Looking for practical Yoruba to Sepedi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Yoruba phrase first, then the Sepedi translation (Sepedi) — 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 Sepedi.
Tip: read the Sepedi line out loud three times, then cover the Yoruba side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Yoruba to Sepedi 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.
Bawo
Dumela(bawoh)
O seun
Ke a leboga(oh shayoon)
E kaaro
Dumelang(eh kah-roh)
E kaasan
Mokhutsong o motle(eh kah-sahn)
E kuurole
Mokhutsong o motle(eh koo-roh-leh)
O daaro
Borai bo botle(oh dah-roh)
A ri e laipe
Tsamaya sentle(ah ree eh lie-peh)
O dabọ
Siyabonga(oh dah-boh)
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?
O na le leina lefe?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Orukọ mi ni John
Leina la ka ke John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
Bawo ni?
O kae?(bawoh nee)
Inu mi dun lati pade e
Ke thabela go kopana le wena(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.
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?
Na o bua Seisemane?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Mi ò ye mi
Ke sitwa go kwele(Mee oh yeh mee)
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan
Tsweetswee bua ka borai(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?
Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Nibo ni baluwe wa?
Borai bo kae?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?
Ke etse eng go ya borai?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Yí si apa osi
Fetola go le letšatši(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Yí si apa otun
Fetola go le letona(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Lọ taara
Ya ka pela(Law tah-rah)
Elo ni owo ọkọ?
Phetho ke bokae?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Ticket kan, jọwọ
Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?
Na ke kgole go tswa fano?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Mo ti sọnù
Ke sitwa go etse(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Nibo ni mo ti le ra kaadi SIM?
Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?(Nee-boh nee moh tee leh rah kah-dee SIM)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Bẹẹni
Ee
Rara
Aowa
Bóyá
Mohlomong
Mo gba
Ke a dumela
Mo kọ
Ke sitwa go dumela
Iyẹn dára
Seo se utlwa sentle
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
O nagana eng?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
O ka nthusa?
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Ke hloka thuso
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Emela nako
Mo bínú
Ke maswabi
Kò sí ìṣòro
Ga go na bothata
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
Dumelang
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
Tlhogong e monate
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
Dira leeto le le bolokehileng
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?
Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?(Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?)
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?
Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?(Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?)
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(Ke sehlopha sefe?)
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?
Nako efe e tlo fofa?(Nako efe e tlo fofa?)
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?
A ke tsela e nepahetseng?(A ke tsela e nepahetseng?)
O sunmọ ibi yi
E haufi le fa(E haufi le fa)
O jinna si ibi yi
E hole le fa(E hole le fa)
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?
O ka mpontsha ka mape?(O ka mpontsha ka mape?)
Duro nibi, jọwọ
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(Emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?
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.
Elo ni eyi?
Ke bokae?(ke bo-ka-e)
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀
Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi(seo ke se-bo-pe-go se se ko-tsi)
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?
O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?(o na le se-ngwe se se the-ko e tla-se)
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?
Nka lefa ka khadi?(nka le-fa ka kha-di)
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì
Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi(ke ra-ta ta-fo-le ya ba-tho ba ba-be-di)
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ
Bille, tswarela(bil-le tswa-re-la)
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tse-be-let-so e a-ka-re-tswe)
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ
Ke movegetarian(ke mo-ve-ge-ta-ri-an)
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ
Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela(a-o-wa di-jo tse di pha-di-leng tswa-re-la)
Eyi dára
Se ke se monate(se ke se mo-na-te)
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?
Nka fumana lenaneo?(nka fu-ma-na le-na-e-no)
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ
Khalase ya metsi, tswarela(kha-la-se ya me-tsi tswa-re-la)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Pe iroyin ọlọpa
B calla mapolesa(pe iroyin olopa)
Pe ambulance
B calla ambulance(pe ambulance)
Mo nilo dokita
Ke hloka ngaka(mo nilo dokita)
Mo n ni irora
Ke ikutlwa ke bolaya(mo n ni irora)
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́
Ke na le allergy go peanuts(mo ni akunya si efo)
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?
Hospital e hwetšwa kae?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
O n dun nibi
Go a bohloko fa(o n dun nibi)
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi
Ke lahlehetšwe ke passport ya ka(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?
O ka bitsa hotel ya ka?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
I ranlọwọ!
Thusa!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Inu mi dun lati pade e
Ke thabile go kopana le wena(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?
Nako efe e go kgonang?
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni
Ke tla romela reportone gompieno
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?
A re ka bua ka moso?
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́
Tsweetswee bona faele e amanang
O seun fun akoko rẹ
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ
Ke lebeletse go dira le wena
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?
A o ka hlalosa ntlha eo?
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ
A ke tle ke boe go wena
Akoko ipari ni Friday
Nako ya borai ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.