Language/Southern-sotho/Grammar/How-to-Use-Have
Hi Southern Sotho learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn how to use the verb "have" in Southern Sotho. This is an intermediate level lesson, so if you are a beginner, you may want to review some of the basics first.
Introduction
The verb "have" is used to express possession or ownership. It is also used to express relationships and experiences. In Southern Sotho, the verb "have" is conjugated differently depending on the subject pronoun. Let's take a look at the conjugations.
Conjugations
| Subject | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Ke | kea | I have |
| O | oa | You have (singular) |
| Re | rea | He/She/It has |
| Ba | ba | We have |
| Me | mea | You have (plural) |
| Ditaba | ditabaa | They have |
Let's look at some examples of how to use the verb "have" in sentences.
Examples
| Southern Sotho | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Ke ne kea | keh neh keh-ah | I have one |
| O ne oa | oh neh oh-ah | You have one |
| Re ne rea | reh neh reh-ah | He/She/It has one |
| Ba ne ba | bah neh bah | We have one |
| Me ne mea | meh neh meh-ah | You have one (plural) |
| Ditaba ne ditabaa | ditah-bah neh ditah-bah-ah | They have one |
Let's look at a dialogue to see how the verb "have" is used in context.
Dialogue
- Person 1: Ke ne kea mokgwa? (I have a dog?)
- Person 2: O ne oa mokgwa. (You have a dog.)
- Person 1: Re ne rea mokgwa? (Does he/she/it have a dog?)
- Person 2: Re ne rea mokgwa. (He/She/It has a dog.)
- Person 1: Ba ne ba mokgwa? (Do we have a dog?)
- Person 2: Aowa, ba ne ba mokgwa. (Yes, we have a dog.)
- Person 1: Me ne mea mokgwa? (Do you have a dog?)
- Person 2: Aowa, me ne mea mokgwa. (Yes, you have a dog.)
- Person 1: Ditaba ne ditabaa mokgwa? (Do they have a dog?)
- Person 2: Aowa, ditaba ne ditabaa mokgwa. (Yes, they have a dog.)
To improve your Southern Sotho 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. 😎
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