Northern Sotho phrasebook
North Sotho also known as Sesotho sa Leboa is a language spoken by the people from the NorthEastern part of South Africa.
Pronunciation guide
[edit]- Vowels
A[a] Spelt as "i" in "Kite"
E[e] Spelt as "ee" in "feet"
Ê[ê] Spelt as "a" in "care"
I[i] Spelt as "i" in "pick"
O[o] Spelt as "o" in "tool"
Ô[ô] Spelt as "oo" in "door"
U[u] Spelt as "u" in "put"
Phrase list
[edit]Basics
[edit]- Welcome
- Re a go amogela (sg)
- Hello
- Dumêlang
- How are you?
- O kae?
- Long time no see
- Ke kgale re sa bonane
- What's your name?
- Ke wena mang?
- My name is ...
- Ke nna ...
- Where are you from?
- O tswa kae?
- I'm from ...
- Ke tšwa ...
- Pleased to meet you
- Ke thabela go go bona
- Good luck!
- Mahlatse!
- Cheers! Good Health!
- Bophelo bjo bobotse!
- Have a nice day
- Eba le letšatši le lebotse
- Do you speak Northern Sotho?
- Na o bolela Sesotho sa Leboa?
- Yes, a little
- Ee
- Speak to me in Northern Sotho
- Bolela le nna ka Sesotho sa Leboa
- How do you say ... in Northern Sotho?
- O e bitša bjang ka Sesotho sa Leboa
- Excuse me
- Ntshwarele
Problem/Emergency
[edit]- Go away!
- Tloga!
- Leave me alone!
- Ntlogele!
- Help!
- Thuša!
- Fire!
- Mollo!
- Stop!
- Ema!
- Call the police!
- Bitša maphodisa!
Numbers
[edit]Numbers Dinomoro
- 1
- tee
- 2
- pedi
- 3
- tharo
- 4
- nne
- 5
- hlano
- 6
- tshela
- 7
- šupa
- 8
- seswai
- 9
- senyane
- 10
- lesome
- 11
- lesometee
- 12
- lesomepedi
- 13
- lesometharo
- 14
- lesomenne
- 15
- lesomehlano
- 20
- masomepedi
- 50
- masomehlano
- 100
- lekgolo
- 1000
- sekete
Time
[edit]Clock time
[edit]Greetings
[edit]- Good morning
- Dumêlang Mmorong
- Good afternoon
- Dumêlang
- Good evening
- Dumêlang Fonaneng
- Good night
- Robalang gabotse
Days of the week (Matšatši a beke)
[edit]- Sunday
- Lamorena
- Monday
- Mošupologo
- Tuesday
- Labobedi
- Wednesday
- Laboraro
- Thursday
- Labone
- Friday
- Labohlano
- Saturday
- Mokibelo
Months of the year (Dikgwedi tša ngwaga)
[edit]- January
- Pherekgong
- February
- Dibokwane
- March
- Tlhakola
- April
- Moranang
- May
- Mopitlo
- June
- Phupu
- July
- Mosegemanye
- August
- Phato
- September
- Lewedi
- October
- Diphalane
- November
- Dibatsela
- December
- Manthole
Colors (Mebala)
[edit]- Red
- Hubedu
- Brown
- Tsotho
- Green
- Talamorogo
- Blue
- Talalerata
- Black
- Ntsho
- White
- šweu
- Yellow
- Serolwana
- Gold
- Gauta
- Grey
- Pududu
- Pale
- Sehla
- Silver
- Silifere
Transportation
[edit]- Car
- kolo
- Taxi
- thekisi
- bus
- pase
- Airport
- boemafofane
- Airplane
- sefofane
- Passenger
- monamedi
- Driver
- mootledi
- Bus stop
- boemapase
Part of the body
[edit]- Head
- hlogo
- Hair
- moriri
- Face
- sefahlogo
- Forehead
- phatla
- Eye
- leihlo
- Nose
- Nko
- lip
- pounama
- Mouth
- molomo
- Tongue
- leleme
- Cheek
- lerama
- Finger
- Monwana
- Waist
- Lethek
- Leg
- Leoto
Family
[edit]- Grandfather
- Ntate mogolo
- Grandmother
- Koko
- Father
- Tate
- Mother
- Mma
- Sister
- Sesi
- Brother
- Buti
- Uncle (paternal)
- Rangwane
- Uncle (maternal)
- Malome
- Aunt (paternal)
- Rakgadi
- Aunt (maternal)
- Mmangwane
- Cousin
- Motswala
- Parents
- Batswadi
- Children
- Bana
Food (Dijo)
[edit]- Rice
- reisi
- Beans
- linawa
- Meat
- nama
- Fish
- tlhapi
- Milk
- lebese
- Cheese
- tjhese
- Butter
- sereledi
- Egg
- lehe
- Vegetables
- meroho
- Salad
- selae
- Potato
- tapole
Learning more
[edit]