Looking for practical Tswana to Luganda phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana phrase first, then the Luganda translation (Luganda) — 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 Luganda.
Tip: read the Luganda line out loud three times, then cover the Tswana 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 Tswana to Luganda 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
Oli otya?(Oli otya?)
Ke a leboga
Webale(Webale)
Dumelang
Osiibye otya?(Osiibye otya?)
Dumela mo afternoon
Osiibye bulungi?(Osiibye bulungi?)
Dumela mo evening
Osiibye otya?(Osiibye otya?)
Borai
Lwaki olugendo?(Lwaki olugendo?)
Tsamaya sentle
Tugenda kutya?(Tugenda kutya?)
Tsamaya sentle
Nkwagala(Nkwagala)
O na le leina mang?
Erinnya lyo ani?(Erinnya lyo ani?)
Leina la me ke John
Erinnya lyange nze John(Erinnya lyange nze John)
O kae?
Oli otya?(Oli otya?)
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Nkwagala okukulaba(Nkwagala okukulaba)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
A o bua Seisemane?
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Sijja kumanya.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
Borai bo kae?
Ekitanda kiki?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Nteekateeka owa city center?
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Genda ku kkono.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Genda ku mwoyo.
Tswelela ka fao
Genda mu maaso.
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Ekitundu kiki?
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Ticket emu, please.
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Kiki kirekera wano?
Ke a latlhela
Ndi mu bubi.
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ye
Nnyaa
Nedda
Mafoko
Okwagala
Ke a dumela
Nnaakuwandiika
Ke sitwa go dumela
Sikuwandiika
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Kyo kyekirungi
O akanya eng?
Otekayo ki?
O ka nthusa?
Osobola okundabira?
Ke tlhoka thuso
Nfuna obuyambi
Emisa motsotso
Saba omukutu
Ke maswabi
Nsaba
Ga go na bothata
Tewali kibadde
A re amogele
Okwagaliza
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Genda bulungi
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae borai jwa terene?
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Ke phetogo efe?
Ekitangaala ki?(ekitangaala ki)
Nako efe e tlogang?
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?(bwe ki ssaawa esigala)
A ke tsela e e siameng?
Okwetegeka kwe?(okwetegeka kwe)
E kgaogang fa
Kiri wano wansi(kiri wano wansi)
E le kgakala le fa
Kiri mangu(kiri mangu)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?(osobola okundabira ku kaddde)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Ggenda wano, please(ggenda wano, please)
E tsaya nako e kae?
Tewali bungi ki?(tewali bungi ki)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
Kiki ky'ekitundu?(Kiki ky'ekitundu?)
Seo ke se expensive
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.(se ke se expensive)
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Na nka lefa ka khadi?
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Bille, tsweetswee
Ekitabo, please.(bille, tsweetswee)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ke movegetarian
Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.(ke mo vegetarian)
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee
Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Se ke se monate
Ono mulungi.(se ke se monate)
Na nka nna le menu?
Nneetaaga menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee
Ekikopo ky'amata, please.(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bua le mapolesa
Mpozzi polisi
Bua le ambulance
Mpozzi ambulance
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Nfuna daktari
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ndi mu mbeera mbi
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?
Go botlhoko fa
Bikozesa wano
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Nfuuse passport yange
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?
Thusa!
Mbadde!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.