Colors

1. Khubedu

   Red

   Usage

   The colour red; placed after a noun to mean "red ..."

   Grammar Note

   Example: "dipheta tše khubedu" (red beads) and "Apola ye khubedu" (a red apple). A concord such as tše or ye precedes it, matching the noun

2. Mmala wa namune

   Orange

   Usage

   The colour orange; literally "colour of orange"

   Grammar Note

   "mmala" is colour and "namune" is the fruit orange. Based on the sentence "ka mmala wa namune" (in orange)

3. Serolane

   Yellow

   Usage

   The colour yellow, as in "Pese ye serolane" (the yellow bus)

   Grammar Note

   Found 58 times, e.g. "Panana ye serolane" (a yellow banana). A form with mo- (moserolane) appears when the noun is a class 1 or 3 noun

4. Talamorogo

   Green

   Usage

   The colour green; the word comes from the leafy-vegetable word morogo

   Grammar Note

   Example: "tše di talamorogo" (green marbles); the dictionary also gives green = talamorogo

5. Talalerata

   Blue

   Usage

   The colour blue (sky or sea); there is no separate verified word for dark blue or light blue, so this one word covers both

   Grammar Note

   Example: "Jeresi ye talalerata" (a blue jersey) and "ditulo tše talalerata" (blue seats). No separate words for dark blue and sky blue were found

6. Pinki

   Pink

   Usage

   The colour pink, borrowed from English pink

   Grammar Note

   Example: "dikuku tše pinki" (pink cupcakes) and "tše pinki" (pink pills)

7. Tšhweu

   White

   Usage

   The colour white. Keep the š: do not write "Tshweu"

   Grammar Note

   Example: "dipheta tše tšhweu" (white beads); the dictionary also gives white = tšhweu

8. Ntsho

   Black

   Usage

   The colour black, as in "teye e ntsho" (black tea)

   Grammar Note

   Example: "pene ye ntsho" (a black pen) and "teye e ntsho". Note that "boso" in the dictionary means weather, not the colour

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