Tswana language

Spoken in

• Niger - Congo languages Benue - Congo languages Bantoide languages Bantu languages Sotho - Tswana languages Setswana

Tn

Tsn

Tsn

Setswana ( Tswana also ) is a Botswana (90 % of the population ) and the Republic of South Africa ( seven percent of the population ) - here especially in the former Transvaal province - widespread Bantu language.

She is originally language of the ethnic group of Batswana. Setswana is one of the Sotho languages ​​and is closely related to the Sepedi ( Northern Sotho ) and Sesotho ( Southern Sotho ). In Botswana, the language is a compulsory subject in schools.

Beginning of the 20th century Setswana was the first Sotho verschriftlicht. First, it was described in 1806 by Heinrich Liechtenstein in its report on the language of Beetjuana. The first written Setswana books were the new and later the Old Testament, both commissioned by the London Missionary Society.

Synonyms

Tswana, juan, Sechuana, Beetjuans, Bechuanas, Coana, Cuana

Pronunciation

The letters are more or less pronounced as in English, with the exception of g, that sounds like ch in Loch and j, which is pronounced the same as in English. The letter is š like German sch pronounced. The clicking sounds c, q, and x and the letters v and z are only used in foreign words, as from isiNdebele or Zulu, before.

Examples

• Ke - I
• O - you / you
• O - he / she
• Re - we
• Le - her
• Ba - you ( pl. )

• Dumela - Hello
• Le kae? - How are you?
• O tsogile jang? - How are you? (formal)
• Ke teng, wena? - I'm fine, and you?
• Ke tsogile sentle. I'm fine. (formal)
• Tsamaya sentle - go well. ( Adoption, if the addressee is )
• Sala Sentle - Stay well. ( Adoption, if you go yourself)

• Ke itumetse - Thank you (formal)
• Ke a leboga - Thank you ( colloquial)
• Tswee tswee - Please

• Ee - yes
• Nnyaa - no

• Ke lapile. - I 'm tired.
• Boroko - Good Night
• Robala sentle. - Sleep well.
• Ditoro tse months. - Keep dreaming something nice.

• O robetse jang? - How did you sleep?
• O robetse kae? - Where did you sleep?
• O kae? - Where are you?

• Ke go tlhologeletse. - I miss you.
• Ke rata ... - I like ...
• Ke a go rata - I love you.

• O Batla tight? - What are you like?
• Ke Batla Metsi. - I want water.
• Ke bo kae? - How much does it cost?

• Leina la gago ke mang? - What is your name?
• Leina la ke me ... - My name is ...
• O TSWA kae? - Where are you from?
• Ke TSWA kwa Germany. - I 'm from Germany.

• Ke nyorilwe. - I'm thirsty.
• Ke ke tshwere tlala. - I 'm hungry.
• Ke itumetse. - I 'm happy.

• A o bua Setswana? - Do you speak Setswana?
• Ke bua Setswana ga nyane. - I speak a bit of Setswana.