Language/Southern-sotho/Grammar/Present-Tense
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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.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Past Tense
- Asking Questions
- Questions
- 0 to A1 Course
- Noun Classes
- How to Use Have
- Negating Sentences
- Pronouns
- Future Tense
- Personal Pronouns
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