Looking for practical Venda to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Venda phrase first, then the Tswana translation (Tswana) — 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 Tswana.
Tip: when a Tswana phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Venda 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 Venda to Tswana 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.
Ndi matsheloni
Dumela
Ndi a livhuwa
Ke a leboga
Ndi matsheloni
Dumelang
Ndi masiari
Dumela mo afternoon
Ndi madekwana
Dumela mo evening
Ndi masiari a u fhela
Borai
Tshilidzi
Tsamaya sentle
Vhuyani
Tsamaya sentle
Ndi mini dzina lenu?
O na le leina mang?
Dzina langa ndi John
Leina la me ke John
Ni khou itea?
O kae?
Ndi khou funa u vhuya na inwi
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ni a ṱhota ṅwambo?
A o bua Seisemane?(ni a thota n'wambo)
A ndi ṱhoti Hindi zwavhudi
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(a ndi thoti Hindi zwavhudi)
A ndi ḓivhi
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya(a ndi dhiwi)
Ndi ṱhanyela u ṱhota nga ṱhoho
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako(ndi thanyela u thota nga thoho)
Ndi a ṱanga zwenezwi?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?(ndi a thanga zwenezwi)
Bani hu na khotani?
Borai bo kae?(bani hu na khotani)
Ndi ya hani u ya tsini na muṱa?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?(ndi ya hani u ya tsini na mutha)
Fhulu u ya shango
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona(fhulu u ya shango)
Fhulu u ya ṱhoho
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng(fhulu u ya thoho)
Ḓi ṱhota nga ṱhoho
Tswelela ka fao(dhi thota nga thoho)
Fhasi i na hani?
Gaeletsi e bokae?(fhasi i na hani)
Ticket ye ḽa, nd please
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee(ticket ye la, nd please)
I na fhasi u bva hone?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?(i na fhasi u bva hone)
Ndi a fhedza
Ke a latlhela(ndi a fhedza)
Ndi nga wana SIM card phi?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?(ndi nga wana SIM card phi)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ee
Aih
Nnyaa
Ndi nga si
Mafoko
Ndi a livhuwa
Ke a dumela
Ndi a sa livhuwi
Ke sitwa go dumela
Izwi zwine zwa ita zwavhuya
Seo se utlwisa molemo
U vhona mini?
O akanya eng?
U nga nthusa?
O ka nthusa?
Ndi na nyito
Ke tlhoka thuso
Langa muthu
Emisa motsotso
Ndi a humbula
Ke maswabi
A hu na nḓila
Ga go na bothata
Ndi a livhuwa
A re amogele
Ndi a ni ṱhonifha
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Ndi a ni ṱhonifha na u shuma
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uphi i-station ye-train?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Uphi i-bus stop?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
I-platform efani na?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Iri ngafhi?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Iyi ndi ndowei efani?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Iri khathihi na.
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Iri khulwane na.
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
U nga nanga u tshi khou vhona kha maphu?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Dzhia fhedzi, ndi khou livhuwa.
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Zwi tshi dzhia ngafhi?
E tsaya nako e kae?(e tsaya nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Zwi khou itea ngani?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Izwi ndi zwihulu.
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Ni na zwine zwa itea nga nṱha?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Ndi nga fhira nga khadi?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ndi khou ṱoḓa tafela ya vhuṱanzi.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Ndi ṱhoḓa muthu, ndapota.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Ndi na tshelete ya vhuṱanzi?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ndi muvegetarian.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
A si na food ya vhuṱhiri, ndapota.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Izi ndi zwitukwama.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Ndi nga ṱoḓa menu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Ndi ṱhoḓa glasi ya mvura, ndapota.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fhonelela mapolisa
Bua le mapolesa
Fhonelela ambulanse
Bua le ambulance
Ndi funa ngaka
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Ndi a shota
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ndi na u shota kha phiri
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Ndi wani hoso ya vhuṱungu?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Zwi a vha na mulalo hone
Go botlhoko fa
Ndi fhedza pasipoti yangu
Ke sitwa passport ya me
U nga fhonelela hotele yangu?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Ramba!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndi khou livhuwa u vhulunga
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
A ri vhe na thendo
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Ndi ngani ini u shuma na yone?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Ndi do ruma ripoti ndayani
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
A ri nga bvela phanda nga ndayo?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Ndi khou humbela u wana faele yo thomulwaho
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Ndi a livhuwa nga ha u ralo
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ndi khou takalela u shuma na inwi
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
A ni nga sumbedza nḓila iṅwe?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Ndi do bva u ya u inwi
A ke boele go wena
Nḓila i khou fhela nga ṋaṅwe
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.