Looking for practical Tswana to Kanuri phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana phrase first, then the Kanuri translation (Kanuri) — 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 Kanuri.
Tip: when a Kanuri phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Tswana wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tswana to Kanuri 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
Sannu
Ke a leboga
Nagode
Dumelang
Ina kwana
Dumela mo afternoon
Ina yamma
Dumela mo evening
Ina dare
Borai
Sai da safe
Tsamaya sentle
Zan ganka
Tsamaya sentle
Sai anjima
O na le leina mang?
Menene sunanka?
Leina la me ke John
Sunana John
O kae?
Lafiya lau?
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Na ji dadin haduwa da kai
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
A o bua Seisemane?
Kuna magana da Turanci?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Ba na magana da Hindi sosai.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Ba na fahimta.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Don Allah, ku yi magana a hankali.
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Za ku iya faɗin hakan sake?
Borai bo kae?
Ina wanka?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Ta yaya zan isa tsakiyar birni?
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Juya hagu.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Juya dama.
Tswelela ka fao
Tafiya kai tsaye.
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Nawa ne farashin?
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Tiket ɗaya, don Allah.
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Shin yana da nisa daga nan?
Ke a latlhela
Na ɓace.
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Ina zan iya sayen kati na SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Eey(ee-y)
Nnyaa
A'a(ah-ah)
Mafoko
Wata(wah-tah)
Ke a dumela
Na amu(nah ah-moo)
Ke sitwa go dumela
Na a'a amu(nah ah-ah ah-moo)
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Iya na(ee-yah nah)
O akanya eng?
Kaya ka yi tunani?(kah-yah kah yee too-nah-nee)
O ka nthusa?
Za ka iya taimaka min?(zah kah ee-yah tie-mah-kah meen)
Ke tlhoka thuso
Na bukaci taimako(nah boo-kah-chee tie-mah-koh)
Emisa motsotso
Duba dan lokaci(doo-bah dahn loh-kah-chee)
Ke maswabi
Na yi hakuri(nah yee hah-koo-ree)
Ga go na bothata
Babu matsala(bah-boo maht-sah-lah)
A re amogele
Taya murna(tah-yah moor-nah)
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Barka da haihuwa(bar-kah dah hai-hoo-wah)
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Ka yi tafiya lafiya(kah yee tah-fee-yah lah-fee-yah)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae borai jwa terene?
Nye boko na gari?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?
Nye boko na bas?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ke phetogo efe?
Wane boko na?(ke phetogo efe)
Nako efe e tlogang?
Wane lokaci ya tafi?(nako efe e tlogang)
A ke tsela e e siameng?
Shin wannan hanya ce?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
E kgaogang fa
Yana kusa da nan(e kgaogang fa)
E le kgakala le fa
Yana nesa da nan(e le kgakala le fa)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?
Za ka iya nuna mini a taswirar?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Tsaida nan, don Allah(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E tsaya nako e kae?
Yaya tsawon lokaci?(e tsaya nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
Nayi na kudi?(Nayi na kudi?)
Seo ke se expensive
Wannan ya yi tsada sosai.(se ke se expensive)
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?
Shin kuna da wani abu mai rahusa?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Na nka lefa ka khadi?
Zan iya biyan kudi da kati?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi
Ina so tebur don biyu.(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Bille, tsweetswee
Lissafi, don Allah.(bille, tsweetswee)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Shin sabis ya haɗa?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ke movegetarian
Ni mai ganyayyaki ne.(ke mo vegetarian)
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee
Ba tare da zaki ba, don Allah.(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Se ke se monate
Wannan yana da dadi.(se ke se monate)
Na nka nna le menu?
Zan iya samun menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee
Kofin ruwa, don Allah.(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bua le mapolesa
Dawari janga(Dawari janga)
Bua le ambulance
Dawari ambulan(Dawari ambulan)
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Ni na doctor(Ni na doctor)
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ni na jaga(Ni na jaga)
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Ni na haji goro(Ni na haji goro)
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Ina asibiti na kusa?(Ina asibiti na kusa?)
Go botlhoko fa
Yana ciwo a nan(Yana ciwo a nan)
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Ni na rasa passport na(Ni na rasa passport na)
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Za ka iya dawari otel na?(Za ka iya dawari otel na?)
Thusa!
Taimako!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Nde gaishe(nde gaishe)
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Mu gaishe taro(mu gaishe taro)
Nako efe e go thusang?
Wai gaishe lokaci?(wai gaishe lokaci)
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Zan tura rahoto yau(zan tura rahoto yau)
A re ka bua ka borai?
Zamu iya magana gobe?(zamu iya magana gobe)
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala(don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala)
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Na gode da lokacinka(na gode da lokacinka)
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Ina fatan aiki tare da kai(ina fatan aiki tare da kai)
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Za ka iya fayyace wannan batu?(za ka iya fayyace wannan batu)