Language/Tswana/Grammar/Plurals
Hi Tswana learners!😊
Learning Tswana Grammar can be a challenging task, but it is also an exciting journey. In this lesson, we will focus on the formation of plurals in Tswana.
Nouns
In Tswana, nouns are divided into two categories: singular and plural. The singular form is used to refer to one person or thing, while the plural form is used to refer to more than one person or thing.
Formation of Plurals
The formation of plurals in Tswana is quite simple. Most nouns simply add the suffix -ng to the end of the word to form the plural. For example, the singular form of the word "tshwenya" (dog) is "tshwenyang" (dogs).
However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Some nouns do not take the suffix -ng, but instead take a different suffix. For example, the singular form of the word "metsi" (river) is "matshwao" (rivers).
In addition, some nouns take a prefix instead of a suffix. For example, the singular form of the word "tshepo" (star) is "ditshepo" (stars).
Finally, some nouns do not change at all when forming the plural. For example, the singular form of the word "kgomo" (cow) is still "kgomo" (cows).
Irregular Plurals
In addition to the regular plurals, there are also some irregular plurals in Tswana. These are nouns that do not follow the regular rules for forming plurals. For example, the singular form of the word "mogolo" (person) is "ba-mogolo" (people).
Examples
Here are some examples of nouns and their corresponding plurals in Tswana:
- tshwenya (dog) → tshwenyang (dogs)
- metsi (river) → matshwao (rivers)
- tshepo (star) → ditshepo (stars)
- kgomo (cow) → kgomo (cows)
- mogolo (person) → ba-mogolo (people)
Conclusion
In conclusion, the formation of plurals in Tswana is quite simple. Most nouns simply add the suffix -ng to the end of the word to form the plural. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as nouns that take a different suffix or a prefix, or nouns that do not change at all when forming the plural. In addition, there are also some irregular plurals in Tswana.
To improve your Tswana Grammar, you can also 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.
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