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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]] → Present Tense</div>
Welcome to the lesson on '''Present Tense''' in Southern Sotho! Understanding how to use the present tense is essential for beginners, as it allows you to talk about daily activities, routines, and things happening right now. This lesson will guide you through the structure of verbs in the present tense, how to conjugate them, and how to form negative sentences.
The Southern Sotho language, rich in culture and history, uses a unique verb conjugation system that may seem daunting at first, but with practice, you'll find it quite manageable and intuitive. By mastering the present tense, you'll be able to express yourself more freely and engage in basic conversations with native speakers.


<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>
In this lesson, we will cover the following topics:


__TOC__
__TOC__


<h1>Present Tense in Southern Sotho</h1>
=== Understanding the Present Tense ===
 
The present tense is used to describe actions that are currently happening or general truths. In Southern Sotho, the present tense is indicated by specific verb prefixes that correspond to the subject.
 
=== Conjugating Verbs in the Present Tense ===
 
Conjugating verbs in Southern Sotho involves changing the verb prefix according to the subject. Below is a breakdown of the subject pronouns and their respective prefixes:
 
* '''1st Person Singular (I)''' - '''ke-'''


<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>
* '''2nd Person Singular (You)''' - '''u-'''


<h2>Subject Prefixes</h2>
* '''3rd Person Singular (He/She/It)''' - '''o-'''


<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>
* '''1st Person Plural (We)''' - '''re-'''


<p>Subject prefixes are used to indicate the subject of the sentence. <b>Here are the subject prefixes:</b></p>
* '''2nd Person Plural (You all)''' - '''le-'''


<h3>Singular Subject Prefixes:</h3>
* '''3rd Person Plural (They)''' - '''ba-'''
 
Here’s how to conjugate some common verbs in the present tense:


{| 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 ja || keː ja || I eat
 
|-
|-
| 1a (Other Nouns) || u- || u ke ke kotula - You are not listening
 
| u ja || uː ja || You eat
 
|-
|-
| 2 || ba- || ba kae? - Where are they?
 
| o ja || oː ja || He/She eats
 
|-
|-
| 2a || ba- || ba tswaletsoa - They are dismissed
 
| re ja || reː ja || We eat
 
|-
|-
| 3 || mo- || mo lebelletse - She is teaching
 
| le ja || leː ja || You all eat
 
|-
|-
| 4 || ho- || ho tla fumana - He will get it
 
| ba ja || baː ja || They eat
 
|-
|-
| 5 || re- || re o ntshepile - We are happy
 
| ke bua || keː bwa || I speak
 
|-
|-
| 6 || ntho- || ntho ke bua - Something talks
|}


<h3>Plural Subject Prefixes:</h3>
| u bua || uː bwa || You speak


{| class="wikitable"
! Noun Class !! Prefix !! Example Verb
|-
|-
| 1 (Proper Nouns) || ba- || ba ne ba lahleha - They are sleeping
 
| o bua || oː bwa || He/She speaks
 
|-
|-
| 1a (Other Nouns) || ba- || ba ke ke kotule - They are not listening
 
| re bua || reː bwa || We speak
 
|-
|-
| 2 || ba- || ba lelapa - They are families
 
| le bua || leː bwa || You all speak
 
|-
|-
| 2a || ba- || ba fumana - They get it
 
|-
| ba bua || baː bwa || They speak
| 3 || ba- || ba lebelletse - They are teaching
 
|-
| 4 || li- || li tla ba letho - They will have everything
|-
| 5 || di- || di sareletseng - They are cooking
|-
| 6 || ma- || ma hlapa - They are working
|}
|}


<h2>Conjugation in Present Tense</h2>
=== Forming Negative Sentences ===


<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>
In Southern Sotho, negative sentences are formed by adding the prefix '''"ha"''' before the verb. The structure is as follows:


<h3>Singular Conjugation:</h3>
* '''Positive:''' Subject + Verb
 
* '''Negative:''' Subject + ha + Verb
 
For example:


{| 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 ja || keː ja || I eat
 
|-
|-
| 1a (Other Nouns) || u- || U tla be ba se fe – You will eat when you are hungry
 
| Ha ke ja || ha keː ja || I do not eat
 
|-
|-
| 2 || ba- || Ba tla ba bonahala – They will be visible
 
| U ja || uː ja || You eat
 
|-
|-
| 2a || ba- || Ba tla ba kopana - They will meet each other
 
| Ha u ja || ha uː ja || You do not eat
 
|-
|-
| 3 || mo- || Mo tla lebella - She will sing
 
| O ja || oː ja || He/She eats
 
|-
|-
| 4 || ho- || Ho tla fumana – He will get it
 
| Ha o ja || ha oː ja || He/She does not eat
 
|-
|-
| 5 || re- || Re tla bona ditshila – We will see the stars
 
| Re ja || reː ja || We eat
 
|-
|-
| 6 || ntho- || Ntho tla dula - Something will enter
|}


<h3>Plural Conjugation:</h3>
| Ha re ja || ha reː ja || We do not eat


{| class="wikitable"
! Noun Class !! Prefix !! Example Sentence
|-
|-
| 1 (Proper Nouns) || ba- || Ba tla ba lefatshe – They are going to come to the earth
 
| Le ja || leː ja || You all eat
 
|-
|-
| 1a (Other Nouns) || ba- || Ba tla ba nyala – They will shine
 
| Ha le ja || ha leː ja || You all do not eat
 
|-
|-
| 2 || ba- || Ba tla ba kopang – They will meet
 
| Ba ja || baː ja || They eat
 
|-
|-
| 2a || ba- || Ba tla ba fumana – They will get it
 
|-
| Ha ba ja || ha baː ja || They do not eat
| 3 || ba- || Ba tla ba lebella – They will sing
 
|-
| 4 || li- || Li tla ba letho – They will have everything
|-
| 5 || di- || Di tla di tshwanela – They will be necessary
|-
| 6 || ma- || Ma tla ba nepahetseng – They will be experienced
|}
|}


<h2>Forming Negative Sentences in Present Tense</h2>
=== Examples of Present Tense Usage ===
 
1. '''Ke bala buka.''' (I read a book.)
 
2. '''U a etsa.''' (You are doing.)
 
3. '''O sebetsa hantle.''' (She works well.)
 
4. '''Re phela hantle.''' (We live well.)
 
5. '''Le etela khotla.''' (You all visit the court.)
 
6. '''Ba tlisa lijo.''' (They bring food.)
 
7. '''Ke tiisa.''' (I confirm.)
 
8. '''U fa.''' (You give.)
 
9. '''O fa mmoho.''' (He gives together.)
 
10. '''Re itlhophela.''' (We choose.)
 
11. '''Le bopa.''' (You all create.)
 
12. '''Ba reka.''' (They buy.)
 
13. '''Ke lefa.''' (I pay.)


<p>To form negative sentences in the present tense, one can add the negative particles, "ha" or "che" before the verb.</p>
14. '''U tloga.''' (You leave.)


<p><b>Here is the formula:</b></p>
15. '''O tlohela.''' (She leaves.)


<p>"Ha" or "Che" + subject prefix + verb stem</p>
16. '''Re tseba.''' (We know.)


<h3>Examples:</h3>
17. '''Le tseba.''' (You all know.)


<ul>
18. '''Ba tseba.''' (They know.)
<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>
19. '''Ke thabela.''' (I enjoy.)


<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>
20. '''Ha ke thabela.''' (I do not enjoy.)


<h3>Verb "roba" (to steal)</h3>
=== Practice Exercises ===


<p><b>Here is the conjugation of this irregular verb in the present tense:</b></p>
Now that we've covered the basics, it’s time to practice! Here are some exercises for you to try:


{| class="wikitable"
1. '''Conjugate the verb "bala" (to read) in the present tense for all subject pronouns.'''
! Noun Class !! Prefix !! Example Sentence
 
|-
2. '''Form negative sentences for the following positive sentences:'''
| 1 (Proper Nouns) || o- || O roba – He is stealing
 
|-
* '''Ke ja.'''
| 1a (Other Nouns) || u- || U robile – You have stolen
 
|-
* '''U bua.'''
| 2 || ba- || Ba roba – They are stealing
 
|-
* '''O ja.'''
| 2a || ba- || Ba robetse - They have stolen
 
|-
3. '''Translate the following sentences into Southern Sotho:'''
| 3 || mo- || Mo robile – She has stolen
 
|-
* I do not eat.
| 4 || ho- || Ho robile – He has stolen it
 
|-
* You read a book.
| 5 || re- || Re robe – We are stealing
 
|-
* They do not speak.
| 6 || ntho- || Ntho e robe – Something is stolen
 
|}
4. '''Fill in the blanks with the correct present tense form of the verb "fa" (to give):'''
 
* _______________ (I) _______________ (give) him a gift.
 
* _______________ (You) _______________ (give) her a present.
 
5. '''Write a short paragraph about your daily routine using at least five present tense verbs.'''
 
6. '''Create negative sentences for the following positive sentences:'''
 
* '''Re ja.'''
 
* '''Le ja.'''
 
* '''Ba etela.'''
 
7. '''Match the following Southern Sotho sentences with their English translations:'''
 
* '''Ke ithuta.'''
 
* '''O a etela.'''
 
* '''Ba ja.'''
 
8. '''Translate the following into Southern Sotho:'''
 
* We do not read.
 
* You all enjoy.
 
* He does not work.
 
9. '''Choose the correct form of the verb in the present tense:'''
 
* (I/You/He) _______________ (to go) to school every day.
 
10. '''Using the verbs provided, make sentences in the present tense:'''
 
* (to eat), (to speak), (to work)
 
=== Solutions and Explanations ===
 
1. '''Conjugation of "bala":'''
 
* Ke bala (I read)
 
* U bala (You read)
 
* O bala (He/She reads)
 
* Re bala (We read)
 
* Le bala (You all read)
 
* Ba bala (They read)
 
2. '''Negative Sentences:'''
 
* Ha ke ja. (I do not eat.)
 
* Ha u bua. (You do not speak.)
 
* Ha o ja. (He/She does not eat.)
 
3. '''Translations:'''
 
* Ha ke ja. (I do not eat.)
 
* U bala buka. (You read a book.)
 
* Ha ba bua. (They do not speak.)
 
4. '''Fill in the blanks:'''
 
* Ke fa (I give) him a gift.
 
* U fa (You give) her a present.
 
5. '''Paragraph Example:'''
 
* "Ke etela sekolo. Ke bala buka. Ke fa baruti. Re ja lijo."
 
6. '''Negative Sentences:'''
 
* Ha re ja. (We do not eat.)
 
* Ha le ja. (You all do not eat.)
 
* Ha ba etela. (They do not visit.)
 
7. '''Matching:'''
 
* Ke ithuta. → I study.
 
* O a etela. → You are visiting.
 
* Ba ja. → They eat.
 
8. '''Translations:'''
 
* Ha re bala. (We do not read.)


<h3>Verb "khaba" (to be angry)</h3>
* Le thabela. (You all enjoy.)


<p><b>Here is the conjugation of this irregular verb in the present tense:</b></p>
* Ha o sebetsa. (He does not work.)


{| class="wikitable"
9. '''Choose the Correct Form:'''
! Noun Class !! Prefix !! Example Sentence
|-
| 1 (Proper Nouns) || o- || O khabe – He is angry
|-
| 1a (Other Nouns) || u- || U khabile – You are angry
|-
| 2 || ba- || Ba khaba – They are angry
|-
| 2a || ba- || Ba khabetse – They have been angry
|-
| 3 || mo- || Mo khabile – She is angry
|-
| 4 || ho- || Ho khaba – He is angry
|-
| 5 || re- || Re khaba – We are angry
|-
| 6 || ntho- || Ntho e khabe – Something is angry
|}


<h3>Verb "tshwara" (to hold)</h3>
* I go to school every day. (Ke ea sekolong letsatsi le letsatsi.)


<p><b>Here is the conjugation of this irregular verb in the present tense:</b></p>
10. '''Sentence Examples:'''


{| class="wikitable"
* Ke ja. (I eat.)
! Noun Class !! Prefix !! Example Sentence
|-
| 1 (Proper Nouns) || o- || O tshwara – He is holding
|-
| 1a (Other Nouns) || u- || U tshware – You are holding
|-
| 2 || ba- || Ba tshwara – They are holding
|-
| 2a || ba- || Ba tshwara ka 'mele – They are holding each other
|-
| 3 || mo- || Mo tshwara – She is holding
|-
| 4 || ho- || Ho tshwarile – He has held it
|-
| 5 || re- || Re tshwara – We are holding
|-
| 6 || ntho- || Ntho e tshware – Something is held
|}


<h2>Conclusion</h2>
* O bua. (You speak.)


<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>
* Ba sebetsa. (They work.)


With practice, you'll become more comfortable with the present tense in Southern Sotho. Remember, language learning is a journey, and every step you take brings you closer to fluency.


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|keywords=Southern Sotho Language, Southern Sotho Present Tense, Southern Sotho Grammar, Southern Sotho Verbs, Southern Sotho Negative Sentences
|description=This lesson will teach students how to conjugate Southern


{{Southern-sotho-0-to-A1-Course-TOC}}
|title=Learn Southern Sotho Present Tense
 
|keywords=Southern Sotho, present tense, language learning, conjugation, negative sentences
 
|description=In this lesson, you will learn how to conjugate verbs in the present tense in Southern Sotho and how to form negative sentences.
 
}}
 
{{Template:Southern-sotho-0-to-A1-Course-TOC}}


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Latest revision as of 14:28, 2 August 2024

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

Lesotho-Timeline-PolyglotClub.png
Southern Sotho → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Present Tense

Welcome to the lesson on Present Tense in Southern Sotho! Understanding how to use the present tense is essential for beginners, as it allows you to talk about daily activities, routines, and things happening right now. This lesson will guide you through the structure of verbs in the present tense, how to conjugate them, and how to form negative sentences.

The Southern Sotho language, rich in culture and history, uses a unique verb conjugation system that may seem daunting at first, but with practice, you'll find it quite manageable and intuitive. By mastering the present tense, you'll be able to express yourself more freely and engage in basic conversations with native speakers.

In this lesson, we will cover the following topics:

Understanding the Present Tense[edit | edit source]

The present tense is used to describe actions that are currently happening or general truths. In Southern Sotho, the present tense is indicated by specific verb prefixes that correspond to the subject.

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

Conjugating verbs in Southern Sotho involves changing the verb prefix according to the subject. Below is a breakdown of the subject pronouns and their respective prefixes:

  • 1st Person Singular (I) - ke-
  • 2nd Person Singular (You) - u-
  • 3rd Person Singular (He/She/It) - o-
  • 1st Person Plural (We) - re-
  • 2nd Person Plural (You all) - le-
  • 3rd Person Plural (They) - ba-

Here’s how to conjugate some common verbs in the present tense:

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
ke ja keː ja I eat
u ja uː ja You eat
o ja oː ja He/She eats
re ja reː ja We eat
le ja leː ja You all eat
ba ja baː ja They eat
ke bua keː bwa I speak
u bua uː bwa You speak
o bua oː bwa He/She speaks
re bua reː bwa We speak
le bua leː bwa You all speak
ba bua baː bwa They speak

Forming Negative Sentences[edit | edit source]

In Southern Sotho, negative sentences are formed by adding the prefix "ha" before the verb. The structure is as follows:

  • Positive: Subject + Verb
  • Negative: Subject + ha + Verb

For example:

Southern Sotho Pronunciation English
Ke ja keː ja I eat
Ha ke ja ha keː ja I do not eat
U ja uː ja You eat
Ha u ja ha uː ja You do not eat
O ja oː ja He/She eats
Ha o ja ha oː ja He/She does not eat
Re ja reː ja We eat
Ha re ja ha reː ja We do not eat
Le ja leː ja You all eat
Ha le ja ha leː ja You all do not eat
Ba ja baː ja They eat
Ha ba ja ha baː ja They do not eat

Examples of Present Tense Usage[edit | edit source]

1. Ke bala buka. (I read a book.)

2. U a etsa. (You are doing.)

3. O sebetsa hantle. (She works well.)

4. Re phela hantle. (We live well.)

5. Le etela khotla. (You all visit the court.)

6. Ba tlisa lijo. (They bring food.)

7. Ke tiisa. (I confirm.)

8. U fa. (You give.)

9. O fa mmoho. (He gives together.)

10. Re itlhophela. (We choose.)

11. Le bopa. (You all create.)

12. Ba reka. (They buy.)

13. Ke lefa. (I pay.)

14. U tloga. (You leave.)

15. O tlohela. (She leaves.)

16. Re tseba. (We know.)

17. Le tseba. (You all know.)

18. Ba tseba. (They know.)

19. Ke thabela. (I enjoy.)

20. Ha ke thabela. (I do not enjoy.)

Practice Exercises[edit | edit source]

Now that we've covered the basics, it’s time to practice! Here are some exercises for you to try:

1. Conjugate the verb "bala" (to read) in the present tense for all subject pronouns.

2. Form negative sentences for the following positive sentences:

  • Ke ja.
  • U bua.
  • O ja.

3. Translate the following sentences into Southern Sotho:

  • I do not eat.
  • You read a book.
  • They do not speak.

4. Fill in the blanks with the correct present tense form of the verb "fa" (to give):

  • _______________ (I) _______________ (give) him a gift.
  • _______________ (You) _______________ (give) her a present.

5. Write a short paragraph about your daily routine using at least five present tense verbs.

6. Create negative sentences for the following positive sentences:

  • Re ja.
  • Le ja.
  • Ba etela.

7. Match the following Southern Sotho sentences with their English translations:

  • Ke ithuta.
  • O a etela.
  • Ba ja.

8. Translate the following into Southern Sotho:

  • We do not read.
  • You all enjoy.
  • He does not work.

9. Choose the correct form of the verb in the present tense:

  • (I/You/He) _______________ (to go) to school every day.

10. Using the verbs provided, make sentences in the present tense:

  • (to eat), (to speak), (to work)

Solutions and Explanations[edit | edit source]

1. Conjugation of "bala":

  • Ke bala (I read)
  • U bala (You read)
  • O bala (He/She reads)
  • Re bala (We read)
  • Le bala (You all read)
  • Ba bala (They read)

2. Negative Sentences:

  • Ha ke ja. (I do not eat.)
  • Ha u bua. (You do not speak.)
  • Ha o ja. (He/She does not eat.)

3. Translations:

  • Ha ke ja. (I do not eat.)
  • U bala buka. (You read a book.)
  • Ha ba bua. (They do not speak.)

4. Fill in the blanks:

  • Ke fa (I give) him a gift.
  • U fa (You give) her a present.

5. Paragraph Example:

  • "Ke etela sekolo. Ke bala buka. Ke fa baruti. Re ja lijo."

6. Negative Sentences:

  • Ha re ja. (We do not eat.)
  • Ha le ja. (You all do not eat.)
  • Ha ba etela. (They do not visit.)

7. Matching:

  • Ke ithuta. → I study.
  • O a etela. → You are visiting.
  • Ba ja. → They eat.

8. Translations:

  • Ha re bala. (We do not read.)
  • Le thabela. (You all enjoy.)
  • Ha o sebetsa. (He does not work.)

9. Choose the Correct Form:

  • I go to school every day. (Ke ea sekolong letsatsi le letsatsi.)

10. Sentence Examples:

  • Ke ja. (I eat.)
  • O bua. (You speak.)
  • Ba sebetsa. (They work.)

With practice, you'll become more comfortable with the present tense in Southern Sotho. Remember, language learning is a journey, and every step you take brings you closer to fluency.

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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