Language/Southern-sotho/Grammar/Negating-Sentences

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Southern Sotho → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Questions and Negation → Negating Sentences

Introduction[edit | edit source]

Welcome to the lesson on negating sentences in Southern Sotho! In this lesson, we will learn how to negate verbs, nouns, and adjectives, as well as how to form negative questions. Negation is an important aspect of language as it allows us to express negation or denial. Understanding how to negate sentences will greatly expand your communication skills in Southern Sotho.

In this lesson, we will start by exploring how to negate verbs, which are the action words in a sentence. We will then move on to negating nouns and adjectives, which are used to describe people, places, things, or ideas. Finally, we will learn how to form negative questions, which are questions that expect a negative response. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently negate sentences in Southern Sotho.

Let's get started!

Negating Verbs[edit | edit source]

Verbs are the backbone of a sentence as they convey the action or state of being. To negate a verb in Southern Sotho, we use the negative particle "ha" before the verb. Let's look at some examples:

Southern Sotho	Pronunciation	English
Ke na le melao.	Ke na le melao.	I have clothes.
Ha ke na le melao.	Ha ke na le melao.	I don't have clothes.
O robetse.	O robetse.	You are sitting.
Ha o robetse.	Ha o robetse.	You are not sitting.
Re tla bona.	Re tla bona.	We will see.
Ha re tla bona.	Ha re tla bona.	We will not see.

As you can see from the examples, adding "ha" before the verb changes the meaning of the sentence to the negative form. Practice negating verbs by creating your own sentences using different verbs.

Negating Nouns[edit | edit source]

Nouns are words that represent people, places, things, or ideas. To negate a noun in Southern Sotho, we use the negative particle "ha" before the noun. Let's look at some examples:

Southern Sotho	Pronunciation	English
Ke Mosotho.	Ke Mosotho.	I am Mosotho.
Ha ke Mosotho.	Ha ke Mosotho.	I am not Mosotho.
O neng a sebetsa.	O neng a sebetsa.	He was working.
Ha o neng a sebetsa.	Ha o neng a sebetsa.	He was not working.
Bana ba ka ba rata tšohle.	Bana ba ka ba rata tšohle.	My children love everything.
Ha bana ba ka ba rata tšohle.	Ha bana ba ka ba rata tšohle.	My children don't love everything.

In the examples above, adding "ha" before the noun changes the meaning of the sentence to the negative form. Practice negating nouns by creating your own sentences using different nouns.

Negating Adjectives[edit | edit source]

Adjectives are words used to describe or modify nouns. To negate an adjective in Southern Sotho, we use the negative particle "se" before the adjective. Let's look at some examples:

Southern Sotho	Pronunciation	English
Monna o kgotsofale.	Monna o kgotsofale.	The man is tall.
Monna se kgotsofale.	Monna se kgotsofale.	The man is not tall.
Haele o monate.	Haele o monate.	It is delicious.
Haele se monate.	Haele se monate.	It is not delicious.
Mme o boitshepo.	Mme o boitshepo.	The water is cold.
Mme se boitshepo.	Mme se boitshepo.	The water is not cold.

In the examples above, adding "se" before the adjective changes the meaning of the sentence to the negative form. Practice negating adjectives by creating your own sentences using different adjectives.

Forming Negative Questions[edit | edit source]

Negative questions are questions that expect a negative response. In Southern Sotho, we can form negative questions by adding the negative particle "ha" before the question word. Let's look at some examples:

Southern Sotho	Pronunciation	English
U se ke utlwile?	U se ke utlwile?	You didn't hear me?
U se ke utlwile?	U se ke utlwile?	Didn't you hear me?
Ke kopa ho tšehla?	Ke kopa ho tšehla?	Can't I go in?
Ha ke kopa ho tšehla?	Ha ke kopa ho tšehla?	Can I go in?

In the examples above, adding "ha" before the question word changes the meaning of the question to the negative form. Practice forming negative questions by creating your own sentences using different question words.

Cultural Insight[edit | edit source]

In Southern Sotho culture, negation is used to express politeness and respect. It is common to use negation when making requests or asking for permission. For example, instead of saying "Ke kopa ho nyoba" (I want to eat), it is more polite to say "Ha ke kopa ho nyoba" (I don't want to eat). This shows respect for the person you are speaking to and allows them to respond accordingly.

Another interesting cultural aspect related to negation is the concept of "lebitso la mosadi" (the name of a woman). In Southern Sotho culture, it is considered disrespectful to mention the name of someone's wife or girlfriend directly. Instead, people often use negation to refer to someone's wife or girlfriend. For example, instead of saying "Mosadi wa hae" (his wife), it is more common to say "Ha o na mosadi" (you don't have a wife). This cultural practice emphasizes the importance of respect and privacy in Southern Sotho society.

Exercises[edit | edit source]

Now it's time to practice what you've learned! Below are some exercises to help you reinforce your understanding of negating sentences in Southern Sotho. Remember to use the appropriate negation particles and follow the correct sentence structure.

Exercise 1: Negating Verbs Negate the following sentences by adding the appropriate negation particle before the verb.

Ke a bula. (I am reading.)
U robetse. (You are working.)
O tla bona. (He will see.)
Re tla sebetsa. (We will work.)
Ba tla leka. (They will laugh.)

Exercise 2: Negating Nouns Negate the following sentences by adding the appropriate negation particle before the noun.

Ke Mosotho. (I am Mosotho.)
O neng a utloisisa. (He was explaining.)
Boitsebiso bo bo lefatshe. (The gifts are beautiful.)
Bana ba dihlare. (The children are happy.)
Ba ka ba chesa. (They love you.)

Exercise 3: Negating Adjectives Negate the following sentences by adding the appropriate negation particle before the adjective.

U kgotsofale. (You are tall.)
Ho monate hore ho tsamae. (It is delicious to eat.)
Tša boitshepo. (They are cold.)
Ho tšoareletsa hore ho nyane. (It is easy to understand.)
Ke hlakile. (I am ready.)

Exercise 4: Forming Negative Questions Rewrite the following questions in the negative form by adding the appropriate negation particle before the question word.

U ka se utloe? (Can you hear me?)
Ke kopa ho ruta? (May I leave?)
Na ha o na le melao? (Do you have clothes?)
O ka se ba rata? (Do they love you?)
Ho na le tšebo? (Is there knowledge?)

Solutions[edit | edit source]

Exercise 1: Negating Verbs

Ha ke a bula. (I am not reading.)
Ha u robetse. (You are not working.)
Ha o tla bona. (He will not see.)
Ha re tla sebetsa. (We will not work.)
Ha ba tla leka. (They will not laugh.)

Exercise 2: Negating Nouns

Ha ke Mosotho. (I am not Mosotho.)
Ha o neng a utloisisa. (He was not explaining.)
Se boitsebiso bo bo lefatshe. (The gifts are not beautiful.)
Ha bana ba dihlare. (The children are not happy.)
Ha ba ka ba chesa. (They don't love you.)

Exercise 3: Negating Adjectives

U se kgotsofale. (You are not tall.)
Ha monate hore ho tsamae. (It is not delicious to eat.)
Se tša boitshepo. (They are not cold.)
Ha tšoareletsa hore ho nyane. (It is not easy to understand.)
Se hlakile. (I am not ready.)

Exercise 4: Forming Negative Questions

Ha u ka se utloe? (Can't you hear me?)
Ha ke kopa ho ruta? (May I not leave?)
Na ha o na le melao? (Don't you have clothes?)
Ha o ka se ba rata? (Don't they love you?)
Ha na le tšebo? (Is there no knowledge?)

Conclusion[edit | edit source]

Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to negate sentences in Southern Sotho. This skill will greatly enhance your ability to express negation or denial in conversations. Remember to use the appropriate negation particles "ha" and "se" before verbs, nouns, and adjectives to form negative sentences. You have also learned how to form negative questions by adding "ha" before the question word. Continue practicing and incorporating negation into your conversations to further improve your Southern Sotho language skills.

In the next lesson, we will explore another important aspect of Southern Sotho grammar: shopping and money. You will learn vocabulary related to shopping and how to talk about money and currency in Southern Sotho. Get ready for an exciting lesson!

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

Course Presentation

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]

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