Appendix:Basic Tswana glossary

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Here are basic words and conversational phrases in Tswana:

Translation Phrase
(formal)
Phrase
(informal)
Hello, Sir. Dumela rra.
/dumɪla r̩ra/
 
Hello, Madam. Dumela mma.
/dumɪla m̩mo/
 
Hey!   Eitha!
/ɪ.itʰa/
How are you? O tsogile jang?
/ʊ t͡sʊŋilɪ d͡ʒaŋ/
Le kae?
/lɪ ka.ɪ/
I'm well. Ke tsogile sentle.
/kɪ t͡sʊŋilɪ sɪnt͡ɬɪ/
Re teng.
/rɪ tɪŋ/
    Ga ke re sepe.
/χa kɪ rɪ sɪpːɪ/
Thank you. Ke a leboga.
/kɪ a lɪbʊχa/
Ke itumetse.
/kɪ itumɪt͡sɪ/
Please. Tswee-tswee.
/t͡swɪ.ɪ t͡swɪ.ɪ/
What is your name? Leina la gago ke mang?
/lɪ.ina la χaχʊ kɪ maŋ/
O mang?
/ʊ maŋ/
My name is... Leina la me ko...
/lɪ.ina la mɪ kʊ/
I need help. Ke kopa thuso.
/kɪ kʊpa tʰusʊ/
May I help you? A nka go thusa?
/a n̩ka χʊ tʰusa/
What is ... in Tswana? ... ke eng ka Setswana?
/kɪ ɪŋ ka sɪt͡swana/
I like... Ke rata...
/kɪ rata/
I don't like... Ga ke rate...
/χa kɪ ratɪ/
I want... Ke batla...
/kɪ bat͡ɬa/
I don't want... Ga ke batle...
/χa kɪ bat͡ɬɪ/
Let's go.
A re tsamaye.
/a rɪ t͡samajɪ/
A re vaye.
/a rɪ vajɪ/
Stay well.
(Said to a person staying)
Sala sentle.
/sala sɪnt͡ɬɪ/
 
Go well.
(Said to a person leaving)
Tsamaya sentle.
/t͡samaja sɪnt͡ɬɪ/
 
Good night. Boroko.
/bʊrʊkʊ/
 
Sleep well. Robala sentle.
/rʊbala sɪnt͡ɬɪ/
 
Bye!
  Šarp!
/ʃarp/