Formal Greeting (singular)
A |
Dumela rra |
Hello Sir
|
B |
Dumela mma, o tsogile jang ? |
Hello madam, how are you ? [literally "how did you wake up"]
|
A |
Ke tsogile sentle, wena o tsogile jang ? |
I am fine, how are you ?
|
B |
Ke tsogile sentle |
I am fine
|
As an alternative to "tsogile" (woke up) in the afternoon "tlhotse" (spent the day), and in the early morning "robetse" (slept) can be used.
Less Formal Greeting (singular)
A |
Dumela rra |
Hello Sir
|
B |
Dumela mma, o kae? |
Hello madam, how are you ? [literally "where are you"]
|
A |
Ke teng, wena o kae ? |
I am fine, how are you ?
|
B |
Ke teng |
I am fine
|
Less Formal Greeting (plural)
A |
Dumelang, le kae? / lo kae? |
Hello, how are you ? (plural)
|
B |
Re teng |
We are fine
|
Informal Greeting (singular)
A |
Wa reng ? |
What's up ? [literally "what do you say"]
|
B |
Go sharpu |
OK
|
Goodbye
A |
(Go siame rra) sala sentle |
(OK sir) Goodbye [literally "stay well"]
|
B |
(Go siame mma) tsamaya sentle |
(OK madam) Goodbye [literally "leave well"]
|
Informal Goodbye
A |
Boroko mma |
Goodnight madam
|
B |
Robala sentle rra |
Sleep well sir
|
Vocabulary
dumela |
dumelang |
Hello/Good Morning/Afternoon
|
tsoga |
tsile |
wake/woke up
|
tlhola |
tlhotse |
spend/spent the day
|
robala |
robetse |
sleep/slept
|
sala |
- |
stay
|
tsamaya |
- |
leave/go
|
bonana |
- |
see each other
|
botoka |
- |
better
|
go siame |
- |
its OK/fine
|
sharpu |
- |
OK (slang)
|
jang ? |
- |
how
|
kae ? |
- |
where
|
boroko |
- |
good night
|
koko |
- |
knock-knock
|
teng |
- |
there/around/available
|