Batswana People and the Setswana Language: A Visitor’s Guide

The Batswana people are the citizens of Botswana, and Setswana is the national language that most of them speak. Learning a few Setswana greetings before your safari is one of the quickest ways to feel welcome, because greeting well matters a great deal in daily life. This guide is for travelers who want to understand who the Tswana people are, how the Tswana language works, and how to communicate respectfully when you visit.

Batswana people, Setswana language, and a few Botswana notes for travelers

The Batswana are a Setswana-speaking ethnic group, and Setswana is the thread that most people in the country share. The population of Botswana is diverse, yet Setswana acts as a unifying language among many different communities. Think of it as the language you will hear in homes, markets, and schools almost everywhere you go.

Batswana, Motswana, Setswana, and Botswana are four related words

The word Setswana refers to the language and also to Tswana culture. A single person from Botswana is a Motswana, and the people together are the Batswana. The country is Botswana, which means the land of the Tswana. The prefixes change the meaning, which is a common pattern in Bantu languages.

Outside Botswana, you will often see the older spelling Tswana for both the people and the language. Both forms are in use, and sources vary. Older English sources often say tribes, and some South African writers still use that word, but many people today prefer ethnic groups or communities. When you are in Botswana, using Batswana and Setswana is the safest choice.

The Tswana people belong to a wider Sotho-Tswana family in Southern Africa

The Tswana people are one of the Sotho groups of Southern Africa. They are closely related to the Southern Sotho people of Lesotho and the Northern Sotho people of South Africa. The Sotho Tswana languages are mutually intelligible to a large degree, so speakers of these related languages can often understand one another.

Tswana governance historically centered on chiefdoms called merafe, and political authority rested with dikgosi, or chiefs. Each chiefdom was a political community as well as a family network. Tswana chiefs held authority over land and people, and a chief’s role included hearing disputes and calling the community together.

In the nineteenth century, Tswana chiefs sought British protection, and the area became a British protectorate known as Bechuanaland before Botswana became independent in 1966. Tswana groups were predominantly cattle herders, and cattle were the main measure of wealth. Cattle also shaped social structure, because herds carried both economic and cultural value. Young men and women were traditionally organized into age regiments that carried out community work.

Tswana kinship systems emphasize descent through the male line, and inheritance and chiefly succession generally followed that line as well. According to Wikipedia’s article on the Tswana people, marriage between cousins in some contexts created overlapping social networks and flexible kinship ties. Our guide to Botswana’s culture shows how these traditions shape life today.

The Setswana language has a long written and oral history

The first written records of the Tswana language appeared in the early nineteenth century. According to EBSCO’s research starter on the language, the German traveler Hinrich Lichtenstein documented it in 1806, and missionaries such as those of the London Missionary Society later helped write it down. Wikipedia’s article on the Tswana people adds that the first written records relating to modern-day Botswana appeared in 1824.

Missionary Robert Moffat completed the first full Bible in Setswana in 1857, according to Wikipedia’s article on the language. Setswana also has rich oral traditions of proverbs, praise poems, and storytelling that preserve history and values and carry them from one generation to the next. Proverbs also communicate ethical teachings and cultural lessons.

In that sense, Setswana acts as a cultural repository for the Batswana. It preserves history and communal values, and it provides the vocabulary used to express communal responsibilities and values.

Setswana is an agglutinative language, which means prefixes and suffixes carry much of the meaning. It uses tones, and its dialects differ across regions while remaining mutually intelligible. Setswana is taught in schools in Botswana alongside English, and writing in Setswana appears in newspapers, books, and official documents.

Setswana is the national language, and English is official

Setswana is the national language of Botswana, and English is the official language used in government, courts, and tourism. According to EBSCO’s research starter, Setswana is the main language of about 77 percent of people in Botswana, and other references give a similar figure of roughly three in four. Most Batswana speak Setswana as a first language, and many others speak it as a second language or learn it as a third. It also works as a lingua franca among Botswana’s many groups, so people from different communities use it with one another.

Since independence, Botswana has promoted Setswana to foster national identity and social cohesion. The Tswana language is spoken in homes, markets, and schools. Setswana speakers often switch between Setswana and the English language in the same conversation.

Setswana is also spoken across the border in South Africa

Setswana speakers live well beyond Botswana. Setswana is one of South Africa’s eleven spoken official languages, and the South African government’s count of twelve also includes South African Sign Language. It is spoken especially in the North West province.

Census results show how large the community is. According to South Africa’s 2011 census, as summarized by Wikipedia, more than four million people there speak Setswana as a first language. Statistics South Africa’s 2022 census is reported to put the figure at about 5 million, and the count reflects only the language spoken most often at home.

You will also hear it in parts of the Northern Cape and Limpopo, and in the wider region around the Limpopo River.

Smaller communities of Setswana speakers also live in southern Zimbabwe and Namibia. This shared language is one reason South African history and Botswana history are so closely tied together. For deeper background, South African History Online is a respected place to read about the Tswana, and African studies departments at universities publish more.

If you also plan to cross into South Africa, you may hear the same greetings there. South Africa has several official languages, and Setswana sits among them, so a few words travel well.

Botswana is home to many other languages and communities

The Tswana majority is large, but Botswana is not culturally uniform. Other languages and communities include the Bakalanga, Basarwa (San), Bayei, Hambukushu, and Baherero, each with its own traditions and history. Many people speak two groups of languages at home and in public, using a community language alongside Setswana and English.

Terms for some groups differ by source and by personal preference, so listen to how people describe themselves. Avoid assuming that every person you meet shares one culture, one belief, or one way of life. Ask questions respectfully, and be aware that kids and elders may greet you differently.

Greetings matter more than almost anything else you can learn

In Botswana, you greet before you ask for anything. Walking up to someone and starting with a question can feel abrupt, so say hello first and ask how they are. A handshake is common, often held a little longer than in some countries, and it may be offered with the left hand lightly touching the right forearm as a sign of respect.

Use “Dumela, rra” when greeting a man and “Dumela, mma” when greeting a woman. The word “rra” means sir and “mma” means madam, and using them is polite for anyone older than you. For a group, say “Dumelang.” Here are examples you can use every day.

Dumela, rra or mma: Hello, sir or madam.
O tsogile jang? or Le tsogile jang?: How did you wake? A common way to ask how someone is.
Ke teng: I am fine, or literally, I am here.
Ke a leboga: Thank you.
Tsamaya sentle: Go well, said to the person leaving.
Sala sentle: Stay well, said by the person leaving.
Pula: Rain, also used as a cheer and a blessing. It is also the name of the national currency.

Speaking Setswana takes practice, because the language has tones and some sounds that English speakers do not use. Do not worry about perfect pronunciation. Locals tend to respond warmly to the effort, and speaking Setswana even briefly opens conversations.

How to be welcomed and how to give respect

Botswana is known for courtesy, and the idea of botho captures it. Botho emphasizes humanity, respect, and collective responsibility, and it is often translated as being humane toward others. Every person is expected to contribute to the wellbeing of the community. You will notice it in the way people greet strangers, speak to elders, and help one another.

Practical ways to show respect include greeting everyone in a group, using your right hand when giving or receiving, and asking before photographing people. Dress modestly in villages. Some families honor ancestral spirits and traditional beliefs, others are Christian, and many combine both, so ask rather than assume.

The kgotla is the traditional public meeting place where chiefs and community members discuss issues. It is a public assembly for community decision-making, and its governance seeks consensus rather than majority rule. Women were historically excluded from formal political debate, though they take part today. Customary courts there still handle many civil cases, so ask first before you visit one. Our guide to Botswana etiquette covers more everyday manners.

Traditional culture shows up in food, craft, and dress

Traditional culture is part of everyday life, not a performance. You will see it in shared meals, in woven baskets, and in clothing made from printed cotton fabric. Basket weaving is a respected craft, and our guide to Botswana’s crafts and basketry explains what to look for and how to buy well.

Meals are also a way to connect. Our guide to Botswana’s food and drink covers what you may be offered and how to accept it graciously.

The Batswana and Setswana frequently asked questions

How do you say hello in Setswana? Say “Dumela, rra” to a man, “Dumela, mma” to a woman, and “Dumelang” to a group.

What is the difference between Batswana and Tswana? Batswana is the plural form used in Botswana for the people. Tswana is the older, widely used English form, and many sources use it for both the people and the language.

Where are the Tswana people originally from? Historians trace Tswana groups to Southern Africa, with communities living in what is now Botswana and South Africa for many centuries. Details vary by source, so treat any single origin story with care. In the nineteenth century, parts of Tswana history were also shaped by contact with the Cape Colony.

What is “I love you” in Setswana? A common phrase is “Ke a go rata.” Save it for people you know well, because it is intimate.

Are Botswana people primarily Black or White? Most Batswana are Black African, and Botswana is home to several communities with their own languages and histories. As a visitor, focus on greeting people as individuals rather than guessing at their background.

Do all people in Botswana speak Setswana? Most do, and many speak English too. Some communities also keep another language at home, so listen and ask.