Setswana lessons in Gaborone
New to Gaborone, or working in Botswana? English opens the office door, but a few words of Setswana open people's homes. Greeting someone properly in Setswana is noticed and appreciated. Learn online with a live tutor, at times that fit around work.
45 minutes online, from $16.58, booked around your working hours. Save up to 10% with 5 or 10 lessons.
Choose a tutor →The interactive Setswana beginner guide, with sound, for practice between lessons.
Start the beginner guide →Team packages for organisations, embassies and NGOs whose staff are new to Botswana.
See team packages →Setswana you will use in your first week
| English | Word | Say it like |
|---|---|---|
| Hello, sir | Dumela, rra | doo-MEH-lah, rrah |
| Hello, ma’am | Dumela, mma | doo-MEH-lah, mmah |
| How are you? | O kae? | oh KAH-eh |
| Thank you | Ke a leboga | keh ah leh-BO-gha |
| Please | Tswee-tswee | tsweh-TSWEH |
| My name is … | Leina la me ke … | leh-EE-nah lah meh keh |
Using rra (sir) and mma (madam) with a greeting is a sign of respect in Botswana, and it is one of the first things a tutor will teach you.
Questions people ask
Where can I learn Setswana in Gaborone?
You can learn Setswana online with a live tutor on Bantu Plaza, from anywhere in Gaborone, at times that suit your work. Lessons are 45 minutes, from $16.58.
How do you greet someone in Setswana?
Say Dumela to one person or Dumelang to a group. Adding rra for a man or mma for a woman, as in Dumela rra, is polite.
Can my organisation book lessons for staff?
Yes. Bantu Plaza offers team packages for organisations whose staff are new to Botswana or South Africa.
Is Setswana spoken outside Botswana?
Yes. Setswana is also widely spoken in South Africa, particularly in North West province.