Course

2007-06-02T11:18:12Z

Jacob:

__NOTOC__
==Bua Setswana Course==
This course is aimed at beginners who want to learn to speak Setswana. The course aims to help students achieve a basic mastery of Setswana to allow them to communicate their basic needs and serve as a foundation on which to build their language skills.

The course is based on information from Nthati Phetlhu (Gaborone, Botswana)

Before starting, students should refer to the notes on [[Pronunciation]]

It is strongly recommended that the student learns by speaking with Batswana speakers at the earliest opportunity.

==Lessons==
#[[greetings]], useful phrases
#[[introducing yourself]]
#[[verbs - present tense]] including verbs "to have" and "to be"
#[[location]] including nouns ending in –ng
#[[simple sentences and linking words]]
#[[noun classes]]
#[[verbs - past tense]]
#[[times of day]]
#[[verb objects and conjunctives]] (joining words)
#[[possessives]]
#[[verbs - future tense]]
#[[verbs - past continuous tense]]
#[[numbers]] , days of the week
#[[human body]] , tribes
#[[adjectives]]
#[[comparatives]]
#[[shopping]]
#[[adverbs]]
#[[relative construct]]
#[[kinship terms]]
#[[demonstratives]]
#[[imperatives]]
#[[getting around]]
#[[climate]]

==Reference/Revision Material==
*[[Noun class summary table]]
*[[Verb tenses summary]]
*[[work related vocabulary]]

==External Teaching Material==
*Booklet "First Steps in Spoken Setswana" published by Pula Press 1978

* "Understanding Everyday Setswana" A vocabulary & reference book - Pam Wilken Published 1994 Maskew Miller Longman [http://www.mml.co.za] ISBN 0-636-01871-7 or ISBN 978-0-636-01871-6 Ninety four pages of vocabulary and phrases sorted in sections (eg animals, clothing, emergency situations etc). No grammar.

*CD "Learn Setswana" from [http://www.eurotalk.com Eurotalk] This is really just a lot of vocabulary much of which has little relevance to life in Botswana. However you can at least listen to Setswana speakers pronouncing the words.

*"Tswana for Beginners" JW Snyman, JC le Roux, M le Roux ISBN 0-86981-699-3 Published UNISA University of South Africa Pretoria 1991. 315 pages, with useful help on grammar.

==Dictionaries==
*Setswana-English-Setswana Dictionary (Macmillan Botswana) ISBN 99912-77-77-3 Compiled by Z I Matumo in 1993, based on previous dictionaries by Missionaires. The dictionary is 647 pages long and recommended for serious Setswana learners.

*Thanodi ya Setswana - Longman ISBN 9991250549 or 9789991250540 - haven't seen this one but its listed [http://www.mml.co.za/dictionaries_african.htm#setswana here]

*Shuters Compact Setswana Dictionary (Shuter & Shooter) ISBN 0-7960-0639-3 Includes both singular and plural forms of nouns (eg "motho" and "batho") to assist learners. For "South African" Setswana rather than "Botswana" Setswana.
[[User:Jacob|Jacob]]

==Other References==
*The Sound System of Setswana - Dept of African Languages and Literature - University of Botswana Published 1999 by Lightbooks, Gaborone. ISBN 99912-71-21-X

*Structure of a Setswana Sentence

2007-05-28T18:58:47Z

Jacob:

=== Kinship terms===
{| style="color:green;background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1"
| "my father" || "your father" || "his/her father" || English
|-
| Rre/Ntate || Rrago || Rraagwe || Father
|-
| Mme || Mmago || Mmaagwe || Mother
|-
| Rre-Mogolo/Ntate-Mogolo || Rrago-Mogolo || Rraagwe-Mogolo || Grandfather
|-
| Mme-Mogolo/Nkoko || Mmago-Mogolo || Mmaagwe-Mogolo || Grandmother
|-
| Nkgonne(Aubuti/Ausi) || Mogoloo (Aubutiago/Ausiago) || Mogolowe || Elder brother/sister
|-
| Nnake || Monnao || Monnawe || Younger brother/sister
|-
| Kgaitsadiake || Kgaitsadio || Kgaitsadie || Sibling of the opposite sex
|-
| Rangwane || Rangwanaago || Rangwanaagwe || Paternal uncle
|-
| Rakgadi || Rakgadiago || Rakgadiagwe || Paternal aunt
|-
| Malome || Malomaago || Malomaagwe || Maternal uncle
|-
| Mmangwane || x || x || Maternal aunt
|-
| Ntsalake || Ntsalao || Ntsalae || Cousin
|}

===Comprehension Exercise===
Leina la me ke Tuelo Moilwa. Rre ke Bitsang, Mme ke o bidiwa Ipotseng. Ke tsaletswe mo Motsenf wa(s?) Ramotswa. Motse o,o mo kgaolong ya Borwa-Botlhaba. O ka nna dikhilomethara di le 30 go tswa Gaborone. Go nna batho ba le 37,000 mo motseng o. Ke na le dingwaga tse 25 le bonnake ba le bararo, basimane ba babedi le mosetsana. Nnake wa ntlha le wa bobedi ke basimane, mme wa bofelo ke mosetsana. Bonnake ba basimane be tsena sekolo kwa Kagiso Secondary. Wa mosetsa a santse a le mo sekolong se se botlana sa mission. 

Nna ke dira ngwaga wa bone kwa University ya Botswana (U.B). Ke ithutela go nna Agente. Ngwaga o o tlang ke tlaa bo ke bereka mo ga Goromente mo Attorney General's Chamber. ke tlaa bereka dingwaga di le nne ka gore ke molao, mme morago ke tlaa ipereka. 

Nnake wa ntlha, ebong Itumeleng, o dira lokwalo la botlhano fa wa bobedi ebong, Mareko, a dira la boraro. Itumeleng a re o batla go ya U.B go dira Boenjenere morago ga Tirelo Sechaba. Ga na pelaelo gore o tlaa amogelwa kwa U.B ka go re o botlhale tota. Mareko ene a re o rata bongaka ba diphologolo. A re o batla go nna le polase le leruo le lentsi. Mosetsana a re ene o eletsa go nna mooki go thusa ba ba lwalang. 

Ke na le bomme ba le babedi. Rre o nyetse basadi ba babedi. O nyetse mme pele ka gore o kgonne go nnal le ngwana a le mongwe fela - ebong, nna. Ntate a nyala monnawe mme, ebong, Mmangwanne, yo o leng mmagwe Itumelang, Mareko le Neo. Itumelang o na le dingwaga di le 17, Mareko di 13, Neo ene di 10. Rotlhe re nna mmogo ka boitumelo. Bogologolo go ne go siame fela go nyala basadi ba bantsi. Gompieno ga go a tlwaelesega. 

Re na le marantafole a le matlhano. E nnye ke ya boapeelo, e nngwe ke ya bana, e nngwe ya ga rre, mme tse pedi ke tsa basadi ba gagwe, mongwe le mongwe o na le ya gagwe. 

''Araba Dipotso Tse''

# Leina la mokwadi ke mang?
# Batsadi ba gagwe ke bo-mang?
# Mosetsan(?) yo o tsaletswe kae?
# Ramotswa o mo kgaolong efe?
# Go nna batho ba le kae mo Ramotswa?
# Tuelo o na le dingwaga di le kae?
# Tuelo o na le bo-monnawe ba le kae?
# O dira ngwaga wa bokae kwa University?
# O ithutela go nna eng?
# Itumelang o ikaelela go dira eng kwa U.B?
# O tlaa ya U.B leng?
# Tirelo Sechaba ke eng ka Sekgowa?
# Tuelo o na le natsadi ba le kae? (Tlhalosa/Explain)
# A batho ba, ba nna mmogo?
# Go na le matlo a le kae mo lapeng?

Kinship terms

2007-05-28T18:24:33Z

Jacob: New page: === Kinship terms=== {| style="color:green;background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1" | "my father" || "your father" || "his/her father" || English |- | Rre/Ntat...

2007-05-25T20:03:37Z

Jacob:

2007-05-23T20:02:21Z

Jacob:

Noun class summary table

2007-05-23T19:58:50Z

Jacob: New page: === Noun Classes 1 to 10=== {| style="color:green;background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1" | x || Class 1 || Class 2 || Class 3 || Class 4 || Class 5 || Class ...

Adjectives

2007-05-22T19:22:08Z

Jacob:

Aim - use adjectives to describe things - the TALL man, the NEW car

===Soft Adjectives===
When using these adjectives, add the subject prefix to the start of the adjective.
*-ntle (beautiful) mosadi montle, basadi bantle, le@@ lentle, etc

{| style="color:green;background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1"
| -ntle || beautiful
|-
| -tona || big
|-
| -kima || fat
|-
| -sesane || slim
|-
| -nnye || small/young/little
|-
| -leele || long/tall
|-
| -khutshwane || short
|-
| -ntsi || many/plenty
|-
| -sweu || white
|-
| -ntsho || black
|-
| -tala || blue/green
|-
| -hibidu || red
|}

===Strong/Hard Adjectives===
These adjectives stay the same whatever the noun is.

*monate (nice/enjoyable) @@@ monate, ba@@ monate, le@@ monate, etc

{| style="color:green;background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1"
| monate || nice/enjoyable/tasty
|-
| maswe || ugly/bad
|-
| turu || expensive
|-
| chipi || cheap
|-
| thata || hard/strong/very much
|-
| motlhofo || weak/lightweight/simple
|-
| leswe || dirty
|-
| sekono || clean
|-
| bokete || hard/heavy
|}

===Use in simple sentences===
*nna ke montle - I am beautiful
*mosadi o montle - the woman is beautiful
*Batswana ba bantsi mo Botswana - Batswana are many in Botswana
*Batswana ga ba bantsi mo UK - Batswana are few (not many) in the UK
*mosese o mohibidu - the dress is red (or "the red dress" see below)

===More complex sentences===
using the adjective in normal sentences requires use of the "adjectival concord", related to the [[relative]] construction see later.
*mosadi yo montle o bidiwa Sara - the beautiful woman is called Sarah 
here "yo" is the adjectival concord for noun mosadi

=== Adjectival Concords ===
{| style="color:green;background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1"
| Class || Example || Adjectival Concord || Soft Adjective || Subject Marker
|-
| Class 1 || Mosadi || yo || mo-ntle || o
|-
| Class 2 || Batho || ba || ba-ntle || ba
|-
| Class 3 || Molomo || o || mo-ntle || o
|-
| Class 4 || mesese || e || me-ntle || e
|-
| Class 5 || legodu || le || le-ntle || le
|-
| Class 6 || makgowa || a || ma-ntle || a
|-
| Class 7 || Setswana || se || se-ntle || se
|-
| Class 8 || dimumu || tse || di-ntle || di
|-
| Class 9 || koloi || e || ntle || e
|-
| Class 10 || diphologolo || tse || di-ntle || di
|-
| Class 11 || lorole || lo || lo-ntle || lo
|-
| Class 12 || dikgong || tse || di-ntle || di
|-
| Class 14 || borotha || bo || bo-ntle || bo
|-
| Class 15 || go ithuta || go || go-ntle || go
|}
Note the adjectival concord is the same as the subject prefix except for class 1 o -> yo and subject prefix di -> tse

===Comprehension Exercise===
Leina la me ke Sara. Ke fana ka Boardman. Ke tswa kwa California mo Amerika. Ke na le dingwaga di le 23. Batsadi ba me ba nna kwa California. Rre ke ngaka ya meno, mme ene ga a bereke o tlhokomela lelapa. Re bararo, ke na le bo-kgaitsadiake ba babedi, yo motona le yo monnye. Nkgonne o bereka mo restaurenteng, o itse go apaya thata. O tlhola a re apeela pizza, tlhapi le dikheiki. Leina la gagwe ke Paul. O na le dingwaga di le 25. Paul o nyetse. Mosadi wa gagwe o bidiwa Kim. Ba ne le ngwana a le mongwe fela, ke mosetsana. 

Nnake o bidiwa Rob, o na le dingwaga tse 19. O santse a tsena sekolo kwa University ya California. O dira ngwaga wa bobedi. 

Rotlhe re rata Rob thata ka gore re akanya gore ke mosimane yo monnye, gape o botlhale thata. Ke akanya gore ngwaga e, Rob o tlaa nketela. Fa a tla, re tlaa ya kwa Chobe go bone diphologolo. Kwa Chobe go monate ka gore go na le diphologolo, dinonyane le metsi a mantsi. 

Nkoko le ntatemogolo ba tlhokafetse. Ke na le rakgadi le malome. Rakgadi o bereka mo shopong. Go a na bana, o nna a le nosi. Fa ke fetsi tiro ya me mono, ke tlaa nna le rakgadi kwa Pensylvania. Malome ene o na le bana ba le babedi. Bo-Ntsalake ba tsena mo High School, ke basetsana botlhe. Ke a ba rata, gape ke eletsa gore le bone ba nketele fa dikolo tsa bone di tswalwa. 

''Jaanong araba dipotso tse: (now answer these questions:)'' 

#Leina la mokwadi ke mang?
#Dingwaga tsa gagwe di kae?
#O tsaletswe kae?
#Rragwe o dira eng?
#Leina la mogolowe ke mang?
#Rob ke mang?
#Rob ke ngwana wa bokae mo lapeng?
#Botlhe ba rata Rob ka goreng?
#Rob o dira ngwaga wa bokae kwa University?
#Kwa Chobe go monate kagoreng?
#Sara o ikaelela go dira eng fa a fetsa tiro ya gagwe mono?

===Template table - Vocabulary===
{| style="color:black;background-color:#ffcc99;" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="1"
| fana || x
|-
| dingwaga || years
|-
| batsadi || parents
|-
| ngaka ya meno || dentist (doctor of teeth)
|-
| tlhokomela || to nurse/look after
|-
| lelapa || home / compound
|-
| -raro || three
|-
| kgaitsadiaka || my brother/sister
|-
| tlhola || to spend the day
|-
| apeela || to cook for
|-
| tlhapi || fish
|-
| dikheiki ||
|-
| nyetse || has married (past tense)
|-
| fela || only / nonetheless
|-
| santse || has rained lightly (past tense) ????
|-
| rotlhe || all of us
|-
| akanya || to think
|-
| gore || that/so that
|-
| botlhale || x
|-
| nketela || x
|-
| diphologolo || animals
|-
| diononyane || x
|-
| mantsi || x
|-
| tlhokafetse || has become scarce/has died
|-
| rakgadi || aunt (father's sister)
|-
| malome || uncle (mather's brother)
|-
| a le nosi || alone
|-
| fetsa || finish/complete
|-
| botlhe || all of them ??
|-
| eletsa || wish for/desire
|-
| nketele || x
|-
| dikolo || x
|-
| tswalwa || being closed/shut
|}

Adjectives

2007-05-22T18:45:28Z

Jacob:

Aim - use adjectives to describe things - the TALL man, the NEW car

===Soft Adjectives===
When using these adjectives, add the subject prefix to the start of the adjective.
*-ntle (beautiful) mosadi montle, basadi bantle, le@@ lentle, etc

{| style="color:green;background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1"
| -ntle || beautiful
|-
| -tona || big
|-
| -kima || fat
|-
| -sesane || slim
|-
| -nnye || small/young/little
|-
| -leele || long/tall
|-
| -khutshwane || short
|-
| -ntsi || many/plenty
|-
| -sweu || white
|-
| -ntsho || black
|-
| -tala || blue/green
|-
| -hibidu || red
|}

===Strong/Hard Adjectives===
These adjectives stay the same whatever the noun is.

*monate (nice/enjoyable) @@@ monate, ba@@ monate, le@@ monate, etc

{| style="color:green;background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1"
| monate || nice/enjoyable/tasty
|-
| maswe || ugly/bad
|-
| turu || expensive
|-
| chipi || cheap
|-
| thata || hard/strong/very much
|-
| motlhofo || weak/lightweight/simple
|-
| leswe || dirty
|-
| sekono || clean
|-
| bokete || hard/heavy
|}

===Use in simple sentences===
*nna ke montle - I am beautiful
*mosadi o montle - the woman is beautiful
*Batswana ba bantsi mo Botswana - Batswana are many in Botswana
*Batswana ga ba bantsi mo UK - Batswana are few (not many) in the UK
*mosese o mohibidu - the dress is red (or "the red dress" see below)

===More complex sentences===
using the adjective in normal sentences requires use of the "adjectival concord", related to the [[relative]] construction see later.
*mosadi yo montle o bidiwa Sara - the beautiful woman is called Sarah 
here "yo" is the adjectival concord for noun mosadi

=== Adjectival Concords ===
{| style="color:green;background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1"
| Class || Example || Adjectival Concord || Soft Adjective || Subject Marker
|-
| Class 1 || Mosadi || yo || mo-ntle || o
|-
| Class 2 || Batho || ba || ba-ntle || ba
|-
| Class 3 || Molomo || o || mo-ntle || o
|-
| Class 4 || mesese || e || me-ntle || e
|-
| Class 5 || legodu || le || le-ntle || le
|-
| Class 6 || makgowa || a || ma-ntle || a
|-
| Class 7 || Setswana || se || se-ntle || se
|-
| Class 8 || dimumu || tse || di-ntle || di
|-
| Class 9 || koloi || e || ntle || e
|-
| Class 10 || diphologolo || tse || di-ntle || di
|-
| Class 11 || lorole || lo || lo-ntle || lo
|-
| Class 12 || dikgong || tse || di-ntle || di
|-
| Class 14 || borotha || bo || bo-ntle || bo
|-
| Class 15 || go ithuta || go || go-ntle || go
|}
Note the adjectival concord is the same as the subject prefix except for class 1 o -> yo and subject prefix di -> tse

===Comprehension Exercise===
Leina la me ke Sara. Ke fana ka Boardman. Ke tswa kwa California mo Amerika. Ke na le dingwaga di le 23. Batsadi ba me ba nna kwa California. Rre ke ngaka ya meno, mme ene ga a bereke o tlhokomela lelapa. Re bararo, ke na le bo-kgaitsadiake ba babedi, yo motona le yo monnye. Nkgonne o bereka mo restaurenteng, o itse go apaya thata. O tlhola a re apeela pizza, tlhapi le dikheiki. Leina la gagwe ke Paul. O na le dingwaga di le 25. Paul o nyetse. Mosadi wa gagwe o bidiwa Kim. Ba ne le ngwana a le mongwe fela, ke mosetsana. 

Nnake o bidiwa Rob, o na le dingwaga tse 19. O santse a tsena sekolo kwa University ya California. O dira ngwaga wa bobedi. 

Rotlhe re rata Rob thata ka gore re akanya gore ke mosimane yo monnye, gape o botlhale thata. Ke akanya gore ngwaga e, Rob o tlaa nketela. Fa a tla, re tlaa ya kwa Chobe go bone diphologolo. Kwa Chobe go monate ka gore go na le diphologolo, dinonyane le metsi a mantsi. 

Nkoko le ntatemogolo ba tlhokafetse. Ke na le rakgadi le malome. Rakgadi o bereka mo shopong. Go a na bana, o nna a le nosi. Fa ke fetsi tiro ya me mono, ke tlaa nna le rakgadi kwa Pensylvania. Malome ene o na le bana ba le babedi. Bo-Ntsalake ba tsena mo High School, ke basetsana botlhe. Ke a ba rata, gape ke eletsa gore le bone ba nketele fa dikolo tsa bone di tswalwa. 

''Jaanong araba dipotso tse: (now answer these questions:)'' 

#Leina la mokwadi ke mang?
#Dingwaga tsa gagwe di kae?
#O tsaletswe kae?
#Rragwe o dira eng?
#Leina la mogolowe ke mang?
#Rob ke mang?
#Rob ke ngwana wa bokae mo lapeng?
#Botlhe ba rata Rob ka goreng?
#Rob o dira ngwaga wa bokae kwa University?
#Kwa Chobe go monate kagoreng?
#Sara o ikaelela go dira eng fa a fetsa tiro ya gagwe mono?

===Template table - Vocabulary===
{| style="color:black;background-color:#ffcc99;" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="1"
| fana || x
|-
| dingwaga || x
|-
| batsadi || x
|-
| ngaka ya meno || x
|-
| tlhokomela || x
|-
| lelapa || x
|-
| bararo || x
|-
| kgaitsadiake || x
|-
| tlhola || x
|-
| apeela || x
|-
| tlhapi || x
|-
| dikheiki || x
|-
| nyetse || x
|-
| fela || x
|-
| santse || x
|-
| ngwaga || x
|-
| rotlhe || x
|-
| akanya || x
|-
| gore || x
|-
| botlhale || x
|-
| nketela || x
|-
| diphologolo || x
|-
| diononyane || x
|-
| mantsi || x
|-
| tlhokafetse || x
|-
| rakgadi || x
|-
| malome || x
|-
| a le nosi || x
|-
| fetsa || x
|-
| botlhe || x
|-
| eletsa || x
|-
| nketele || x
|-
| dikolo || x
|-
| tswalwa || x
|}