Looking for practical Zulu to Sesotho phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Zulu 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 Zulu 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.
Sawubona
Lumelang
Ngiyabonga
Kea leboha
Sawubona
Dumelang
Good afternoon
Molo
Ubusuku obuhle
Dumelang
Lala kahle
Borai
Sizobonana
Re tla kopana hamorao
Hamba kahle
Tsamaya hantle
Ubani igama lakho?
O na le lebitso lefe?
Igama lami nginguJohn
Lebitso la ka ke John
Unjani?
O kae?
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ukhuluma isiNgisi?
Na u bua Senyesemane?
Angikhulumi kahle isiHindi.
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Angiqondi.
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.
Ka kopo bua butle
Ungakuphinda lokho?
Na u ka boela ua re?
Iphi indlu yangasese?
Ntloana e kae?
Ngiyawufika kanjani emaphandleni?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Jika kwesobunxele.
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Jika kwesokudla.
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Hamba phambili.
Eya ka pela
Inani lokuhamba lingakanani?
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela.
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Ingabe kude lapha?
Na e hole le mona?
Ngilahlekile.
Ke lahlehile
Ngaphi engingathenga khona i-SIM card?
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yebo
Ee
Cha
Che
Mhlawumbe
Mohlomong
Ngiyavuma
Ke lumela
Angivumi
Ke sitwa
Lokho kuzwakala kahle
Seo se utloahala hantle
Ucabanga ukuthini?
O nahana eng?
Ungangisiza?
Na o ka nthusa?
Ngidinga usizo
Ke hloka thuso
Linda umzuzu
Emisa motsotso
Ngiyaxolisa
Ke maswabi
Akukho nkinga
Ha ho bothata
Halala
O amohelehile
Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Uhambo olunempilo
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Iphi isitishi sesitimela?
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi?
Ke kae borai?(ke kae borai)
Iphi ipulatifomu?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba?
Nako e kae e tlohang?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Ingabe le yindlela efanele?
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
Ikhaya lapha eduze
E haufi le mona(e haufi le mona)
Ikude lapha
E hole le mona(e hole le mona)
Ungangikhombisa emmaphini?
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Misa lapha, ngiyacela
Emisa mona, ka kopo(emisa mona, ka kopo)
Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani?
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.
Kubiza malini lokhu?
Se kostang hakaale?(se kostang hakaale)
Lokho kubiza kakhulu.
Seo ke se theko e phahameng(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Unayo yini ethengiswa ngentengo ephansi?
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi?
Na nka lefa ka kharete?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
Ngifuna itafula labantu ababili.
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Ibhili, ngiyacela.
Bille, ka kopo(bille, ka kopo)
Inkonzo ifakiwe?
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
Ngiyisithuthuthu.
Ke moithuti oa meroho(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Ngicela ukudla okungashisayo.
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Lokhu kuhle.
Se monate(se monate)
Ngicela imenyu?
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela.
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.
Shayela amaphoyisa
Calla mapolesa
Shayela i-ambulensi
Calla ambulance
Ngidinga udokotela
Ke hloka ngaka
Ngizizwa ngigula
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
Ngine-allergy kumantongomane
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
Iphi isibhedlela esiseduze?
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Kubuhlungu lapha
Ho bohloko mona
Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Ungashayela ihhotela lami?
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
Usizo!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena
Masihlele umhlangano
A re etse kopano
Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele?
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?
Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno
Singakhuluma kusasa?
Na re ka bua ka moso?
Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunywe
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang
Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau
Ngibheke phambili ekusebenzeni nawe
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena
Ungacacisa leyo ndaba?
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?
Ngizobuyela kuwe
A ke tle ke u boele
Usuku lokugcina nguLwesihlanu
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.