Looking for practical Tswana to Luo phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana phrase first, then the Luo translation (Luo) — 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 Luo.
Tip: when a Luo 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 Luo 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
Naki(Naki)
Ke a leboga
Asante(Asante)
Dumelang
Naki chuo(Naki chuo)
Dumela mo afternoon
Naki ng'ato(Naki ng'ato)
Dumela mo evening
Naki owadgi(Naki owadgi)
Borai
Naki buya(Naki buya)
Tsamaya sentle
Ting' kendo(Ting' kendo)
Tsamaya sentle
Naki(Naki)
O na le leina mang?
Ine ng'ama in?(Ine ng'ama in?)
Leina la me ke John
Inyalo John(Inyalo John)
O kae?
Okwere?(Okwere?)
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Naki konyo(Naki konyo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
A o bua Seisemane?
Naki konyo English?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Naki konyo Hindi mako.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Nyingi.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Tende konyo chalo.
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Naki konyo to?
Borai bo kae?
Ith gi toilet?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Ning'eyo konyo city center?
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Konyo chike.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Konyo duto.
Tswelela ka fao
Yie chalo.
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Ning'eyo koro?
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Ticket moko, ndalo.
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Nia ng'ato kendo?
Ke a latlhela
Nin gi chalo.
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Ith gi SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ee
Nnyaa
Ayi
Mafoko
Kaka
Ke a dumela
Akwong'
Ke sitwa go dumela
Ayi Akwong'
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Ong'eyo
O akanya eng?
Ine owuon?
O ka nthusa?
Naki gi chalo?
Ke tlhoka thuso
Nind gi chalo
Emisa motsotso
Chakre
Ke maswabi
Naki
Ga go na bothata
Ayi koro
A re amogele
Naki chalo
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Naki buo
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Naki chalo gi chalo
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae borai jwa terene?
Naki yieng' ma train?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?
Naki yieng' ma bus?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ke phetogo efe?
Naki platform ng'eyo?(ke phetogo efe)
Nako efe e tlogang?
Naki koro ng'ato?(nako efe e tlogang)
A ke tsela e e siameng?
Ning'eyo ni ng'ato?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
E kgaogang fa
Niko neno.(e kgaogang fa)
E le kgakala le fa
Niko piny.(e le kgakala le fa)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?
Okwong' ni on map?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Dhi here, please.(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E tsaya nako e kae?
Naki koro ng'ato?(e tsaya nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
Nia ni?(ke bo kae?)
Seo ke se expensive
Owino ni gi chalo.(se ke se expensive)
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?
I konyo kanyo?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Na nka lefa ka khadi?
Inyalo nind gi kad?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi
Nin gi chula mar duong'.(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Bille, tsweetswee
Chakruok, plis.(bille, tsweetswee)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Isango ni gi?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ke movegetarian
Nin gi vegeterian.(ke mo vegetarian)
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee
Naki chalo chalo, plis.(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Se ke se monate
Owino ni gi dho.(se ke se monate)
Na nka nna le menu?
Inyalo nind gi menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee
Gik konyo mar maji, plis.(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bua le mapolesa
Nedhi polisi
Bua le ambulance
Nedhi ambulance
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Aneedo daktari
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Akwong' gi chalo
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
An gi allergy kuom peanuts
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Naki hospital mar koro?
Go botlhoko fa
Okwong' mana
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Nying' my passport
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Inyalo nedhi hotel ang'wen?
Thusa!
Konyo!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Naki konyo(Naki konyo)
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Nying' konyo joma(Nying' konyo joma)
Nako efe e go thusang?
Naki konyo nigi?(Naki konyo nigi?)
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka(Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka)
A re ka bua ka borai?
Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?(Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?)
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Chieng' ni file ni(Chieng' ni file ni)
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Asante gi chako(Asante gi chako)
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Nying' konyo gi nyaka(Nying' konyo gi nyaka)
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Ning'eyo konyo ni?(Ning'eyo konyo ni?)
A ke boele go wena
Ning'eyo konyo nind gi(Ning'eyo konyo nind gi)
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Dede ni Friday(Dede ni Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.