Language/Southern-sotho/Grammar/Negation

Southern Sotho Grammar - Negation

Hi Southern Sotho learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about negation in Southern Sotho. As an intermediate learner, you must have mastered the positive forms of the language, so it is time to learn about the negative forms.

Introduction

Negation is an essential part of any language, and Southern Sotho is not an exception. It is the opposite of affirmation, and it is used when we want to express the negation of a fact, action, or event. If you are still struggling with the basics of Southern Sotho grammar, do not hesitate to check our Find native speakers and ask them any questions. Also, you can refer to our Grammar section to revise the concepts.

Negative Verbs

Negating a verb in Southern Sotho is easy. We take the positive form and add the prefix "ha" or "ho" to the verb stem, depending on the class of the noun or subject. For example:

Southern Sotho	Pronunciation	English
ke ruta	keɪ ˈɾutɑ	I love
Ha ke ruta	ha keɪ ˈɾutɑ	I do not love
o tla ikemisetsa	ɔ t͡ɬɑ ikʰɛmisɛt͡sɑ	He/she will approve
Ha o tla ikemisetsa	ha ɔ t͡ɬɑ ikʰɛmisɛt͡sɑ	He/she will not approve
re bona Jehova	rɛ ˈbɔna ʤɛhɔvɑ	We see Jehovah
Ha re boa Jehova	ha rɛ ˈbɔa ʤɛhɔvɑ	We do not see Jehovah

In the examples above, we can see two types of negative prefixes, "ha" and "ho." Their use depends on the vowel harmony and the class of the noun or subject. It is essential to memorize the class system and the vowel harmony rules to choose the correct negative prefix.

Negative Adjectives

Negating adjectives follows the same pattern as negating verbs. We add the "ha" or "ho" negative prefix to the adjective stem. For example:

Southern Sotho	Pronunciation	English
lebitso le le ntle	lɛˈbit͡so lɛ lɛ ntlɛ	a beautiful name
lebitso le le hantle	lɛˈbit͡so lɛ lɛ hantlɛ	an ugly name
laboa ba ba se nang	lɑˈbɔa bɑ bɑ sɛ nɑŋ	clever children
ha ba tla laboa	hɑ bɑ t͡ɬɑ lɑˈbɔa	not clever children

In the examples above, we can see that the negative prefix replaces the positive prefix "se," which indicates the possession of a quality. The same pattern applies to all adjectives in Southern Sotho.

Negative Pronouns

Negating pronouns is similar to negating adjectives and verbs. We add the negative prefix "ha" or "ho" to the pronoun stem. For example:

Southern Sotho	Pronunciation	English
ke	ke &ße	I
ha ke	ha ke &ße	I (negative)
o tla	ɔ t͡ɬɑ	he/she will
ha o tla	ha ɔ t͡ɬɑ	he/she will not
le	lɛ	it/they
ha le	ha lɛ	it/they (negative)

In the examples above, we can see that the negative prefix "ha" replaces the positive prefix of the pronoun.

Negative Adverbs

Negating adverbs is straightforward. We add the negative prefix "ha" or "ho" to the adverb stem. For example:

Southern Sotho	Pronunciation	English
hantle	hɑntlɛ	nicely
ha hantle	ha hɑntlɛ	not nicely
kholo	kʰɔlɔ	big
ho kholo	hɔ kʰɔlɔ	not big
tsohle	t͡sɔhɪlɛ	all
ho tsohle	hɔ t͡sɔhɪlɛ	not all

In the examples above, we can see that the negative prefix "ha" replace the positive prefix "ho" of the adverb.

Examples in Dialogue

Here are some examples in a dialogue to see the use of negation in context:

• Person 1: Ke na le bothata ba ho reka lefaseng. (I have a problem with the stove.)
• Person 2: Ha ke na le botlalo. (I do not have a solution.)

• Person 1: O na le sebete sa morena? (Do you have the king's permission?)
• Person 2: Ha ke na le sebete sa hae. (I do not have his permission.)

• Person 1: Nka kgopisa dipere tsa hao. (I will give you your money back.)
• Person 2: Na na, ha ke na le kgopolo. (No, I do not have patience.)

Conclusion

Negation is an essential concept in Southern Sotho, and you must master the fundamental rules and vocabulary to communicate effectively. Remember that practice makes perfect, so try to include negation in your conversations with native speakers. Do not hesitate to ask them for feedback and corrections. We hope that you found this lesson useful!

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➡ 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

• Sesotho language
• Tzala Student Voice Story: 15 Negation