PDF Lesson 1: a Guide to Pronunciation

[Pages:17]Peace Corps South Africa An Introduction to Sepedi Language:

The term Sotho is used for the whole of the language group who call themselves Basotho. This language group is made up of three main Sotho sub-groups, i.e, the Northern, Southern and Western Sotho, which is also known as Setswana. The Sotho language structure is based on a system of noun classes and a system of concords. In order to help those who are willing to learn Sotho languages, lessons have been prepared; and the following lessons are specifically based on Sepedi language or Northern Sotho.

LESSON 1: A GUIDE TO PRONUNCIATION

In Sepedi the alphabet "a" is pronounced as "a". This letter is pronounced like the "a" in the English word "father". Example, "lefase", which means "the earth".

The letter "b" is pronounced as "b", and it is pronounced like the second "b" in the word "baby". Example, "molobi", which is "the loser". Or "bana", which means "children".

"C" is non-existent in Sepedi.

"D" is pronounced as "j", and it is pronounced like the "g" in the word "genre". For example, "dijo", which is "food".

The letter "e" is pronounced as "e", and it is pronounced like the "e" in the word "there". Example, "ema", which means "stop" or "stand up".

The letter "f" is pronounced as "f", and it is pronounced exactly like the "f" in the word "far". For example, "feela", which means "only".

"G" is pronounced as "g", and this letter is pronounced like the sound which is made when one hawks. For example, "gana", which is "refuse".

"H" is pronounced as "hhh", and this letter is pronounced exactly like the "h" in the word "house". For example, "hema", which means "breath". Or "huma", which means "to be rich".

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"I" is pronounced as "e", and this letter is pronounced like the "i" in the English word "is". For instance, "kitima", which means "run".

"J" is also pronounced like the "g" in the word "genre". For example, "ja", which means "eat".

"K" is pronounced as "k", and it is pronounced like the "g" in the English word "go". For example, "kosa", which means "song". "L" is pronounced as "lll" and it is pronounced like the "l" in the word "lion". For example, "lla", which means "cry". Or "lema", which means "plough".

"M" is pronounced as "mmm", and this letter is pronounced like the "m" in the word "many". For instance, "meno", which means "teeth".

"N" is pronounced as "nnn", and this letter is pronounced like the "n" in the word "need". For example, "noka", which is "river".

The letter "o" is pronounced as "o", and it is pronounced like the "o" in the word "ought". E.g, "ota", which means "to be skinny".

"P" is pronounced as "p". This letter is pronounced like the "b" in the word "buy". For instance, "palamonwana", which means "a ring".

"Q" is also non-existent in Sepedi.

And then "r" is pronounced as "rrr", and this letter is pronounced like the "r" in the word "preach". Example, "rera", which means "preach".

"S" is pronounced as "sss", and it is pronounced like the "s" in the word "sell". Example, "setlaela", which means "idiot".

"T" is pronounced as "d", and it is pronounced like the "d" in the word "democracy". For instance, "temo", which means "agriculture".

"U" is pronounced as "ooh", and it is pronounced like the "u" in the English word "put". For instance, "uta", which means "hide something".

"V" is also non-existent in Sepedi.

"W" is pronounced as "w", and it is pronounced like the "w" in the word "wow!". For example, "wena", which means "you" in singular.

"X" is pronounced as "x", and this sound is non-existent in English. In Sepedi, there is only one word which has this letter, and that is "nxae", or "nxanxae", or "nxase".

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"Nxae", "nxanxae", or "nxase", and this means "sorry". This word is usually uttered when someone gets hurt, to show sympathy for that particular person.

And then, "y" is pronounced as "y", and this letter is pronounced like "y" in the word "yoyo" or "yogi sip". For example, "yona", which means "it", that is, the pronoun "it".

And then, "Z" is also non-existent in Sepedi. In addition to the sounds which are produced by individual alphabets, there are also some sounds which are produced when two or more alphabets are put together. Such sounds may also need a thorough scrutiny. The following are examples: "Ph" is pronounced as "ph", in Sepedi. These letters are pronounced like the "p" in the word "peach". For example, "bophelo", which means "life".

"Ts" is pronounced as "ts". These letters are pronounced like the "ts" in the word "mats". For example, "metse", which is "villages".

We also have "tl" which is pronounced as "tl". These letters are pronounced like the "cl" in the word "cluck". For example, "tlema", which means "tie".

There is also the "th". "Th" is pronounced as "th", and these words are pronounced like the "t" in the English word "take". For example, "thusa", which means "help".

We also have the "tlh". "Tlh" is pronounced in Sepedi as "tlh". These alphabets, when put together, are pronounced like the "cl" in the English word "sclerosis". For example, "tlhaologanyo", which means "understanding".

We also have "tsh". "Tsh" is pronounced as "tsh". These letters are pronounced with an aspiration almost similar to the "ts" which we have already explained earlier on, but the "h" makes it slightly different from the "ts" sound; and this sound is non-existent in English. For example, "ntsho", which means "black".

And then we also have "t, s with a cap (s), plus h" (tsh). These letters, when put together, are pronounced like the "ch" in the word "church". "Tsh" is pronounced as "tsh" in Sepedi. It is pronounced as "tsh". And we have words such as "ntsha", which means "take out", or "tshaba", which means "run away".

And then there is also another sound which is made by the alphabet "t, plus s with a cap (ts). "T, plus s with a cap (ts) makes the sound "ts". And these alphabets are pronounced like the "g" in the English word "engine". For example, we have the word "letsatsi", which means "day" or "sun".

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LESSON 2: GREETINGS

Good morning / day / evening sir. Good morning / day / evening madam. How are you? I am fine and how are you?

I am well. Good day ladies and gentlemen.

Good day madam. How are you? (plural). We are well and how are you? I am well. Thank you. Good day sir. Good day madam. How are you? I am fine and how are you? I am fine.

Thobela ntate / tate. Dumela mma / mme. O tsogile bjang? / Go bjang? (Le kae?) Ke tsogile gabotse, wena o tsogile bjang? (Re gona re ka ra lena). Ke tsogile gabotse. (Re gona). Dumelang bontate le bomma / bomme (Dumelang bomme le bontate). Dumela mma / mme / mohumagadi. Le tsogile bjang? Re tsogile gabotse / botse. Ke tsogile gabotse / botse. Re a leboga. Thobela ntate / Tameng ntate. Dumela mme / mma. Le kae? Re gona re ka ra lena. Ke gona / Re gona.

N.B: ("Dumela is not specific to any time of the day and men are expected to take off their hats or caps when greeting elders").

LESSON 3: INTRODUCING SELF OR SOMEONE

My name is Itumeleng. My last name is Moeng. What is your name? I am from Botswana. Where are you from? His name is Thabo. His last name is Thuto. Are you from America? I am a volunteer.

Leina la ka ke Itumeleng. Sefane sa ka ke Moeng. Leina la gago o mang? Ke tswa Botswana. O tswa kae? Leina la gagwe ke Thabo. Sefane sa gagwe ke Thuto. A / Naa o tswa Amerika? Ke moithaopi.

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LESSON 4: LEAVE-TAKING EXPRESSION

Good-bye. See you. Have a good day. Good night. See you tomorrow. See you later.

Go lokile / Sala gabotse. (Salang gabotse). Ke tla go bona. Eba le letsatsi le monate. Robala gabotse / O robale gabotse. Ke tla go bona gosasa / ka moswane. Ke tla go bona ka kgapele / kgapele.

LESSON 5: VOCABULARY 1 (VERBS)

To-

Able to, be Advise, remind Afraid of, be Answer Arrive Ask Ask for (polite way) Away, go, travel Be, become Begin Believe, agree Boil

Borrow Bring Burn Bury Buy Call another person Carry Climb Close Come Come in Come out (emerge)

GoN.B: (The word after slash represents the verb in its past tense form).

Kgona / kgonne Eletsa / eleditse Tshaba / tshabile Araba / arabile Goroga / gorogile, Goba Fihla / fihlile Botsisa / botsisitse Kgopela / kgopetse Tsamaya / tsamaile Ba / Bile Thoma / thomile Dumela / dumetse Bela / betse

Adima / adimile Tlisa / tlisitse Tshuma / tshumile Boloka / bolokile Reka / rekile Bitsa motho e mongwe Swara / swere Namela / nametse Tswalela / tswaletse Tla / tlile Tsena (ka gare) / tsene Tswa / tswile

Cook Cry Dance Delay Destroy Do Drink Early, to be Eat Enter Explain Feel, Hear, Taste Finish Find Fix, prepare

Forgive To see Get up / Wake up Give Go Happy, be Help Hold Injure Keep Kind, be Know Laugh Learn, study Listen Like, love Live Need Open Pass Pay Pick up Place, put Refuse Return Say Sell Sick, to be Sit down

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Apea / apeile Lla / llile Bina / binne Ditela / ditetse, Goba Diegisa / diegisitse Senya / sentse Dira / dirile Nwa / nwele Goseng, Go tla goseng Ja / jele Tsena / tsene Hlalosa / hlalositse Kwa / kwele Fetsa / feditse Hwetsa / hweditse Beakanya / beakantse, Goba Lokisa / Lokisitse Swarela / swaretse Bona / bone Tsoga / tsogile Fa / file Ya / Ile Thaba / thabile Thusa / thusitse Swara / swere Gobatsa / gobaditse Boloka / bolokile Loka / lokile Tseba / tsebile Sega / segile Ithuta / ithutile Theeletsa / theeleditse Rata / ratile Dula / dutse Nyaka / nyakile Bula / butse Feta / fetile Lefa / lefile Topa / topile Bea / beile Gana / ganne Boa (Bowa) / boile Re / rile, Goba Bolela / boletse Rekisa / rekisitse Lwala / lwetse, goba Babja / babjitse Dula fase / dutse

Sleep Smoke; pull Speak Spend the night Stay behind Take Teach Tell Tired, become Try Understand Use Visit Want Wash (clothes) Bathe Watch Work Write

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Robala / robetse Kgokga / kgokgile; Goga / gogile Bolela / boletse Lala / letse Sala / setse Tsea / tsere Ruta / rutile Botsa / boditse Lapa / lapile Leka / lekile Kwesisa / kwesisitse Somisa / somisitse Eta (Etela) / etetse Nyaka / nyakile Hlatswa / hlatswitse (clothes) Hlapa / hlapile Lebelela / lebeletse (Bogela / Bogetse) Soma / somile, Goba Bereka / berekile Ngwala / ngwadile

LESSON 6: SOME USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

I am tired I am sleepy I am hungry I am not hungry Where are you going? When are you coming? Where is your home?

Where is Andrew? Edward is going to the post office I do not go to the shop I am learning Setswana; I study Setswana I don't take coffee I need some rest I eat; I am eating He / She is not eating; He / She doesn't eat She does not study I bathe in the morning I wake up very early It's becoming late (nightfall) It's time up

Ke lapile. Ke swerwe ke boroko. Ke swerwe ke tlala. Ga ka swarwa ke tlala. O ya kae? O tla neng? (O boa neng?) Legae la gago le kae? Goba, Ga geno ke kae? Goba (O dula kae?) Andrew o kae? Edward o ya posong. Ga ke ye sopong. Ke ithuta Setswana. Ga ke nwe kofi. Ke nyaka go khutsa. Ke a ja. Ga a je. Ga a ithute. Ke hlapa mesong (goseng). Ke tsoga mesong kudu. Go ba bosego. Nako e fedile; Goba E tshaile (informal).

I am thirsty I do not understand Speak slowly Excuse me Speak quickly Do you have a problem(s)? Yes, I have a problem No, I don't have a problem Do you have any questions? Ask Greet Please Thank you Again

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Ke swerwe ke lenyoro. Ga ke hlaologanye, Goba Ga ke kwesise. Bolela ka go nanya / iketla. Ntshwarele. Bolela ka pela. A o na le bothata (mathata)? Ee, ke na le bothata. Aowa, ga ke na bothata. A o na le dipotsiso? Botsisa. Dumedisa. Hle. Ke a leboga. Gape.

Table Chair Plate Cup Spoon Knife Broom

Bed Blanket Clothes Pants Shoes

Pencil Book Bag Pen Window Door

LESSON 7: VOCABULARY 2 (NOUNS)

Tafola. Setulo. Sebjana / Poleiti. Komiki. Llepola. Mphaka. Leswielo.

Malao / mpete. Kobo. Diaparo. Borokgo. Dieta.

Phensele. Puku. Peeke. Pene. Lefasetere. Lebati.

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