qanoq)
O ka nthusa?

Ilannguarit? (ilannguarit)
Ke tlhoka thuso

Ilannguarit (ilannguarit)
Emisa motsotso

Tassunga tigua (tassunga)
Ke maswabi

Uanga asanninneq (uanga)
Ga go na bothata

Ila, ilisarit (ila)
A re amogele

Takkulaarit (takkulaarit)
Tlhogomelo e e monate

Tassunga ukioq (tassunga)
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong

Suli akunnittaraluaruit (suli)

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

Ke kae borai jwa terene?

Qasigiaqanngilaq? (ke kae borai jwa terene)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?

Busstoppi kikkulluunniit? (ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ke phetogo efe?

Qasigiaq kikkulluunniit? (ke phetogo efe)
Nako efe e tlogang?

Kissakkut ingerlaqqippoq? (nako efe e tlogang)
A ke tsela e e siameng?

Taanna ilutigalugu? (a ke tsela e e siameng)
E kgaogang fa

Tassunga niaqorpoq (e kgaogang fa)
E le kgakala le fa

Tassunga niaqorpoq (e le kgakala le fa)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?

Kujallermi takusinnaavakkit? (o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee

Ilinniaritsi, taava? (emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E tsaya nako e kae?

Kissakkut sivisussuseq? (e tsaya nako e kae)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

Ke bokae?

Qanoq akissagaa? (qanoq akissagaa)
Seo ke se expensive

Taanna qaffasissuuvoq (taanna qaffasissuuvoq)
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?

Ilaat akitsunnguamik pissavutit? (ilaats akitsunnguamik pissavutit)
Na nka lefa ka khadi?

Kardimik akilissaguit? (kardimik akilissaguit)
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi

Manniit marluk toqqarfigissavakka (manniit marluk toqqarfigissavakka)
Bille, tsweetswee

Akileraarut, please (akileraarut, please)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?

Obsit ilanngullugit? (obsit ilanngullugit)
Ke movegetarian

Vegetarian-iuvunga (vegetarian-iuvunga)
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee

Sukkatsoq atorsinnaanngilara, please (sukkatsoq atorsinnaanngilara)
Se ke se monate

Tassami neriugassaavoq (tassami neriugassaavoq)
Na nka nna le menu?

Menu-qaanga? (menu-qaanga)
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee

Sukkatsoq imaq, please (sukkatsoq imaq)

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

Bua le mapolesa

Suliat allattariaq (suliat allattariaq)
Bua le ambulance

Ambulance allattariaq (ambulance allattariaq)
Ke tlhoka ngaka

Doktorimik pisariaqartiga (doktorimik pisariaqartiga)
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa

Sukorsimavunga (sukorsimavunga)
Ke na le allergy go peanuts

Pikkorissumik allaatiga (pikkorissumik allaatiga)
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?

Sumiippit najugassarsiorfiit? (sumiippit najugassarsiorfiit)
Go botlhoko fa

Tamassa nikinga (tamassa nikinga)
Ke sitwa passport ya me

Paspoortimik nikerpunga (paspoortimik nikerpunga)
O ka bua le hotele ya me?

Hotelimi allattariaq? (hotelimi allattariaq)
Thusa!

Naluara!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

Ke itumetse go kopana le wena

Tassunga nuannaarpunga (tassunga nuannaartoq)
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano

Tassunga ataatsimiinnerup pilersaarusiorneqarnera (tassunga ataatsimiinnerup pilersaarusiorneqarnera)
Nako efe e go thusang?

Qanoq akunnera iluaqutaasinnaava? (qanoq akunnit)
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno

Oqaatsit ullumikkut nassiuppa (oqaatsit ullumikkut)
A re ka bua ka borai?

Ullup akunnerani oqaloqateqarsinnaavunga? (ullup akunnerani)
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang

Tassunga allagartaq ilanngullugu takusinnaavat (tassunga allagartaq)
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago

Qujanaq piffissaqit (qujanaq piffissaqit)
Ke itumelela go dira le wena

Tassunga suleqatigiinnissaq qilanaara (tassunga suleqatigiinnissaq)
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?

Oqaatiga qanoq paasitinniarpat? (oqaatiga paasitinniarpat)
A ke boele go wena

Tassunga uagut qinerpa (tassunga qinerpa)
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano

Piffissaq naammassineq ulloq sisamanngorneq (piffissaq naammassineq)

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

Ke neng?

Kissarit? (kisa-rit)
Ke borai

Tamatumani pingasunngorpoq (tamatumani pingasunngorpoq)
Gompieno

Ulloq (ulloq)
Borai

Ullumi (ullumi)
Maabane

Ullumi qaammat (ullumi qaammat)
Mošupologo

Ataasinngorneq (ataasinngorneq)
Labobedi

Marlunngorneq (marlunngorneq)
Labone

Pingasunngorneq (pingasunngorneq)
Ngwaga

Ataaseq (ataaseq)
Beke

Marluk (marluk)
Borai

Pingasunnguaq (pingasunnguaq)
Lesome

Qullik (qullik)
Bolekane

Mioo (mioo)
Sephiri

Kitsik (kitsik)
Go feta

Kujallik (kuja-llik)

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Common Tswana to Kalaallisut phrases