Published on and written by Cyril Jarnias
Moving to Botswana isn’t just about changing countries; it’s about entering a rich cultural universe where language holds a central place. In daily life, at the market, at the kgotla (traditional meeting place), in villages as well as in the popular neighborhoods of Gaborone or Francistown, Setswana structures exchanges, codes of politeness, and even access to certain information. For an expatriate, understanding and speaking at least a little of this local language profoundly changes the experience of the stay.
Why Setswana is Essential for an Expatriate
Botswana is officially bilingual: English and Setswana are the official languages. English dominates administration, university, business, and school, but Setswana remains the language of daily life for about 80% of the population. In many rural areas, it is sometimes the only language actually used.
Even though English can be used professionally in Gaborone, learning the basics of Setswana allows for better contact with colleagues, warmer neighborly relations, easier exchanges with elderly people who don’t speak English, and a finer understanding of social codes.
In Botswana, language cannot be separated from culture. The country’s cultural policy, in fact, emphasizes the role of schools in preserving Botswana culture, with the idea that sustainable education must transmit values, practices, traditional games, music, and gastronomy – all elements carried by the language. For an expatriate, taking up Setswana, even modestly, is therefore about opening a door to this culture.
Understanding Botswana’s Linguistic Ecosystem
While Setswana is the national language, the linguistic landscape is much more diverse. It includes other indigenous languages like iKalanga, Shekgalagari, Shiyeyi, or Naro, as well as varieties like Sekwena or Segatla. In some villages, Kalanga, for example, is dominant, while in others, standard Setswana is heard more.
The government now broadcasts TV and radio news in four indigenous languages (Shekgalagari, iKalanga, Shiyeyi, Naro), in addition to Setswana and English. This initiative aims to give a voice to communities, strengthen national unity, and prepare for the future teaching of these languages in schools. For an expatriate, this confirms the priority of learning Setswana while fostering sensitivity to local multilingualism.
The public radio station, “Seroma mowa sa Botswana”, has been broadcasting for decades in Setswana and English. Listening to Radio Botswana or BTV, where over 90% of programs are produced locally, is a very accessible way to hear the language as it is actually spoken.
Cultural Codes Carried by the Language
In Botswana, the way to greet goes beyond a simple verbal exchange. Greetings are considered fundamental, sometimes more important than thanks. A “Dumela, rra” (hello, sir) or “Dumela, mma” (hello, madam), accompanied by a handshake where the left hand supports the right forearm, shows respect. Men are expected to remove their hats during greetings. It’s a detail, but a detail that does not go unnoticed.
Learning Setswana, a local language of Botswana, involves mastering key social concepts. This includes respect for elders, the use of specific polite phrases, understanding the role of the *kgotla* (community assembly for debate) and its rules for speaking. Terms like *pula* (meaning both ‘rain’ and ‘money’, symbolizing prosperity) and *botho* (representing humanity, respect, and solidarity) condense fundamental cultural values.
In many contexts, expatriates note that using a few phrases in Setswana at the start of a discussion, even if the conversation continues in English, noticeably changes the tone of the exchange. This approach is considered a sign of consideration and an effort to integrate.
Quick Anatomy of Setswana for Beginners
To understand what you’re getting into, it’s useful to grasp some key structural features of Setswana. It is a Bantu, tonal language, with five vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and a very developed system of noun classes.
Unlike English, there are no definite or indefinite articles: it is the noun class, expressed by a prefix, that carries part of the grammatical meaning. Adjectives, possessive pronouns, and even verbs agree with this class. This creates very regular structures, but ones that are confusing for a French or English speaker at first.
In French, verb tenses and aspects are formed using prefixes, infixes, and suffixes, not by a simple suffix like ‘-ed’ in English. Negation is expressed by simultaneously modifying an element placed before the verb (like ‘ne’) and the form of the verb itself (like ‘pas’). Unlike standard English, double negatives, like ‘ne…rien’ or ‘ne…jamais’, are grammatically correct and common.
For English-speaking expatriates, one of the major challenges comes from sounds absent from English, like certain clicks borrowed from other languages or aspirated consonants. Conversely, Setswana speakers may struggle with English sounds like dental fricatives (“th”) or certain consonant clusters at the end of words. Understanding these asymmetries helps anticipate your own pronunciation difficulties.
First Words and Useful Phrases for Daily Life
Upon arrival, a few simple words and structures allow you to navigate daily life:
Here are some essential phrases in Setswana, a language spoken in Botswana and South Africa, for greetings and politeness: to greet (“Dumela” to one person, “Dumelang” to several), ask how someone is (“Le kae?” or “O tsogile jang?”), respond (“Ke teng” for ‘I am fine’, “Re teng” for ‘we are fine’), say thank you (“Ke a leboga”), say please (“Tswee‑tswee”), express understanding (“Ke a tlhaloganya” for ‘I understand’, “Ga ke tlhaloganye” for ‘I don’t understand’), introduce yourself (“Leina la me ke…” for ‘my name is…’), ask where someone is from (“O tswa kae?”) and say goodbye (“Tsamaya sentle” to the person leaving, “Sala sentle” to the person staying).
For expatriates living outside very international neighborhoods, these expressions quickly become indispensable for approaching a neighbor, bargaining at the market, or simply starting a conversation with a taxi driver, a security guard, or a coworker.
Table 1 – Examples of Digital Resources for Starting Setswana
| Resource | Type | Target Audience | Main Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learn Setswana 2.0 | Free mobile app | Visitors and expatriates | Audio Setswana/English, thematic vocabulary, offline use |
| Ithute Setswana | Mobile app (Android) | Beginner to advanced | Reading, writing, speaking, synced progress across devices |
| Fast – Speak Setswana | iOS app | Beginners, casual use | Short audio lessons, simple interface, flexible learning |
| TswanaPhrases1 & 2 | Android apps | Tourists, absolute beginners | ~75 basic phrases, random or sequential reading, small file size |
| Mzanzi Kids | App for children 2–6 | Young children, bilingual families | Early learning, includes several African languages including Setswana |
These tools are designed for on-the-go use: you can listen to recordings on the bus, at the gym, while cooking, repeat phrases, and gradually memorize the correct pronunciation.
Structured Courses: Universities, Language Centers, and Short Programs
Alongside free apps and resources, several Botswana institutions have set up structured courses, particularly suited for expatriates on long-term stays or seeking naturalization.
Botho University, for example, offers a ten-week introductory course to Setswana and culture, specially designed for a very international student and working population. The stated goal is modest but very useful: to be able to greet correctly, build simple sentences, and follow basic exchanges. This type of training is even considered necessary for foreigners who wish to apply for Botswana citizenship, proof of the importance given to minimal mastery of the national language.
Options for virtual courses offered by Botswana universities, ideal for active expatriates.
Offers virtual Setswana modules, sometimes integrated into broader programs on Botswana culture.
Offers online courses with videos, interactive exercises, and downloadable materials for flexible learning.
A realistic option for full-time professionals, allowing learning at your own pace.
In Francistown, the Setswana Cultural Association, Francistown Community College, or a Tswana Language and Cultural School complete the picture: evening classes, conversation workshops, integrated cultural activities (dance, storytelling, traditional games…). These programs take into account that Setswana is very present in the region, alongside other languages like Kalanga or Ndebele.
Table 2 – Examples of Structured Courses for Expatriates
| Institution / Program | Main Format | Goals for an Expatriate |
|---|---|---|
| Botho University (Gaborone) | 10-week course | Master greetings, simple sentences, basic culture |
| University of Botswana / BOU | Virtual modules | Deepen grammar, culture, academic or professional use |
| Francistown Community College | Part-time courses | Social practice, local immersion in Francistown |
| Setswana Cultural Association | Workshops + activities | Cultural discovery, idioms, common expressions |
| Study Abroad Programs (CIEE, Pitzer) | Course + homestay | Intensive immersion: host family, fieldwork, student clubs |
Study abroad programs (Pitzer, CIEE) often rely on a powerful principle for language learning: homestays. Families are considered co-educators, meaning the stay goes beyond simply renting a room. For an expatriate who comes to work rather than study, drawing inspiration from this model – for example, by avoiding a too-closed “expat bubble” – can significantly accelerate progress in Setswana.
Private Tutors, Tutoring, and Individualized Support
Another lever for rapid progress is to use private tutors. Specialized platforms connect learners and Setswana teachers, in Gaborone as well as online. Some tutors are certified teachers, others are professionals from other sectors (police officers, engineers, law students, etc.) partially converted to language teaching.
The teachers share Setswana as their native language and recommend regular practice, immediate corrections, and immersion in real situations (market, meetings, outings). Some, TEFL certified for English, apply their language acquisition expertise to their teaching.
Alongside these global platforms, local tutoring companies, like Lion Tutoring, offer Setswana courses for all levels, including specific preparation (exams, immigration interviews, professional needs). Their teachers provide in-person instruction in major cities (Gaborone, Francistown, Palapye, Molepolole, Mogoditshane) or online, with strong experience in the country’s school programs.
Integrating Culture into Learning: Methods that Work
Research conducted in education in Botswana and the region converges on one point: it is practically impossible to separate language and culture without impoverishing learning. For an expatriate, this means it is better to avoid a purely “academic” approach focused on abstract vocabulary lists.
Several methods prove particularly effective:
To learn Setswana effectively, it is recommended to use your native language as a temporary stepping stone without relying on it, to favor interactive methods (role-playing, discussions), to involve the local community to enrich learning, and to create or join cultural clubs to practice naturally.
Research also shows that when the language of instruction does not match the students’ native language, difficulties multiply (problems understanding instructions, grammar errors, slowness in writing). This observation is true for Setswana-speaking children learning in English, but it can be reversed: for an adult expatriate, completely ignoring Setswana in an environment dominated by this language creates a similar “blind spot.” Even a basic functional level significantly reduces this friction.
Leveraging Botswana Media for Learning
National radio and television offer almost free immersion accessible everywhere in the country. BTV, the first African channel to have fully adopted a digital production system, produces a large majority of its programs locally. To practice Setswana, listening to news, debates, or cultural magazines is extremely valuable.
Radio Botswana broadcasts approximately 18 hours of programs daily in Setswana and English.
The mobile apps mentioned above have one thing in common: systematic audio, often produced by native speakers. Some, like Setswana PRO, go further by integrating proverbs (diane), idioms (maele), and even traditional riddles (malepa). For an expatriate, this content provides access to humor, popular wisdom, that “deep layer” of language that textbooks often ignore.
Reading and Children’s Literature: A Worthwhile Detour, Even for Adults
One might think that children’s books in Setswana only concern families. In reality, children’s literature is a fantastic tool for any beginner or intermediate learner.
Several regional initiatives have produced hundreds of books in Setswana, often bilingual or accompanied by guides for parents and teachers. The Ulwazi Lwethu project, evaluated by the University of Pretoria, offers, for example, over a thousand free small books (online reading, download, printing) in several African languages, including Setswana. These books are classified by difficulty level, with decodable texts and gradual progress: “first words,” simple sentences, then first paragraphs.
The Puku foundation has compiled a catalog of 100 recommended children’s books in Setswana for early childhood and early primary. Although designed for South African children, these books are useful for an expatriate in Botswana, as they offer common vocabulary, repetitive structures, and strong cultural anchoring. Bilingual titles like “Ko morakeng / At the Farm” or “Ko nageng / In the Savannah” introduce animals, landscapes, and scenes of local daily life.
Storybooks Namibia, which adapts stories from the African Storybook platform, also offers stories in Setswana. Again, free access and online availability encourage regular practice: reading aloud, noting unknown words, checking understanding with the English version if it exists.
Table 3 – Setswana Reading Resources
| Initiative / Platform | Content Type | Access for an Expatriate |
|---|---|---|
| Ulwazi Lwethu | Graded readers, stories, guides | Free download, printable, online |
| Puku – Setswana catalog | 100 recommended children’s books | Selection of works, titles for targeted purchase |
| Storybooks Namibia | Short illustrated stories | Free online, several difficulty levels |
| Biblionef (catalogs) | Children’s books in African languages | Guidance for building a small library |
Reading in Setswana initially requires some patience. Studies show that even native Setswana-speaking students often read slowly and struggle with literary texts, partly due to a lack of attractive reading material. The good news is that this context has triggered the production of adapted resources, which also benefit adult learners.
Daily Immersion: Turning Botswana into a Classroom
Acquiring a language is not just about taking courses. For an expatriate, the country itself becomes a huge linguistic laboratory, provided you see it as such.
At the market, comparing prices in Setswana, asking “E ke bokae?” (how much does this cost?) rather than in English, listening to spontaneous exchanges between vendors and customers provides a wealth of untranslatable idiomatic expressions. On public transport, reading signs, noticing announcements on the loudspeaker, noting recurring words gradually enriches vocabulary.
Participating in festivals like Domboshaba (Kalanga culture), Kuru Dance (San culture), Khawa Dune Challenge, or the Maitisong Festival in Gaborone allows immersion in local languages. Observe how artists present their acts, audience reactions, and the phrases of thanks, encouragement, or blessing used.
In villages where homestays for students take place, like Manyana, field experience confirms the effectiveness of daily contacts: host families are encouraged to speak Setswana, explain house rules in their language, while translating if needed. This model is transferable for any expatriate who regularly visits the same family, church group, or sports team.
Managing the Specific Challenges of Setswana for an Adult Learner
Like any language rarely taught internationally, Setswana suffers from a resource deficit compared to “major” languages like French, Spanish, or German. Learners sometimes complain of limited access to structured textbooks, subtitled media, voice recognition tools. This can give the impression of a language “difficult to access.”
However, several characteristics of Setswana can be reassuring:
Swahili has several characteristics that facilitate learning: its grammar is very regular with almost no irregular past tense verbs and repetitive conjugation patterns. Its system of noun classes, though strict, is logical. The structure of basic sentences follows Subject-Verb-Object order, similar to English, and the language has no articles, simplifying sentence construction for beginners.
On the other hand, tone, word length, certain consonant combinations require an adjustment period. Learners often face speech perceived as very fast: even some Batswana recognize that there are dialectal variations and debates on the “correct” way to construct a sentence. It is therefore normal to be corrected by several different interlocutors… and to hear divergent versions for the same grammar point.
The essential thing is to accept this living character of the language, not to be discouraged by laughter – which is, very often, amused surprise at a foreigner trying to speak Setswana, more than mockery.
Concrete Strategies for a Beginner or Intermediate Expatriate
By cross-referencing research results on language learning in Southern Africa and currently available resources, several strategies emerge for an expatriate in Botswana:
1. Set a realistic goal For example: “In six months, be able to greet correctly, hold a short three-minute conversation at the market, and understand the gist of simple announcements (time, price, place).” A specific goal makes progress measurable.
For effective learning, combine a structured course (university, tutor, or short course), a mobile app focused on useful phrases, and regular listening to local media. This combination creates a rich and complementary learning environment.
3. Immerse yourself without abandoning English or French Giving in to the temptation to translate everything is not ideal, but refusing any help in the language you already master is even less so. The key is to use your native language or English as a temporary crutch, not as a permanent refuge.
Even with limited vocabulary, it’s crucial to express yourself in the target language from the start, for example by responding to greetings. Avoiding speaking out of shyness considerably slows progress, whereas automating basic structures is essential.
5. Exploit children’s literature and games Reading short books in Setswana aloud, playing local board games with children, memorizing nursery rhymes or riddles (malepa) activates a different memory than vocabulary lists.
6. Regularly seek feedback Explicitly asking colleagues or friends to correct pronunciation, agreement, or tense usage prevents errors from becoming ingrained, as has happened in the past with the learning of English in Botswana.
The Role of School and the Expatriate Family
For expatriates with families, the question isn’t limited to the adult. Children, whether enrolled in international or public schools, face the same linguistic ecosystem. Many private schools offer Setswana classes as an optional subject. Parents can reinforce this aspect by using apps like Mzanzi Kids, which introduces Setswana through simple themes (colors, animals, everyday objects) for 2–6 year olds.
The education system mainly uses English, with Setswana taught as a subject. A too-abrupt transition to English (for example in 4th grade) can create lasting difficulties if language mastery is insufficient. It is recommended to value both the heritage language, English, and Setswana in the family to avoid an implicit hierarchy unfavorable to local languages.
Studies show that students with a good foundation in their mother tongue more easily develop skills in a second language. This logic also works the other way: an expatriate child who consolidates their first language (French, English, other) well while gradually learning Setswana will be more comfortable with the complex linguistic navigation that characterizes contemporary Botswana.
Building a Bilingual Social Network
Finally, an expatriate’s linguistic integration doesn’t rely solely on their individual motivation, but also on the social environment they choose to frequent. Expatriate networks, sports clubs, religious or cultural associations play a decisive role.
Structured international communities, like global expat networks, offer valuable practical support for administrative procedures, housing, or schooling. However, there is a real risk of becoming enclosed within them. For authentic Setswana learning and deeper integration, it is advisable to deliberately seek to build connections with Batswana. This can be done by joining open university clubs (like the Wildlife Society, or psychology or women’s leadership clubs on campuses), a volunteer group, or a choir. These contexts expose you to living Setswana, especially since many urban youth easily juggle between English and the local language, facilitating exchanges.
From this perspective, language becomes the vehicle for two-way integration: the expatriate learns Setswana, but, in return, shares their own language and culture. Many young Batswana show a strong interest in languages as diverse as Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, French, or Turkish. Language tandems, even informal ones, thrive in this type of context.
Conclusion: Setswana as the Key to a Successful Expatriation
In Botswana, the local language is not just a practical communication tool. It condenses a way of relating to the world, an ethic of relationships – botho –, powerful symbols like pula. For an expatriate, learning Setswana, even at an elementary level, is about crossing a threshold: from a simple foreign resident, you become a full participant in daily life.
Numerous resources are available for learning: free apps, university courses, private tutors, children’s literature, national media, festivals, clubs, and immersion stays. The challenges, like the low availability of certain advanced tools, the complexity of tone, and the typological distance from European languages, exist but are offset by the language’s grammatical regularity and the great willingness of speakers to help learners.
For an expatriate willing to invest in it, Botswana then becomes much more than just a place of mission, contract, or retirement: it is a space for linguistic encounter, where every “Dumela, rra” or “Ke a leboga, mma” builds, day after day, a shared belonging.
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Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.
On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.
Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.
