Sesotho is spoken by around 6M+ people in Lesotho · South Africa. Here are common everyday words and phrases to get you started - then practise the pronunciation live with a native Sesotho tutor.
Practise — tap the card to flip
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English
Flip through the everyday phrases below, then say them out loud with a native tutor.
Greetings
| Sesotho | English |
|---|---|
| Dumela | Hello (to one person) |
| Dumelang | Hello (to a group) |
| O kae? | How are you? |
| Ke teng | I am fine |
| Le phela joang? | How are you all? |
Everyday courtesy
| Sesotho | English |
|---|---|
| Ke a leboha | Thank you |
| Ke leboha haholo | Thank you very much |
| Tshwarelo | Sorry / Excuse me |
| Ka kopo | Please |
Useful basics
| Sesotho | English |
|---|---|
| E | Yes |
| Tjhe | No |
| Lebitso la ka ke ___ | My name is ___ |
| U bitswa mang? | What is your name? |
| Ke a u rata | I love you |
| Sala hantle | Goodbye (to one staying) |
| Tsamaea hantle | Goodbye (to one leaving) |
Numbers 1-5
| Sesotho | English |
|---|---|
| Nngwe | 1 |
| Pedi | 2 |
| Tharo | 3 |
| Nne | 4 |
| Hlano | 5 |
Start speaking Sesotho today
Reading phrases is a great start - but the fastest way to learn Sesotho is to speak it. Book a 30-minute trial with a native-speaker tutor and practise these phrases out loud.
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