
ALPHABET MATCHING GAME VOCABULARY FLASHCARDS
Why learn Sesotho?
You can communicate in Sesotho. Four out of five new jobs in the US are created as a result of foreign trade. Analytical skills improve when you study Sesotho. The study of Sesotho teaches and encourages respect for other people.
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 |