Guide To Phrase Translation From English To Sesotho (Lesotho)

 Guide To Phrase Translation From English to Sesotho (Lesotho)

Lesotho is completely landlocked, and totally engulfed by South Africa. The country is notably mountainous, with most of the landscape towering almost 2000 metres above sea level.

This list of phrases and their Sesotho Translations will guide you when taking a trip to Lesotho.

If you happen to have friends or family planning such a trip, please share this with them.

Emergency Maemo a Tshohanyetso
Help! Thuso!
I need your help. Ke hloka thuso ya hao.
Police! Sepolesa!
Stop! Ema!
Watch out! Hlokomela!
Go away! Tsamaya!
Let me go! Ntumelle ke tsamaye!
Where are we going? Re ya kae?
I need a lawyer. Ke hloka mmuelli wa molao.
Can I use your phone / computer? Na nka sebedisa mohala / khomphutha ya hao?
Call the police /a doctor/ an ambulance! Letsetsa mapolesa / ngaka / ambulanse!
Stop! Thief! Ema! Leshodu!
Leave me alone. Ntlohele.
I’m hurt! Ke utlwile bohloko!
I need a doctor. Ke hloka ngaka.
I’m sick. Ke a kula.
I’ve been injured. Ke lemetse.
I’m lost. Ha ke utlwisise
I lost my bag. Ke lahlehetswe ke mokotlana wa ka.
I lost my wallet. Ke lahlehetswe ke mokotlana wa ka wa tjhelete.
Small talk Puo e bonolo ya moqoqo
Hello Dumela
Good afternoon Dumela
How are you? O phela jwang?
How old are you? O na le dilemo tse kae?
What do you do for a living? O etsa eng ho iphedisa?
What are your hobbies? Ke dintho dife tseo o itlosang bodutu ka tsona?
I am fine Ke phela hantle
I am sick Ke a kula
My name is… Lebitso la ka ke…
This is my friend / father / mother / son / daughter Enwa ke motswalle / ntate / Mme / mora / moradi wa ka
What is this / that? Ke eng sena / sane?
I am pleased to meet you Ke thabela ho o bona
I am _ years old Ke na le dilemo tse _
See you later Re tla bonana ha morao
Goodbye Sala hantle
Good night Robala hantle
Where is the restroom? Matlwana a hokae?
I understand / I do not understand Ke a utlwisisa / ha ke utlwisise
Etiquette Mekgwa e metle
please (asking for something) ke a kopa (ho kopa ntho e itseng)
please (offering something) ka kopo (ho fana ka ntho e itseng)
May I have _? Ka kopo na nka_?
thank you ke a leboha
you’re welcome ke a leboha
yes E
no tjhe
excuse me ntshwarele
sorry Tshwarelo
wait ema

 

Numbers Dipalo
one nngwe
two pedi
three tharo
four nne
five hlano
six tshelela
seven supa
eight robedi
nine robong
ten leshome
eleven leshome le motso o mong
twelve leshome le metso e mmedi
thirteen leshome le metso e meraro
fourteen leshome le metso e mene
fifteen leshome le metso e mehlano
sixteen leshome le metso e tsheletseng
seventeen leshome le metso e supileng
eighteen leshome le metso e robedi
nineteen leshome le metso e robong
twenty mashome a mabedi
thirty mashome a mararo
fifty mashome a mahlano
one hundred lekgolo le le leng
one thousand sekete se le seng
ten thousand dikete tse leshome
one hundred thousand sekete le lekgolo le le leng
one million milione o le mong
Time Nako
now hona jwale
later Ha morao
before pele
morning hoseng
afternoon motshehare wa mantsiboya/thapama
evening phirimana
night bosiu
one o’clock hora ya pele hodima hlooho
two o’clock hora ya bobedi hodima hlooho
noon hara mpa ya motshehare
midnight bosiu ba kgitla
minute/s me/motsotso
hour/s di/hora
day/s ma/letsatsi
week/s di/beke
month/s di/kgwedi
year/s di/selemo
today kajeno
tomorrow Hosane/hosasa
Monday Mantaha
Tuesday Labobedi
Wednesday Laboraro
Thursday Labone
Friday Labohlano
Saturday Moqebelo
Sunday Sontaha
January Pherekgong
February Hlakola
March Hlakubele
April Mmesa
May Motsheanong
June Phupjane
July Phupu
August Phato
September Lwetse
October Mphalane
November Pudungwane
December Tshitwe

Colors Mebala
black ntsho
white tshweu
gray thokwa
red kgubedu
blue putswa/bolou
yellow tshehla
green tala
orange lamunu
purple perese
brown sootho
Body Mmele
head hlooho
eyes mahlo
Ears ditsebe
nose nko
mouth molomo
arm letsoho
leg leoto
hand letsoho
feet maoto
chest sefuba
skin letlalo
muscle mosifa
blood madi

Questioning words Mantswe a botsang
how jwang
what eng
when neng
why hobaneng
who mang
where hokae
how many ba bakae
Pronouns and adjectives Maemedi le makgethi
good ntle
bad mpe
big kgolo
small nyenyane
fast kapele
slow butle
light bobebe
heavy boima
light kganyang
dark lefifi
loud lerata
quiet kgutsitse

Feelings Maikutlo
hot / cold / warm Tjhesa / bata / futhumetse
painful / pleasant bohloko / monate
comfortable Iketlileng / monate
I am happy / sad Ke thabile / hloname
I am angry Ke kwatile/kgenne
I am tired Ke kgathetse
I am embarrassed Ke swabile
I agree / disagree Ke a dumela / ha ke dumele
I like / dislike this Ke rata sena / ha ke rate sena
I am worried / concerned Ke tshwenyehile
Money Tjhelete
How much is this? Ntho ena ke bokae?
What is the cost? Ditjeo ke bokae?
Where can I get money changed? Nka tjhentjha tjhelete hokae?
Do you accept credit card / Na le amohela karete ya krediti /
money tjhelete
currency matla a tjhelete ya naha
cash kontane
credit card karete ya krediti
bank Banka
bank account akhaonte ya banka
automatic teller machine (ATM) motjhini wa tjhelete (ATM)
travellers check tjhelete ya tjheke ya bahahlaudi

Travel Bohahlaudi
Please take me to_ Ke kopa hore o ikise_
Where can I find _? Nka fumana _ hokae?
What is the address? Aterese ke mang?
Where can I rent a _? Nka hira _ hokae?
airport / airplane boemafofane / sefofane
passport phasepote
station seteishene
restaurants direstjhurante
guest house ntlo ya baeti
hostel hostele
hotel hotele
bed & breakfast boroko le dijo tsa hoseng
bars dibara
charger – mobile / tablet / computer tjhaja – selefounu / tablete / khomphutha
bike / train / bus / car / taxi sethuthuthu / terene / bese / koloi / thekesi
ferry / yacht / boat sekepe / seketswana
gas (petrol) gase (petrole)
What is the room number? Nomoro ya kamore ke mang?
Which floor? Mokatong ofe?
When is the next _? E latelang e neng_?
How far is _? E hole hakae_?
North Leboya
South Borwa
East Botjhabela
West Bophirimela
Food Dijo
water metsi
Breakfast Dijo tsa hoseng
Lunch Dijo tsa motsheare
Dinner Dijo tsa mantsiboya
snack seneke
meat / chicken / beef / pork / lamb nama / nama ya kgoho / nama ya kgomo / nama ya kolobe / nama ya nku
fish tlhapi
vegetables meroho
salad salate
drink / wine / beer seno / veine / biri
beverage seno
tea / coffee tee / kofi
I am hungry / thirsty / satisfied ke lapile / ke nyorilwe / ke kgotsofetse
Table for one / two / three / family please. Ke kopa tafole bakeng sa motho a le mong / ba babedi / ba bararo / lelapa.
Please may I look at the menu? Na nka kopa ho sheba menyu?
I am vegetarian / vegan / I don’t eat meat. Ke ja meroho feela / vegan / ha ke je nama.
Kosher only / Halaal only Kosher feela / Halaal feela
Cheers! Sala hantle! / Tsamaya hantle!

Shopping Mabenkeleng
When do you open / close? Le bula neng / le kwala neng?
I will take it thank you Ke a leboha, ke tla e nka
I want it / I don’t want it Ke a e batla / ha ke e batle
How much? Ke bokae?
toothbrush borashe ba meno
soap sesepa
shampoo shampu
pain medicine moriana wa mahlaba
towel thaole
batteries dibeteri
pens / paper Dipene / pampiri