Looking for practical Tswana to Tok Pisin phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana phrase first, then the Tok Pisin translation (Tok Pisin) — 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 Tok Pisin.
Tip: pick five Tok Pisin 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 Tok Pisin 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
Halo
Ke a leboga
Tenkyu
Dumelang
Gutpela moning
Dumela mo afternoon
Gutpela apinun
Dumela mo evening
Gutpela nait
Borai
Gutpela nait
Tsamaya sentle
Lukim yu bihain
Tsamaya sentle
Gudbai
O na le leina mang?
Wanem nem bilong yu?
Leina la me ke John
Mi nem em John
O kae?
Yu stap gut?
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Gutpela long mitim yu
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
A o bua Seisemane?
Yu tok Pisin?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Mi no tok Hindi gut.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Mi no save.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Plis, tok liklik.
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Yu ken tokim gen?
Borai bo kae?
Wea toilet?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Olsem wanem mi ken go long centa?
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Taim yu go, tanim left.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Taim yu go, tanim raet.
Tswelela ka fao
Go stret.
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Olsem wanem pris bilong fare?
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Wan tiket, plis.
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Em i long long wanem?
Ke a latlhela
Mi lus.
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Wea mi ken baim SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Yes
Nnyaa
No
Mafoko
Baibe
Ke a dumela
Mi agri
Ke sitwa go dumela
Mi no agri
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Em i gut
O akanya eng?
Yu ting wanem?
O ka nthusa?
Yu inap helpim mi?
Ke tlhoka thuso
Mi nidim help
Emisa motsotso
Wai liklik
Ke maswabi
Mi sori
Ga go na bothata
No problem
A re amogele
Tenkyu
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Hapi baisde
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Lukaut long trip
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae borai jwa terene?
Wea em train stesen?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?
Wea em bus stop?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ke phetogo efe?
Wea em platform?(ke phetogo efe)
Nako efe e tlogang?
Wanem taim em i likim?(nako efe e tlogang)
A ke tsela e e siameng?
Dispela em stret rot?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
E kgaogang fa
Em i klostu hia(e kgaogang fa)
E le kgakala le fa
Em i longwe long hia(e le kgakala le fa)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?
Yu inap soim mi long map?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Stap hia, plis(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E tsaya nako e kae?
Hao long em i tek?(e tsaya nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
Hamamas dispela i kost?(hamamas = how much)
Seo ke se expensive
Dispela i tu mipela(mipela = expensive)
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?
Yu gat wanpela samting i nap?(nap = cheaper)
Na nka lefa ka khadi?
Inap mi peim long kad?(peim = pay)
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi
Mi laikim wanpela tebol bilong tupela(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Bille, tsweetswee
Bil, plis(bille, tsweetswee)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Service i stap insait?(stap = included)
Ke movegetarian
Mi vegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee
No spicy kaikai, plis(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Se ke se monate
Dispela i naispela(se ke se monate)
Na nka nna le menu?
Inap mi kisim menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee
Wanpela glas bilong wota, plis(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bua le mapolesa
Kolim polis
Bua le ambulance
Kolim ambulans
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Mi nidim dokta
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Mi sik
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Mi gat alergi long pinat
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Wea hospital i klostu?
Go botlhoko fa
I penim hia
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Mi lusim paspot
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Yu inap kolim hotel bilong mi?
Thusa!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Nais long mitim yu
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Makim wanpela miting
Nako efe e go thusang?
Wanem taim i gut long yu?
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Mi bai sendim report tude
A re ka bua ka borai?
Inap bilong yumi tokim tede?
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Plis lukim fael i atach
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Tenkyu long yu taim
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Mi lukim forward long wok wantaim yu
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Yu inap kliaim dispela point?
A ke boele go wena
Lukim mi bai kam bek long yu
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Deidlain i Fraida
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.