Pronunciation

In Setswana, the vowels are pronounced as in the following English words:

• 'A' as in 'car'
• 'E' as in 'let'
• 'I' as in 'meet'
• 'O' as in 'go'
• 'U' as in 'school'

There are also a few combinations of consonants which are pronounced very differently from English:

• 'G' = an 'H' sound deep in your throat
• 'Kg' = K + an 'H' sound deep in your thorat
• 'Kh' = K + some air
• 'Ph' = P + some air
• 'Th' = T + some air
• 'Ny' = think of isolating the 'ny' in 'canyon'
• 'Tl' = think of isolating the 'tl' in 'Atlanta'
• 'Tlh' = 'Tl' + some air
• 'Ts' - think of isolating the 'ts' in 'itself'
• 'Tsh' = 'Ts' + some air
• 'Nts' = N + 'Ts' sound