Animals

1. Mpša

   Dog

   Usage

   Dog; the plural is dimpša

   Grammar Note

   E.g. "Lebelela mpša" (look at the dog)

2. Katse

   Cat

   Usage

   Cat; the plural is dikatse

   Grammar Note

   E.g. "Katse e kitimiša mpša" (the cat chased the dog)

3. Nonyana

   Bird

   Usage

   Bird; the plural is dinonyana

   Grammar Note

   E.g. "Nonyana e opetše" (the bird sang)

4. Pere

   Horse

   Usage

   Horse; the plural is dipere

   Grammar Note

   Example: "Pere le karikana" (horse and cart)

5. Kgomo

   Cow / cattle

   Usage

   Cow; the plural is dikgomo (cattle)

   Grammar Note

   A common word; "dikgomo" is the plural, cattle

6. Kolobe

   Pig

   Usage

   Pig; the plural is dikolobe

   Grammar Note

   Example: "kolobe ye nnyane / kgolo" (small / big pig). Pork is "nama ya kolobe"

7. Lepidibidi

   Duck

   Usage

   Duck; it also appears as a story character

   Grammar Note

   Example: "Lepidibidi le le thabilego" (the Happy Duck)

8. Pudi

   Goat

   Usage

   Goat; the plural is dipudi

   Grammar Note

   Example: "Pudi ya sekolo" (the school goat) and "Pudi ka serapaneng" (the goat in the garden)

9. Nku

   Sheep

   Usage

   Sheep; the plural is dinku

   Grammar Note

   Example: "Nku e tee" (one sheep); the plural dinku is the commoner form

10. Tlou

    Elephant

    Usage

    Elephant; the plural is ditlou. Seen in the Kruger National Park

    Grammar Note

    Example: "E boima bjalo ka tlou" (as heavy as an elephant) and "Namela tlou" (ride an elephant)

11. Tau

    Lion

    Usage

    Lion; the plural is ditau

    Grammar Note

    Example: "Ke tau ye kgolo" (it is a big lion), and the story "Tau le legotlo" (the lion and the mouse)

12. Nkwe

    Leopard

    Usage

    Leopard; the plural is dinkwe

    Grammar Note

    Rare in writing ("Nkwe e kgonago namela", the leopard can climb), but the sense is clear

13. Kubu

    Hippopotamus

    Usage

    Hippopotamus

    Grammar Note

    The line "Kubu yela e dira eng?" (what is that hippo doing?) confirms the meaning

14. Ditšhukudu

    Rhinoceros

    Usage

    Rhinoceros, in the plural; black and white rhino are not distinguished

    Grammar Note

    E.g. "Ditšhukudu di tsongwa kudu" (rhinos are hunted). The singular is rarely attested, so the plural is used

15. Nare

    Buffalo

    Usage

    Wild buffalo; the plural is dinare

    Grammar Note

    Example: "dinare tšela tša lešoka" (those wild buffalo). Domestic cattle are kgomo

16. Kgabo

    Monkey

    Usage

    Monkey; in folktales it appears as "Tate Kgabo" (Father Monkey)

    Grammar Note

    E.g. "Kgabo e tla di utswa" (a monkey will steal them)

17. Tšhwene

    Baboon

    Usage

    Baboon; appears as a character in a folktale

    Grammar Note

    Example: "ntweng kgahlanong le Tšhwene" (the battle against the baboon). The monkey is a different word, kgabo

18. Noga

    Snake

    Usage

    Snake; the plural is dinoga

    Grammar Note

    E.g. "Noga ke sebatana sa tlhago" (snakes are a natural predator)

19. Kwena

    Crocodile

    Usage

    Crocodile; the plural is dikwena

    Grammar Note

    E.g. "Kwena e ile ya yo robala" (the crocodile went to sleep)

20. Khudu

    Tortoise / turtle

    Usage

    Tortoise or turtle; known from "Mmutla le khudu" (the hare and the tortoise)

    Grammar Note

    The English side uses both tortoise and turtle

21. Segwagwa

    Frog

    Usage

    Frog, as in "Segwagwa le kgopa" (the frog and the snail)

    Grammar Note

    A common word

22. Legotlo

    Mouse

    Usage

    Mouse; from the story "Tau le legotlo" (the lion and the mouse). Plural: magotlo

    Grammar Note

    A separate word for rat was not verified

23. Monang

    Mosquito

    Usage

    Mosquito; use repellent in malaria areas

    Grammar Note

    Confirmed by the insect list "ntšhi, monang, tšhošwane, khunkhwane" (fly, mosquito, ant, beetle) and "E ile ya swara monang"

24. Tšhošwane

    Ant

    Usage

    Ant; the plural is ditšhošwane

    Grammar Note

    E.g. "Tšhošwane le leeba" (the ant and the dove)

25. Nose

    Bee

    Usage

    Bee; the plural is dinose

    Grammar Note

    Example: "Mabolela a nose ga a bohloko" (bee stings are not painful)

26. Segokgo

    Spider

    Usage

    Spider; known from the Anansi folktales

    Grammar Note

    A common word

27. Ntšhi

    Fly

    Usage

    Fly (the insect)

    Grammar Note

    Confirmed by the insect list. "ntšhi" is also the adjective "much, many" (ye ntšhi), so mind the context

28. Serurubele

    Butterfly

    Usage

    Butterfly (the insect)

    Grammar Note

    Example: the song "Serurubele, o be o le kae?" (butterfly, where have you been?)

29. Pitsi

    Zebra

    Usage

    Zebra

    Grammar Note

    Confirmed by a story line about the zebra. The horse is pere, a different word

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