Looking for practical Yoruba to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Yoruba 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Tswana-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Yoruba 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.
Bawo
Dumela(bawoh)
O seun
Ke a leboga(oh shayoon)
E kaaro
Dumelang(eh kah-roh)
E kaasan
Dumela mo afternoon(eh kah-sahn)
E kuurole
Dumela mo evening(eh koo-roh-leh)
O daaro
Borai(oh dah-roh)
A ri e laipe
Tsamaya sentle(ah ree eh lie-peh)
O dabọ
Tsamaya sentle(oh dah-boh)
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?
O na le leina mang?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Orukọ mi ni John
Leina la me ke John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
Bawo ni?
O kae?(bawoh nee)
Inu mi dun lati pade e
Ke itumetse 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?
A 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 tlhaloganya(Mee oh yeh mee)
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?
A o ka bo o bua seo 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 tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Yí si apa osi
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Yí si apa otun
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Lọ taara
Tswelela ka fao(Law tah-rah)
Elo ni owo ọkọ?
Gaeletsi e bokae?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Ticket kan, jọwọ
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Mo ti sọnù
Ke a latlhela(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Nibo ni mo ti le ra kaadi SIM?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang 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
Nnyaa
Bóyá
Mafoko
Mo gba
Ke a dumela
Mo kọ
Ke sitwa go dumela
Iyẹn dára
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
O akanya eng?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
O ka nthusa?
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Ke tlhoka thuso
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Emisa motsotso
Mo bínú
Ke maswabi
Kò sí ìṣòro
Ga go na bothata
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
A re amogele
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
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 borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
O sunmọ ibi yi
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
O jinna si ibi yi
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Duro nibi, jọwọ
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?
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.
Elo ni eyi?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Eyi dára
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Pe iroyin ọlọpa
Bua le mapolesa(pe iroyin olopa)
Pe ambulance
Bua le ambulance(pe ambulance)
Mo nilo dokita
Ke tlhoka ngaka(mo nilo dokita)
Mo n ni irora
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa(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?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
O n dun nibi
Go botlhoko fa(o n dun nibi)
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi
Ke sitwa passport ya me(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?(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 itumetse 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 thusang?
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
O seun fun akoko rẹ
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ
A ke boele go wena
Akoko ipari ni Friday
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.