Sesotho sa Leboa
Northern Sotho
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Sotho-Tswana)
Northern Sotho (Sesotho sa Leboa, also called Pedi or Sepedi) is one of South Africa's eleven official languages, spoken in Limpopo, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga provinces. The standard groups together about 30 closely related dialects, with Sepedi as the prestige variety. Like other Sotho-Tswana Bantu languages, it has seventeen noun classes, agglutinative concordial agreement, and tonal distinctions, and is widely used in radio, television, and parliamentary translation.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Northern Sotho
Sources
- Sepedi Bibles on bible.com (versions 256 and 124 = the 1951 Bibele; cached ~/langmap-work/r51/scratch/b/bible_nso.tsv); en.wiktionary Northern Sotho lemmas (ngwedi, naledi, tsebe, leino, lerapo, hlano); Ziervogel & Mokgokong 1975, Pukuntšu ye kgolo ya Sesotho sa Leboa (general reference, not consulted this round)
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Sotho-Tswana)
| Meaning | Northern Sotho | Tswana | Sesotho | Lozi | Venda | Tsonga | Southern Ndebele |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | meetse /meːtse/ | metsi /metsi/ | metsi /metsi/ | mezi /mezi/ | maḓi /mad̪i/ | mati /mati/ | amanzi /amanzi/ |
| Fire | mollo /molːo/ | molelo /moleːlo/ | mollo /molːo/ | mulilo /mulilo/ | mulilo /mulilo/ | ndzilo /ndzilo/ | umlilo /umlilo/ |
| Sun | letšatši /letʃatʃi/ | letsatsi /letsatsi/ | letsatsi /letsatsi/ | lizazi /lizazi/ | ḓuvha /d̪uvʱa/ | dyambu /dʒambu/ | ilanga /ilaŋɡa/ |
| Moon | ngwedi /ŋwedi/ | ngwedi /ŋwedi/ | khoeli /kʰwɛːli/ | kweli /kweli/ | ṅwedzi /ŋwedzi/ | nʼweti /ŋweti/ | inyezi /iɲezi/ |
| Star | naledi /naledi/ | naledi /naledi/ | naledi /naledi/ | naleli /naleli/ | ṋaledzi /n̪aledzi/ | nyeleti /ɲeleti/ | ikwekwezi /ikʷekʷezi/ |
| Night | bošego /boʃeχo/ | bosigo /bosiχo/ | bosiu /bosiu/ | busihu /busihu/ | vhusiku /vʱusiku/ | vusiku /vusiku/ | ubusuku /uɓusuku/ |
| Rain | pula /ˈpula/ | pula /ˈpula/ | pula /ˈpula/ | pula /ˈpula/ | mvula /ˈmvula/ | mpfula /ˈmpfula/ | izulu /izulu/ |
| Snow | lehlwa /leˈɬwa/ | semathana /semaˈtʰana/ | lehloa /lɛˈɬwa/ | litwa /ˈlitwa/ | mahaḓa /mahad̪a/ | gamboko /ɡamboko/ | iliqhwa /iliǃʰwa/ |
| Wind | phefo /pʰɛfɔ/ | phefo /pʰefɔ/ | moya /mɔja/ | moya /moja/ | muya /muja/ | moya /moja/ | umoya /umoja/ |
| Earth | mobu /moβu/ | mmu /m̩mu/ | mobu /mobu/ | mubu /mubu/ | mavu /mavu/ | misava /misava/ | ihlabathi /iɬaɓatʰi/ |
| Stone | leswika /leˈswika/ | leje /lɛˈdʒe/ | lejwe /leˈdʒwe/ | licwe /liˈtʃwe/ | tombo /tombo/ | ribye /riˈbje/ | ilitje /iliˈtʃe/ |
| Mountain | thaba /ˈtʰaba/ | thaba /tʰaba/ | thaba /tʰaba/ | lilundu /lilundu/ | thavha /tʰavʱa/ | ntshava /ntsʰava/ | intaba /inˈtaːɓa/ |
| Sea | lewatle /lewatɬe/ | lewatle /lewatɬe/ | lewatle /lewatɬe/ | liwate /liwate/ | lwanzhe /lwanʒe/ | lwandle /lwandɮe/ | ilwandle /ilwandɮe/ |
| Mother | mma /mːa/ | mmê /mːɛ/ | mmè /mːɛ/ | ma /ma/ | mme /mːe/ | manana /manana/ | umma /umma/ |
| Father | tate /tate/ | rrê /rːɛ/ | ntate /ntate/ | ndate /ndate/ | khotsi /kʰotsi/ | tatana /tatana/ | ubaba /uɓaɓa/ |
| Daughter | morwedi /morwedi/ | morwadi /morwadi/ | morali /moɾali/ | mwana wa musizana /mwana wa musizana/ | ṅwananyana /ŋʷanaɲana/ | nʼwana wa xisati /ŋʷana wa ʃisati/ | indodakazi /indodakazi/ |
| I | nna /nna/ | nna /nːa/ | nna /nːa/ | na /na/ | nṋe /n̪ːe/ | mina /mina/ | mina /mina/ |
| You | wena /wena/ | wena /wena/ | wena /wena/ | wena /wena/ | iwe /iwe/ | wena /wena/ | wena /wena/ |
| We | rena /rena/ | rona /rona/ | rona /rona/ | luna /luna/ | riṋe /rin̪e/ | hina /hina/ | thina /tʰina/ |
| Name | leina /leina/ | leina /leina/ | lebitso /lebitso/ | libizo /libizo/ | dzina /dzina/ | vito /vito/ | ibizo /iɓizo/ |
| Person | motho /mʊtʰʊ/ | motho /motʰo/ | motho /motʰo/ | mutu /mutu/ | muthu /mutʰu/ | munhu /munʱu/ | umuntu /umuntu/ |
| Head | hlogo /ɬoχo/ | tlhogo /tɬʰoχo/ | hlooho /ɬoːho/ | toho /toho/ | ṱhoho /t̪ʰoho/ | nhloko /nɬoko/ | ihloko /iɬoko/ |
| Eye | leihlo /leiɬo/ | leitlho /leitɬʰo/ | leihlo /leiɬo/ | liito /liːto/ | iṱo /it̪o/ | tihlo /tiɬo/ | ilihlo /iliɬo/ |
| Ear | tsebe /tsebe/ | tsebe /tsebe/ | tsebe /tsebe/ | zebe /zebe/ | nḓevhe /n̪d̪evʱe/ | ndleve /ndɮeve/ | indlebe /indɮɛɓe/ |
| Nose | nko /ŋˈko/ | nko /ŋ̩ˈko/ | nko /ŋ̩ˈko/ | ngo /ŋo/ | ningo /niŋo/ | nhompfu /nʱompfu/ | ipumulo /ipuˈmulo/ |
| Mouth | molomo /molomo/ | molomo /molomo/ | molomo /molomo/ | mulomo /mulomo/ | mulomo /mulomo/ | nomu /nomu/ | umlomo /umˈlomo/ |
| Tooth | leino /leino/ | leino /leino/ | leino /leino/ | liino /liːno/ | iṋo /in̪o/ | tino /tino/ | izinyo /iziɲo/ |
| Tongue | leleme /leleme/ | leleme /leleme/ | leleme /leleme/ | lulimi /lulimi/ | lulimi /lulimi/ | ririmi /ririmi/ | ilimu /ilimu/ |
| Hand | seatla /seatɬa/ | seatla /seatɬa/ | letsoho /letsoho/ | lizoho /lizoho/ | tshanḓa /tʃʰan̪d̪a/ | voko /voko/ | isandla /isandɮa/ |
| Foot | leoto /leoto/ | lonao /lonao/ | leoto /leoto/ | lihutu /liˈhutu/ | mulenzhe /mulenʒe/ | nenge /neŋɡe/ | inyawo /iɲawo/ |
| Heart | pelo /pelo/ | pelo /peːlo/ | pelo /pelo/ | pilu /pilu/ | mbilu /mbilu/ | mbilu /mbilu/ | ihliziyo /iɬizijo/ |
| Bone | lerapo /lerapo/ | lerapo /lerapo/ | lesapo /lesapo/ | sapo /sapo/ | ḽirambo /l̪irambo/ | rhambu /rambu/ | ithambo /itʰambo/ |
| Blood | madi /madi/ | madi /madi/ | mali /mali/ | mali /mali/ | malofha /maloɸa/ | ngati /ŋɡati/ | iingazi /iːŋɡazi/ |
| Poop | masepa /masepa/ | masepa /masepa/ | masepa /masepa/ | ñanda /ɲanda/ | malaṱwa /malat̪wa/ | — | amasimba /amasimba/ |
| Love | lerato /lerato/ | lerato /leɾato/ | lerato /leɾato/ | lilato /lilato/ | lufuno /lufuno/ | rirhandzu /riɾandzu/ | ithando /itʰando/ |
| Tree | sehlare /seɬare/ | setlhare /setɬʰaɾe/ | sefate /sefate/ | kota /kota/ | muri /muri/ | nsinya /nsiɲa/ | umuthi /umutʰi/ |
| Dog | mpša /mpʃa/ | ntša /ntʃa/ | ntja /ntʃa/ | nja /ndʒa/ | mmbwa /mːbwa/ | mbyana /mbjana/ | inja /indʒa/ |
| Cat | katse /katse/ | katse /katse/ | katse /katse/ | kaze /kaze/ | katse /katse/ | mangoyi /maŋɡoji/ | ikati /ikati/ |
| Fish | hlapi /ɬapi/ | tlhapi /tɬʰapi/ | tlhapi /tɬʰapi/ | tapi /tapi/ | khovhe /kʰovʱe/ | nhlampfi /nɬampfi/ | ihlambi /iɬambi/ |
| Bird | nonyana /nʊɲana/ | nonyane /nɔˈɲanɛ/ | nonyana /nʊˈɲana/ | nyunywani /ɲuɲwani/ | tshiṋoni /tʃiˈn̪oni/ | xinyenyana /ʃiɲeˈɲana/ | inyoni /iɲoni/ |
| Butterfly | serurubele /seruruˈbele/ | serurubele /seruruˈbele/ | serurubele /seruruˈbele/ | sipulumuki /sipulumuki/ | tshisusu /tʃʰisusu/ | phapharhati /pʰapʰaˈrati/ | iviyaviyani /ivijavijani/ |
| Egg | lee /leː/ | lee /lɛɛ/ | lehe /lehe/ | lii /liː/ | gumba /ɡumba/ | tandza /tandza/ | iqanda /iǃanda/ |
| Bear | bêrê /bɛrɛ/ | bera /bɛra/ | bere /bɛrɛ/ | bele /bele/ | biara /biara/ | bere /bere/ | ibhere /ibʱere/ |
| Horse | pere /pere/ | pitse /pitse/ | pere /pere/ | pizi /pizi/ | bere /bere/ | hanci /hantʃi/ | injomani /indʒoˈmani/ |
| House | ntlo /ntɬo/ | ntlo /ntɬo/ | ntlo /ntɬo/ | ndu /ndu/ | nnḓu /n̪d̪u/ | yindlu /jindɮu/ | indlu /indɮu/ |
| Milk | maswi /maswi/ | mashi /maʃi/ | lebese /lebese/ | mabisi /mabisi/ | mafhi /maɸi/ | masi /masi/ | ibisi /iˈɓisi/ |
| Honey | todi /todi/ | tswina /tswina/ | mahe a dinotshi /mahe a dinotsʰi/ | linosi /linosi/ | mutoli /mutoli/ | vulombe /vulombe/ | iliju /ilidʒu/ |
| Salt | letswai /letswai/ | letswai /letswai/ | letswai /letswai/ | lizwai /lizwai/ | muṋo /mun̪o/ | munyu /muɲu/ | itswayi /itswaji/ |
| Wine | beine /beine/ | beine /beine/ | veine /veine/ | waine /waine/ | waini /waini/ | vhinyo /viɲo/ | iwayini /iwaˈjini/ |
| Rice | reisi /reisi/ | raese /raese/ | raese /raese/ | laisi /laisi/ | raisi /raisi/ | rhayisi /rajisi/ | ireyisi /irejisi/ |
| Chocolate | tšhokolete /tʃʰokolete/ | tshokolete /tsʰokolete/ | tjhokolete /tʃʰokolete/ | — | — | chokoleti /tʃokoleti/ | — |
| Iron | tshipi /ˈtsʰipi/ | tshipi /ˈtsʰipi/ | tshepe /ˈtsʰepe/ | sipi /sipi/ | tsimbi /tsimbi/ | nsimbi /nsimbi/ | isimbi /iˈsimbi/ |
| Wheel | leotwana /leoˈtwana/ | leotwana /leotwana/ | lebili /lebili/ | liwili /liwili/ | mulinga /muliŋa/ | vhilwa /vilwa/ | ivili /iˈvili/ |
| Silk | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | siliki /siliki/ | siliga /siliɡa/ | silika /silika/ | isilika /isiˈlika/ |
| Book | puku /puku/ | buka /buka/ | buka /buka/ | buka /buka/ | bugu /buɡu/ | buku /buku/ | incwadi /iŋǀʷadi/ |
| Eat | go ja /χo dʒa/ | go ja /χo dʒa/ | ho ja /ho dʒa/ | kuca /kutʃa/ | u ḽa /u l̪a/ | ku dya /ku dʒa/ | ukudla /ukuɮa/ |
| Drink | go nwa /χo nwa/ | go nwa /χo nwa/ | ho noa /ho noa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | u nwa /u nwa/ | ku nwa /ku nwa/ | ukusela /ukusela/ |
| Sleep | go robala /χo rʊˈbala/ | go robala /χo rʊˈbala/ | ho robala /ho rʊˈbala/ | kulobala /kulobala/ | u eḓela /u eˈd̪ela/ | ku etlela /ku eˈtɬela/ | ukulala /ukulala/ |
| One | tee /teː/ | nngwe /ŋːwe/ | nngwe /ŋːwe/ | nyinwi /ɲiŋʷi/ | nthihi /ntʰihi/ | rinʼwe /riŋwe/ | nye /ɲe/ |
| Two | pedi /pedi/ | pedi /pedi/ | pedi /pedi/ | peli /peli/ | mbili /mbili/ | mbirhi /mbiri/ | kubili /kuɓili/ |
| Three | tharo /tʰaro/ | tharo /tʰaro/ | tharo /tʰaʀo/ | talu /talu/ | tharu /tʰaru/ | nharhu /ɳaɾu/ | kuthathu /kutʰatʰu/ |
| Four | nne /nːɛ/ | nne /nːe/ | nne /nːe/ | ne /ne/ | ṋa /n̪a/ | mune /mune/ | kune /kunɛ/ |
| Five | hlano /ɬano/ | tlhano /tɬʰano/ | hlano /ɬano/ | ketalizoho /ketalizoho/ | ṱhanu /t̪ʰanu/ | ntlhanu /ntɬʰanu/ | ihlanu /iɬanu/ |
| Hundred | lekgolo /leχolo/ | lekgolo /leχolo/ | lekgolo /leχolo/ | mwanda /mwanda/ | ḓana /d̪ana/ | dzana /dzana/ | ikhulu /iˈkʰulu/ |
| Hello | dumela /dumɛla/ | dumela /dumeːla/ | dumela /dumɛla/ | lumela /lumela/ | ndaa /ndaː/ | avuxeni /avuʃeni/ | lotjhani /lotʃʰani/ |
| Thank you | ke a leboga /ke a leboɣa/ | ke a leboga /ke a leboɣa/ | kea leboha /kea leboha/ | nitumezi /nitumezi/ | ndo livhuwa /ndo livʱuwa/ | inkomu /iŋkomu/ | ngiyathokoza /ŋijatʰokoza/ |
| Good | botse /botse/ | siame /siaːme/ | monate /monate/ | nde /nde/ | zwavhuḓi /zwavʱud̪i/ | kahle /kaɬe/ | kuhle /kuɬe/ |
| New | mpsha /mpsʰa/ | ntshwa /ntsʰwa/ | ntjha /ntʃʰa/ | nca /ntʃa/ | ntswa /ntswa/ | ntshwa /ntsʰwa/ | tjha /tʃʰa/ |
| Red | hubedu /hubedu/ | khibidu /kʰibidu/ | khubelu /kʰubelu/ | fubelu /fubelu/ | tswuku /tswuku/ | tshwuka /tsʰwuka/ | bomvu /ɓoːmvu/ |
| White | tšhweu /tʃʰwɛu/ | tshweu /tsʰwɛu/ | tšhweu /tsʰweu/ | sweu /sweu/ | tshena /tsʰena/ | basa /ˈbasa/ | mhlophe /mɬɔpʰe/ |
| Black | ntsho /ntsʰɔ/ | ntsho /ntsʰɔ/ | ntšo /ntsʰɔ/ | nsu /nsu/ | ntswu /ntswu/ | ntima /ntima/ | nzima /nzima/ |
| Green | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | dala /dala/ | rihlaza /riɬaza/ | hlaza /ɬaːza/ |
| Blue | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | lutombo /lutombo/ | rihlaza /riɬaza/ | hlaza /ɬaːza/ |
| Computer | khomphutha /kʰompʰutʰa/ | khomphuta /kʰompʰuta/ | khomputa /kʰomputa/ | kompyuta /kompjuta/ | khomphyutha /kʰompʰjutʰa/ | khompyuta /kʰompjuta/ | ikhomphyutha /ikʰompʰjutʰa/ |
| Tea | teye /teje/ | tee /teː/ | tee /teː/ | tii /tiː/ | tie /tie/ | tiya /tija/ | itiye /iˈtije/ |
| Coffee | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | ikofi /ikofi/ |
| Sugar | swikiri /swikiri/ | sukiri /sukiri/ | tswekere /tswekere/ | shuga /ʃuɡa/ | swigiri /swiɡiri/ | chukela /tʃukela/ | itjhukela /itʃʰukela/ |
| Orange | namune /namune/ | namune /namune/ | lamunu /lamunu/ | olenji /olendʒi/ | — | lamula /lamula/ | orentji /orentʃi/ |
| Ninety-nine | masome a senyane le senyane /masome a seɲane le seɲane/ | masome a robongwe robongwe /masome a roboŋwe roboŋwe/ | mashome a robong a metso e robong /maʃome a ʀoboŋ a metso e ʀoboŋ/ | — | — | makume nkaye nkaye /makume ŋkaje ŋkaje/ | amatjhumi alithoba nethoba /amatʃʰumi alitʰoɓa netʰoɓa/ |
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