ALPHABET MATCHING GAME VOCABULARY FLASHCARDS
Why learn Sesotho?
International travel is made easier and more pleasant when you know Sesotho. Knowing Sesotho provides a competitive edge in career choices Skills like problem solving, dealing with abstract concepts, are increased when you study Sesotho. Studying Sesotho offers a sense of the past: culturally and linguistically.
How Long Does it Take to Learn Sesotho?
*** NOTES *** aka Southern Sotho is an official language in South Africa
Sesotho Alphabet & Pronunciation
a
[a]
[a]
b
[b]
[b]
bj
[bʒ/bj]
[bʒ/bj]
d
[d]
[d]
e
[ɪ/e/ɛ/]
[ɪ/e/ɛ/]
f
[f]
[f]
fj
[fʃ]
[fʃ]
h
[h]
[h]
hl
[ɬ]
[ɬ]
i
[i]
[i]
j
[ʒ/d͡ʒ]
[ʒ/d͡ʒ]
k
[kʼ]
[kʼ]
kg
[kʰ]
[kʰ]
kh
[x/k͡xʰ]
[x/k͡xʰ]
l
[l]
[l]
m
[m]
[m]
n
[n]
[n]
ng
[ŋ]
[ŋ]
ny
[ɲ]
[ɲ]
o
[ʊ/o/ɔ]
[ʊ/o/ɔ]
p
[pʼ]
[pʼ]
ph
[pʰ]
[pʰ]
pj
[pʃʼ]
[pʃʼ]
pjh
[pʃʰ]
[pʃʰ]
q
[ǃ]
[ǃ]
qh
[ǃʰ]
[ǃʰ]
nq
[ᵑǃ]
[ᵑǃ]
r
[ʀ]
[ʀ]
s
[s]
[s]
sh
[ʃ]
[ʃ]
t
[tʼ]
[tʼ]
th
[tʰ]
[tʰ]
tj
[t͡ʃʼ]
[t͡ʃʼ]
tjh
[t͡ʃʰ]
[t͡ʃʰ]
tl
[t͡ɬʼ]
[t͡ɬʼ]
tlh
[t͡ɬʰ]
[t͡ɬʰ]
ts
[t͡sʼ]
[t͡sʼ]
tsh
[t͡sʰ]
[t͡sʰ]
u
[u]
[u]
y
[w]
[w]
w
[j]
[j]
Basic Phrases in Sesotho
| Hello | Lumela |
|---|---|
| Goodbye | Sala hantle |
| Yes | Ho joalo |
| No | Che |
| Excuse me | Ntšoarele |
| Please | Ka kopo |
| Thank you | Kea leboha |
| You are welcome | Ho lebohile nna |
| Do you speak english | Na u bua Senyesemane? |
| Do you understand | A na u oa utloisisa? |
| I understand | Kea utloisisa |
| I do not understand | Ha ke utloisise |
| How are you | U phela joang? |
| Fine thanks | E lokile ke a leboha! |
| What is your name | Lebitso la hau ke mang? |
| My name is | Lebitso la ka ke |
| Pleased to meet you | Ke thabela ho u tseba |
Sesotho Grammar
Sesotho Nouns
| Man | |
|---|---|
| Woman | |
| Boy | |
| Girl | Ngoanana |
| Cat | |
| Dog | |
| Fish | |
| Water | |
| Milk | |
| Egg | |
| House | |
| Flower | |
| Tree | |
| Shirt | |
| Pants |
Sesotho Adjectives
Colors in Sesotho
| Black | Ntsho |
|---|---|
| White | Tšoeu |
| Red | Bofubedu |
| Orange | Lamunu |
| Yellow | Mosehla |
| Green | Botala |
| Blue | Putsoa |
| Purple | Pherese |
| Pink | Pinki |
| Gray | Bohlooho |
| Brown | Sootho |
Numbers in Sesotho
| Zero | Zero |
|---|---|
| One | E le 'ngoe |
| Two | Tse peli |
| Three | Boraro |
| Four | Bane |
| Five | Bohlano |
| Six | Tšelela |
| Seven | Ho supa |
| Eight | E robeli |
| Nine | Tse robong |
| Ten | Leshome |
| Eleven | Eleven |
| Twelve | Leshome le metso e 'meli |
| Twenty | Mashome a mabeli |
| Thirty | Mashome a mararo |
| Forty | Mashome a mane |
| Fifty | Mashome a mahlano |
| Sixty | Mashome a tšeletseng |
| Seventy | Mashome a supileng |
| Eighty | Mashome a robeli |
| Ninety | Mashome a robong |
| Hundred | Lekholo |
| Thousand | Sekete |
Sesotho Verbs
| To be | Ho ba |
|---|---|
| To have | Ho ba le |
| To want | Ho batla |
| To need | Ho hloka |
| To help | Ho thusa |
| To go | Ho ea |
| To come | Ho tla |
| To eat | Ho ja |
| To drink | Ho nwa |
| To speak | Ho bua |
Building Simple Sentences
More Complex Sesotho Sentences
| And | Le |
|---|---|
| Or | Kapa |
| But | Empa |
| Because | Hobane |
| With | Le |
| Also | Hape |
| However | Leha ho le joalo |
| Neither | Le hona |
| Nor | Kapa |
| If | Haeba |
| Then | Ebe |
Useful Sesotho Vocabulary
Sesotho Questions
| Who | Eo |
|---|---|
| What | Eng |
| When | Neng |
| Where | Kae |
| Why | Hobaneng |
| How | Joang |
| How many | Ba bakae |
| How much | Bokae |
Days of the Week in Sesotho
| Monday | Mantaha |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Tuese |
| Wednesday | Laboraro |
| Thursday | Labone |
| Friday | Labohlano |
| Saturday | Ka letsatsi la satane |
| Sunday | Sontaha |
| Yesterday | Maobane |
| Today | Kajeno |
| Tomorrow | Hosane |
Months in Sesotho
| January | Pherekhong |
|---|---|
| February | Hlakola |
| March | Mots'eanong |
| April | Mmesa |
| May | Mots'eanong |
| June | Phuptjane |
| July | Phupu |
| August | Phato |
| September | Loetse |
| October | Mphalane |
| November | Pulungoana |
| December | Mots'eanong |
Seasons in Sesotho
| Winter | Mariha |
|---|---|
| Spring | Selemo |
| Summer | Hlabula |
| Autumn | Hoetla |
Telling Time in Sesotho
| What time is it | Ke nako mang? |
|---|---|
| Hours | Lihora |
| Minutes | Metsotso e |
| Seconds | Metsotsoana |
| O clock | Hora |
| Half | Halofo |
| Quarter past | Kotara e fetileng |
| Before | Pele |
| After | Kamora |
