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Common Tswana to Zulu phrases

100 practical Tswana to Zulu phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Tswana to Zulu phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana phrase first, then the Zulu translation (Zulu) — 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 Zulu.

Tip: when a Zulu phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Tswana wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tswana to Zulu 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.

  1. Dumela

    Sawubona

  2. Ke a leboga

    Ngiyabonga

  3. Dumelang

    Sawubona

  4. Dumela mo afternoon

    Good afternoon

  5. Dumela mo evening

    Ubusuku obuhle

  6. Borai

    Lala kahle

  7. Tsamaya sentle

    Sizobonana

  8. Tsamaya sentle

    Hamba kahle

  9. O na le leina mang?

    Ubani igama lakho?

  10. Leina la me ke John

    Igama lami nginguJohn

  11. O kae?

    Unjani?

  12. Ke itumetse go kopana le wena

    Ngiyajabula ukukwazi

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. A o bua Seisemane?

    Ukhuluma isiNgisi?

  2. Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle

    Angikhulumi kahle isiHindi.

  3. Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya

    Angiqondi.

  4. Tsweetswee bua ka bonako

    Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.

  5. A o ka bo o bua seo gape?

    Ungakuphinda lokho?

  6. Borai bo kae?

    Iphi indlu yangasese?

  7. Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?

    Ngiyawufika kanjani emaphandleni?

  8. Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona

    Jika kwesobunxele.

  9. Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng

    Jika kwesokudla.

  10. Tswelela ka fao

    Hamba phambili.

  11. Gaeletsi e bokae?

    Inani lokuhamba lingakanani?

  12. Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee

    Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela.

  13. A ke kgole go tswa fano?

    Ingabe kude lapha?

  14. Ke a latlhela

    Ngilahlekile.

  15. Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?

    Ngaphi engingathenga khona i-SIM card?

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Ee

    Yebo

  2. Nnyaa

    Cha

  3. Mafoko

    Mhlawumbe

  4. Ke a dumela

    Ngiyavuma

  5. Ke sitwa go dumela

    Angivumi

  6. Seo se utlwisa molemo

    Lokho kuzwakala kahle

  7. O akanya eng?

    Ucabanga ukuthini?

  8. O ka nthusa?

    Ungangisiza?

  9. Ke tlhoka thuso

    Ngidinga usizo

  10. Emisa motsotso

    Linda umzuzu

  11. Ke maswabi

    Ngiyaxolisa

  12. Ga go na bothata

    Akukho nkinga

  13. A re amogele

    Halala

  14. Tlhogomelo e e monate

    Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

  15. O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong

    Uhambo olunempilo

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Ke kae borai jwa terene?

    Iphi isitishi sesitimela? (iphi isitishi sesitimela)

  2. Ke kae borai jwa boso?

    Iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi? (iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi)

  3. Ke phetogo efe?

    Iphi ipulatifomu? (iphi ipulatifomu)

  4. Nako efe e tlogang?

    Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba? (ithini isikhathi sokuhamba)

  5. A ke tsela e e siameng?

    Ingabe le yindlela efanele? (ingabe le yindlela efanele)

  6. E kgaogang fa

    Ikhaya lapha eduze (ikhaya lapha eduze)

  7. E le kgakala le fa

    Ikude lapha (ikude lapha)

  8. O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?

    Ungangikhombisa emmaphini? (ungangikhombisa emmaphini)

  9. Emisa fa, tsweetswee

    Misa lapha, ngiyacela (misa lapha, ngiyacela)

  10. E tsaya nako e kae?

    Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani? (kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. Ke bokae?

    Kubiza malini lokhu? (ke bo kae?)

  2. Seo ke se expensive

    Lokho kubiza kakhulu. (se ke se expensive)

  3. A o na le sengwe se se cheap?

    Unayo yini ethengiswa ngentengo ephansi? (a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)

  4. Na nka lefa ka khadi?

    Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi? (na nka lefa ka khadi?)

  5. Ke kopa tafole ya babedi

    Ngifuna itafula labantu ababili. (ke kopa tafole ya babedi)

  6. Bille, tsweetswee

    Ibhili, ngiyacela. (bille, tsweetswee)

  7. Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?

    Inkonzo ifakiwe? (na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)

  8. Ke movegetarian

    Ngiyisithuthuthu. (ke mo vegetarian)

  9. A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee

    Ngicela ukudla okungashisayo. (a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)

  10. Se ke se monate

    Lokhu kuhle. (se ke se monate)

  11. Na nka nna le menu?

    Ngicela imenyu? (na nka nna le menu?)

  12. Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee

    Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela. (glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Bua le mapolesa

    Shayela amaphoyisa

  2. Bua le ambulance

    Shayela i-ambulensi

  3. Ke tlhoka ngaka

    Ngidinga udokotela

  4. Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa

    Ngizizwa ngigula

  5. Ke na le allergy go peanuts

    Ngine-allergy kumantongomane

  6. Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?

    Iphi isibhedlela esiseduze?

  7. Go botlhoko fa

    Kubuhlungu lapha

  8. Ke sitwa passport ya me

    Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami

  9. O ka bua le hotele ya me?

    Ungashayela ihhotela lami?

  10. Thusa!

    Usizo!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Ke itumetse go kopana le wena

    Ngiyajabula ukukwazi

  2. A re beye ngwaga ya kopano

    Masihlele umhlangano

  3. Nako efe e go thusang?

    Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele?

  4. Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno

    Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla

  5. A re ka bua ka borai?

    Singakhuluma kusasa?

  6. Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang

    Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunywe

  7. Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago

    Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi

  8. Ke itumelela go dira le wena

    Ngibheke phambili ekusebenzeni nawe

  9. A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?

    Ungacacisa leyo ndaba?

  10. A ke boele go wena

    Ngizobuyela kuwe

  11. Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano

    Usuku lokugcina nguLwesihlanu

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Ke neng?

    Kuyini isikhathi? (ku-yee-nee ee-sih-khah-teh?)

  2. Ke borai

    Kuyisithathu (koo-yee-see-thah-thu)

  3. Gompieno

    Namuhla (nah-moo-hlah)

  4. Borai

    Kusasa (koo-sah-sah)

  5. Maabane

    Izolo (ee-zoh-loh)

  6. Mošupologo

    uMsombuluko (oom-sohm-boo-loo-koh)

  7. Labobedi

    uMsombuluko (oom-sohm-boo-loo-koh)

  8. Labone

    uLwesithathu (ool-weh-see-thah-thu)

  9. Ngwaga

    Kunye (koon-yeh)

  10. Beke

    Kubili (koo-bee-lee)

  11. Borai

    Kuthathu (koo-thah-thu)

  12. Lesome

    Ishumi (ee-shoo-mee)

  13. Bolekane

    Ishumi elinhlanu (ee-shoo-mee eh-leen-hlah-noo)

  14. Sephiri

    Iphinifa (ee-pee-nee-fah)

  15. Go feta

    Okuningi (oh-koo-neen-gee)

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