Sesotho

20 Sesotho phrases for greetings and everyday courtesy, from Hello (Lumela) to Do you speak English? (A o bua Senyesemane?).

Hello

Lumela, pronounced lu-ME-la

Good morning

Lumela bosasa, pronounced lu-ME-la bo-SA-sa

Good evening

Lumela mantsiboa, pronounced lu-ME-la mant-si-BO-a

Good night

Robala hantle, pronounced ro-BA-la HAN-tle

How are you?

O phela jwang?, pronounced o PHE-la JWANG

I'm fine, thank you

Ke phela hantle, kea leboha, pronounced ke PHE-la HAN-tle ke-a le-BO-ha

What is your name?

Lebitso la hao ke mang?, pronounced le-BIT-so la HA-o ke MANG

My name is...

Lebitso la ka ke..., pronounced le-BIT-so la KA ke...

Nice to meet you

Ke thabile ho o bona, pronounced ke tha-BI-le ho o BO-na

Please

Ke kopa, pronounced ke KO-pa

Thank you

Kea leboha, pronounced ke-a le-BO-ha

You're welcome

Ha ho na mathata, pronounced ha ho na ma-THA-ta

Yes

Ee, pronounced EE

No

Tjhe, pronounced TJHE

Sorry

Ke maswabi, pronounced ke ma-SWA-bi

Excuse me

Mpoloke, pronounced mpo-LO-ke

Goodbye

Sala hantle, pronounced SA-la HAN-tle

See you later

Re tla boelana, pronounced re tla bo-e-LA-na

I don't understand

Ha ke utlwisise, pronounced ha ke ut-lwi-SI-se

Do you speak English?

A o bua Senyesemane?, pronounced a o BU-a se-nye-se-MA-ne

19 Sesotho phrases for getting around, from Where is the airport? (Lebotsi la difofane le hokae?) to Police station (Seteishene sa mapodisa).

Where is the airport?

Lebotsi la difofane le hokae?, pronounced le-BOT-si la di-fo-FA-ne le ho-KA-e

How much does this cost?

E hola hakae?, pronounced e HO-la ha-KA-e

I need a taxi

Ke hloka teksi, pronounced ke HLO-ka TEK-si

Where is the hotel?

Hotele e hokae?, pronounced ho-TE-le e ho-KA-e

Train station

Seteishene sa terene, pronounced se-tei-SHE-ne sa te-RE-ne

Bus stop

Moo bese e emang teng, pronounced mo-o BE-se e e-MANG teng

Ticket

Tekete, pronounced te-KE-te

Passport

Pasepote, pronounced pa-se-PO-te

Help!

Thusa!, pronounced THU-sa

I'm lost

Ke lahlehile, pronounced ke la-hle-HI-le

Turn left

Retela ka ho le letshehadi, pronounced re-TE-la ka ho le let-she-HA-di

Turn right

Retela ka ho le letona, pronounced re-TE-la ka ho le le-TO-na

Straight ahead

Tswela pele ka pele, pronounced tswe-LA PE-le ka PE-le

How far is it?

E hole hakae?, pronounced e HO-le ha-KA-e

Museum

Musiamo, pronounced mu-SI-a-mo

Beach

Lebopong la lewatle, pronounced le-BO-pong la le-WA-tle

Hospital

Sepetlele, pronounced se-pe-TLE-le

Pharmacy

Famasi, pronounced fa-MA-si

Police station

Seteishene sa mapodisa, pronounced se-tei-SHE-ne sa ma-po-DI-sa

20 Sesotho phrases for eating and drinking, from I'm hungry (Ke ya lapisa) to Dessert (Dessert).

I'm hungry

Ke ya lapisa, pronounced ke ya la-PI-sa

I'm thirsty

Ke nyorwa, pronounced ke NYO-rwa

The menu, please

Menu, ke kopa, pronounced ME-nu ke KO-pa

Water

Metsi, pronounced MET-si

Coffee

Kofi, pronounced KO-fi

Bread

Bohobe, pronounced bo-HO-be

Meat

Nama, pronounced NA-ma

Vegetarian

Ha ja nama, pronounced ha JA NA-ma

Delicious

Ho monate, pronounced ho mo-NA-te

The bill, please

Akhonto, ke kopa, pronounced a-KHON-to ke KO-pa

I am allergic to...

Ke na le aleji ho..., pronounced ke na le a-LE-ji ho...

No sugar

Ha suikiri, pronounced ha SUI-ki-ri

Breakfast

Dijo tsa masa, pronounced DI-jo tsa MA-sa

Lunch

Dijo tsa motsheare, pronounced DI-jo tsa mot-she-A-re

Dinner

Dijo tsa mantsiboa, pronounced DI-jo tsa mant-si-BO-a

Restaurant

Restorant, pronounced res-to-RANT

Table for two

Tafole bakeng sa ba babedi, pronounced ta-FO-le ba-KENG sa ba ba-BE-di

Beer

Joala, pronounced jo-A-la

Wine

Weine, pronounced WEI-ne

Dessert

Dessert, pronounced de-SERT

15 Sesotho phrases for emergencies and health, from Help! (Thusa!) to I'm sick (Ke a kula).

Help!

Thusa!, pronounced THU-sa

Call the police!

Bitsa mapodisa!, pronounced BIT-sa ma-po-DI-sa

I need a doctor

Ke hloka ngaka, pronounced ke HLO-ka NGA-ka

Fire!

Mollo!, pronounced MOL-lo

Ambulance

Ambulense, pronounced am-bu-LEN-se

I've been robbed

Ke ile ka utswa, pronounced ke I-le ka UT-swa

I'm injured

Ke gobetse, pronounced ke go-BET-se

Emergency

Maemo a tshohanyetso, pronounced ma-E-mo a tsho-ha-NYE-tso

Where is the hospital?

Sepetlele se hokae?, pronounced se-pe-TLE-le se ho-KA-e

Lost passport

Pasepote e lahlehileng, pronounced pa-se-PO-te e la-hle-HI-leng

I need help

Ke hloka thuso, pronounced ke HLO-ka THU-so

Danger

Kotsi, pronounced KOT-si

Stop!

Ema!, pronounced E-ma

Thief!

Leshodu!, pronounced le-SHO-du

I'm sick

Ke a kula, pronounced ke a KU-la

14 Sesotho phrases for work and money, from Good morning (Lumela bosasa) to Thank you for your time (Kea leboha nako ya hao).

Good morning

Lumela bosasa, pronounced lu-ME-la bo-SA-sa

I have a meeting

Ke na le kopano, pronounced ke na le ko-PA-no

Business card

Karete ya khoebo, pronounced ka-RE-te ya kho-E-bo

What is your email?

Imeile ya hao ke eng?, pronounced i-MEI-le ya HA-o ke ENG

I work for...

Ke sebetsa ho..., pronounced ke se-BET-sa ho...

Manager

Motsamaisi, pronounced mo-tsa-MAI-si

Meeting

Kopano, pronounced ko-PA-no

Office

Ofisi, pronounced o-FI-si

Budget

Bajete, pronounced ba-JE-te

Invoice

Invoyisi, pronounced in-vo-YI-si

Contract

Konteraka, pronounced kon-te-RA-ka

Deadline

Matsatsi a ho fela, pronounced mat-SAT-si a ho FE-la

Partnership

Boratoana, pronounced bo-ra-to-A-na

Thank you for your time

Kea leboha nako ya hao, pronounced ke-a le-BO-ha NA-ko ya HA-o

20 Sesotho phrases for numbers, days and time, from One (Nngwe) to Friday (Labohlano).

One

Nngwe, pronounced NNGWE

Two

Pedi, pronounced PE-di

Three

Tharo, pronounced THA-ro

Four

Nne, pronounced NNE

Five

Hlano, pronounced HLA-no

Six

Tshelela, pronounced tshe-LE-la

Seven

Supileng, pronounced su-PI-leng

Eight

Robedi, pronounced ro-BE-di

Nine

Robong, pronounced ro-BONG

Ten

Leshome, pronounced le-SHO-me

Twenty

Mashome a mabedi, pronounced ma-SHO-me a ma-BE-di

Fifty

Mashome a mahlano, pronounced ma-SHO-me a ma-HLA-no

One hundred

Lekgolo, pronounced le-KGO-lo

One thousand

Sekete, pronounced se-KE-te

What time is it?

Ke nako efe?, pronounced ke NA-ko E-fe

Today

Kajeno, pronounced ka-JE-no

Tomorrow

Hosasa, pronounced ho-SA-sa

Yesterday

Maobane, pronounced ma-o-BA-ne

Monday

Mantaha, pronounced man-TA-ha

Friday

Labohlano, pronounced la-bo-HLA-no