How to Say “Good Night” in Sesotho

By Virginia Ellie • Updated October 1, 2026

Fonane

The Sesotho phrase for "good night" is Fonane.

Fonane is used as a farewell phrase when saying good night to someone.

Meaning: a farewell (phrase)

Did you know?

While Fonane is the standard farewell, the word robala for 'sleep' shares a linguistic root with words for 'lying down' or 'resting' across several Bantu languages.
If you are speaking to more than one person, you must change the phrase to Le fonane to include the plural 'you'.
If you use Fonane as a greeting when walking into a room, a native speaker will likely think you are already preparing to leave.

Examples in context

Fonane, mme.
Good night, mother.

Example conversation

Khotso is leaving Masego's house at the end of the evening.

Khotso

Ke tsamaile hona joale.
I am leaving now.
Masego

Sae, fonane, Khotso.
Okay, good night, Khotso.
Khotso

Fonane, Masego.
Good night, Masego.
Masego

Robala hantle.
Sleep well.

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About The Author

Virginia Ellie

Hello there, I'm Virginia! I'm passionate about languages and communication and love nothing more than breaking down language barriers. When I'm not penning down practical guides on pronunciation and language nuances, you'll find me savoring a good book or on a nature trail, keeping an ear open for rare regional vocabularies. I hope my work helps bridge your cultural, professional, and personal communication gaps. One language that keeps pulling me in is Sesotho, so you will also find my guides to saying things in Sesotho here. Bonne Chance!

Virginia EllieHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.

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