🇸🇿
Common Swati Phrases
Essential Swati (siSwati) phrases with pronunciation guides.
👋Greetings & Basics
| English | Swati | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Sawubona | sa-wu-BO-na |
| Good morning | Livumile | li-vu-MI-le |
| Good afternoon | Sawubona ntambama | sa-wu-BO-na nta-MBA-ma |
| Good evening | Sawubona ebusuku | sa-wu-BO-na e-bu-SU-ku |
| Goodbye | Sala kahle | SA-la KA-hle |
| See you later | Sizobuye sibone | si-ZO-bu-ye si-BO-ne |
| How are you? | Unjani? | u-NJA-ni |
| I am fine | Ngisaphila | ngi-sa-PHI-la |
| Thank you | Ngiyabonga | ngi-ya-BO-nga |
| Please | Ngicela | ngi-CE-la |
| Sorry | Ngiyaxolisa | ngi-ya-xo-LI-sa |
| Yes | Yebo | YE-bo |
| No | Cha | cha |
| My name is | Ligama lami | li-GA-ma LA-mi |
| Nice to meet you | Ngiyajabula ukukwati | ngi-ya-ja-BU-la u-ku-KWA-ti |
| Do you speak English? | Ukhuluma siBhunu? | u-KHU-lu-ma si-BHU-nu |
| I don't understand | Angikukhoni | a-ngi-ku-KHO-ni |
| Welcome | Wamukelekile | wa-mu-ke-le-KI-le |
| Good night | Lala kahle | LA-la KA-hle |
| Cheers | Phakamisa | pha-ka-MI-sa |
✈️Travel
| English | Swati | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the hotel? | Ikhamphi ikhona kuphi? | i-KHAM-phi i-KHO-na KU-phi |
| I need a taxi | Ndzinga tekisi | NDI-nga te-KI-si |
| How much does it cost? | Kubiza malini? | ku-BI-za ma-LI-ni |
| Airport | Indzawo yemindiza | in-DZA-wo ye-min-DI-za |
| Train station | Isiteshini | i-si-te-SHI-ni |
| Bus stop | Indzawo yebhasi | in-DZA-wo ye-BHA-si |
| Where is the bathroom? | Indlu encane ikhona kuphi? | in-DLU en-CA-ne i-KHO-na KU-phi |
| I am lost | Ngilahlekile | ngi-la-hle-KI-le |
| Help me please | Ngisize ngicela | NGI-si-ze ngi-CE-la |
| Turn left | Phenduka kwekhohlo | phen-DU-ka kwe-KHO-hlo |
| Turn right | Phenduka kwesekudla | phen-DU-ka kwe-se-ku-DLA |
| Straight ahead | Phambili | pham-BI-li |
| Near | Eduze | e-DU-ze |
| Far | Kude | KU-de |
| Passport | Phaspoti | PHAS-po-ti |
| Ticket | Tikiti | ti-KI-ti |
| Hotel | Ikhamphi | i-KHAM-phi |
| Hospital | Esibhedlela | e-si-bhe-DLE-la |
| Police | Emapolisa | e-ma-po-LI-sa |
| Map | Imephu | i-ME-phu |
🍽️Food & Dining
| English | Swati | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| I am hungry | Ngilambe | ngi-LAM-be |
| I am thirsty | Ngomile | ngo-MI-le |
| Water | Emanti | e-MAN-ti |
| Food | Kudla | KU-dla |
| Bread | Isinkwa | i-SIN-kwa |
| Rice | Layisi | la-YI-si |
| Meat | Inyama | i-NYA-ma |
| Chicken | Inkukhu | in-KU-khu |
| Fish | Inhlanzi | in-HLAN-zi |
| Vegetables | Emachocho | e-ma-CHO-cho |
| Fruit | Titselo | ti-TSE-lo |
| Coffee | Ikhoffi | i-KHOF-fi |
| Tea | Litiye | li-TI-ye |
| Beer | Libhiya | li-BHI-ya |
| The bill please | Ikhonto ngicela | i-KHON-to ngi-CE-la |
| Delicious | Kumnandzi | ku-MNAN-dzi |
| Restaurant | Indlu yokudlela | in-DLU yo-ku-DLE-la |
| Menu | Imenyu | i-ME-nyu |
| Salt | Luswayi | lu-SWA-yi |
| Spicy | Kubaba | ku-BA-ba |
🚨Emergency
| English | Swati | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | Ngisite! | NGI-si-te |
| Call the police | Shayela emapolisa | sha-YE-la e-ma-po-LI-sa |
| I need a doctor | Ngidinga dokotela | ngi-DIN-ga do-ko-TE-la |
| Fire! | Umlilo! | u-MLI-lo |
| Thief! | Isela! | i-SE-la |
| I am sick | Ngiyagula | ngi-ya-GU-la |
| I am injured | Ngilemele | ngi-le-ME-le |
| Emergency | Ingozi | i-NGO-zi |
| Hospital | Esibhedlela | e-si-bhe-DLE-la |
| Ambulance | Ambulensi | am-bu-LEN-si |
| I am lost | Ngilahlekile | ngi-la-hle-KI-le |
| Danger | Ingoti | i-NGO-ti |
| Stop! | Yima! | YI-ma |
| Go away! | Suka lapha! | SU-ka LA-pha |
💼Business
| English | Swati | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting | Umhlangano | um-hla-NGA-no |
| Office | Ihhovisi | i-hho-VI-si |
| Manager | Umphathi | um-PHA-thi |
| Contract | Sivumelwano | si-vu-mel-WA-no |
| Payment | Inkokhelo | in-ko-KHE-lo |
| Invoice | Invoyisi | in-vo-YI-si |
| Bank | Ibhanki | i-BHAN-ki |
| Price | Intengo | in-TEN-go |
| Company | Inkampani | in-kham-PA-ni |
| Imeyili | i-me-YI-li | |
| Phone | Ucingo | u-CIN-go |
| Please call me | Ngicela ungishayele | ngi-CE-la u-ngi-sha-YE-le |
| Thank you for your time | Ngiyabonga ngeskhati sakho | ngi-ya-BO-nga nge-SKH-a-ti SA-kho |
| I agree | Ngiyavuma | ngi-ya-VU-ma |
🔢Numbers & Time
| English | Swati | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| One | Kunye | KU-nye |
| Two | Kubili | ku-BI-li |
| Three | Kutsatfu | ku-TSA-tfu |
| Four | Kune | KU-ne |
| Five | Kuhlanu | ku-HLA-nu |
| Six | Siyisitfupha | si-yi-si-TFU-pha |
| Seven | Sikhombisa | si-KHOM-bi-sa |
| Eight | Siyisishiyagalombili | si-yi-si-shi-ya-ga-lo-MBI-li |
| Nine | Siyisishiyagalolunye | si-yi-si-shi-ya-ga-lo-LU-nye |
| Ten | Lishumi | li-SHU-mi |
| Twenty | Makhumalo mabili | ma-KHU-ma-lo ma-BI-li |
| Hundred | Likhulu | li-KHU-lu |
| Thousand | Inkhulungwane | in-khu-lu-GWA-ne |
| What time is it? | Ngu ngalo muni? | ngu NGA-lo MU-ni |
| Today | Lamuhla | la-MUH-la |
| Tomorrow | Kusasa | ku-SA-sa |
| Yesterday | Itolo | i-TO-lo |
| Monday | Umvulo | um-VU-lo |
| Friday | Ulasihlanu | u-la-si-HLA-nu |
| Weekend | Imphelasonto | im-phe-la-SON-to |
🧠
Think you know your Swati phrases?
Put your knowledge to the test with our free 10-question quiz.
Take the Swati Quiz →📚
Most Common Swati Words
Essential nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
🌐
Need more than phrases in Swati?
Use our free AI-powered translator for any text, document or conversation.
Open Swati Translator →