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Common Sesotho Phrases
Essential Sesotho (Sesotho) phrases with pronunciation guides.
👋Greetings & Basics
| English | Sesotho | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Lumela | lu-ME-la |
| Good morning | Lumela bosasa | lu-ME-la bo-SA-sa |
| Good evening | Lumela mantsiboa | lu-ME-la mant-si-BO-a |
| Good night | Robala hantle | ro-BA-la HAN-tle |
| How are you? | O phela jwang? | o PHE-la JWANG |
| I'm fine, thank you | Ke phela hantle, kea leboha | ke PHE-la HAN-tle ke-a le-BO-ha |
| What is your name? | Lebitso la hao ke mang? | le-BIT-so la HA-o ke MANG |
| My name is... | Lebitso la ka ke... | le-BIT-so la KA ke... |
| Nice to meet you | Ke thabile ho o bona | ke tha-BI-le ho o BO-na |
| Please | Ke kopa | ke KO-pa |
| Thank you | Kea leboha | ke-a le-BO-ha |
| You're welcome | Ha ho na mathata | ha ho na ma-THA-ta |
| Yes | Ee | EE |
| No | Tjhe | TJHE |
| Sorry | Ke maswabi | ke ma-SWA-bi |
| Excuse me | Mpoloke | mpo-LO-ke |
| Goodbye | Sala hantle | SA-la HAN-tle |
| See you later | Re tla boelana | re tla bo-e-LA-na |
| I don't understand | Ha ke utlwisise | ha ke ut-lwi-SI-se |
| Do you speak English? | A o bua Senyesemane? | a o BU-a se-nye-se-MA-ne |
✈️Travel
| English | Sesotho | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the airport? | Lebotsi la difofane le hokae? | le-BOT-si la di-fo-FA-ne le ho-KA-e |
| How much does this cost? | E hola hakae? | e HO-la ha-KA-e |
| I need a taxi | Ke hloka teksi | ke HLO-ka TEK-si |
| Where is the hotel? | Hotele e hokae? | ho-TE-le e ho-KA-e |
| I have a reservation | Ke na le reserved | ke na le re-SERV-d |
| Train station | Seteishene sa terene | se-tei-SHE-ne sa te-RE-ne |
| Bus stop | Moo bese e emang teng | mo-o BE-se e e-MANG teng |
| Ticket | Tekete | te-KE-te |
| Passport | Pasepote | pa-se-PO-te |
| Help! | Thusa! | THU-sa |
| I'm lost | Ke lahlehile | ke la-hle-HI-le |
| Turn left | Retela ka ho le letshehadi | re-TE-la ka ho le let-she-HA-di |
| Turn right | Retela ka ho le letona | re-TE-la ka ho le le-TO-na |
| Straight ahead | Tswela pele ka pele | tswe-LA PE-le ka PE-le |
| How far is it? | E hole hakae? | e HO-le ha-KA-e |
| Museum | Musiamo | mu-SI-a-mo |
| Beach | Lebopong la lewatle | le-BO-pong la le-WA-tle |
| Hospital | Sepetlele | se-pe-TLE-le |
| Pharmacy | Famasi | fa-MA-si |
| Police station | Seteishene sa mapodisa | se-tei-SHE-ne sa ma-po-DI-sa |
🍽️Food & Dining
| English | Sesotho | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| I'm hungry | Ke ya lapisa | ke ya la-PI-sa |
| I'm thirsty | Ke nyorwa | ke NYO-rwa |
| The menu, please | Menu, ke kopa | ME-nu ke KO-pa |
| Water | Metsi | MET-si |
| Coffee | Kofi | KO-fi |
| Bread | Bohobe | bo-HO-be |
| Meat | Nama | NA-ma |
| Vegetarian | Ha ja nama | ha JA NA-ma |
| Delicious | Ho monate | ho mo-NA-te |
| The bill, please | Akhonto, ke kopa | a-KHON-to ke KO-pa |
| I am allergic to... | Ke na le aleji ho... | ke na le a-LE-ji ho... |
| No sugar | Ha suikiri | ha SUI-ki-ri |
| Breakfast | Dijo tsa masa | DI-jo tsa MA-sa |
| Lunch | Dijo tsa motsheare | DI-jo tsa mot-she-A-re |
| Dinner | Dijo tsa mantsiboa | DI-jo tsa mant-si-BO-a |
| Restaurant | Restorant | res-to-RANT |
| Table for two | Tafole bakeng sa ba babedi | ta-FO-le ba-KENG sa ba ba-BE-di |
| Beer | Joala | jo-A-la |
| Wine | Weine | WEI-ne |
| Dessert | Dessert | de-SERT |
🚨Emergency
| English | Sesotho | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | Thusa! | THU-sa |
| Call the police! | Bitsa mapodisa! | BIT-sa ma-po-DI-sa |
| I need a doctor | Ke hloka ngaka | ke HLO-ka NGA-ka |
| Fire! | Mollo! | MOL-lo |
| Ambulance | Ambulense | am-bu-LEN-se |
| I've been robbed | Ke ile ka utswa | ke I-le ka UT-swa |
| I'm injured | Ke gobetse | ke go-BET-se |
| Emergency | Maemo a tshohanyetso | ma-E-mo a tsho-ha-NYE-tso |
| Where is the hospital? | Sepetlele se hokae? | se-pe-TLE-le se ho-KA-e |
| Lost passport | Pasepote e lahlehileng | pa-se-PO-te e la-hle-HI-leng |
| I need help | Ke hloka thuso | ke HLO-ka THU-so |
| Danger | Kotsi | KOT-si |
| Stop! | Ema! | E-ma |
| Thief! | Leshodu! | le-SHO-du |
| I'm sick | Ke a kula | ke a KU-la |
💼Business
| English | Sesotho | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | Lumela bosasa | lu-ME-la bo-SA-sa |
| I have a meeting | Ke na le kopano | ke na le ko-PA-no |
| Business card | Karete ya khoebo | ka-RE-te ya kho-E-bo |
| What is your email? | Imeile ya hao ke eng? | i-MEI-le ya HA-o ke ENG |
| I work for... | Ke sebetsa ho... | ke se-BET-sa ho... |
| Manager | Motsamaisi | mo-tsa-MAI-si |
| Meeting | Kopano | ko-PA-no |
| Office | Ofisi | o-FI-si |
| Budget | Bajete | ba-JE-te |
| Invoice | Invoyisi | in-vo-YI-si |
| Contract | Konteraka | kon-te-RA-ka |
| Deadline | Matsatsi a ho fela | mat-SAT-si a ho FE-la |
| Partnership | Boratoana | bo-ra-to-A-na |
| Thank you for your time | Kea leboha nako ya hao | ke-a le-BO-ha NA-ko ya HA-o |
🔢Numbers & Time
| English | Sesotho | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| One | Nngwe | NNGWE |
| Two | Pedi | PE-di |
| Three | Tharo | THA-ro |
| Four | Nne | NNE |
| Five | Hlano | HLA-no |
| Six | Tshelela | tshe-LE-la |
| Seven | Supileng | su-PI-leng |
| Eight | Robedi | ro-BE-di |
| Nine | Robong | ro-BONG |
| Ten | Leshome | le-SHO-me |
| Twenty | Mashome a mabedi | ma-SHO-me a ma-BE-di |
| Fifty | Mashome a mahlano | ma-SHO-me a ma-HLA-no |
| One hundred | Lekgolo | le-KGO-lo |
| One thousand | Sekete | se-KE-te |
| What time is it? | Ke nako efe? | ke NA-ko E-fe |
| Today | Kajeno | ka-JE-no |
| Tomorrow | Hosasa | ho-SA-sa |
| Yesterday | Maobane | ma-o-BA-ne |
| Monday | Mantaha | man-TA-ha |
| Friday | Labohlano | la-bo-HLA-no |
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