π§πΌ
Most Common Tswana Words
Setswana
Essential Tswana vocabulary with pronunciation guides. Nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
Nouns
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ntlo | house | ntlo |
| metsi | water | MET-si |
| senkgwe | bread | senk-GWE |
| nako | time | NA-ko |
| motho | person | MO-tho |
| letsatsi | day / sun | le-TSA-tsi |
| tsela | road / way | TSE-la |
| tiro | work | TI-ro |
| madi | money | MA-di |
| motse | city / village | MOT-se |
| sekole | school | se-KO-le |
| buka | book | BU-ka |
| leina | name | le-I-na |
| ngwana | child | NGWA-na |
| tsala | friend | TSA-la |
| dijo | food | DI-jo |
| puo | language | PU-o |
| lefatshe | earth / land | le-FAT-she |
| seatla | hand | se-AT-la |
| ntsa | dog | ntsa |
Verbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| nna | to be / stay | nna |
| ya | to go | ya |
| tla | to come | tla |
| bua | to speak | bu-A |
| ja | to eat | ja |
| nwa | to drink | nwa |
| bona | to see | BO-na |
| itse | to know | IT-se |
| batla | to want | BAT-la |
| fa | to give | fa |
| tsaya | to take | TSA-ya |
| dira | to do | DI-ra |
| nagana | to think | na-GA-na |
| phela | to live | PHE-la |
| bala | to read | BA-la |
| kwala | to write | KWA-la |
| bereka | to work | be-RE-ka |
| thusa | to help | THU-sa |
| bona | to find | BO-na |
| tshwara | to hold | tshWA-ra |
Adjectives
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| molemo | good | mo-LE-mo |
| mobe | bad | MO-be |
| mogolo | big | mo-GO-lo |
| monnye | small | MON-nye |
| motjha | new | MOT-jha |
| motΕ‘ofatsi | old | mot-sho-FAT-si |
| motle | beautiful | MOT-le |
| wa bonako | fast | wa bo-NA-ko |
| wa bonya | slow | wa bo-NYA |
| motelele | long / tall | mo-te-LE-le |
| mokuse | short | mo-KU-se |
| go futhumala | warm | go fu-thu-MA-la |
| tsididi | cold | tsi-DI-di |
| maatla | strong | ma-AT-la |
| bonolo | easy | bo-NO-lo |
| thata | difficult | THA-ta |
| botlhokwa | important | bot-HLOK-wa |
| thahaselo | interesting | tha-ha-SE-lo |
| thabile | happy | tha-BI-le |
| tura | expensive | TU-ra |
Adverbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| jaanong | now | jaa-NONG |
| gompieno | today | gom-pi-E-no |
| kamoso | tomorrow | ka-MO-so |
| maabane | yesterday | maa-BA-ne |
| fano | here | FA-no |
| foo | there | foo |
| ka bonako | quickly | ka bo-NA-ko |
| ka bonya | slowly | ka bo-NYA |
| sentle | well | SEN-tle |
| thata | very / a lot | THA-ta |
| gape | also / too | GA-pe |
| ga | not / no | ga |
| ee | yes | ee |
| setse | already | SET-se |
| ntse | still / yet | ntse |
| fela | only / just | FE-la |
| nnete | really | NNE-te |
| thata | a lot | THA-ta |
| go le gonnye | a little | go le GON-nye |
| ka bonako jalo | immediately | ka bo-NA-ko JA-lo |