Looking for practical Xhosa to Sesotho phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Xhosa phrase first, then the Sesotho translation (Sesotho) — 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 Sesotho.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Sesotho-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Xhosa to Sesotho 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.
Molo
Lumelang
Enkosi
Kea leboha
Ubusuku obuhle
Dumelang
Ubusuku obuhle
Molo
Ubusuku obuhle
Dumelang
Lala ngoxolo
Borai
Ndiza kubonana kamva
Re tla kopana hamorao
Hamba kakuhle
Tsamaya hantle
Ngubani igama lakho?
O na le lebitso lefe?
Igama lam nguJohn
Lebitso la ka ke John
Unjani?
O kae?
Kuhle ukukwazi
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Uthetha isiNgesi?
Na u bua Senyesemane?
Andithethi isiHindi kakuhle
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Andiqondi
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Nceda thethe kancinci
Ka kopo bua butle
Ungakuphinda lokho?
Na u ka boela ua re?
Iphi ibhafu?
Ntloana e kae?
Ndingafika njani kwi mveliso ye dolophu?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Jolisa kwesokunxele
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Jolisa kwesokudla
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Hamba ngqo
Eya ka pela
Iholo ingakanani?
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
Ithikithi elinye, nceda
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Ingakanani ukusuka apha?
Na e hole le mona?
Ndilahlekile
Ke lahlehile
Nphi endinokuthenga khona iSIM card?
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ewe
Ee
Hayi
Che
Mhlawumbi
Mohlomong
Ndiyavuma
Ke lumela
Andivumi
Ke sitwa
Okuhle
Seo se utloahala hantle
Ucinga ntoni?
O nahana eng?
Ungandinceda?
Na o ka nthusa?
Ndidinga uncedo
Ke hloka thuso
Linda umzuzu
Emisa motsotso
Ndicela uxolo
Ke maswabi
Akukho ngxaki
Ha ho bothata
Wamkelekile
O amohelehile
Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Uhambo olukhuselekileyo
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uphi umphakathi wemithwalo?
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Uphi umphakathi weebhasi?
Ke kae borai?(ke kae borai)
Yeyiphi iphondo?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Ihamba ngexesha elingakanani?
Nako e kae e tlohang?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo?
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
Ikho kufutshane apha
E haufi le mona(e haufi le mona)
Ikude apha
E hole le mona(e hole le mona)
Ungandibonisa kwiimeko?
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Misa apha, nceda
Emisa mona, ka kopo(emisa mona, ka kopo)
Ithatha ixesha elingakanani?
E nka nako e kae?(e nka nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ithini le mali?
Se kostang hakaale?(se kostang hakaale)
Le mali ibiza kakhulu.
Seo ke se theko e phahameng(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Unayo into engabizi?
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Ndingakhokha ngekhadi?
Na nka lefa ka kharete?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
Ndicela itafula lempahla ezimbini.
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Ibhili, nceda.
Bille, ka kopo(bille, ka kopo)
Ingaba inkonzo ibandakanyekile?
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
Ndiyavegetarian.
Ke moithuti oa meroho(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Akukho ukutya okunobhotolo, nceda.
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Oku kumnandi.
Se monate(se monate)
Ndingafumana imenyu?
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
Ingxube ye water, nceda.
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo(khalase ea metsi, ka kopo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Biza uphondo
Calla mapolesa
Biza i-ambulensi
Calla ambulance
Ndifuna ugqirha
Ke hloka ngaka
Ndiziva ndingalunganga
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
Ndine-allergy kwi-peanuts
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
Uphi umphakathi oseduze?
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Kubuhlungu apha
Ho bohloko mona
Ndilahlekelwe yi passport yam
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Ungabiza ihotele yam?
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
Uncedo!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Kuhle ukukwazi
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena
Masihlele umhlangano
A re etse kopano
Yiphi ixesha elikufaneleyo?
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?
Ndiza kuthumela ingxelo namhlanje
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno
Singathetha ngomso?
Na re ka bua ka moso?
Nceda ufumane ifayile ehlanganisiweyo
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang
Enkosi ngexesha lakho
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau
Ndijonge phambili ekusebenzeni nawe
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena
Ungacacisa le ndawo?
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?
Mna ndiza kubuyela kuwe
A ke tle ke u boele
Umhla wokugqibela nguLwesihlanu
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.