Language/Tswana/Grammar/Gender
Hi Tswana learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on one of the most important aspects of the Tswana language: Gender. We will learn all about how gender works in Tswana, and how it affects the language's grammar.
Consider broadening your understanding by checking out these related lessons: Questions & Negation.
What is Gender in Tswana?[edit | edit source]
Gender is an essential part of Tswana grammar. It is a way of classifying nouns according to their gender. Unlike many other languages, Tswana has two genders: masculine and feminine. Every noun in Tswana is either masculine or feminine.
Gender in Tswana has nothing to do with whether a noun is male or female. It is a grammatical classification.
In Tswana, gender is indicated by the prefix of the noun. Most nouns in Tswana begin with a prefix that indicates their gender. For example, words beginning with "mo-" are masculine, while words beginning with "bo-" are feminine.
How Gender Affects Adjectives in Tswana[edit | edit source]
In Tswana, adjectives must agree with the gender of the noun they describe. This means that if a noun is masculine, the adjective that describes it must be masculine as well. If the noun is feminine, the adjective must be feminine too.
Let's take an example:
| Tswana | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| motse | [mɔ̀t͡se] | village (masculine) |
| botshelo | [bɔ̀tʃʰɛlo] | life (feminine) |
| kgomo | [k͡xʊ̀mɔ] | cow (masculine) |
| bogadi | [bɔ̀gadi] | bride-price (feminine) |
As you can see, every noun has a prefix that shows its gender, and adjectives must agree with the gender of the noun they describe.
For example, the adjective "kgolo" means "big" in Tswana. If we want to describe a big village, we need to use the masculine form of the adjective, which is "kgolokwe".
- Person 1: O tlhokafala (He is tall)
- Person 2: Ga ke itse nnete, ke dumalane le wena (I don't know the truth, I agree with you)
How Gender Affects Verbs in Tswana[edit | edit source]
Gender also affects verbs in Tswana. Just like adjectives, verbs must agree with the gender of the noun they are connected to.
For example, the verb "go tsena" means "to enter" in Tswana. If we want to say "The boy enters the house", we need to use the masculine form of the verb, which is "a tsenya". If we want to say "The girl enters the house", we need to use the feminine form of the verb, which is "o tsenya".
- Person 1: O tsenya sentlhane se selo (He enters the small house)
- Person 2: Ke dumalane le wena (I agree with you)
Gender and Plurals in Tswana[edit | edit source]
In Tswana, plurals are indicated by a prefix that appears before the noun. However, this prefix is the same for both masculine and feminine nouns.
For example:
| Tswana | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| setlhare | [sɛ̀tlʰare] | chair (singular) |
| tshetlhare | [t͡ʃʰɛ̀tlʰare] | chairs (plural) |
As you can see, the prefix "se" appears before the noun for the singular form, while the prefix "tse" appears before the noun for the plural form. However, this prefix is the same for both masculine and feminine nouns.
- Person 1: Ke tshwenyega, ke rata dikgang tse (I'm lazy, I like big chairs)
- Person 2: Ke bina ka nna ke rata tshetlhare tsa motsadi (As for me, I like chairs of women)
Common Gender-Neutral Words in Tswana[edit | edit source]
While most Tswana nouns have a gender, some are neutral and do not have a gender. Here are some examples of gender-neutral words in Tswana:
| Tswana | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| sentlhane | [sɛ̀ntlʰane] | small (neutral) |
| kwa | [kʊ̀a] | at (neutral) |
| ka | [kʰa] | from (neutral) |
As you can see, these words do not have a prefix that indicates gender. They are gender-neutral and can be used in any context.
- Person 1: Ke tswa kwa mosadi mogolo (I come from the big woman)
- Person 2: Ke itse gore o tla tswa ka kae (I know where he comes from)
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Gender is an essential aspect of Tswana grammar. It affects the way that adjectives and verbs are used, and it is essential to learn which nouns are masculine and which are feminine. 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.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Sources[edit | edit source]
Impressive work on finishing this lesson! Explore these additional pages to enhance your understanding: How to Use Have & Conditional Mood.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]