How are you? Le kae? O tsogile jang? Do you speak Setswana?
| Hello sir | Dumela, rra (Dumelang, bo rra – plural) |
| How are you? | Le kae? O tsogile jang? |
| Good bye – it is OK | Go siame |
| Go well | Tsamaya sentle |
| Stay well | Sala sentle |
| Thank you | Kea leboga |
| I do not know | Ga ke itse (“g” is pronounced as “r” in French) |
| Do you speak Setswana? | A o bua Setswana? |
| I speak Setswana just a little | Ke bua Setswana go le gonnye fela |
| I don’t speak Setswana | Ga ke bue Setswana |
| No problem | Ga gona mathata |
| I am fine | Ke tsogile sentle. Ke teng. |
| Come in | Tsena (Tsenang – plural) |
| Come here | Tla kwano |
| How much is this? | Ke bo kae? |
| I don’t have any money | Ga ke na madi |
| What would you like? | O batla eng? or O rata eng? |
| I want some water | Ke kopa metsi |
How do people greet each other in Botswana?
Start with hello, which is “dumela rra” (doo-meh-lah rah) to a man and “dumela mma” (doo-meh-lah mah) to a woman. Follow that with a handshake: Step 1 Extend your right hand and place your left under your right elbow, as if you were supporting an injured arm. Lightly clasp hands as you would in the U.S.
How are you doing in Botswana?
How are you? – O Kae? How much does it cost? – Ke bokae?
How do you say how are you in Tswana?
The words rra (sir) and mma (madam) are used in formal phrases.
Useful phrases in Tswana.
| English | Setswana (Tswana) |
|---|---|
| Hello (General greeting) | Dumela |
| How are you? | O tsogile jang (sg) Le kae? (sg) Le tsogile jang? (pl) |
| Reply to ‘How are you?’ | Ke tsogile sentle (sg) Re teng (sg) Re tsogile sentle (pl) |
| Long time no see | Ke kgale re sa bonane |
How do you say good morning in Botswana?
- Dumela means Good day/Morning/Afternoon/Evening. You can say this to anyone at any time of the day.
- Dumelang you say this to greet a group of people together.
- Gaborone pronounce.
- Go Siame means goodbye.
- Sharp also means goodbye (but used by young people)
- Madi means money.
- Dijo (di-dinner, means food.
What language does Botswana speak?
The official languages of Botswana are English and Tswana. English – Inherited from colonial rule and is used for official business and most written communication. Tswana – The language of the Tswana people—Setswana—is a country’s national language, and is spoken by most of the population.