Looking for practical Tswana to Swahili phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana phrase first, then the Swahili translation (Swahili) — 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 Swahili.
Tip: pick five Swahili phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tswana to Swahili 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
Habari
Ke a leboga
Asante
Dumelang
Habari ya asubuhi
Dumela mo afternoon
Habari ya mchana
Dumela mo evening
Habari ya jioni
Borai
Usiku mwema
Tsamaya sentle
Tutaonana baadaye
Tsamaya sentle
Kwaheri
O na le leina mang?
Jina lako nani?
Leina la me ke John
Jina langu ni John
O kae?
Habari gani?
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
A o bua Seisemane?
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Sielewi.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Unaweza kusema tena?
Borai bo kae?
Choo kiko wapi?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Geuka kushoto.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Geuka kulia.
Tswelela ka fao
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Ke a latlhela
Nimepotea.
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ndio
Nnyaa
Hapana
Mafoko
Pengine
Ke a dumela
Ninakubaliana
Ke sitwa go dumela
Sikubaliani
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Inasikika vizuri
O akanya eng?
Unafikiriaje?
O ka nthusa?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Ke tlhoka thuso
Nahitaji msaada
Emisa motsotso
Subiri kidogo
Ke maswabi
Ninasikitika
Ga go na bothata
Hakuna shida
A re amogele
Hongera
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Safari njema
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae borai jwa terene?
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ke phetogo efe?
Ni jukwaa gani?(ke phetogo efe)
Nako efe e tlogang?
Inatoka saa ngapi?(nako efe e tlogang)
A ke tsela e e siameng?
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
E kgaogang fa
Iko karibu hapa(e kgaogang fa)
E le kgakala le fa
Iko mbali na hapa(e le kgakala le fa)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Simama hapa, tafadhali(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E tsaya nako e kae?
Inachukua muda gani?(e tsaya nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?(ke bo kae?)
Seo ke se expensive
Hiyo ni ghali sana(se ke se expensive)
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Na nka lefa ka khadi?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Bille, tsweetswee
Tafadhali, bili(bille, tsweetswee)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ke movegetarian
Mimi ni mboga(ke mo vegetarian)
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Se ke se monate
Hii ni tamu(se ke se monate)
Na nka nna le menu?
Naweza kupata menyu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bua le mapolesa
Piga simu polisi
Bua le ambulance
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Nahitaji daktari
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Nina mzio wa karanga
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Go botlhoko fa
Inaniuma hapa
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Thusa!
Nisaidie!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Tuweke mkutano
Nako efe e go thusang?
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Nitaituma ripoti leo
A re ka bua ka borai?
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Asante kwa muda wako
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
A ke boele go wena
Nitarudi kwako
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.