Tswana

20 Tswana phrases for greetings and everyday courtesy, from Hello (Dumela) to Do you speak English? (A o bua Sekgoa?).

Hello

Dumela, pronounced du-ME-la

Good morning

Dumela mosasa, pronounced du-ME-la mo-SA-sa

Good evening

Dumela motshegare, pronounced du-ME-la mot-she-GA-re

Good night

Robala sentle, pronounced ro-BA-la SEN-tle

How are you?

O tsogile jang?, pronounced o tso-GI-le JANG

I'm fine, thank you

Ke tsogile sentle, ke a leboga, pronounced ke tso-GI-le SEN-tle ke a le-BO-ga

What is your name?

Leina la gago ke mang?, pronounced le-I-na la GA-go ke MANG

My name is...

Leina la me ke..., pronounced le-I-na la ME ke...

Nice to meet you

Ke itumetse go go bona, pronounced ke i-tu-MET-se go go BO-na

Please

Ke kopa, pronounced ke KO-pa

Thank you

Ke a leboga, pronounced ke a le-BO-ga

You're welcome

Ga go na sepe, pronounced ga go na SE-pe

Yes

Ee, pronounced EE

No

Nnyaa, pronounced NNYA-a

Sorry

Ke maswabi, pronounced ke ma-SWA-bi

Excuse me

Tshwarela, pronounced tshwa-RE-la

Goodbye

Sala sentle, pronounced SA-la SEN-tle

See you later

Re tla kopana gape, pronounced re tla ko-PA-na GA-pe

I don't understand

Ga ke tlhaloganya, pronounced ga ke thla-lo-GA-nya

Do you speak English?

A o bua Sekgoa?, pronounced a o BU-a se-KGO-a

19 Tswana phrases for getting around, from Where is the airport? (Lefelo la difofane le kae?) to Police station (Seteishene sa mapodisi).

Where is the airport?

Lefelo la difofane le kae?, pronounced le-FE-lo la di-fo-FA-ne le KA-e

How much does this cost?

E tlhoka bokae?, pronounced e THLO-ka bo-KA-e

I need a taxi

Ke tlhoka tekisi, pronounced ke THLO-ka te-KI-si

Where is the hotel?

Hotele e kae?, pronounced ho-TE-le e 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

Paseposo, pronounced pa-se-PO-so

Help!

Thusa!, pronounced THU-sa

I'm lost

Ke laletse, pronounced ke la-LET-se

Turn left

Retologa go le letshadi, pronounced re-to-LO-ga go le let-SHA-di

Turn right

Retologa go le letona, pronounced re-to-LO-ga go le le-TO-na

Straight ahead

Tswelela pele, pronounced tswe-LE-la PE-le

How far is it?

Go hole jang?, pronounced go HO-le JANG

Museum

Musiamo, pronounced mu-SI-a-mo

Beach

Lebopo la lewatle, pronounced le-BO-po la le-WA-tle

Hospital

Sepetlele, pronounced se-pe-TLE-le

Pharmacy

Famasi, pronounced fa-MA-si

Police station

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

20 Tswana phrases for eating and drinking, from I'm hungry (Ke tshwerwe ke tlala) to Dessert (Dessert).

I'm hungry

Ke tshwerwe ke tlala, pronounced ke tshwer-WE ke TLA-la

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

Bolokwe, pronounced bo-LO-kwe

Meat

Nama, pronounced NA-ma

Vegetarian

Ga a je nama, pronounced ga a JE NA-ma

Delicious

Go monate, pronounced go mo-NA-te

The bill, please

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

I am allergic to...

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

No sugar

Ga na sukiri, pronounced ga na su-KI-ri

Breakfast

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

Lunch

Dijo tsa motshegare, pronounced DI-jo tsa mot-she-GA-re

Dinner

Dijo tsa bosigo, pronounced DI-jo tsa bo-SI-go

Restaurant

Restorant, pronounced res-to-RANT

Table for two

Tafole ya batho ba babedi, pronounced ta-FO-le ya BA-tho ba ba-BE-di

Beer

Bojalwa, pronounced bo-JAL-wa

Wine

Weine, pronounced WEI-ne

Dessert

Dessert, pronounced de-SERT

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

Help!

Thusa!, pronounced THU-sa

Call the police!

Bitsa mapodisi!, pronounced BIT-sa ma-po-DI-si

I need a doctor

Ke tlhoka ngaka, pronounced ke THLO-ka NGA-ka

Fire!

Mollo!, pronounced MOL-lo

Ambulance

Ambulense, pronounced am-bu-LEN-se

I've been robbed

Ke utsiwile, pronounced ke ut-si-WI-le

I'm injured

Ke gobetse, pronounced ke go-BET-se

Emergency

Maemo a tshoganyetso, pronounced ma-E-mo a tsho-ga-NYE-tso

Where is the hospital?

Sepetlele se kae?, pronounced se-pe-TLE-le se KA-e

Lost passport

Paseposo e laletse, pronounced pa-se-PO-so e la-LET-se

I need help

Ke tlhoka thuso, pronounced ke THLO-ka THU-so

Danger

Kotsi, pronounced KOT-si

Stop!

Emela!, pronounced e-ME-la

Thief!

Legodu!, pronounced le-GO-du

I'm sick

Ke a lwala, pronounced ke a LWA-la

14 Tswana phrases for work and money, from Good morning (Dumela mosasa) to Thank you for your time (Ke a leboga nako ya gago).

Good morning

Dumela mosasa, pronounced du-ME-la mo-SA-sa

I have a meeting

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

Business card

Karata ya kgwebo, pronounced ka-RA-ta ya KGWE-bo

What is your email?

Imeile ya gago ke eng?, pronounced i-MEI-le ya GA-go ke ENG

I work for...

Ke dira go..., pronounced ke DI-ra go...

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

Letsatsi la go fela, pronounced let-SAT-si la go FE-la

Partnership

Tirelo mmogo, pronounced ti-RE-lo MMO-go

Thank you for your time

Ke a leboga nako ya gago, pronounced ke a le-BO-ga NA-ko ya GA-go

20 Tswana 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

Tlhano, pronounced THLA-no

Six

Thataro, pronounced tha-TA-ro

Seven

Supa, pronounced SU-pa

Eight

Robedi, pronounced ro-BE-di

Nine

Robong, pronounced ro-BONG

Ten

Lesome, pronounced lo-SO-me

Twenty

Masome a mabedi, pronounced ma-SO-me a ma-BE-di

Fifty

Masome a tlhano, pronounced ma-SO-me a THLA-no

One hundred

Lekgolo, pronounced le-KGO-lo

One thousand

Sekete, pronounced se-KE-te

What time is it?

Ke nako mang?, pronounced ke NA-ko MANG

Today

Gompieno, pronounced gom-pi-E-no

Tomorrow

Keebo, pronounced ke-E-bo

Yesterday

Maabane, pronounced ma-a-BA-ne

Monday

Mošupologo, pronounced mo-shu-po-LO-go

Friday

Labohlano, pronounced la-bo-HLA-no

house

ntlo, pronounced ntlo

water

metsi, pronounced MET-si

bread

senkgwe, pronounced senk-GWE

time

nako, pronounced NA-ko

person

motho, pronounced MO-tho

day / sun

letsatsi, pronounced le-TSA-tsi

road / way

tsela, pronounced TSE-la

work

tiro, pronounced TI-ro

money

madi, pronounced MA-di

city / village

motse, pronounced MOT-se

school

sekole, pronounced se-KO-le

book

buka, pronounced BU-ka

name

leina, pronounced le-I-na

child

ngwana, pronounced NGWA-na

friend

tsala, pronounced TSA-la

food

dijo, pronounced DI-jo

language

puo, pronounced PU-o

earth / land

lefatshe, pronounced le-FAT-she

hand

seatla, pronounced se-AT-la

dog

ntsa, pronounced ntsa

to be / stay

nna, pronounced nna

to go

ya, pronounced ya

to come

tla, pronounced tla

to speak

bua, pronounced bu-A

to eat

ja, pronounced ja

to drink

nwa, pronounced nwa

to see

bona, pronounced BO-na

to know

itse, pronounced IT-se

to want

batla, pronounced BAT-la

to give

fa, pronounced fa

to take

tsaya, pronounced TSA-ya

to do

dira, pronounced DI-ra

to think

nagana, pronounced na-GA-na

to live

phela, pronounced PHE-la

to read

bala, pronounced BA-la

to write

kwala, pronounced KWA-la

to work

bereka, pronounced be-RE-ka

to help

thusa, pronounced THU-sa

to find

bona, pronounced BO-na

to hold

tshwara, pronounced tshWA-ra

good

molemo, pronounced mo-LE-mo

bad

mobe, pronounced MO-be

big

mogolo, pronounced mo-GO-lo

small

monnye, pronounced MON-nye

new

motjha, pronounced MOT-jha

old

motšofatsi, pronounced mot-sho-FAT-si

beautiful

motle, pronounced MOT-le

fast

wa bonako, pronounced wa bo-NA-ko

slow

wa bonya, pronounced wa bo-NYA

long / tall

motelele, pronounced mo-te-LE-le

short

mokuse, pronounced mo-KU-se

warm

go futhumala, pronounced go fu-thu-MA-la

cold

tsididi, pronounced tsi-DI-di

strong

maatla, pronounced ma-AT-la

easy

bonolo, pronounced bo-NO-lo

difficult

thata, pronounced THA-ta

important

botlhokwa, pronounced bot-HLOK-wa

interesting

thahaselo, pronounced tha-ha-SE-lo

happy

thabile, pronounced tha-BI-le

expensive

tura, pronounced TU-ra

now

jaanong, pronounced jaa-NONG

today

gompieno, pronounced gom-pi-E-no

tomorrow

kamoso, pronounced ka-MO-so

yesterday

maabane, pronounced ma-a-BA-ne

here

fano, pronounced FA-no

there

foo, pronounced foo

quickly

ka bonako, pronounced ka bo-NA-ko

slowly

ka bonya, pronounced ka bo-NYA

well

sentle, pronounced SEN-tle

very / a lot

thata, pronounced THA-ta

also / too

gape, pronounced GA-pe

not / no

ga, pronounced ga

yes

ee, pronounced EE

already

setse, pronounced SET-se

still / yet

ntse, pronounced ntse

only / just

fela, pronounced FE-la

really

nnete, pronounced NNE-te

a lot

thata, pronounced THA-ta

a little

go le gonnye, pronounced go le GON-nye

immediately

ka bonako jalo, pronounced ka bo-NA-ko JA-lo