Language/Tswana/Vocabulary/Polite-Expressions

Tswana → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Basic Greetings → Polite Expressions

In this lesson, you will learn basic polite expressions in Tswana. These expressions include please, thank you, sorry, and how to ask for assistance. Politeness is a key aspect of Tswana culture, and mastering these expressions will help you navigate social situations with ease.

Polite Expressions

In Tswana, there are many ways to express politeness. Here are a few essential expressions that you can use in daily conversation:

Tswana	Pronunciation	English
Ke kopa...	Kay kaw-paw...	Please can I have...
Ke a leboga	Kay ah lay-baw-gah	Thank you
Ke kopa diphoso	Kay kaw-paw dee-paw-saw	Excuse me (when asking for assistance)
Ntshwarele	Nt-shwah-reh-leh	Sorry/Forgive me

Here are some examples of how you can use these expressions:

• Ke kopa thuso: Please help me
• Ke a leboga: Thank you
• Ke kopa diphoso, ke itse go fitlha?: Excuse me, do you know where it is?
• Ntshwarele ke batla go bua: Sorry, I want to speak

Learning and using these expressions will help you show respect and build positive relationships with Tswana speakers.

Asking for Assistance

If you need help or want to ask for assistance politely, here are some common expressions:

• Ke kopa thuso: Please help me
• Ke kopa diphoso: Excuse me (when asking for assistance)
• Na o batla thuso?: Do you need help?
• A o tlhokometseng go tsenya?: Do you need help to enter?

Conclusion

In this lesson, you learned some essential Tswana polite expressions that you can use to show respect and build rapport with Tswana speakers. Remember to use these expressions in your daily conversations, and you'll quickly see how much they are appreciated.

Table of Contents - Tswana Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Basic Greetings

• Greetings and Introductions
• Polite Expressions

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Sentence Structure

• Subject Pronouns
• Verb Conjugation

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Numbers

• Counting 1-10
• Ordinal Numbers

  ---

Days of the Week and Months

• Days of the Week
• Months of the Year

  ---

Nouns and Articles

• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Plural Nouns

  ---

Common Objects and Places

• Household Items
• Places in Town

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
• Adverbs

  ---

Food and Drink

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Meals and Dining

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Prepositions of Place
• Prepositions of Time
• Conjunctions

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

  ---

Possessives and Demonstratives

• Possessive Pronouns and Adjectives
• Demonstrative Pronouns and Adjectives

  ---

Tswana Traditions and Customs

• Traditional Clothing
• Tswana Cuisine

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Tswana Holidays and Celebrations

• National Holidays
• Traditional Celebrations

Other Lessons

• Months of the Year
• Family Members
• How to Say Hello and Greetings
• Count to 10
• Days of the Week
• Geography
• Clothes
• Animals
• Places in Town

Sources

• Peace Corps/ Botswana - An Introduction to the Setswana Language
• An Introduction to Spoken Setswana.