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Learn Setswana: the words and phrases you'll use first

Setswana is spoken by 6M+ people in Botswana · South Africa. Start with these 108 everyday phrases, each with a say-it-like guide, checked by native-speaking tutors. Tap Listen to hear 40 of them.

108 starter phrases
40 to listen to
890 in the full Setswana library

Practise: 20 phrases to know first

0 / 20 known

How do you say "Hello"?

Greetings & courtesy

DumelaHellodoo-MEH-lah›
Dumela, rraHello, sir / fatherdoo-MEH-lah, rrah›
Dumela, mmaHello, ma'am / motherdoo-MEH-lah, mmah›
O kae?How are you?oh KAH-eh›
Ke tengI'm fine / I'm herekeh TENG›
Re tengWe're finereh TENG›
O tsogile jang?How did you wake?oh tso-GHEE-leh jahng›
Ke tsogile sentleI woke wellkeh tso-GHEE-leh sen-TLEH›
Ke a lebogaThank youkeh ah leh-BO-gha›
Ke a leboga thataThank you very muchkeh ah leh-BO-gha THAH-tah›
Tswee-tsweePleasetsweh-TSWEH›
IntshwareleSorry / excuse meeen-tshwah-REH-leh›
Ee / NnyaaYes / NoEH-eh / NNYAH›
Tsamaya sentleGo welltsah-MAH-yah sen-TLEH›
Sala sentleStay wellSAH-lah sen-TLEH›
Sala sentle / Tsamaya sentleGoodbyeSAH-lah sen-TLEH / tsah-MAH-yah sen-TLEH›
Robala sentleGood nightroh-BAH-lah sen-TLEH›
O tsogile jang?Good morningoh tso-GHEE-leh jahng›
Re tla bonanaSee you laterreh tlah boh-NAH-nah›
O amogetsweWelcomeoh ah-moh-GHEH-tsweh›
IntshwareleSorryeen-tshwah-REH-leh›
IntshwareleExcuse meeen-tshwah-REH-leh›

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Introducing yourself

Leina la me ke …My name is …leh-EE-nah lah meh keh›
Leina la gago ke mang?What is your name?leh-EE-nah lah GHA-ghoh keh mahng›
Ke tswa kwa …I come from …keh tswah kwah›
Ke nna kwa …I live in …keh nnah kwah›
Ke ithuta SetswanaI am learning Setswanakeh ee-THOO-tah seh-TSWAH-nah›
Ke bua Setswana go le gonnyeI speak a little Setswanakeh BOO-ah seh-TSWAH-nah gho leh GHO-nnyeh›
A o bua Sekgoa?Do you speak English?ah oh BOO-ah seh-KHO-ah›
Ke a utlwaI understandkeh ah OOT-lwah›
Ga ke utlweI don't understandghah keh OOT-lweh›
Bua ka iketlo, tswee-tsweeSpeak slowly, pleaseBOO-ah kah ee-KEH-tloh, tsweh-TSWEH›

See all 14 phrases →

Speaking like a local

O ka nthusa?Help!oh kah ntoo-SAH›
Dumela (rra/mma)Hi / hello . It is the same word used formally: add rra or mma to make it respectful, and use Dumelang for a group or an elderdoo-MEH-lah (rrah / mmah)›
Wa reng?What's up? / What are you saying?wah RENG›
Lo kae? / O kae?How's it? / Where you at?loh KAH-eh / oh KAH-eh›
Ke tengI'm good / I'm herekeh TENG›
EeYeah / yepEH-eh›
NnyaaNah / non-NYAH›
Go siameOK / alright, and also a casual 'bye'gho see-AH-meh›
Sharp / E sharpCool / all goodsharp / eh sharp›
Re tla bonanaSee you / catch you laterreh tlah boh-NAH-nah›