Looking for practical Tswana to Nuer phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana phrase first, then the Nuer translation (Nuer) — 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 Nuer.
Tip: read the Nuer 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 Nuer 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
Nhiar
Ke a leboga
Nyaak
Dumelang
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r
Dumela mo afternoon
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Dumela mo evening
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Borai
Nhiar kɔ̈c
Tsamaya sentle
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Tsamaya sentle
Kɛ̈n
O na le leina mang?
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?
Leina la me ke John
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John
O kae?
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
A o bua Seisemane?
Nyaac ke nyin English?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Nyaac ma nyin.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Yin ke nyin kɛl.
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?
Borai bo kae?
Yin thok a kɛl?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Yin ke nyin a laar.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.
Tswelela ka fao
Yin ke nyin a thok.
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Yin ke nyin a ticket.
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Yin ke nyin a thok?
Ke a latlhela
Nyaac ke nyin.
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Aye
Nnyaa
Naa
Mafoko
Nyaak
Ke a dumela
Nyeek a kech
Ke sitwa go dumela
Nyeek a kech naa
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Iye kech kɛl
O akanya eng?
Nyaak a kech?
O ka nthusa?
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?
Ke tlhoka thuso
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl
Emisa motsotso
Kɛl a jɔɔr
Ke maswabi
Nyeek a kech
Ga go na bothata
Naa a kech kɛl
A re amogele
Aye kɛl
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Aye kɛl a wɛr
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae borai jwa terene?
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Känyë kɛl wel)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?(Känyë kɛl bol)
Ke phetogo efe?
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel bet ket)
Nako efe e tlogang?
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?(Kel wel it ket)
A ke tsela e e siameng?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Kel it kel wel)
E kgaogang fa
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?(Kel it kel kel)
E le kgakala le fa
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?(Kel it kel jol)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel it kel pet ket)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?(Kel jel kel pel)
E tsaya nako e kae?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?(Kel it kel jol ket)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
Nyaak cɛl?(nyaak chel)
Seo ke se expensive
Kɛl yic kɛc(kel yich kech)
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?
Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?(yin kel nyin chel)
Na nka lefa ka khadi?
Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?(nyaak ter kel kech)
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi
Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin(nyaak chel kel tebel kel nyin)
Bille, tsweetswee
Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl(nyaak chel kel bel)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?(yin kel chel kel ter)
Ke movegetarian
Nyaak cɛl wɛr(nyaak chel wer)
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee
Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc(nyaak chel kel wer kech)
Se ke se monate
Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin(kel chel kel nyin)
Na nka nna le menu?
Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?(nyaak chel kel men)
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee
Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt(nyaak chel kel gel wet)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bua le mapolesa
Cïl wïr(cil wir)
Bua le ambulance
Cïl an ambulance(cil an ambulance)
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Aŋ thïr a doctor(ang thir a doctor)
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Aŋ kɔc(ang koc)
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Aŋ kɔc a pïyït(ang koc a piyit)
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Cït kɛ̈n hospital?(cit ken hospital)
Go botlhoko fa
Cïk bɛ̈t(cik bet)
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Aŋ kɛ̈n passport(ang ken passport)
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?(ang ken cil my hotel)
Thusa!
Kɛ̈n!(ken)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Nyeu ke nyin(nyin = meet)
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin
Nako efe e go thusang?
Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl
A re ka bua ka borai?
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr file kɛ kɛth
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr a ke kɛth
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt a ke
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
A ke jɔɔr kɛ kɛth a?
A ke boele go wena
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ a ke
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Kɛ deadline kɛ Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.