Sesotho
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Sotho-Tswana)
Sesotho (Southern Sotho, also spelled Sotho) is the national language of Lesotho and one of South Africa's 11 official languages, with ~14M speakers in Lesotho, South Africa (Free State, Gauteng), and adjacent areas. Part of the Sotho-Tswana subgroup of Bantu (with Northern Sotho/Pedi and Tswana), characterized by lateral fricatives /ɬ ɮ/ (written hl, dl). Distinctive among Bantu for using click consonants in some words borrowed from neighboring Khoisan languages and Nguni languages (q-clicks). Has a 17–18 noun-class system with extensive concord. Major literary tradition: Thomas Mofolo's Chaka (1925) was an early African-language novel.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Sesotho
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Sotho-Tswana)
| Meaning | Sesotho | Tswana | Northern Sotho | Lozi | Tsonga | Venda | Northern Ndebele |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | metsi /metsi/ | metsi /metsi/ | meetse /meːtse/ | mezi /mezi/ | mati /mati/ | maḓi /mad̪i/ | amanzi /amanzi/ |
| Fire | mollo /molːo/ | molelo /moleːlo/ | mollo /molːo/ | mulilo /mulilo/ | ndzilo /ndzilo/ | mulilo /mulilo/ | umlilo /umlilo/ |
| Sun | letsatsi /letsatsi/ | letsatsi /letsatsi/ | letšatši /letʃatʃi/ | lizazi /lizazi/ | dyambu /dʒambu/ | ḓuvha /d̪uvʱa/ | ilanga /ilaŋɡa/ |
| Moon | khoeli /kʰwɛːli/ | ngwedi /ŋwedi/ | ngwedi /ŋwedi/ | kweli /kweli/ | nʼweti /ŋweti/ | ṅwedzi /ŋwedzi/ | inyanga /iɲaŋɡa/ |
| Star | naledi /naledi/ | naledi /naledi/ | naledi /naledi/ | naleli /naleli/ | nyeleti /ɲeleti/ | ṋaledzi /n̪aledzi/ | inkanyezi /iŋkaɲezi/ |
| Night | bosiu /bosiu/ | bosigo /bosiχo/ | bošego /boʃeχo/ | busihu /busihu/ | vusiku /vusiku/ | vhusiku /vʱusiku/ | ubusuku /ubusuku/ |
| Rain | pula /ˈpula/ | pula /ˈpula/ | pula /ˈpula/ | pula /ˈpula/ | mpfula /ˈmpfula/ | mvula /ˈmvula/ | imvula /imˈvula/ |
| Snow | lehloa /lɛˈɬwa/ | semathana /semaˈtʰana/ | lehlwa /leˈɬwa/ | litwa /ˈlitwa/ | gamboko /ɡamboko/ | mahaḓa /mahad̪a/ | iliqhwa /iliǃʰwa/ |
| Wind | moya /mɔja/ | phefo /pʰefɔ/ | phefo /pʰɛfɔ/ | moya /moja/ | moya /moja/ | muya /muja/ | umoya /umoːja/ |
| Earth | mobu /mobu/ | mmu /m̩mu/ | mobu /moβu/ | mubu /mubu/ | misava /misava/ | mavu /mavu/ | inhlabathi /inɬaɓaːtʰi/ |
| Stone | lejwe /leˈdʒwe/ | leje /lɛˈdʒe/ | leswika /leˈswika/ | licwe /liˈtʃwe/ | ribye /riˈbje/ | tombo /tombo/ | ilitshe /iliˈtʃe/ |
| Mountain | thaba /tʰaba/ | thaba /tʰaba/ | thaba /ˈtʰaba/ | lilundu /lilundu/ | ntshava /ntsʰava/ | thavha /tʰavʱa/ | intaba /inˈtaːɓa/ |
| Sea | lewatle /lewatɬe/ | lewatle /lewatɬe/ | lewatle /lewatɬe/ | liwate /liwate/ | lwandle /lwandɮe/ | lwanzhe /lwanʒe/ | ulwandle /ulwandɮe/ |
| Mother | mmè /mːɛ/ | mmê /mːɛ/ | mma /mːa/ | ma /ma/ | manana /manana/ | mme /mːe/ | umama /umama/ |
| Father | ntate /ntate/ | rrê /rːɛ/ | tate /tate/ | ndate /ndate/ | tatana /tatana/ | khotsi /kʰotsi/ | ubaba /uɓaɓa/ |
| Daughter | morali /moɾali/ | morwadi /morwadi/ | morwedi /morwedi/ | mwana wa musizana /mwana wa musizana/ | nʼwana wa xisati /ŋʷana wa ʃisati/ | ṅwananyana /ŋʷanaɲana/ | indodakazi /indodakazi/ |
| I | nna /nːa/ | nna /nːa/ | nna /nna/ | na /na/ | mina /mina/ | nṋe /n̪ːe/ | mina /mina/ |
| You | wena /wena/ | wena /wena/ | wena /wena/ | wena /wena/ | wena /wena/ | iwe /iwe/ | wena /wena/ |
| We | rona /rona/ | rona /rona/ | rena /rena/ | luna /luna/ | hina /hina/ | riṋe /rin̪e/ | thina /tʰina/ |
| Name | lebitso /lebitso/ | leina /leina/ | leina /leina/ | libizo /libizo/ | vito /vito/ | dzina /dzina/ | ibizo /ibizo/ |
| Person | motho /motʰo/ | motho /motʰo/ | motho /mʊtʰʊ/ | mutu /mutu/ | munhu /munʱu/ | muthu /mutʰu/ | umuntu /umuntu/ |
| Head | hlooho /ɬoːho/ | tlhogo /tɬʰoχo/ | hlogo /ɬoχo/ | toho /toho/ | nhloko /nɬoko/ | ṱhoho /t̪ʰoho/ | ikhanda /iˈkʰanda/ |
| Eye | leihlo /leiɬo/ | leitlho /leitɬʰo/ | leihlo /leiɬo/ | liito /liːto/ | tihlo /tiɬo/ | iṱo /it̪o/ | ilihlo /iliɬo/ |
| Ear | tsebe /tsebe/ | tsebe /tsebe/ | tsebe /tsebe/ | zebe /zebe/ | ndleve /ndɮeve/ | nḓevhe /n̪d̪evʱe/ | indlebe /indɮɛɓe/ |
| Nose | nko /ŋ̩ˈko/ | nko /ŋ̩ˈko/ | nko /ŋˈko/ | ngo /ŋo/ | nhompfu /nʱompfu/ | ningo /niŋo/ | ikhala /ikʰala/ |
| Mouth | molomo /molomo/ | molomo /molomo/ | molomo /molomo/ | mulomo /mulomo/ | nomu /nomu/ | mulomo /mulomo/ | umlomo /umˈlomo/ |
| Tooth | leino /leino/ | leino /leino/ | leino /leino/ | liino /liːno/ | tino /tino/ | iṋo /in̪o/ | izinyo /iziɲo/ |
| Tongue | leleme /leleme/ | leleme /leleme/ | leleme /leleme/ | lulimi /lulimi/ | ririmi /ririmi/ | lulimi /lulimi/ | ulimi /ulimi/ |
| Hand | letsoho /letsoho/ | seatla /seatɬa/ | seatla /seatɬa/ | lizoho /lizoho/ | voko /voko/ | tshanḓa /tʃʰan̪d̪a/ | isandla /isandɮa/ |
| Foot | leoto /leoto/ | lonao /lonao/ | leoto /leoto/ | lihutu /liˈhutu/ | nenge /neŋɡe/ | mulenzhe /mulenʒe/ | unyawo /uɲawo/ |
| Heart | pelo /pelo/ | pelo /peːlo/ | pelo /pelo/ | pilu /pilu/ | mbilu /mbilu/ | mbilu /mbilu/ | inhliziyo /inɬizijo/ |
| Bone | lesapo /lesapo/ | lerapo /lerapo/ | lerapo /lerapo/ | sapo /sapo/ | rhambu /rambu/ | ḽirambo /l̪irambo/ | ithambo /itʰambo/ |
| Blood | mali /mali/ | madi /madi/ | madi /madi/ | mali /mali/ | ngati /ŋɡati/ | malofha /maloɸa/ | igazi /iɡazi/ |
| Poop | masepa /masepa/ | masepa /masepa/ | masepa /masepa/ | ñanda /ɲanda/ | — | malaṱwa /malat̪wa/ | amasimba /amasimba/ |
| Love | lerato /leɾato/ | lerato /leɾato/ | lerato /lerato/ | lilato /lilato/ | rirhandzu /riɾandzu/ | lufuno /lufuno/ | uthando /utʰando/ |
| Tree | sefate /sefate/ | setlhare /setɬʰaɾe/ | sehlare /seɬare/ | kota /kota/ | nsinya /nsiɲa/ | muri /muri/ | isihlahla /isiɬaɬa/ |
| Dog | ntja /ntʃa/ | ntša /ntʃa/ | mpša /mpʃa/ | nja /ndʒa/ | mbyana /mbjana/ | mmbwa /mːbwa/ | inja /indʒa/ |
| Cat | katse /katse/ | katse /katse/ | katse /katse/ | kaze /kaze/ | mangoyi /maŋɡoji/ | katse /katse/ | ikati /ikati/ |
| Fish | tlhapi /tɬʰapi/ | tlhapi /tɬʰapi/ | hlapi /ɬapi/ | tapi /tapi/ | nhlampfi /nɬampfi/ | khovhe /kʰovʱe/ | inhlanzi /iɬanzi/ |
| Bird | nonyana /nʊˈɲana/ | nonyane /nɔˈɲanɛ/ | nonyana /nʊɲana/ | nyunywani /ɲuɲwani/ | xinyenyana /ʃiɲeˈɲana/ | tshiṋoni /tʃiˈn̪oni/ | inyoni /iɲoni/ |
| Butterfly | serurubele /seruruˈbele/ | serurubele /seruruˈbele/ | serurubele /seruruˈbele/ | sipulumuki /sipulumuki/ | phapharhati /pʰapʰaˈrati/ | tshisusu /tʃʰisusu/ | ivevane /iveˈvane/ |
| Egg | lehe /lehe/ | lee /lɛɛ/ | lee /leː/ | lii /liː/ | tandza /tandza/ | gumba /ɡumba/ | iqanda /iǃanda/ |
| Bear | bere /bɛrɛ/ | bera /bɛra/ | bêrê /bɛrɛ/ | bele /bele/ | bere /bere/ | biara /biara/ | ibhere /ibʱere/ |
| Horse | pere /pere/ | pitse /pitse/ | pere /pere/ | pizi /pizi/ | hanci /hantʃi/ | bere /bere/ | ibhiza /iˈbiza/ |
| House | ntlo /ntɬo/ | ntlo /ntɬo/ | ntlo /ntɬo/ | ndu /ndu/ | yindlu /jindɮu/ | nnḓu /n̪d̪u/ | indlu /indɮu/ |
| Milk | lebese /lebese/ | mashi /maʃi/ | maswi /maswi/ | mabisi /mabisi/ | masi /masi/ | mafhi /maɸi/ | uchago /uˈtʃaɡo/ |
| Honey | mahe a dinotshi /mahe a dinotsʰi/ | tswina /tswina/ | todi /todi/ | linosi /linosi/ | vulombe /vulombe/ | mutoli /mutoli/ | uluju /uludʒu/ |
| Salt | letswai /letswai/ | letswai /letswai/ | letswai /letswai/ | lizwai /lizwai/ | munyu /muɲu/ | muṋo /mun̪o/ | itswayi /itswaji/ |
| Wine | veine /veine/ | beine /beine/ | beine /beine/ | waine /waine/ | vhinyo /viɲo/ | waini /waini/ | iwayini /iwaˈjini/ |
| Rice | raese /raese/ | raese /raese/ | reisi /reisi/ | laisi /laisi/ | rhayisi /rajisi/ | raisi /raisi/ | — |
| Chocolate | tjhokolete /tʃʰokolete/ | tshokolete /tsʰokolete/ | tšhokolete /tʃʰokolete/ | — | chokoleti /tʃokoleti/ | — | — |
| Iron | tshepe /ˈtsʰepe/ | tshipi /ˈtsʰipi/ | tshipi /ˈtsʰipi/ | sipi /sipi/ | nsimbi /nsimbi/ | tsimbi /tsimbi/ | insimbi /inˈsimbi/ |
| Wheel | lebili /lebili/ | leotwana /leotwana/ | leotwana /leoˈtwana/ | liwili /liwili/ | vhilwa /vilwa/ | mulinga /muliŋa/ | ivili /iˈvili/ |
| Silk | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | siliki /siliki/ | silika /silika/ | siliga /siliɡa/ | isilika /isiˈlika/ |
| Book | buka /buka/ | buka /buka/ | puku /puku/ | buka /buka/ | buku /buku/ | bugu /buɡu/ | incwadi /iŋǀʷadi/ |
| Eat | ho ja /ho dʒa/ | go ja /χo dʒa/ | go ja /χo dʒa/ | kuca /kutʃa/ | ku dya /ku dʒa/ | u ḽa /u l̪a/ | ukudla /ukuɮa/ |
| Drink | ho noa /ho noa/ | go nwa /χo nwa/ | go nwa /χo nwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | ku nwa /ku nwa/ | u nwa /u nwa/ | ukunatha /ukunatʰa/ |
| Sleep | ho robala /ho rʊˈbala/ | go robala /χo rʊˈbala/ | go robala /χo rʊˈbala/ | kulobala /kulobala/ | ku etlela /ku eˈtɬela/ | u eḓela /u eˈd̪ela/ | ukulala /ukulala/ |
| One | nngwe /ŋːwe/ | nngwe /ŋːwe/ | tee /teː/ | nyinwi /ɲiŋʷi/ | rinʼwe /riŋwe/ | nthihi /ntʰihi/ | nye /ɲe/ |
| Two | pedi /pedi/ | pedi /pedi/ | pedi /pedi/ | peli /peli/ | mbirhi /mbiri/ | mbili /mbili/ | kubili /kubili/ |
| Three | tharo /tʰaʀo/ | tharo /tʰaro/ | tharo /tʰaro/ | talu /talu/ | nharhu /ɳaɾu/ | tharu /tʰaru/ | kuthathu /kutʰatʰu/ |
| Four | nne /nːe/ | nne /nːe/ | nne /nːɛ/ | ne /ne/ | mune /mune/ | ṋa /n̪a/ | kune /kune/ |
| Five | hlano /ɬano/ | tlhano /tɬʰano/ | hlano /ɬano/ | ketalizoho /ketalizoho/ | ntlhanu /ntɬʰanu/ | ṱhanu /t̪ʰanu/ | hlanu /ɬaːnu/ |
| Hundred | lekgolo /leχolo/ | lekgolo /leχolo/ | lekgolo /leχolo/ | mwanda /mwanda/ | dzana /dzana/ | ḓana /d̪ana/ | ikhulu /iˈkʰulu/ |
| Hello | dumela /dumɛla/ | dumela /dumeːla/ | dumela /dumɛla/ | lumela /lumela/ | avuxeni /avuʃeni/ | ndaa /ndaː/ | salibonani /saliɓonani/ |
| Thank you | kea leboha /kea leboha/ | ke a leboga /ke a leboɣa/ | ke a leboga /ke a leboɣa/ | nitumezi /nitumezi/ | inkomu /iŋkomu/ | ndo livhuwa /ndo livʱuwa/ | ngiyabonga /ŋijaɓoŋɡa/ |
| Good | monate /monate/ | siame /siaːme/ | botse /botse/ | nde /nde/ | kahle /kaɬe/ | zwavhuḓi /zwavʱud̪i/ | kuhle /kuɬe/ |
| New | ntjha /ntʃʰa/ | ntshwa /ntsʰwa/ | mpsha /mpsʰa/ | nca /ntʃa/ | ntshwa /ntsʰwa/ | ntswa /ntswa/ | tsha /tʃʰa/ |
| Red | khubelu /kʰubelu/ | khibidu /kʰibidu/ | hubedu /hubedu/ | fubelu /fubelu/ | tshwuka /tsʰwuka/ | tswuku /tswuku/ | bomvu /ɓoːmvu/ |
| White | tšhweu /tsʰweu/ | tshweu /tsʰwɛu/ | tšhweu /tʃʰwɛu/ | sweu /sweu/ | basa /ˈbasa/ | tshena /tsʰena/ | mhlophe /mɬɔpʰe/ |
| Black | ntšo /ntsʰɔ/ | ntsho /ntsʰɔ/ | ntsho /ntsʰɔ/ | nsu /nsu/ | ntima /ntima/ | ntswu /ntswu/ | mnyama /mɲaːma/ |
| Green | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | rihlaza /riɬaza/ | dala /dala/ | luhlaza /luɬaːza/ |
| Blue | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | rihlaza /riɬaza/ | lutombo /lutombo/ | luhlaza /luɬaːza/ |
| Cuckoo | ntetekeng /ntɛtɛˈkɛŋ/ | — | — | — | ngwafalantala /ŋʷafalanˈtala/ | — | inkanku /iⁿˈkaŋku/ |
| Computer | khomputa /kʰomputa/ | khomphuta /kʰompʰuta/ | khomphutha /kʰompʰutʰa/ | kompyuta /kompjuta/ | khompyuta /kʰompjuta/ | khomphyutha /kʰompʰjutʰa/ | ikhompiyutha /ikʰompijutʰa/ |
| Tea | tee /teː/ | tee /teː/ | teye /teje/ | tii /tiː/ | tiya /tija/ | tie /tie/ | itiye /itije/ |
| Coffee | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | ikhofi /ikʰofi/ |
| Sugar | tswekere /tswekere/ | sukiri /sukiri/ | swikiri /swikiri/ | shuga /ʃuɡa/ | chukela /tʃukela/ | swigiri /swiɡiri/ | itshukela /itʃukela/ |
| Orange | lamunu /lamunu/ | namune /namune/ | namune /namune/ | olenji /olendʒi/ | lamula /lamula/ | — | — |
| Ninety-nine | mashome a robong a metso e robong /maʃome a ʀoboŋ a metso e ʀoboŋ/ | masome a robongwe robongwe /masome a roboŋwe roboŋwe/ | masome a senyane le senyane /masome a seɲane le seɲane/ | — | makume nkaye nkaye /makume ŋkaje ŋkaje/ | — | amatshumi aficamunwemunye lesificamunwemunye /amatʃumi afiǀamunwemunje lesifiǀamunwemunje/ |
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