Looking for practical Zulu to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Zulu 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: when a Tswana phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Zulu wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Zulu 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.
Sawubona
Dumela
Ngiyabonga
Ke a leboga
Sawubona
Dumelang
Good afternoon
Dumela mo afternoon
Ubusuku obuhle
Dumela mo evening
Lala kahle
Borai
Sizobonana
Tsamaya sentle
Hamba kahle
Tsamaya sentle
Ubani igama lakho?
O na le leina mang?
Igama lami nginguJohn
Leina la me ke John
Unjani?
O kae?
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ukhuluma isiNgisi?
A o bua Seisemane?
Angikhulumi kahle isiHindi.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Angiqondi.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Ungakuphinda lokho?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Iphi indlu yangasese?
Borai bo kae?
Ngiyawufika kanjani emaphandleni?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Jika kwesobunxele.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Jika kwesokudla.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Hamba phambili.
Tswelela ka fao
Inani lokuhamba lingakanani?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Ingabe kude lapha?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Ngilahlekile.
Ke a latlhela
Ngaphi engingathenga khona i-SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yebo
Ee
Cha
Nnyaa
Mhlawumbe
Mafoko
Ngiyavuma
Ke a dumela
Angivumi
Ke sitwa go dumela
Lokho kuzwakala kahle
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Ucabanga ukuthini?
O akanya eng?
Ungangisiza?
O ka nthusa?
Ngidinga usizo
Ke tlhoka thuso
Linda umzuzu
Emisa motsotso
Ngiyaxolisa
Ke maswabi
Akukho nkinga
Ga go na bothata
Halala
A re amogele
Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Uhambo olunempilo
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Iphi isitishi sesitimela?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Iphi ipulatifomu?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Ingabe le yindlela efanele?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Ikhaya lapha eduze
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Ikude lapha
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Ungangikhombisa emmaphini?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Misa lapha, ngiyacela
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani?
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.
Kubiza malini lokhu?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Lokho kubiza kakhulu.
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Unayo yini ethengiswa ngentengo ephansi?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ngifuna itafula labantu ababili.
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Ibhili, ngiyacela.
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Inkonzo ifakiwe?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ngiyisithuthuthu.
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Ngicela ukudla okungashisayo.
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Lokhu kuhle.
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Ngicela imenyu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela.
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Shayela amaphoyisa
Bua le mapolesa
Shayela i-ambulensi
Bua le ambulance
Ngidinga udokotela
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Ngizizwa ngigula
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Ngine-allergy kumantongomane
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Iphi isibhedlela esiseduze?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Kubuhlungu lapha
Go botlhoko fa
Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Ungashayela ihhotela lami?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Usizo!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Masihlele umhlangano
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Singakhuluma kusasa?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunywe
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ngibheke phambili ekusebenzeni nawe
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Ungacacisa leyo ndaba?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Ngizobuyela kuwe
A ke boele go wena
Usuku lokugcina 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.