Looking for practical Tswana to Tiv phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana phrase first, then the Tiv translation (Tiv) — 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 Tiv.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Tiv-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tswana to Tiv 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
Mgbakpa
Ke a leboga
Ior na
Dumelang
Mgbakpa u sha
Dumela mo afternoon
Mgbakpa u kpa
Dumela mo evening
Mgbakpa u ter
Borai
Mgbakpa u ter sha
Tsamaya sentle
Kpa a joo
Tsamaya sentle
Ior a joo
O na le leina mang?
Ior m ngu?
Leina la me ke John
M ngu John
O kae?
Ior m nande?
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Ior m nande a joo
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
A o bua Seisemane?
I kpa English?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
M nahan Hindi nahan.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
M nahan usha.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
M nahan usha kpa.
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
I kpa a sha?
Borai bo kae?
I we a joo?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Nenge a kpa a city center?
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Kpa a joo.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Kpa a nahan.
Tswelela ka fao
Kpa a sha.
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Nenge a kpa a fare?
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
I kpa a ticket, please.
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
I we a nahan a nahan?
Ke a latlhela
M nahan sha.
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
I we a kpa a SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ee
Nnyaa
Naa
Mafoko
Iye
Ke a dumela
M na a kpa
Ke sitwa go dumela
M na a kpa nahan
Seo se utlwisa molemo
I kpa a kpa
O akanya eng?
U kpa a nahan?
O ka nthusa?
U kpa m nahan?
Ke tlhoka thuso
M na a kpa nahan
Emisa motsotso
Kpa a kpa
Ke maswabi
M na a kpa
Ga go na bothata
Naa a kpa
A re amogele
I kpa a kpa
Tlhogomelo e e monate
A kpa a kpa
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
U kpa a kpa
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae borai jwa terene?
Ior a kpa?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?
Ior a nyam?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ke phetogo efe?
Ior a gande?(ke phetogo efe)
Nako efe e tlogang?
Nenge a kpa?(nako efe e tlogang)
A ke tsela e e siameng?
Ior a nenge a?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
E kgaogang fa
I na kpa a.(e kgaogang fa)
E le kgakala le fa
I na kpa a kpa.(e le kgakala le fa)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?
I ma ior a gande?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Kpa a, please.(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E tsaya nako e kae?
Nenge a kpa?(e tsaya nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
Ior kwagh nahan?(ior kwagh nahan)
Seo ke se expensive
Ior u kpa a kpa(ior u kpa a kpa)
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?
Ior m ngu u kpa?(ior m ngu u kpa)
Na nka lefa ka khadi?
Ior m gban a card?(ior m gban a card)
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi
A doo a table m ngu a yô(a doo a table m ngu a yô)
Bille, tsweetswee
Ior a bill, please(ior a bill, please)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Ior a service m nahan?(ior a service m nahan)
Ke movegetarian
A m vegetarian(a m vegetarian)
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee
A m nahan a spicy food(a m nahan a spicy food)
Se ke se monate
Ior a kpa(ior a kpa)
Na nka nna le menu?
Ior m gban a menu?(ior m gban a menu)
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee
A glass a water, please(a glass a water)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bua le mapolesa
Kpa a police
Bua le ambulance
Kpa a ambulance
Ke tlhoka ngaka
M ba a doctor
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
M kpa a kpa
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
M kpa a nyam
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
I kpa a hospital mza?
Go botlhoko fa
I kpa a sha
Ke sitwa passport ya me
M kpa a passport m
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
I kpa a hotel m?
Thusa!
Kpa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Ior u kpa.
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Ka a hia ikyô.
Nako efe e go thusang?
Nî kpa u kpa?
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
M gbanor u kpe.
A re ka bua ka borai?
A hia nî u hia?
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
M kpa u venge.
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ior u nenge.
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
M hia u kpa.
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Ior a hia u mba?
A ke boele go wena
Ka m hia u.
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Ikyô u kpa a Friday.
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.