Language/Tswana/Vocabulary/Count-to-10
Hi Tswana learners! 😊
In this lesson, you will learn how to count to 10 in Tswana. Knowing the numbers in this language will make your conversations much easier! Remember, practice makes perfect. Don't be afraid to use the examples in this lesson to practice with native speakers you can find on Polyglot Club and ask them any questions. Let's start!
Numbers 0-10 in Tswana[edit | edit source]
Tswana uses a base-10 numbering system, which means it is similar to the numbering system used in English. Let's see the numbers from 0 to 10 in Tswana:
| Tswana | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | lefatshe | zero/0 |
| 1 | kgatlhe | one/1 |
| 2 | bontle | two/2 |
| 3 | toro | three/3 |
| 4 | nne | four/4 |
| 5 | tlhano | five/5 |
| 6 | kgonne | six/6 |
| 7 | fitlhela | seven/7 |
| 8 | fela | eight/8 |
| 9 | tshela | nine/9 |
| 10 | lesome | ten/10 |
Note: The pronunciation guide used here is mostly based on English sounds.
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
To practice these words in context, let's see a dialogue between two friends:
- Person 1: Ke a itse gore ga ke itse go fitlhela. (I know I can't count to seven)
- Person 2: Ke dumelang gore ke ka gona go ithuta. Re ba re motheo ke go utlwa botlhe. (I believe you can learn. Our first priority is to listen to everything)
- Person 1: Ke lebile bontle. Ga ke tlhoka go ithuta go tsenya maina a go nna ke nne. (I'm feeling good. I don't need to learn to spell my name with four letters)
- Person 2: Ke pigilwe ke tlhaloganyo ya gago. Lesome la youra ke kgonne. (I am confused by your joke. Your age is six-years-old)
Let's see some vocabulary from these phrases:
| Tswana | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| gore | gōre | that |
| ke a itse | keh ah its-eh | I know |
| go fitlhela | goh feet-lay-lah | to seven |
| dumelang | doo-me-lang | I believe |
| ka gona | kah goh-nah | here |
| go ithuta | goh ee-too-tah | to learn |
| maina | mah-ee-nah | names |
| nna | en-en-ah | me |
| pigilwe | pee-gil-weh | I am confused |
| tlhaloganyo | tlhah-loh-nah-gyoh | by your joke |
| youra | yoh-rah | your age |
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Great job! You have learned how to count from 0 to 10 in Tswana! Keep practicing and using these words in context with native speakers. To improve your Tswana Vocabulary, you can always use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Sources[edit | edit source]
Great work on completing this lesson! Take a moment to investigate these connected pages: Animals, Food & How to Say Hello and Greetings.
Videos[edit | edit source]
Setswana Counting song 10(a) - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Days of the Week
- How to Say Hello and Greetings
- Education
- Animals
- How to say Good Bye?
- Family
- Geography
- Greetings
- Clothes
- Express Surprise