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Setswana

Terms

undefined, object
copy deck
setehako
shoe
utswa
steal
sala
stay
lokolola
dislocate
legodu
thief
tlapi
fish
moithuti
student/learner
masole
soldier
Dumela mma, o tsogile jang?
Hello Madam, how are you? Literally: How did you wake up / Formal Greeting
laela
bid farewell
leleka
chase
atlarela
to accept
khuetsa
in through the mouth
nokama
be above
Le nna, ke tswa ko Jeremane
I also come from Germany
Ke tsogile sentle, wena o tsogile jang?
I am Fine, how are you? Formal Greeting
gatsela
get small
Flora o ko Francistown
Flora is in Francistown
tshokologo
afternoon
araba
to answer
tshwara
catch
tsamaya, tsamaile
leave
emisa
stop something passing
setilo
chair
letla
allow
Ke teng
I am fine Less Formal Greeting
fagola
o castrate
nyela
defecate
Batswana
Botswana Nationals
fuduga
to et out of
Mo Btswana o dira eng?
What do you do in Botswana?
nwaa, nole
drink
laisa
load
kgaba
dress well
O tswa kae?
Where are you from?
bula
to open
boba
break
anela
to tell
O nna ko/kwa Broadhurst mo Gaborone
He stays at Broadhurst in Gaborone
tsoga
wake up
fata
to dig for
borotho
bread
loga
plait
leka
try
ithwelw
become pregnant
bora
to drill a hole
keketa
cut uneven
tapole
potato
koboga
scratch
kolota
owe
kgwagetsa
hang
kgetholola
segregatin
katela
to fill up
dumela
to agree
fema
curb
baa
to put away or down
kwala
write
gaisa
to out-class someone
akofa
to be quick
komoso
tomorrow
gasa
to shower
laya
give instructions
sukiri
sugar
gobaka
to bring together
na le
have
mota
smear
akanya
to think
kgabagana/kgabakanya
across
kuba
clear grass
kgetha
subscribe
ngwaga
year
kua
shot
bosigo
night
botoka
better
Dumela mma, o kae?
Hello Madam, how are you? Literally: where are you? Less Formal Greeting
sia
run away
gaka
not say it
haraka
to rake
hira
to hire
umaka
mention
gana
to refuse
nyatsa
look down upon
ke robetse ka 11 maabane bosigo
I slept at 11 o'clock last night
enya
to grow
budula
to blow
lona
yourselves
kana
swear
lolama
be straight as a path
bapola
to stretch
phakela/mo mosong
morning
lela
cry
bula
open
watche
watch, clock
motshegare
daytime
teng
around, available
enta
to vaccinate
sala
stay
fifala
to get dark
eletsa
graving
konya
halt
kae?
Where?
beke e fetileng
week which is past
feny
out-class
leba
look
dia
to delay
betsa
fight/beat
bua
to skin or talk
Ke ithuta Setswana
I am learning Setswana
ruta
teach
bina
to dance
fusa
cows beeing without milk
onala
become old
kaya
to show
gosomana
fall down
diaparo
clothes
bina
dance
lekana
FIT WELL
katisa
hasten
fokotsa
alter/make small
kappa
catch
O tsile ka eng?
How did you come? Literally: You came by what?
kgama
hold by the neck
Tsena
Come in
bolela
to tell
beisa
to run
aroganya
to split
dikela
to turn at the corner
reka, rekile
buy
goga
to pull
kitlana
bring close together
ja, jele
eat
kotama
squat
nyala
marry
komakoma
sprinkling
bobora
to speak in a deep voice
morogo
vegetable
fapa
bandage
fetlha
stir
sekepe
ship
lata
to go for
beke e e tlang
week which is coming
nna
to sit
maloba
a few day/weeks/months ago
Go siame
It's OK, it is fine
topa
mend
kgesa
scold
Ke nna ko Block 6
I stay in Block 6
gaba
to curve
bopa
to mould
loma
bite
maloba a maabane
day before yesterday
koko
chicken
momona
suck
kgatlha
please/delight
kokobala
float
leboga
thank
taga
intoxicate
Leina la gagwe ke Molly
Her name is Molly
Robala sentle rra
Sleep well Sir Informal Good bye
kwala
write
haka
to hook
leba
look
lema
plough
apaya
to cook
paka e lethlatula
harvest time
kgwedi
month
Wa reng?
What's up Literally: what do you say? Informal Greeting
Ke bidiwa Esther
I am called Esther Informal
rata
like, love
ke
me 1st sg
maitseboa
evening
atlhola
to judge, pass a sentence
fatlha
to get foreign body into the eye
mara
smear
loka
put on sugar or salt
bapala
to look for thongs
bepa
to cool down
ngala
throw
kopola
take a little
tshwara
hold
batalala
to hide
kuka
lift
ela
to go for
O tsile leng mo Botswana?
When did you come to Botswana?
mo
in/on, inside
Ga ke re sepe
OK Literally: I don't say anything Informal Greeting
Go jwang?
How is it? Informal Greeting
kgantele
a few moments/hours ago
gagola
tear
Ke tsile ka November 2007
I came in November 2007
bega
to report
lonao
foot
maabane
yesterday
nobola
peel
didimala
to keep quiet
jala
plough
aena
to iron clothes
gotla
cry
ithuta
learn
lousela
to die
bela
boil/brew
thusa
help
kopa
ask
phosomela
fall into something (especially a hole)
gadika
to fry
adima
borrow
kukunya
come out
koma
nod/lick
Dumela rra, o tlhotse jang?
Hello Sir, how are you Formal Greeting in the afternoon
Tsamaya sentle
Good bye Literally: leave well
batla, batile
want/need
ngwega
sneak
upa
sprinkle charms in the garden to destroy beasts or birds
lpa
get tired
fetola
turn meat or reply
Leina la me ke Esther. Wena leina la gago ke mang?
My name is Esther, what is your name?
besa
to roast
paka e mariga
winter
tamati
tomato
ala
to make bed
lomeleta
put another person at a disadvantage
offisi
office
mosetsana
girl
puthlama
get destroyed
lomagana/lomaganya
bring together
bothso
question
bala, badile
read
gopola
to make fire
koda
sent away
mmidi
maize
ngala
get angry
Sefane sa gago ke mang?
What is your surname?
kgona
to be able to
kgobokana
come together
gwetlha
to poke
tsa
not allow
mosadi
woman
Ke itumelela gogo itse
I am happy to know you
Ke tswa ko jeremane, wena o tswa kae?
I come from Germany, where are you from?
lere
bring
LELA
CRY
jang?
How?
Dumela rra/mma
Hello Sir/Madam Formal Greeting
atlhama
open ones mouth
Sarah o yo
Sarah is here
wena
yourself 2nd sg
kopi
cup
kgotla
to poke
ene
himself/herself
ila
to hate
kgaola
cut
tsoga, tsogile
wake, woke up
Ke teng, wena o kae?
I am fine, how are you? Less Formal Greeting
naya
give
bofa
to tighten
atlalatsa
spread
kaba
fill
bereka
work
boloka
to save or bury
fologa
to come down
kala
measure
motswana
Botswana national
pala
refuse
le
you /ihr 2nd pl
huhmela
to get underneath
Le kae /lo kae?
How are you? Plural Less Formal Greeting
huma
get rich
nna
myself
kgatsha
sprinkle
fola
recover after illness
kgopa
to remove
alafa
to cure
ntlo
house
bopama
to get thin
beke e
this week
Ke nna ko Partial, wena o nna kae?
I stay in Partial, where do you stay?
kgalema
speak angrily
latswa
lick
faa
give
ruta
teach
lere
bring
noba
bend
disa
herding
thuso
help
loa
bewitch
noketsa
to increase
mona
lick
khenekha
repair
gakala
to be angry
Sarah ga a yo
Sarah is not here
bitsa
to call
laola
command
kalola
keep awake
baesekele
bicycle
ke bereka mo offising
I am working in the office
botha
rested, especially done by livestock
gata
to step on
butswa
to get cooked
kgaola
cut off
bua
speak,talk
kgakola
put on a new attire
tsamaya
leave, go
koropa
scrub
gagaba
creep (stopped there)
tsena
enter
itumela
be happy
kgapa
spread
gobatsa
hurt
Boroko mma
Good night madam Informal Good bye
gara
to coil
fefera
to remove unwanted weeds from corn or maize
foufala
to get blind
foroma
mould
kgweetsa
drive
kokota
knock
gompieno
today
Re teng
We are fine Plural Less Formal Greeting
iketla
relax
metsa
swallow
rekisa
sell
gagautla
to shout at
akabala
to be perplexed
beta
to choke
dutla
to leak
mina
blow one's nose
Ke tsile ka sefofane
I came by plane
ikanya
to believe in
diega
to take long
bolfa
to be scared of
fisa
to burn
tlhapa, thlapile
wash yourself
mashi
milk
tsoga
wake (up)
O bidiwa mang?
Who are you called? Informal
Go siame rra
OK Sir
nama yo koko
chicken meat
leta
wait
kgala
scold/chide
dira
to do
epa
to dig
mela
to grow
hupa
to put in ones mouth
ungwa
grow
ema
stop
latlha
throw
seterata
street
bola
to get rotten
lebala
forget
rusa
get rusty
nama
meat
leswana
spoon
Re tlaa bonana
We will see each other Informal Good bye
ara
to operate a patient
gabola
to sip
Ba kwa tirong
they are at work
hema
breath
khutla
come to an end
tomola
TAKE OUT
robala, robetse
sleep, slept
Ke tsogile sentle
I am fine Formal Greeting
Go sharpu
OK Informal Greeting
ata
become many
kopa
beg
bela
to boil
go lwa
fight
Leina la gago ke mang?
What is your name? Formal
apara
to wear (clothes)
thusa
help
bereka
to work
kgomaretsa
paste
fatsa
to split firewood
gama
to milk
amoga
to take from
golola
to let go
gakgamala
shocked
bipa
to cover
mena
make a hem
opela
sing
shopo
shop
lesa
leave something
etsa
to imitate
ba
them 3rd pl
lesa
leave
loma
bite
sefofane
airplane
idibala
faint
bojalwa
beer/alcoholic beverage
aga
to build
utswa
steal
botsa
to ask (a question)
huduga
leave a place
lopa
request
o
he/she 3rd sg
utkwa
listen
hupela
to suffocate
bonana
see each other
se
know
Mosetsana yole, o bidiwa mang?
The girl over there, what is she called?
betsa, beditse
beat
Jaanong onna kae?
Now where do you stay?
re
we 1st pl
anega
to spread
Sefane sa me ke Fink
My surname is Fink
Ko/kwa
to, from, at
boba
to get to sleep
sega
cut
keta
play
akga
to carry
gadima
to turn back
madi
money/blood
dima
to cause noise
ineela
give in
kgoma
touch
ina
dip in
kopany
bring together
fitlha
to bury or hide
kganya
shine
letsa
ring or call
gapa
to take from
fofa
to fly
aramela
to come closer
kotula
cut corn
fotlha
take out leaves
Sala sentle
Good bye Literally: stay well
metsi
water
inama
bent
rona
ourselves
ja
eat
kokomoga
rise
kera
cut
basetsana
girls
basadi
women
gobatsa
to harm
fotlha
take out leaves
tla kwano
come here
busa
to take back
kgwakgwaetsa
drag
baki
jacket
robala
sleep
kagabakaba
simmer
kgwa
vomit
futsa
curse
gata
tread on
galefa
get angry
mabele
sorghum
apaya, apeile
cook
tla
come
golaganya
to join
dika
to surround/best
kgomo
beef
fosa
miss
raroga
run
baithuti
students/learners
kubetsa
to fumigate with smoke/knock body with something blunt
hempe
shirt
tlhola, tlhotse
spend, spent the day
ga
draw from
akanya, akantse
think
ngotla
make smaller
fetsa
finish
bogola
to bark
dusa
get pregnant animals
bone
themselves
Ko Ko!
Knock Knock! Entering a house
tlatswa
wash something
lootsa
sharpen
borogkwe
trousers
tshela
pours
bona
to see
Ke bidiwa Esther, wena o mang?
I am called Esther, who are you?
ream
chop
tlhaba
stab
ngana
argue
foka
to blow
aba
give out
noka
to take care of
kokola
take out
o
you / du 2nd sg

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