Southern Sotho–English Dictionary

Look up Southern Sotho words and get English translations, with parts of speech and example sentences. Browse the common-word table below or type a Southern Sotho word into the lookup tool.

Translate full sentences into Southern Sotho

Type a Southern Sotho word above and press Look up to see its English translation.

Browse common Southern Sotho vocabulary

Word	Part of speech	Translation	Example
ke	pronoun	I	Ke mona jwale. I am here now.
wena	pronoun	you	Wena o mosa haholo. You are very kind.
yena	pronoun	he	Yena ke moholwane wa ka. He is my brother.
yena	pronoun	she	Yena o hae. She is at home.
rona	pronoun	we	Rona re ya hae. We are going home.
bona	pronoun	they	Bona ba dula toropong. They live in town.
eng	pronoun	what	O batla eng? What do you want?
kae	adverb	where	Buka ya ka e kae? Where is my book?
neng	adverb	when	O tla tla neng? When will you come?
mang	pronoun	who	Motho eo ke mang? Who is that person?
hobaneng	adverb	why	O hloname hobaneng? Why are you sad?
jwang	adverb	how	O tseba jwang? How do you know?
ba	verb	to be	Re thabile kajeno. We are happy today.
ba le	verb	to have	Ke na le koloi e ntjha. I have a new car.
etsa	verb	to do	Ba etsa mosebetsi hantle. They do the work well.
ya	verb	to go	Ke ya sekolong. I go to school.
tla	verb	to come	Tloo mona jwale. Please come here now.
bona	verb	to see	Ke bona thaba. I see the mountain.
tseba	verb	to know	Ke tseba karabo. I know the answer.
nahana	verb	to think	Re nahana ka bothata. We think about the problem.
batla	verb	to want	Ke batla metsi. I want some water.
hloka	verb	to need	Re hloka nako e eketsehileng. We need more time.
etsa	verb	to make	O etsa bohobe bo monate. She makes good bread.
nka	verb	to take	Nka buka o ye hae. Take the book home.
fa	verb	to give	Mphe pene. Give me the pen.
re	verb	to say	Ba re dumela hoseng. They say good morning.
bolella	verb	to tell	Mpolelle nnete. Tell me the truth.
botsa	verb	to ask	Ke botsa potso e le nngwe. I ask one question.
fumana	verb	to find	Re fumane senotlolo se lahlehileng. We found the lost key.
sheba	verb	to look	Sheba lehodimo. Look at the sky.
sebedisa	verb	to use	Sebedisa thipa ena e nyane. Use this small knife.
sebetsa	verb	to work	Ba sebetsa letsatsi le leng le le leng. They work every day.
ja	verb	to eat	Re ja raese bosiung bona. We eat rice tonight.
nwa	verb	to drink	Nwa metsi a hlwekileng jwale. Drink clean water now.
robala	verb	to sleep	Ngwana o robala kapele. The child sleeps early.
tsamaya	verb	to walk	Re tsamaya ho ya toropong. We walk to town.
matha	verb	to run	Moshanyana o matha ka potlako. The boy runs fast.
bala	verb	to read	Ke bala buka ena. I read this book.
ngola	verb	to write	O ngola lengolo. She writes a letter.
bua	verb	to speak	Ba bua butle mona. They speak softly here.
mamela	verb	to listen	Mamela titjhere. Listen to the teacher.
utlwa	verb	to hear	Ke utlwa mmino. I hear the music.
reka	verb	to buy	Re reka ditholwana tse foreshe. We buy fresh fruit.
rekisa	verb	to sell	Ba rekisa bohobe mona. They sell bread here.
lefa	verb	to pay	Ke lefa mokganni. I pay the driver.
thusa	verb	to help	Ka kopo thusa ngwana. Please help the child.
rata	verb	to love	Ke rata lelapa la ka. I love my family.
phela	verb	to live	Ba phela motseng. They live in the city.
shwa	verb	to die	Difate tsa kgale di shwa butle. Old trees die slowly.
ithuta	verb	to learn	Bana ba ithuta sekolong. Children learn at school.
ruta	verb	to teach	Ba ruta bana ba banyenyane. They teach young children.
bula	verb	to open	Bula monyako jwale. Open the door now.
kwala	verb	to close	Kwala fensetere ka kopo. Close the window please.
motho	noun	person	Motho eo o na le botswalle. That person is friendly.
monna	noun	man	Monna o molelele. The man is tall.
mosadi	noun	woman	Mosadi o a bina. The woman is singing.
ngwana	noun	child	Ngwana o robetse. The child is sleeping.
moshanyana	noun	boy	Moshanyana o matha kantle. The boy runs outside.
ngwanana	noun	girl	Ngwanana o bala hantle. The girl reads well.
lelapa	noun	family	Lelapa la ka le leholo. My family is large.
mme	noun	mother	Mme wa ka o mosa. My mother is kind.
ntate	noun	father	Ntate wa ka o sebetsa mona. My father works here.
motswalle	noun	friend	Ke motswalle wa ka. She is my friend.
ntlo	noun	house	Ntlo e ntjha. The house is new.
hae	noun	home	Re ya hae. We are going home.
sekolo	noun	school	Sekolo se haufi. The school is nearby.
motse	noun	city	Motse o phathahane. The city is busy.
naha	noun	country	Naha ya rona e ntle. Our country is beautiful.
lefatshe	noun	world	Lefatshe le a fetoha. The world is changing.
seterata	noun	street	Seterata se selelele. The street is long.
kamore	noun	room	Kamore ena e hlwekile. This room is clean.
nako	noun	time	Nako e feta ka potlako. Time goes very quickly.
letsatsi	noun	day	Kajeno ke letsatsi le letle. Today is a good day.
bosiu	noun	night	Bosiu bo a bata. The night is cold.
hoseng	noun	morning	Hoseng ho ho botjha. The morning is fresh.
mantsiboya	noun	evening	Mantsiboya a kgutsitse. The evening is quiet.
beke	noun	week	Beke ena e phathahane. This week is busy.
kgwedi	noun	month	Kgwedi ena e telele. This month is long.
selemo	noun	year	Selemo sena se bohlokwa. This year is important.
kajeno	adverb	today	Ke phathahane kajeno. I am busy today.
hosane	adverb	tomorrow	Re tla tsamaya hosane. We will travel tomorrow.
maobane	adverb	yesterday	O fihlile maobane hoseng. She arrived yesterday morning.
jwale	adverb	now	Tloo mona jwale. Come here now.
letsatsi	noun	sun	Letsatsi le a tjhesa. The sun is hot.
kgwedi	noun	moon	Kgwedi e a kganya. The moon is bright.
naledi	noun	star	Naledi eo e a kganya. That star is bright.
lehodimo	noun	sky	Lehodimo le putswa. The sky is blue.
lefatshe	noun	earth	Lefatshe le pota-potile. The earth is round.
mollo	noun	fire	Mollo o a tjhesa. The fire is hot.
metsi	noun	water	Metsi a a bata. The water is cold.
pula	noun	rain	Pula e a na. The rain is falling.
moya	noun	wind	Moya o matla. The wind is strong.
sefate	noun	tree	Sefate se selelele. The tree is tall.
palesa	noun	flower	Palesa e ntle. The flower is beautiful.
thaba	noun	mountain	Thaba e phahameng. The mountain is high.
noka	noun	river	Noka e pharaletse. The river is wide.
leoatle	noun	sea	Leoatle le befile. The sea is rough.
dijo	noun	food	Dijo di lokile. The food is ready.
bohobe	noun	bread	Bohobe bo foreshe. The bread is fresh.
raese	noun	rice	Raese e tjhesa. The rice is hot.
nama	noun	meat	Nama e phehilwe. The meat is cooked.
hlapi	noun	fish	Hlapi e monate. The fish tastes good.
lehe	noun	egg	Lehe le robehile. The egg is broken.
lebese	noun	milk	Lebese le futhumetse. The milk is warm.
tholwana	noun	fruit	Tholwana ena e monate. This fruit is sweet.
tee	noun	tea	Tee e tjhesa. The tea is hot.
kofi	noun	coffee	Kofi e matla. The coffee is strong.
hlooho	noun	head	Hlooho ya ka e bohloko kajeno. My head hurts today.
leihlo	noun	eye	Leihlo la hae le lefubedu. Her eye is red.
tsebe	noun	ear	Tsebe ya ka e bohloko. My ear hurts.
molomo	noun	mouth	Bula molomo wa hao haholo. Open your mouth wide.
nko	noun	nose	Nko ya ka e a bata. My nose is cold.
letsoho	noun	hand	Hlatswa letsoho la hao hantle. Wash your hand well.
leoto	noun	foot	Leoto la hae le lemetse. His foot is injured.
pelo	noun	heart	Pelo ya hae e matla. Her heart is strong.
lebitso	noun	name	Lebitso la ka ke Thabo. My name is Thabo.
buka	noun	book	Buka ena e a thabisa. This book is interesting.
lentswe	noun	word	Lentswe lena le thata. This word is difficult.
puo	noun	language	Puo ena e ntle. This language is beautiful.
tjhelete	noun	money	Ke hloka tjhelete e eketsehileng. I need more money.
mosebetsi	noun	work	Mosebetsi o thata. The work is hard.
lerato	noun	love	Lerato le bohlokwa haholo. Love is very important.
mmino	noun	music	Mmino o hodimo. The music is loud.
pale	noun	story	Pale ke nnete. The story is true.
tsela	noun	way	Tsela ena e bonolo. This way is easier.
ntho	noun	thing	Ntho ena e a thusa. This thing is useful.
bophelo	noun	life	Bophelo bo bohlokwa. Life is precious.
monyako	noun	door	Monyako o butswe. The door is open.
tafole	noun	table	Tafole e hlwekile. The table is clean.
setulo	noun	chair	Setulo se robehile. The chair is broken.
koloi	noun	car	Koloi e lebelo. The car is fast.
ntle	adjective	good	Dijo tsena di ntle. This food is good.
mpe	adjective	bad	Boemo ba lehodimo bo mpe. The weather is bad.
kgolo	adjective	big	Ntlo eo e kgolo. That house is big.
nyane	adjective	small	Kamore e nyane. The room is small.
ntjha	adjective	new	Ke rekile buka e ntjha. I bought a new book.
kgale	adjective	old	Koloi eo e kgale. That car is old.
telele	adjective	long	Tsela e telele. The road is long.
kgutshwane	adjective	short	Thupa e kgutshwane. The stick is short.
phahameng	adjective	high	Thaba e phahame. The mountain is high.
tlase	adjective	low	Lerako le tlase. The wall is low.
tjhesa	adjective	hot	Tee e tjhesa. The tea is hot.
bata	adjective	cold	Metsi a bata. The water is cold.
thabile	adjective	happy	Bana ba thabile. The children are happy.
hloname	adjective	sad	O hloname kajeno. She feels sad today.
ntle	adjective	beautiful	Palesa e ntle. The flower is beautiful.
bonolo	adjective	easy	Thuto ena e bonolo. This lesson is easy.
thata	adjective	hard	Mosebetsi ona o thata. This work is hard.
potlako	adjective	fast	Pere eo e potlakile. That horse is fast.
butle	adjective	slow	Kgudu e tsamaya butle. The turtle is slow.
nepahetseng	adjective	right	Karabo ya hao e nepahetse. Your answer is right.
fosahetseng	adjective	wrong	Karabo eo e fosahetse. That answer is wrong.
bohlokwa	adjective	important	Kopano ena e bohlokwa. This meeting is important.
nnete	adjective	true	Pale eo ke nnete. That story is true.
tletse	adjective	full	Komiki e tletse. The cup is full.
se nang letho	adjective	empty	Kamore ha e na letho. The room is empty.
monyenyane	adjective	young	Ngwana o monyenyane. The child is young.
matla	adjective	strong	Monna o matla. The man is strong.
fokola	adjective	weak	Mokudi o fokola. The patient is weak.
fubedu	adjective	red	Palesa e kgubedu. The flower is red.
putswa	adjective	blue	Lehodimo le putswa. The sky is blue.
tala	adjective	green	Jwang bo botala. The grass is green.
tshehla	adjective	yellow	Letsatsi le shebahala le tshehla. The sun looks yellow.
ntsho	adjective	black	Ntja e ntsho. The dog is black.
tshweu	adjective	white	Lerako le lesweu. The wall is white.
e	interjection	yes	E, ke a utlwisisa. Yes, I understand.
tjhe	interjection	no	Tjhe, nke ke ka ya. No, I cannot go.
ha ...	adverb	not	Ha ke a itokisetsa. I am not ready.
le	conjunction	and	Tee le bohobe di lokile. Tea and bread are ready.
kapa	conjunction	or	Tee kapa kofi ho lokile. Tea or coffee is fine.
empa	conjunction	but	Ke lekile, empa ka hloleha. I tried, but failed.
haeba	conjunction	if	Haeba pula e na, dula ka hare. If it rains, stay inside.
hobane	conjunction	because	Ke dutse hobane pula e na. I stayed because it rained.
le	preposition	with	Ke tlile le motswalle wa ka. I came with my friend.
ntle le	preposition	without	O tsamaile ntle le tjhelete. He left without money.
bakeng sa	preposition	for	Mpho ena ke bakeng sa hao. This gift is for you.
ho tswa	preposition	from	O tlile ho tswa toropong. She came from town.
ho	preposition	to	Re ile sekolong. We went to school.