What Language Do They Speak in Botswana?
Facts last checked 9 October 2026.
Botswana has 2 official languages: Tswana, English. Tswana is also an official language in 3 other countries worldwide.
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Tswana Phrasebook & Dictionary
The essentials for ordering food, asking directions and being polite.
Languages of Botswana at a glance
| Official languages | Tswana, English |
|---|---|
| Number of official languages | 2 |
| Countries on this site where Tswana is official | 4 |
| People (demonym) | Motswana |
| Capital | Gaborone |
| Internet domain | .bw |
Other countries where Tswana is official
Tswana is also an official language in 3 other countries covered here:
Languages of neighbouring countries
| Namibia | Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga, Tswana |
|---|---|
| South Africa | Zulu, Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa |
| Zambia | English |
| Zimbabwe | Shona, Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language |
Botswana in context
- Botswana covers 582,000 km², making it the 46th largest of the 196 countries on this site.
- Its population density of about 4 people per km² ranks 190th of 196 (1st = most crowded).
- It shares a land border with 4 countries: Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
- Botswana is landlocked, with no direct coastline.
- With 2,359,609 people, Botswana holds about 2.7% of the population of Southern Africa.
- With 2 official languages, Botswana has more than most countries on this site.
- Traffic drives on the left, and calendars start the week on Monday.
- Botswana is a member state of the United Nations.
Compare Botswana
Languages in Botswana — FAQ
What language do they speak in Botswana?
The official languages of Botswana are Tswana and English.
How many official languages does Botswana have?
Botswana has 2 official languages: Tswana, English.
Is Tswana spoken anywhere else?
Tswana is also an official language in 3 other countries.
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