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<div class="pg_page_title">[[Language/Southern-sotho|Southern Sotho]]  → [[Language/Southern-sotho/Grammar|Grammar]] → [[Language/Southern-sotho/Grammar/0-to-A1-Course|0 to A1 Course]] → Verbs and Tenses → Present Tense</div>
<div class="pg_page_title">[[Language/Southern-sotho|Southern Sotho]]  → [[Language/Southern-sotho/Grammar|Grammar]] → [[Language/Southern-sotho/Grammar/0-to-A1-Course|0 to A1 Course]] → Verbs and Tenses → Present Tense</div>


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<h1>Present Tense in Southern Sotho</h1>
== Introduction ==
 
<p>The present tense is used to describe actions or events that are currently happening or are generally true. In Southern Sotho, the present tense is formed by adding a prefix to the verb stem, depending on the subject of the sentence. Southern Sotho verbs have different sets of prefixes according to the noun class of the subject. </p>


<h2>Subject Prefixes</h2>
In this lesson, we will focus on the present tense in Southern Sotho. The present tense is used to describe actions or states that are happening now or are generally true. Understanding how to conjugate verbs in the present tense is essential for building basic sentences and communicating effectively in Southern Sotho. We will also learn how to form negative sentences using the present tense. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently use verbs in the present tense and construct basic sentences in Southern Sotho.


<p>Prefixes in Southern Sotho verbs are classified into different groups. These groups or noun classes have different prefixes. Each class is defined by its prefixes, which follow a pattern in accordance with either singular or plural, and are unique to that class. </p>
== Conjugating Verbs in the Present Tense ==


<p>Subject prefixes are used to indicate the subject of the sentence. <b>Here are the subject prefixes:</b></p>
To conjugate verbs in the present tense, we need to pay attention to the subject of the sentence and apply the appropriate verb suffix. Southern Sotho verbs have different forms depending on the subject, and these forms are indicated by suffixes.


<h3>Singular Subject Prefixes:</h3>
Let's take a look at the verb "tšoa" (to come) and its present tense conjugations:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Noun Class !! Prefix !! Example Verb
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| 1 (Proper Nouns) || o- || o ne a lahleha - He is sleeping
| Ke tšo-a || Ke tshoh-a || I come
|-
|-
| 1a (Other Nouns) || u- || u ke ke kotula - You are not listening
| U tšo-a || U tshoh-a || You come
|-
|-
| 2 || ba- || ba kae? - Where are they?
| O tšo-a || O tshoh-a || He/she comes
|-
|-
| 2a || ba- || ba tswaletsoa - They are dismissed
| Re tšo-a || Re tshoh-a || We come
|-
|-
| 3 || mo- || mo lebelletse - She is teaching
| Le tšo-a || Le tshoh-a || You (plural) come
|-
|-
| 4 || ho- || ho tla fumana - He will get it
| Ba tšo-a || Ba tshoh-a || They come
|}
 
As you can see, the verb form changes based on the subject of the sentence. The verb suffix "-a" indicates the present tense. Pay attention to the pronunciation of the verb forms, as the "tš" sound is unique to Southern Sotho and may take some practice to master.
 
Let's practice conjugating another verb, "bula" (to speak), in the present tense:
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| Ke bul-a || Ke bul-a || I speak
|-
| U bul-a || U bul-a || You speak
|-
| O bul-a || O bul-a || He/she speaks
|-
|-
| 5 || re- || re o ntshepile - We are happy
| Re bul-a || Re bul-a || We speak
|-
|-
| 6 || ntho- || ntho ke bua - Something talks
| Le bul-a || Le bul-a || You (plural) speak
|-
| Ba bul-a || Ba bul-a || They speak
|}
|}


<h3>Plural Subject Prefixes:</h3>
Now, let's practice conjugating the verb "rata" (to love) in the present tense:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Noun Class !! Prefix !! Example Verb
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| 1 (Proper Nouns) || ba- || ba ne ba lahleha - They are sleeping
|-
| 1a (Other Nouns) || ba- || ba ke ke kotule - They are not listening
|-
|-
| 2 || ba- || ba lelapa - They are families
| Ke rat-a || Ke rah-tah || I love
|-
|-
| 2a || ba- || ba fumana - They get it
| U rat-a || U rah-tah || You love
|-
|-
| 3 || ba- || ba lebelletse - They are teaching
| O rat-a || O rah-tah || He/she loves
|-
|-
| 4 || li- || li tla ba letho - They will have everything
| Re rat-a || Re rah-tah || We love
|-
|-
| 5 || di- || di sareletseng - They are cooking
| Le rat-a || Le rah-tah || You (plural) love
|-
|-
| 6 || ma- || ma hlapa - They are working
| Ba rat-a || Ba rah-tah || They love
|}
|}


<h2>Conjugation in Present Tense</h2>
Remember to practice these verb forms regularly to become more familiar with them. The more you practice, the easier it will become to conjugate verbs in the present tense.
 
== Forming Negative Sentences in the Present Tense ==


<p>Below is the conjugation of the verb "tla" which means "will" in Southern Sotho, in the present tense. The examples show how to use the verb with different subjects.</p>
To form negative sentences in the present tense, we need to use the negative particle "ha" before the verb. The negative particle "ha" is placed before the verb root, and the conjugated verb suffix follows the negative particle.


<h3>Singular Conjugation:</h3>
Let's use the verb "tšoa" (to come) to form negative sentences in the present tense:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Noun Class !! Prefix !! Example Sentence
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| 1 (Proper Nouns) || o- || O tla ba lefatshe – He is going to come to the earth
| Ke ha o tšo-e || Ke ha o tshoh-eh || I don't come
|-
|-
| 1a (Other Nouns) || u- || U tla be ba se fe – You will eat when you are hungry
| U ha o tšo-e || U ha o tshoh-eh || You don't come
|-
|-
| 2 || ba- || Ba tla ba bonahala – They will be visible
| O ha o tšo-e || O ha o tshoh-eh || He/she doesn't come
|-
|-
| 2a || ba- || Ba tla ba kopana - They will meet each other
| Re ha o tšo-e || Re ha o tshoh-eh || We don't come
|-
|-
| 3 || mo- || Mo tla lebella - She will sing
| Le ha o tšo-e || Le ha o tshoh-eh || You (plural) don't come
|-
|-
| 4 || ho- || Ho tla fumana – He will get it
| Ba ha o tšo-e || Ba ha o tshoh-eh || They don't come
|}
 
Notice how the negative particle "ha" is placed before the verb root "tšo" and the verb suffix "-e" follows the negative particle. The pronunciation of the negative verb forms may vary slightly, as the "ha" sound is assimilated with the following vowel sound.
 
Let's practice forming negative sentences using the verb "bula" (to speak) in the present tense:
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| 5 || re- || Re tla bona ditshila – We will see the stars
| Ke ha o bul-e || Ke ha o bul-eh || I don't speak
|-
|-
| 6 || ntho- || Ntho tla dula - Something will enter
| U ha o bul-e || U ha o bul-eh || You don't speak
|-
| O ha o bul-e || O ha o bul-eh || He/she doesn't speak
|-
| Re ha o bul-e || Re ha o bul-eh || We don't speak
|-
| Le ha o bul-e || Le ha o bul-eh || You (plural) don't speak
|-
| Ba ha o bul-e || Ba ha o bul-eh || They don't speak
|}
|}


<h3>Plural Conjugation:</h3>
Now, let's form negative sentences using the verb "rata" (to love) in the present tense:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Noun Class !! Prefix !! Example Sentence
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| Ke ha ke rat-e || Ke ha ke rah-t-eh || I don't love
|-
| U ha u rat-e || U ha u rah-t-eh || You don't love
|-
|-
| 1 (Proper Nouns) || ba- || Ba tla ba lefatshe – They are going to come to the earth
| O ha a rat-e || O ha a rah-t-eh || He/she doesn't love
|-
|-
| 1a (Other Nouns) || ba- || Ba tla ba nyala – They will shine
| Re ha re rat-e || Re ha re rah-t-eh || We don't love
|-
|-
| 2 || ba- || Ba tla ba kopang – They will meet
| Le ha le rat-e || Le ha le rah-t-eh || You (plural) don't love
|-
|-
| 2a || ba- || Ba tla ba fumana – They will get it
| Ba ha ba rat-e || Ba ha ba rah-t-eh || They don't love
|}
 
Remember to practice forming negative sentences regularly to become more comfortable with the structure and pronunciation. The ability to form negative sentences is crucial for expressing negation and providing a more nuanced understanding of actions or states.
 
== Cultural Insights ==
 
In Southern Sotho culture, verbs play a significant role in expressing respect and politeness. It is common to use the polite forms of verbs when addressing elders, authority figures, or people of higher social status. The polite forms of verbs often involve different verb suffixes and can indicate a higher level of formality and respect in communication.
 
For example, when speaking to an elder, you would use the polite form of the verb "tšoa" (to come) as follows:
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| 3 || ba- || Ba tla ba lebella – They will sing
| Ke tšo-e || Ke tshoh-eh || I come (polite)
|-
|-
| 4 || li- || Li tla ba letho – They will have everything
| U tšo-e || U tshoh-eh || You come (polite)
|-
|-
| 5 || di- || Di tla di tshwanela – They will be necessary
| O tšo-e || O tshoh-eh || He/she comes (polite)
|-
|-
| 6 || ma- || Ma tla ba nepahetseng – They will be experienced
| Re tšo-e || Re tshoh-eh || We come (polite)
|-
| Le tšo-e || Le tshoh-eh || You (plural) come (polite)
|-
| Ba tšo-e || Ba tshoh-eh || They come (polite)
|}
|}


<h2>Forming Negative Sentences in Present Tense</h2>
Using the polite forms of verbs demonstrates respect and is considered good manners in Southern Sotho culture. It is important to be aware of these cultural nuances when speaking with native speakers or in formal settings.
 
== Exercises ==


<p>To form negative sentences in the present tense, one can add the negative particles, "ha" or "che" before the verb.</p>
Now it's time to practice what you've learned. Conjugate the following verbs in the present tense and form negative sentences using the verb "ha."


<p><b>Here is the formula:</b></p>
1. "phetha" (to write)


<p>"Ha" or "Che" + subject prefix + verb stem</p>
2. "fihla" (to arrive)


<h3>Examples:</h3>
3. "tšwara" (to play)


<ul>
4. "bala" (to read)
<li>Ha ke fitlhile - I am not yet done</li>
<li>Che o fele - You are not finished</li>
<li>Ha ba fumane - They did not get it</li>
</ul>


<h2>Irregular verbs</h2>
5. "tšhela" (to run)


<p>There are several Southern Sotho verbs that follow different patterns in their present tense conjugation, such as "roba" (to steal), "khaba" (to be angry) and "tshwara" (to hold). Below are some examples:</p>
== Solutions ==


<h3>Verb "roba" (to steal)</h3>
Here are the correct conjugations for the verbs in the present tense and their negative forms:


<p><b>Here is the conjugation of this irregular verb in the present tense:</b></p>
1. "phetha" (to write)


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Noun Class !! Prefix !! Example Sentence
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| Ke pheth-a || Ke pheh-tah || I write
|-
| U pheth-a || U pheh-tah || You write
|-
| O pheth-a || O pheh-tah || He/she writes
|-
|-
| 1 (Proper Nouns) || o- || O roba – He is stealing
| Re pheth-a || Re pheh-tah || We write
|-
|-
| 1a (Other Nouns) || u- || U robile – You have stolen
| Le pheth-a || Le pheh-tah || You (plural) write
|-
|-
| 2 || ba- || Ba roba – They are stealing
| Ba pheth-a || Ba pheh-tah || They write
|}
 
Negative Sentences:
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| 2a || ba- || Ba robetse - They have stolen
| Ke ha ke pheth-e || Ke ha ke pheh-t-eh || I don't write
|-
|-
| 3 || mo- || Mo robile – She has stolen
| U ha u pheth-e || U ha u pheh-t-eh || You don't write
|-
|-
| 4 || ho- || Ho robile – He has stolen it
| O ha a pheth-e || O ha a pheh-t-eh || He/she doesn't write
|-
|-
| 5 || re- || Re robe – We are stealing
| Re ha re pheth-e || Re ha re pheh-t-eh || We don't write
|-
|-
| 6 || ntho- || Ntho e robe – Something is stolen
| Le ha le pheth-e || Le ha le pheh-t-eh || You (plural) don't write
|-
| Ba ha ba pheth-e || Ba ha ba pheh-t-eh || They don't write
|}
|}


<h3>Verb "khaba" (to be angry)</h3>
2. "fihla" (to arrive)


<p><b>Here is the conjugation of this irregular verb in the present tense:</b></p>
{| class="wikitable"
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| Ke fihl-a || Ke fee-hlah || I arrive
|-
| U fihl-a || U fee-hlah || You arrive
|-
| O fihl-a || O fee-hlah || He/she arrives
|-
| Re fihl-a || Re fee-hlah || We arrive
|-
| Le fihl-a || Le fee-hlah || You (plural) arrive
|-
| Ba fihl-a || Ba fee-hlah || They arrive
|}
 
Negative Sentences:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Noun Class !! Prefix !! Example Sentence
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| 1 (Proper Nouns) || o- || O khabe – He is angry
| Ke ha ke fihl-e || Ke ha ke fee-hl-eh || I don't arrive
|-
|-
| 1a (Other Nouns) || u- || U khabile – You are angry
| U ha u fihl-e || U ha u fee-hl-eh || You don't arrive
|-
|-
| 2 || ba- || Ba khaba – They are angry
| O ha a fihl-e || O ha a fee-hl-eh || He/she doesn't arrive
|-
|-
| 2a || ba- || Ba khabetse – They have been angry
| Re ha re fihl-e || Re ha re fee-hl-eh || We don't arrive
|-
|-
| 3 || mo- || Mo khabile – She is angry
| Le ha le fihl-e || Le ha le fee-hl-eh || You (plural) don't arrive
|-
|-
| 4 || ho- || Ho khaba – He is angry
| Ba ha ba fihl-e || Ba ha ba fee-hl-eh || They don't arrive
|}
 
3. "tšwara" (to play)
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| 5 || re- || Re khaba – We are angry
| Ke tšwar-a || Ke tshwa-rah || I play
|-
|-
| 6 || ntho- || Ntho e khabe – Something is angry
| U tšwar-a || U tshwa-rah || You play
|-
| O tšwar-a || O tshwa-rah || He/she plays
|-
| Re tšwar-a || Re tshwa-rah || We play
|-
| Le tšwar-a || Le tshwa-rah || You (plural) play
|-
| Ba tšwar-a || Ba tshwa-rah || They play
|}
|}


<h3>Verb "tshwara" (to hold)</h3>
Negative Sentences:
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| Ke ha ke tšwar-e || Ke ha ke tshwa-rah || I don't play
|-
| U ha u tšwar-e || U ha u tshwa-rah || You don't play
|-
| O ha o tšwar-e || O ha o tshwa-rah || He/she doesn't play
|-
| Re ha re tšwar-e || Re ha re tshwa-rah || We don't play
|-
| Le ha le tšwar-e || Le ha le tshwa-rah || You (plural) don't play
|-
| Ba ha ba tšwar-e || Ba ha ba tshwa-rah || They don't play
|}


<p><b>Here is the conjugation of this irregular verb in the present tense:</b></p>
4. "bala" (to read)


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Noun Class !! Prefix !! Example Sentence
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| 1 (Proper Nouns) || o- || O tshwara – He is holding
| Ke bal-a || Ke bah-lah || I read
|-
|-
| 1a (Other Nouns) || u- || U tshware – You are holding
| U bal-a || U bah-lah || You read
|-
|-
| 2 || ba- || Ba tshwara – They are holding
| O bal-a || O bah-lah || He/she reads
|-
|-
| 2a || ba- || Ba tshwara ka 'mele – They are holding each other
| Re bal-a || Re bah-lah || We read
|-
|-
| 3 || mo- || Mo tshwara – She is holding
| Le bal-a || Le bah-lah || You (plural) read
|-
|-
| 4 || ho- || Ho tshwarile – He has held it
| Ba bal-a || Ba bah-lah || They read
|}
 
Negative Sentences:
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| Ke ha ke bal-e || Ke ha ke bah-l-eh || I don't read
|-
| U ha u bal-e || U ha u bah-l-eh || You don't read
|-
|-
| 5 || re- || Re tshwara – We are holding
| O ha o bal-e || O ha o bah-l-eh || He/she doesn't read
|-
|-
| 6 || ntho- || Ntho e tshware – Something is held
| Re ha re bal-e || Re ha re bah-l-eh || We don't read
|-
| Le ha le bal-e || Le ha le bah-l-eh || You (plural) don't read
|-
| Ba ha ba bal-e || Ba ha ba bah-l-eh || They don't read
|}
|}


<h2>Conclusion</h2>
5. "tšhela" (to run)


<p>Learning the present tense in Southern Sotho is essential as it enables one to express current actions and situations. The present tense is also the foundation on which other tenses are built. With the knowledge of subject prefixes and the conjugation of regular and irregular verbs, you can comfortably communicate in Southern Sotho present tense.</p>
{| class="wikitable"
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| Ke tšhel-a || Ke tshah-lah || I run
|-
| U tšhel-a || U tshah-lah || You run
|-
| O tšhel-a || O tshah-lah || He/she runs
|-
| Re tšhel-a || Re tshah-lah || We run
|-
| Le tšhel-a || Le tshah-lah || You (plural) run
|-
| Ba tšhel-a || Ba tshah-lah || They run
|}


Negative Sentences:
{| class="wikitable"
! Southern Sotho !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| Ke ha ke tšhel-e || Ke ha ke tshah-l-eh || I don't run
|-
| U ha u tšhel-e || U ha u tshah-l-eh || You don't run
|-
| O ha o tšhel-e || O ha o tshah-l-eh || He/she doesn't run
|-
| Re ha re tšhel-e || Re ha re tshah-l-eh || We don't run
|-
| Le ha le tšhel-e || Le ha le tshah-l-eh || You (plural) don't run
|-
| Ba ha ba tšhel-e || Ba ha ba tshah-l-eh || They don't run
|}
Great job! You've successfully conjugated verbs in the present tense and formed negative sentences. Keep practicing to reinforce your understanding of the present tense in Southern Sotho.
== Conclusion ==
In this lesson, we have learned how to conjugate verbs in the present tense and form negative sentences in Southern Sotho. We explored the different verb forms based on the subject of the sentence and practiced conjugating verbs such as "tšoa" (to come), "bula" (to speak), and "rata" (to love). We also discussed the cultural significance of using polite verb forms to show respect in Southern Sotho communication. Remember to practice regularly and continue building upon your knowledge of Southern Sotho grammar. You're on your way to becoming proficient in Southern Sotho!


{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Southern Sotho Grammar - Verbs and Tenses - Present Tense
|title=Southern Sotho Grammar → Verbs and Tenses → Present Tense
|keywords=Southern Sotho Language, Southern Sotho Present Tense, Southern Sotho Grammar, Southern Sotho Verbs, Southern Sotho Negative Sentences
|keywords=Southern Sotho present tense, Southern Sotho verb conjugation, Southern Sotho negative sentences, Southern Sotho grammar
|description=This lesson will teach students how to conjugate Southern
|description=In this lesson, you will learn how to conjugate verbs in the present tense and form negative sentences in Southern Sotho. Explore the cultural significance of verb forms and practice your skills with exercises and solutions.
}}


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Latest revision as of 02:36, 23 June 2023

◀️ Telling Time — Previous Lesson Next Lesson — Past Tense ▶️

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Southern Sotho → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Verbs and Tenses → Present Tense

Introduction[edit | edit source]

In this lesson, we will focus on the present tense in Southern Sotho. The present tense is used to describe actions or states that are happening now or are generally true. Understanding how to conjugate verbs in the present tense is essential for building basic sentences and communicating effectively in Southern Sotho. We will also learn how to form negative sentences using the present tense. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently use verbs in the present tense and construct basic sentences in Southern Sotho.

Conjugating Verbs in the Present Tense[edit | edit source]

To conjugate verbs in the present tense, we need to pay attention to the subject of the sentence and apply the appropriate verb suffix. Southern Sotho verbs have different forms depending on the subject, and these forms are indicated by suffixes.

Let's take a look at the verb "tšoa" (to come) and its present tense conjugations:

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke tšo-a Ke tshoh-a I come
U tšo-a U tshoh-a You come
O tšo-a O tshoh-a He/she comes
Re tšo-a Re tshoh-a We come
Le tšo-a Le tshoh-a You (plural) come
Ba tšo-a Ba tshoh-a They come

As you can see, the verb form changes based on the subject of the sentence. The verb suffix "-a" indicates the present tense. Pay attention to the pronunciation of the verb forms, as the "tš" sound is unique to Southern Sotho and may take some practice to master.

Let's practice conjugating another verb, "bula" (to speak), in the present tense:

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke bul-a Ke bul-a I speak
U bul-a U bul-a You speak
O bul-a O bul-a He/she speaks
Re bul-a Re bul-a We speak
Le bul-a Le bul-a You (plural) speak
Ba bul-a Ba bul-a They speak

Now, let's practice conjugating the verb "rata" (to love) in the present tense:

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke rat-a Ke rah-tah I love
U rat-a U rah-tah You love
O rat-a O rah-tah He/she loves
Re rat-a Re rah-tah We love
Le rat-a Le rah-tah You (plural) love
Ba rat-a Ba rah-tah They love

Remember to practice these verb forms regularly to become more familiar with them. The more you practice, the easier it will become to conjugate verbs in the present tense.

Forming Negative Sentences in the Present Tense[edit | edit source]

To form negative sentences in the present tense, we need to use the negative particle "ha" before the verb. The negative particle "ha" is placed before the verb root, and the conjugated verb suffix follows the negative particle.

Let's use the verb "tšoa" (to come) to form negative sentences in the present tense:

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke ha o tšo-e Ke ha o tshoh-eh I don't come
U ha o tšo-e U ha o tshoh-eh You don't come
O ha o tšo-e O ha o tshoh-eh He/she doesn't come
Re ha o tšo-e Re ha o tshoh-eh We don't come
Le ha o tšo-e Le ha o tshoh-eh You (plural) don't come
Ba ha o tšo-e Ba ha o tshoh-eh They don't come

Notice how the negative particle "ha" is placed before the verb root "tšo" and the verb suffix "-e" follows the negative particle. The pronunciation of the negative verb forms may vary slightly, as the "ha" sound is assimilated with the following vowel sound.

Let's practice forming negative sentences using the verb "bula" (to speak) in the present tense:

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke ha o bul-e Ke ha o bul-eh I don't speak
U ha o bul-e U ha o bul-eh You don't speak
O ha o bul-e O ha o bul-eh He/she doesn't speak
Re ha o bul-e Re ha o bul-eh We don't speak
Le ha o bul-e Le ha o bul-eh You (plural) don't speak
Ba ha o bul-e Ba ha o bul-eh They don't speak

Now, let's form negative sentences using the verb "rata" (to love) in the present tense:

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke ha ke rat-e Ke ha ke rah-t-eh I don't love
U ha u rat-e U ha u rah-t-eh You don't love
O ha a rat-e O ha a rah-t-eh He/she doesn't love
Re ha re rat-e Re ha re rah-t-eh We don't love
Le ha le rat-e Le ha le rah-t-eh You (plural) don't love
Ba ha ba rat-e Ba ha ba rah-t-eh They don't love

Remember to practice forming negative sentences regularly to become more comfortable with the structure and pronunciation. The ability to form negative sentences is crucial for expressing negation and providing a more nuanced understanding of actions or states.

Cultural Insights[edit | edit source]

In Southern Sotho culture, verbs play a significant role in expressing respect and politeness. It is common to use the polite forms of verbs when addressing elders, authority figures, or people of higher social status. The polite forms of verbs often involve different verb suffixes and can indicate a higher level of formality and respect in communication.

For example, when speaking to an elder, you would use the polite form of the verb "tšoa" (to come) as follows:

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke tšo-e Ke tshoh-eh I come (polite)
U tšo-e U tshoh-eh You come (polite)
O tšo-e O tshoh-eh He/she comes (polite)
Re tšo-e Re tshoh-eh We come (polite)
Le tšo-e Le tshoh-eh You (plural) come (polite)
Ba tšo-e Ba tshoh-eh They come (polite)

Using the polite forms of verbs demonstrates respect and is considered good manners in Southern Sotho culture. It is important to be aware of these cultural nuances when speaking with native speakers or in formal settings.

Exercises[edit | edit source]

Now it's time to practice what you've learned. Conjugate the following verbs in the present tense and form negative sentences using the verb "ha."

1. "phetha" (to write)

2. "fihla" (to arrive)

3. "tšwara" (to play)

4. "bala" (to read)

5. "tšhela" (to run)

Solutions[edit | edit source]

Here are the correct conjugations for the verbs in the present tense and their negative forms:

1. "phetha" (to write)

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke pheth-a Ke pheh-tah I write
U pheth-a U pheh-tah You write
O pheth-a O pheh-tah He/she writes
Re pheth-a Re pheh-tah We write
Le pheth-a Le pheh-tah You (plural) write
Ba pheth-a Ba pheh-tah They write

Negative Sentences:

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke ha ke pheth-e Ke ha ke pheh-t-eh I don't write
U ha u pheth-e U ha u pheh-t-eh You don't write
O ha a pheth-e O ha a pheh-t-eh He/she doesn't write
Re ha re pheth-e Re ha re pheh-t-eh We don't write
Le ha le pheth-e Le ha le pheh-t-eh You (plural) don't write
Ba ha ba pheth-e Ba ha ba pheh-t-eh They don't write

2. "fihla" (to arrive)

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke fihl-a Ke fee-hlah I arrive
U fihl-a U fee-hlah You arrive
O fihl-a O fee-hlah He/she arrives
Re fihl-a Re fee-hlah We arrive
Le fihl-a Le fee-hlah You (plural) arrive
Ba fihl-a Ba fee-hlah They arrive

Negative Sentences:

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke ha ke fihl-e Ke ha ke fee-hl-eh I don't arrive
U ha u fihl-e U ha u fee-hl-eh You don't arrive
O ha a fihl-e O ha a fee-hl-eh He/she doesn't arrive
Re ha re fihl-e Re ha re fee-hl-eh We don't arrive
Le ha le fihl-e Le ha le fee-hl-eh You (plural) don't arrive
Ba ha ba fihl-e Ba ha ba fee-hl-eh They don't arrive

3. "tšwara" (to play)

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke tšwar-a Ke tshwa-rah I play
U tšwar-a U tshwa-rah You play
O tšwar-a O tshwa-rah He/she plays
Re tšwar-a Re tshwa-rah We play
Le tšwar-a Le tshwa-rah You (plural) play
Ba tšwar-a Ba tshwa-rah They play

Negative Sentences:

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke ha ke tšwar-e Ke ha ke tshwa-rah I don't play
U ha u tšwar-e U ha u tshwa-rah You don't play
O ha o tšwar-e O ha o tshwa-rah He/she doesn't play
Re ha re tšwar-e Re ha re tshwa-rah We don't play
Le ha le tšwar-e Le ha le tshwa-rah You (plural) don't play
Ba ha ba tšwar-e Ba ha ba tshwa-rah They don't play

4. "bala" (to read)

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke bal-a Ke bah-lah I read
U bal-a U bah-lah You read
O bal-a O bah-lah He/she reads
Re bal-a Re bah-lah We read
Le bal-a Le bah-lah You (plural) read
Ba bal-a Ba bah-lah They read

Negative Sentences:

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke ha ke bal-e Ke ha ke bah-l-eh I don't read
U ha u bal-e U ha u bah-l-eh You don't read
O ha o bal-e O ha o bah-l-eh He/she doesn't read
Re ha re bal-e Re ha re bah-l-eh We don't read
Le ha le bal-e Le ha le bah-l-eh You (plural) don't read
Ba ha ba bal-e Ba ha ba bah-l-eh They don't read

5. "tšhela" (to run)

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke tšhel-a Ke tshah-lah I run
U tšhel-a U tshah-lah You run
O tšhel-a O tshah-lah He/she runs
Re tšhel-a Re tshah-lah We run
Le tšhel-a Le tshah-lah You (plural) run
Ba tšhel-a Ba tshah-lah They run

Negative Sentences:

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke ha ke tšhel-e Ke ha ke tshah-l-eh I don't run
U ha u tšhel-e U ha u tshah-l-eh You don't run
O ha o tšhel-e O ha o tshah-l-eh He/she doesn't run
Re ha re tšhel-e Re ha re tshah-l-eh We don't run
Le ha le tšhel-e Le ha le tshah-l-eh You (plural) don't run
Ba ha ba tšhel-e Ba ha ba tshah-l-eh They don't run

Great job! You've successfully conjugated verbs in the present tense and formed negative sentences. Keep practicing to reinforce your understanding of the present tense in Southern Sotho.

Conclusion[edit | edit source]

In this lesson, we have learned how to conjugate verbs in the present tense and form negative sentences in Southern Sotho. We explored the different verb forms based on the subject of the sentence and practiced conjugating verbs such as "tšoa" (to come), "bula" (to speak), and "rata" (to love). We also discussed the cultural significance of using polite verb forms to show respect in Southern Sotho communication. Remember to practice regularly and continue building upon your knowledge of Southern Sotho grammar. You're on your way to becoming proficient in Southern Sotho!

Table of Contents - Southern Sotho Course - 0 to A1[edit source]


Introduction to Southern Sotho


Greetings and Introductions


Nouns and Pronouns


Numbers and Time


Verbs and Tenses


Everyday Activities


Adjectives and Adverbs


Food and Dining


Southern Sotho Traditions


Travel and Transportation


Questions and Negation


Shopping and Money


Southern Sotho Family Life



Other Lessons[edit | edit source]



◀️ Telling Time — Previous Lesson Next Lesson — Past Tense ▶️

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