Looking for practical Tswana to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana phrase first, then the Yoruba translation (Yoruba) — 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 Yoruba.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Yoruba-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tswana to Yoruba 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
Bawo(bawoh)
Ke a leboga
O seun(oh shayoon)
Dumelang
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Dumela mo afternoon
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Dumela mo evening
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Borai
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
Tsamaya sentle
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Tsamaya sentle
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
O na le leina mang?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Leina la me ke John
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
O kae?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Inu mi dun lati pade e(ee-noo mee doon lah-tee pah-deh eh)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
A o bua Seisemane?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Borai bo kae?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Tswelela ka fao
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Ke a latlhela
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Nibo ni mo ti le ra kaadi SIM?(Nee-boh nee moh tee leh rah kah-dee SIM)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Bẹẹni
Nnyaa
Rara
Mafoko
Bóyá
Ke a dumela
Mo gba
Ke sitwa go dumela
Mo kọ
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Iyẹn dára
O akanya eng?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
O ka nthusa?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
Ke tlhoka thuso
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Emisa motsotso
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Ke maswabi
Mo bínú
Ga go na bothata
Kò sí ìṣòro
A re amogele
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae borai jwa terene?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
Ke phetogo efe?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
Nako efe e tlogang?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
A ke tsela e e siameng?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
E kgaogang fa
O sunmọ ibi yi(e kgaogang fa)
E le kgakala le fa
O jinna si ibi yi(e le kgakala le fa)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Duro nibi, jọwọ(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E tsaya nako e kae?
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?(e tsaya nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
Seo ke se expensive
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
Na nka lefa ka khadi?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Bille, tsweetswee
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
Ke movegetarian
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
Se ke se monate
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
Na nka nna le menu?
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bua le mapolesa
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
Bua le ambulance
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
Go botlhoko fa
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
Thusa!
I ranlọwọ!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade
Nako efe e go thusang?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni
A re ka bua ka borai?
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
O seun fun akoko rẹ
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?
A ke boele go wena
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Akoko ipari ni Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.