Basic Nouns

1. Meetse

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for asking for drinking water

   Grammar Note

   Always plural (class 6). Not Sesotho/Setswana "metsi"

2. Dijo

   Food

   Usage

   Refers to food in general

   Grammar Note

   The singular is "sejo"

3. Tšhelete

   Money

   Usage

   Refers to money or cash

   Grammar Note

   Keep the tšh (tshelete and tjhelete are wrong)

4. Ntlwana ya boithomelo

   Toilet

   Usage

   A polite way to refer to the toilet in public places

   Grammar Note

   Plural: dintlwana tša boithomelo

5. Sehlare

   Medicine

   Usage

   Refers to medicine

   Grammar Note

   Plural "dihlare" (Dihlare tša asma = asthma medicine). "sehlare" also covers herbal and stock remedies

6. Thekethe

   Ticket

   Usage

   A travel or entry ticket

   Grammar Note

   "Ke kgopela thekethe ya go ya ... fela hle" means a single ticket to ..., please. Plural: dithekethe

7. Pasporoto

   Passport

   Usage

   Asked for at borders and hotels

   Grammar Note

   Spelled pasporoto

8. Mogala

   Phone

   Usage

   Refers to a telephone or phone line

   Grammar Note

   "mogala" covers phone and telephone line. "Nomoro ya mogala" is a telephone number

9. Seteišene

   Station

   Usage

   A train or bus station

   Grammar Note

   Plural: diteišene. Keep the š. "seteišene sa dipese" is a bus station

10. Sepetlele

    Hospital

    Usage

    A hospital

    Grammar Note

    Plural: dipetlele. "bookelo" is a general health facility. Not Setswana "sepatela"

11. Maphodisa

    Police

    Usage

    The police force or police officers

    Grammar Note

    One officer is "lephodisa". Not Sesotho "lepolesa" or Setswana "mapodise"

12. Lebenkele

    Shop

    Usage

    A shop

    Grammar Note

    Plural: mabenkele

13. Phapoši

    Room

    Usage

    A room or classroom

    Grammar Note

    Used for a room in a lodging, and also for a classroom

14. Tsela

    Road

    Usage

    A road or way

    Grammar Note

    Plural: ditsela. "tsela" also means a way of doing something

15. Lapa

    Family

    Usage

    Family or household

    Grammar Note

    "leloko" is relatives or clan

16. Leina

    Name

    Usage

    A name

    Grammar Note

    Introduce yourself with "Leina la ka ke ..." (My name is ...). Plural: maina

17. Hlogo

    Head

    Usage

    Body part

    Grammar Note

    "Hlogo le magetla" means head and shoulders

18. Mahlo

    Eyes

    Usage

    Body part

    Grammar Note

    Singular: leihlo.

19. Tsebe

    Ear

    Usage

    Body part

    Grammar Note

    Plural: ditsebe. Do not confuse it with the verb go tseba (to know)

20. Nko

    Nose

    Usage

    Body part

    Grammar Note

    Face parts are listed as "mahlo, ditsebe, molomo le nko"

21. Molomo

    Mouth

    Usage

    Body part

    Grammar Note

    Plural: melomo

22. Leino

    Tooth

    Usage

    Used to describe tooth pain

    Grammar Note

    Plural: meno. A dentist is "ngaka ya meno"

23. Molala

    Neck

    Usage

    Body part

    Grammar Note

    "Ke na le molala wo motelele" means I have a long neck

24. Legetla

    Shoulder

    Usage

    Body part

    Grammar Note

    Plural: magetla (Hlogo le magetla)

25. Seatla

    Hand

    Usage

    Body part (the hand itself)

    Grammar Note

    Plural: diatla. "letsogo" is the arm

26. Letsogo

    Arm

    Usage

    Body part

    Grammar Note

    Plural: matsogo

27. Monwana

    Finger

    Usage

    Body part

    Grammar Note

    Plural: menwana (O bona menwana ye mekae? = How many fingers do you see?)

28. Sehuba

    Chest

    Usage

    Body part; used to describe a tight chest

    Grammar Note

    Do not use "mabele" for the body (it means grain, and is also a vulgar-neutral word for breasts)

29. Mpa

    Stomach / belly

    Usage

    Refers to the belly

    Grammar Note

    "mpa" can also relate to pregnancy, so mind the context

30. Mokokotlo

    Back

    Usage

    Body part

    Grammar Note

    "mokokotlo wa puku" is also a book's spine

31. Letheka

    Waist / hips

    Usage

    Refers to the waist or hip area

    Grammar Note

    For lower-back pain, "fase ga mokokotlo" (lower back) also works

32. Lengwele

    Knee

    Usage

    Body part

    Grammar Note

    Plural: mangwele (Koba mangwele = Bend your knees)

33. Leoto

    Leg

    Usage

    Body part

    Grammar Note

    Plural: maoto. The foot proper is "lenao"

34. Lenao

    Foot

    Usage

    Body part

    Grammar Note

    Plural: manao

35. Letlalo

    Skin

    Usage

    Skin; for describing skin problems

    Grammar Note

    It also means hide or leather

36. Mmele

    Body

    Usage

    The whole body

    Grammar Note

    "Go hlapa mmele" means washing the body

37. Lerapo

    Bone

    Usage

    Body part

    Grammar Note

    Plural: marapo

38. Madi

    Blood

    Usage

    Used to describe bleeding or blood pressure

    Grammar Note

    "madi" is plural (class 6). Unlike Setswana, money is "tšhelete" in Sepedi

39. Hotele

    Hotel

    Usage

    A hotel

    Grammar Note

    Plural: dihotele

40. Boemafofane

    Airport

    Usage

    An airport

    Grammar Note

    "sefofane" is the aeroplane

41. Seteišene sa dipese

    Bus stop

    Usage

    Where buses stop and start

    Grammar Note

    "seteišene" is borrowed from English station. "dipese" is the plural of "pese" (bus), so it means a place where buses stop

42. Seteišene sa maphodisa

    Police station

    Usage

    Where to report a theft

    Grammar Note

    "seteišene sa maphodisa" is the police station; "maphodisa" are the police

Browse all TravelPhrases languages