# Sesotho phrasebook

Sesotho is the main language of Lesotho and is one of the official languages of South Africa.

## Pronunciation guide
### Vowels
#### a

    as in spa

#### e

    as in pit, cafe, or bed

#### i

    as in beet

#### o

    as in put, French "oiseau", or board

#### u

    as in boot

### Consonants
#### b

    same as English, only fully voiced

#### bj

    pronounced as above, followed by either the s as in vision or the j as in yarn

#### d

    same as English as an allophone of l that only occurs before i and u

#### f

    same as English

#### fj

    pronounced as above, followed by sh as in she

#### h

    same as English, voiced or unvoiced; it's an allophone, either way

#### j

    as in vision or jam

#### k

    as in skill, only unaspirated

#### kh

    fully aspirated k, which occurs mostly in old loanwords and ideophones

#### l

    same in English

#### m

    same in English

#### n

    same in English

#### ng

    as in sing

#### ny

    as in onion or Spanish "el niño"

#### p

    as in spit, only unaspirated

#### ph

    fully aspirated p

#### pj

    pronounced as p, followed by sh as in she

#### pjh

    aspirated pj

#### s

    same as English

#### sh

    as in shoe

#### t

    as in stalk, only unaspirated

#### th

    aspirated t

#### tj

    as in which, only unaspirated

#### tjh

    aspirated tj

#### ts

    as in cats, only unaspirated

#### tsh

    aspirated ts

#### w

    same in English

#### y

    as in yarn

#### kg

    as in the way the Scottish say loch

#### r

    as in French, only soft; originally pronounced as an alveolar rolled lingual

#### tlh

    aspirated tl

#### qh

    aspirated q

#### nq
### Common diphthongs
## Phrase list
### Basics
#### Hello.

    dumela. (doomellah)

#### Hello. (informal)

    Khotso. (hotsow)

#### How are you?

    U phela joang? (oo-pee-la-jwang)

#### I'm fine. How are you?

    Kea phela, wena ujwang (key-ah-pee-la wena-ujwang)

#### What is your name?

    Lebitso la hau ke mang? (leh-beet-saw la-how key-mung)

#### My name is ______ .

    Lebitso la ka ke ______ . ( _____ .)

#### Nice to meet you.

    Ke thabela ho u tseba . ( key-ta-bell-a-who-oo-t-see-ba )

#### Please.

    . (Ke kopa o... )

#### Thank you.

    Kea leboha. ( )

#### Yes.

    . (Eea )

#### No.

    . (Che )/aowa(awa)

#### Excuse me. (getting attention)

    . (A k'u ntšoarele hanyane)

#### I'm sorry

       Ntšoarele. ( )

#### Goodbye

    Sala hantle. ( )

#### Do you speak English?

    U bua sekhooa ? ( ?)

#### Is there someone here who speaks English?

    ? (Hona le motho ea tsebang ho bua Sekhooa?)

#### Help!

    Ke kopa thuso! ( !)

#### Look out!

    ! (Hlokomela !)

#### Good morning.

    . (Lumaka/Khotso )

#### Good evening.

    . (dumela/Khotso )

#### Good night.

    . (Dumela/Khotso )

#### Good night (to sleep)

    Robala hantle. ( )

#### I don't understand.

    Ha ke utloisise. ( )

#### Where is the toilet?

    ? (Ntloaneng ke kae?)
I'm OK or fine (Ke hantle )

### Problems
#### Leave me alone.

    ("kgaohana le nna")

#### Don't touch me!

    ("se ntshware")

#### I'll call the police.

    ("ketla founela mapolesa")

#### Police!

    ("mapolesa plr..leponesa sing")

#### Stop! Thief!

    ("Ema!leshodu")

#### I need your help.

    ke hloka thuso ya hao("...")

#### It's an emergency.

    ("ke tshwanyetso")

#### I'm lost.

    ke lahlehile ("...")

#### I lost my bag.

    ("ke lahlehetswe ke mokotla waka")

#### I lost my wallet.

    ("ke lahlehetswe ke sepatjhe saka")

#### I'm sick.

    ("ke ya kula")

#### I've been injured.

    ("ke lemetse")

#### I need a doctor.

    ("ke hloka ngaka")

#### Can I use your phone?

    ("Nka sebedisa mohala wa hao wa thekeng")

### Numbers
#### 1

    Ngoe

#### 2

    Peli

#### 3

    Tharo

#### 4

    'Ne

#### 5

    Hlano

#### 6

    Ts'elela

#### 7

    Supa

#### 8

    Robeli

#### 9

    Robong

#### 10

    Leshome

#### 11

    Leshome le motso o mong

#### 12

    Leshome le metso e 'meli

#### 13

    Leshome le metso e meraro

#### 14

    Leshome le metso e mene

#### 15

    Leshome le metso e mehlano

#### 16

    Leshome le metso e ts'eletseng

#### 17

    Leshome le metso e supileng

#### 18

    Leshome le metso e robeli

#### 19

    Leshome le metso e robong

#### 20

    Mashome a mabeli

#### 30

    Mashome a mararo

#### 40

    Mashome a mane

#### 50

    Mashome a mahlano

#### 60

    Mashome a ts'eletseng

#### 70

    Mashome a supileng

#### 80

    Mashome a robeli

#### 90

    Mashome a robong

#### 100

    Lekholo

#### 200

    Makholo a mabeli

#### 300

    Makholo a mararo

#### 400

    Makholo a mane

#### 600

    Makholo a mahlano

#### 600

    Makholo a ts'eletseng

#### 700

    Makholo a supileng

#### 800

    Makholo a robeli

#### 900

    Makholo a robong

#### 1000

    Sekete

### Time
#### Clock time
##### Hour

    Hora

##### Hours

    Dihora

##### Minute

    Motsotso

##### Minutes

    Metsotso

##### Second

    Motsotswana

##### Seconds

    Metsotswana

#### Days
##### Monday

    Mantaha

##### Tuesday

    Labobedi

##### Wednesday

    Laboraro

##### Thursday

    Labone

##### Friday

    Labohlano

##### Saturday

    Moqebelo

##### Sunday

    Sontaha

##### Weekend

    Mafelo a beke

#### Months
##### January

    ("pherekgong ")

##### February

    ("hlakola")

##### March

    ("hlakubele")

##### April

    ("mmesa")

##### May

    ("motsheanong")

##### June

    ("phupu")

##### July

    ("phupjane")

##### August

    ("phato")

##### September

    ("lwetse")

##### October

    ("motsheanong")

##### November

    ("pudungwane")

##### December

    ("tshitswe")

#### Writing time and date
### Colors
#### Red

    ("kgubedu")

#### Yellow

    ("tshehla")

#### Green

    ("tala")

#### Blue

    ("bolou")

#### Black

    ("ntsho")

#### White

    ("sweu")

#### Purple

    ("perese")

#### Grey

    ("putswa")

#### Pink
### Transportation
#### Bus and train
##### How much is a ticket to _____?

    ("...")ke bokaye ticket

##### When will this train/bus arrive in _____?
#### Directions
#### Taxi
### Money

tjhelete Che le te

### Eating
#### Eat the food

    ("eja dijo")