Language Guide

While travelling in Africa it is usually an edge if you can endeavor to talk the area languages, particularly with there being 9 formal languages in South Africa by yourself. This short language Guidebook gives you translation in 7 languages and will at minimum support you with the really standard concerns that you may perhaps need to talk to together the way.

Asking a concern in a people dwelling language, no matter if it be Sotho or English often provides a smile to someones encounter and pleasant South Africans are all over the place!

I have listed the queries and statements for simplicity of use under:

Problem:
Exactly where is the Airport? – English
Waar is die lughawe? – Afrikaans
Boemefane bo kae? – N.Sotho
Difofaneng ke kae? – Sesotho
Boemadifofane bo kae? – Tswane
Siphi isikhululo senqwelo moya? – Xhosa
Ikuphi inkundla yezindiza? – Zulu

Dilemma:
Where is the station? – English
Waar is die stasie? – Afrikaans
Seteisena se kai? – N.Sotho
Seteishena se hokae? – Sesotho
Seteisena se kae? – Tswana
Siphi isikhululo? – Xhosa
Sikuphi isiteshi? – Zulu

Query:
Where is the nearest Hotel/Motel?
– English
Waar is die naaste hotel/motel?
– Afrikaans
Hotele/Motele ya kgauswi e kae?
– N.Sotho
Hotele e/Motele o haufiufi e/ho kae?
– Sesotho
Hotele/Motele e e gaufi e kau?
– Tswana
Iphi ihotele/indwo yabahambi ekufutshane? – Xhosa
Likuphi ihhotela eliseduza? – Zulu

Dilemma:
Is the water drinkable? – English
Is die drinking water drinkbaar? – Afrikaans
A satisfies a a a ngewa? – N.Sotho
Na metsi a a nweha? – Sesotho
A metsi a ka nowa? – Tswana
Ayaselwa na amanzi? – Xhosa
Singawaphuza amanzi na? – Zulu

Statement:
I have a scheduling! – English
Ek het n’ bespreking – Afrikaans
Ke beeleditse marabalo – N.Sotho
Ke beheleditse – Sesotho
Ke dirile peelelo – Tswana
Ndigicinelwe indawo – Xhosa
Ngibhukile – Zulu

Query:
Wherever is the nearest Doctor/hospital/
police station/ telephone? – English
Waar is die Naaste Dokter/healthcare facility/
polisiestasie/telefoon? – Afrikaans
Ngaka ya kgauswi e kae? Sepetlele sa kgauswi se kae?/ Seteisene sa maphodisa sa kgauswi se kae? Mogala wa kgauswi o kae? – N.Sotho
Ngaka/sepetlele/mapoleseng/telephone e haufiufi e kae? – Sesotho
Ngaka/sepetlele/mapodisa/mogala e e/ se se / a a / o o gaufi e / se / a / o/ kae? – Tswana
Undawoni ugqirha/isibhedlele/isikhululo samapolisa/ifoni ekufutshane? – Xhosa -Ukuphi udoktela

Yes – English
Ja – Afrikaans
Ee – N.Sotho
E! – Sesotho
Ee – Tswana
Ewe – Xhosa
Yebo – Zulu

Remember to – English
Asseblief – Afrikaans
Hle…/…hle – N.Sotho
(Ka kopo) Hle – Sesotho
Tsweetswee – Tswana
Nceda – Xhosa
Uxolo – Zulu

No – English
Nee – Afrikaans
Aowa – N.Sotho
The – Sesotho
Nnyaa – Tswana
Hayi – Xhosa
Cha – Zulu

Thank you – English
Dankie – Afrikaans
Ke a leboga – N.Sotho
Ke a leboha – Sesotho
Ke a leboga – Tswana
Enkosi – Xhosa
Ngiyabonga – Zulu

“Hamba kahle” (pack nicely – journey properly) see you soon in Sunny South Africa.