Looking for practical Xhosa to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Xhosa 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: pick five Tswana 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 Xhosa 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.
Molo
Dumela
Enkosi
Ke a leboga
Ubusuku obuhle
Dumelang
Ubusuku obuhle
Dumela mo afternoon
Ubusuku obuhle
Dumela mo evening
Lala ngoxolo
Borai
Ndiza kubonana kamva
Tsamaya sentle
Hamba kakuhle
Tsamaya sentle
Ngubani igama lakho?
O na le leina mang?
Igama lam nguJohn
Leina la me ke John
Unjani?
O kae?
Kuhle ukukwazi
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Uthetha isiNgesi?
A o bua Seisemane?
Andithethi isiHindi kakuhle
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Andiqondi
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Nceda thethe kancinci
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Ungakuphinda lokho?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Iphi ibhafu?
Borai bo kae?
Ndingafika njani kwi mveliso ye dolophu?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Jolisa kwesokunxele
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Jolisa kwesokudla
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Hamba ngqo
Tswelela ka fao
Iholo ingakanani?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Ithikithi elinye, nceda
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Ingakanani ukusuka apha?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Ndilahlekile
Ke a latlhela
Nphi endinokuthenga khona iSIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ewe
Ee
Hayi
Nnyaa
Mhlawumbi
Mafoko
Ndiyavuma
Ke a dumela
Andivumi
Ke sitwa go dumela
Okuhle
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Ucinga ntoni?
O akanya eng?
Ungandinceda?
O ka nthusa?
Ndidinga uncedo
Ke tlhoka thuso
Linda umzuzu
Emisa motsotso
Ndicela uxolo
Ke maswabi
Akukho ngxaki
Ga go na bothata
Wamkelekile
A re amogele
Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Uhambo olukhuselekileyo
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uphi umphakathi wemithwalo?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Uphi umphakathi weebhasi?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Yeyiphi iphondo?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Ihamba ngexesha elingakanani?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Ikho kufutshane apha
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Ikude apha
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Ungandibonisa kwiimeko?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Misa apha, nceda
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Ithatha ixesha elingakanani?
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.
Ithini le mali?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Le mali ibiza kakhulu.
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Unayo into engabizi?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Ndingakhokha ngekhadi?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ndicela itafula lempahla ezimbini.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Ibhili, nceda.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Ingaba inkonzo ibandakanyekile?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ndiyavegetarian.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Akukho ukutya okunobhotolo, nceda.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Oku kumnandi.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Ndingafumana imenyu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Ingxube ye water, nceda.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Biza uphondo
Bua le mapolesa
Biza i-ambulensi
Bua le ambulance
Ndifuna ugqirha
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Ndiziva ndingalunganga
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ndine-allergy kwi-peanuts
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Uphi umphakathi oseduze?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Kubuhlungu apha
Go botlhoko fa
Ndilahlekelwe yi passport yam
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Ungabiza ihotele yam?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Uncedo!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Kuhle ukukwazi
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Masihlele umhlangano
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Yiphi ixesha elikufaneleyo?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Ndiza kuthumela ingxelo namhlanje
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Singathetha ngomso?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Nceda ufumane ifayile ehlanganisiweyo
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Enkosi ngexesha lakho
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ndijonge phambili ekusebenzeni nawe
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Ungacacisa le ndawo?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Mna ndiza kubuyela kuwe
A ke boele go wena
Umhla wokugqibela nguLwesihlanu
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.