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Setswana is the national language and English is the official language.
Here are some of the basic phrases in Setswana:
| English |
Setswana |
Hear it! |
| Yes |
Ee (Ee, mma - answering a woman, ee rra - answering a man) |
 |
| No |
Nnyaa, mma / rra |
 |
| Hello (to a woman) |
Dumela, mma (Dumelang, bo mma - plural) |
 |
| Hello (to a man) |
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 |
Ke itumetse |
 |
| 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 batla metsi |
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