Difference between revisions of "Language/Tswana/Grammar/Questions"

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<div class="pg_page_title">Tswana Grammar - How to Ask Questions</div>
<div class="pg_page_title">Tswana Grammar - Questions</div>
Hi Tswana learners! 😊<br>In today's lesson, we will be learning about how to ask questions in Tswana. Asking questions is an important part of any language, and it's essential to understand the rules of grammar when forming questions. We'll look at the different types of questions, as well as the different ways to form them. By the end of this lesson, you should have a good understanding of how to ask questions in Tswana.  
Hi [https://polyglotclub.com/language/tswana Tswana] learners! 😊<br>In this lesson, we will learn how to form questions in Tswana. As an intermediate learner, you should have some knowledge of the Tswana language, including basic sentence structure and verb conjugation. If you are a beginner, we recommend starting with our [https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/Language/Tswana/Grammar Tswana Grammar] page on Polyglot Club before continuing with this lesson.
Β 
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__TOC__


== Types of Questions ==
== Basic Questions ==


There are two main types of questions in Tswana: yes/no questions and wh-questions. Β 
To form a basic question in Tswana, there are several methods. Let's take a look at each one.


=== Yes/No Questions ===
=== Inverting the Word Order ===
Yes/no questions are used to ask for a simple yes or no answer. They usually start with a verb, such as "do", "can", "will", etc. For example:


* Do you understand?
One way to form a question in Tswana is to invert the word order of a declarative sentence. In other words, switch the subject and the verb. For example:
* Can you speak Tswana?
* Will you come to class tomorrow?


=== Wh-Questions ===
* Statement: Ke tla ithuta puo e mme. (I will learn the language tomorrow.)
Wh-questions are used to ask for more information. They usually start with a question word, such as "what", "where", "when", etc. For example: Β 
* Question: O tla ithuta puo e mme? (Will you learn the language tomorrow?)


* What is your name?
Notice how the subject "ke" became "o". The verb "tla ithuta" remained the same.
* Where do you live?
* When did you learn Tswana?


== Forming Questions ==
=== Using the Question Particle "Ke" ===


When forming questions in Tswana, there are a few rules to keep in mind. Β 
Another way to form a question in Tswana is by using the question particle "ke". Place "ke" at the beginning of the sentence. Here's an example:


* The verb comes first. Β 
* Statement: Gago go botlhokwa ka dinako tse di farologaneng. (Your time is important at all times.)
* The subject follows the verb. Β 
* Question: Ke gago go botlhokwa ka dinako tse di farologaneng? (Is your time important at all times?)
* The question word comes at the beginning of the sentence.


For example:
Notice how "ke" was added at the beginning of the sentence.


* Does he speak Tswana?
=== Using Question Words ===
* What does she like to do?
* Where can I find a Tswana dictionary?


It's also important to remember that the verb conjugation changes depending on the subject. For example: Β 
Question words are also used to form questions in Tswana. Here are some common question words:


* Does he speak Tswana? Β 
{| class="wikitable"
* Does she speak Tswana? Β 
! Tswana !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| Efe || eh-fΓ© || Who
|-
| Fela jang || fela jang || How
|-
| Gona eng || goh-nah eng || Where
|-
| Se o dira eng || seh oh dee-rah eng || What are you doing?
|-
| Seo se bonwang ke eng || seh-oh-seh bone-wang keh eng || What is this called?
|-
| Leina la eng ke...? || leh-ee-nah lah eng keh || What is the name of...?
|}


In the first sentence, the verb is conjugated for a male subject ("he"), while in the second sentence, the verb is conjugated for a female subject ("she").
Here's an example of using question words:


== Conclusion ==
* Person 1: Efe a itlhopheng? (Who is studying?)
* Person 2: Ke Tirelo. (It's Tirelo.)
Β 
== More Complex Questions ==
Β 
Β 
Sometimes, a question can be more complex and require more than one part to answer. Here's an example of a complex question with multiple parts:
Β 
* Question: O tla se ka se dira eng, fela jang fa o nna jang? (What will you do, how and where will you be when you do it?)
Β 
This question is asking 3 things at once: what will you do, how will you do it, and where will you be when you do it. Let's break down the question and look at each part:
Β 
* O tla se ka se dira eng: What will you do?
* Fela jang: How will you do it?
* Fa o nna jang: Where will you be when you do it?


In this lesson, we looked at the different types of questions in Tswana, as well as the rules for forming them. Now you should have a better understanding of how to ask questions in Tswana.
This type of complex question is more common in conversation than in formal writing or textbooks.
<br><hr>If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.<br>Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎


== Conclusion ==


Congratulations, you've learned how to form questions in Tswana! Remember that practice is key to mastering any language skill. To improve your Tswana Grammar, you can also use the [https://polyglotclub.com Polyglot Club] website. [https://polyglotclub.com/find-friends.php?search=send&d=0&f=36&offre1=110 Find native speakers] and ask them any [https://polyglotclub.com/language/tswana/question questions]!


==Videos==
<hr>➑ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.<br>➑ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎


===Setswana : Questioning in the Tswana language - YouTube===
== Sources ==
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqmBDzg1aBo</youtube>
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tswana_language Tswana language]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tswana_grammar Tswana grammar]




==Related Lessons==
{{#seo:
* [[Language/Tswana/Grammar/Negation|Negation]]
|title=Tswana Grammar - Questions
* [[Language/Tswana/Grammar/Conditional-Mood|Conditional Mood]]
|keywords=Tswana, grammar, questions, question words, complex questions
* [[Language/Tswana/Grammar/Gender|Gender]]
|description=In this lesson, you will learn how to form questions in Tswana. We explore the different methods including inverting the word order, using the question particle "ke", and using question words. We also look at more complex questions.
* [[Language/Tswana/Grammar/Adjectives|Adjectives]]
}}
* [[Language/Tswana/Grammar/Plurals|Plurals]]
* [[Language/Tswana/Grammar/Pronouns|Pronouns]]


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{{Tswana-Page-Bottom}}

Revision as of 05:09, 5 March 2023

Botswana-Timeline-PolyglotClub.png
Tswana Grammar - Questions

Hi Tswana learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn how to form questions in Tswana. As an intermediate learner, you should have some knowledge of the Tswana language, including basic sentence structure and verb conjugation. If you are a beginner, we recommend starting with our Tswana Grammar page on Polyglot Club before continuing with this lesson.

Basic Questions

To form a basic question in Tswana, there are several methods. Let's take a look at each one.

Inverting the Word Order

One way to form a question in Tswana is to invert the word order of a declarative sentence. In other words, switch the subject and the verb. For example:

  • Statement: Ke tla ithuta puo e mme. (I will learn the language tomorrow.)
  • Question: O tla ithuta puo e mme? (Will you learn the language tomorrow?)

Notice how the subject "ke" became "o". The verb "tla ithuta" remained the same.

Using the Question Particle "Ke"

Another way to form a question in Tswana is by using the question particle "ke". Place "ke" at the beginning of the sentence. Here's an example:

  • Statement: Gago go botlhokwa ka dinako tse di farologaneng. (Your time is important at all times.)
  • Question: Ke gago go botlhokwa ka dinako tse di farologaneng? (Is your time important at all times?)

Notice how "ke" was added at the beginning of the sentence.

Using Question Words

Question words are also used to form questions in Tswana. Here are some common question words:

Tswana Pronunciation English
Efe eh-fΓ© Who
Fela jang fela jang How
Gona eng goh-nah eng Where
Se o dira eng seh oh dee-rah eng What are you doing?
Seo se bonwang ke eng seh-oh-seh bone-wang keh eng What is this called?
Leina la eng ke...? leh-ee-nah lah eng keh What is the name of...?

Here's an example of using question words:

  • Person 1: Efe a itlhopheng? (Who is studying?)
  • Person 2: Ke Tirelo. (It's Tirelo.)

More Complex Questions

Sometimes, a question can be more complex and require more than one part to answer. Here's an example of a complex question with multiple parts:

  • Question: O tla se ka se dira eng, fela jang fa o nna jang? (What will you do, how and where will you be when you do it?)

This question is asking 3 things at once: what will you do, how will you do it, and where will you be when you do it. Let's break down the question and look at each part:

  • O tla se ka se dira eng: What will you do?
  • Fela jang: How will you do it?
  • Fa o nna jang: Where will you be when you do it?

This type of complex question is more common in conversation than in formal writing or textbooks.

Conclusion

Congratulations, you've learned how to form questions in Tswana! Remember that practice is key to mastering any language skill. To improve your Tswana Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!


➑ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➑ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources