Southern Sotho phrasebook
Southern Sotho (sɪ̀sʊ́tʰʊ̀) is one of the official languages spoken by people in South Africa. It is also a dialect spoken in other countries such as Namibia, Botswana and Zambia.
Pronunciation guide[edit]
Phrase list[edit]
Basics[edit]
- Welcome!
- Kena ka kgotso!
- Hello
- Lumela
- How are you?
- O kae?
- I'm here, where are you?
- Ke phela hantle, wena o phela jwang?
- What's your name?
- Lebitso la hao ke mang?
- My name is ...
- Lebitso laka ke ...
- Where are you from?
- O tswa kae?
- I'm from ...
- Ke tswa ...
- Excuse me
- Ntshwarele
- How much is this?
- Ke bokae?
- Sorry
- Ntshwarele
- Thank you
- Ke a leboha
- Where's the toilet
- Ntloana e kae?
Problem/Emergency (Maemo a Tshohanyetso)[edit]
- Leave me alone!
- Ntohelle kele notsi!
- Help!
- Ke kopa thuso!
- Stop!
- Ema!
- I need your help
- Ke hloka thuso ya hao.
- Police!
- Sepolesa!
- Watch out!
- Hlokomela!
- Go away!
- Tsamaya!
- Let me go!
- Ntumelle ke tsamaye!
- Call the police /a doctor/ an ambulance!
- Letsetsa mapolesa / ngaka / ambulanse!
- Stop! Thief!
- Ema! Leshodu!
Numbers[edit]
- 1
- ngwe
- 2
- pedi
- 3
- tharo
- 4
- nne
- 5
- hlano
- 6
- tshelela
- 7
- supa
- 8
- robedi
- 9
- robong
- 10
- leshome
- 20
- mashome a mabedi
- 30
- mashome a mararo
- 40
- mashome a mane
- 50
- mashome a mahlano
- 60
- mashome a tsheletseng
- 70
- mashome a supileng
- 80
- mashome a robedi
- 90
- mashome a robong
- 100
- lekgolo
- 1,000
- sekete
- 10,000
- likete tse leshome
- 100,000
- makgolo a sekete
- 1,000,000
- milione
Time[edit]
Clock time[edit]
Greetings[edit]
- Good morning
- Mmoro
- Good evening
- Fonane
- Goodbye
- Sala hantle
- Good luck!
- Ke u lakaletsa lehlohonolo!
Days[edit]
- Sunday
- Sontaha
- Monday
- Mantaha
- Tuesday
- Labobeli
- Wednesday
- Laboraro
- Thursday
- Labone
- Friday
- Labohlano
- Saturday
- Moqebelo
Months(likhoeli)[edit]
- January
- Pherekhong
- February
- Hlakola
- March
- Hlakubele
- April
- Mesa
- May
- Mots'eanong
- June
- Phuptjane
- July
- Phupu
- August
- Phato
- September
- Loetse
- October
- Mphalane
- November
- Pulungoana
- December
- Ts'itoe
Colors (Mebala)[edit]
- Black
- ntsho
- White
- tshweu
- Gray
- thokwa
- Red
- kgubedu
- Blue
- putswa
- Yellow
- tshehla
- Geen
- tala
- Orange
- lamunu
- Purple
- perese
- Brown
- sootho
Transportation[edit]
Part of the body[edit]
- Head
- hlooho
- Eyes
- mahlo
- Ears
- ditsebe
- Nose
- nko
- Mouth
- molomo
- Arm
- letsoho
- Leg
- leoto
- Hand
- letsoho
- Feet
- maoto
- Chest
- sefuba
- Skin
- letlalo
- Muscle
- mosifa
- Blood
- madi
Family[edit]
- Father
- Ntate
- Mother
- Mme
- Daughter
- Mora
- Son
- Moradi wa ka
- Uncle
- Bomalome
- Aunt
- Bommangwane