Setswana is spoken by around 6M+ people in Botswana · South Africa. Here are common everyday words and phrases to get you started. Then practise saying them out loud with a Setswana tutor.
Practise: tap the card to flip
tap to reveal
English
Flip through the everyday phrases below, then say them out loud.
Greetings
| Setswana | English |
|---|---|
| Dumela | Hello (to one person) |
| Dumela mma | Hello (to a woman, the respectful form; plain 'Dumela' alone can sound abrupt) |
| Dumela rra | Hello (to a man, the respectful form; plain 'Dumela' alone can sound abrupt) |
| Dumelang | Hello (to a group) |
| O tsogile jang? | How are you? (morning) |
| Lo kae? | How are you all? |
| Ke teng | I am fine |
Everyday courtesy
| Setswana | English |
|---|---|
| Ke a leboga | Thank you |
| Ke a leboga thata | Thank you very much |
| Tshwarelo | Sorry / Excuse me |
| Tswee-tswee | Please |
Useful basics
| Setswana | English |
|---|---|
| Ee | Yes |
| Nnyaa | No |
| Leina la me ke ___ | My name is ___ |
| O bidiwa mang? | What is your name? |
| Ke a go rata | I love you |
| Sala sentle | Goodbye (to one staying) |
| Tsamaya sentle | Goodbye (to one leaving) |
Numbers 1-5
| Setswana | English |
|---|---|
| Nngwe | 1 |
| Pedi | 2 |
| Tharo | 3 |
| Nne | 4 |
| Tlhano | 5 |
Test yourself
Quick flashcards, multiple choice and typing practice built from the words above.
Create a free account to save your quiz scores and track your progress.Sign up free →
Greetings
Everyday courtesy
Useful basics
Numbers 1-5
Start speaking Setswana today
Reading phrases gets you started, but you learn Setswana fastest by speaking it. Book a lesson with a tutor and practise these phrases out loud.
Find a Setswana tutor Or get the Setswana language pack ($99) Or start the Setswana A1 study guide All language tutors More language guides