Language/Tswana/Grammar/Descriptive-Adjectives
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Introduction
Congratulations, you have made it to the Adjectives and Adverbs section of the "Complete 0 to A1 Tswana Course"! In this lesson, we will be focusing on descriptive adjectives, which are essential for describing nouns and adding more information to sentences. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently use descriptive adjectives in Tswana and have a solid foundation to build upon as you continue your journey with the language.
Descriptive Adjectives
Descriptive adjectives are words that describe or give more information about a noun. In Tswana, descriptive adjectives follow the noun and agree with it in number and gender.
Here are some examples of descriptive adjectives in Tswana:
| Tswana | English Translation |
|---|---|
| mogolo | big (masculine singular) |
| bogolo | big (feminine singular) |
| magolo | big (plural) |
| moletlo | delicious (masculine singular) |
| boletlo | delicious (feminine singular) |
| meletlo | delicious (plural) |
As you can see from the examples, the adjective changes depending on the noun it is describing. For example, "mogolo" is used to describe a masculine singular noun, while "bogolo" is used to describe a feminine singular noun. Similarly, "magolo" is used to describe a plural noun.
Placement
In Tswana, descriptive adjectives usually come after the noun they describe. For example:
- pudi e e kgolo - the big pot
- sekati sa setlhora sa seleteng - the beautiful ring of gold
However, in some cases, descriptive adjectives can come before the noun. This is often a stylistic choice made by the speaker for emphasis or clarity. For example:
- bokhoa bo e kgolo - the big tree
- madi a a tlhasitlhathsi - the sparkling diamonds
Agreement
In Tswana, descriptive adjectives agree with the noun they describe in number and gender. This means that the adjective must match the noun in terms of whether it is singular or plural, and whether it is masculine or feminine.
Here are some examples of how descriptive adjectives agree with nouns in Tswana:
- bana ba bangwe ba ba tlhapa - some hungry children
- karolo ya ga keletso ya e ntsi - Keletso's small car
- matlhare a mabedi a a lefatshe - two big stones on the ground
- khawa ya bonyokwa e e tlhogo - the clean food of the poor
Irregular Adjectives
As with any language, there are some adjectives in Tswana that do not follow the standard pattern. For example:
- tswelela - new (used for both masculine and feminine singular nouns)
- ditlhare - small (used for both masculine and feminine plural nouns)
When using these irregular adjectives, it is important to memorize their forms and when they are used.
Practice
Now that you know the basics of descriptive adjectives, it's time to practice using them in sentences. Here are some exercises for you to try:
- Create three sentences using the following adjective-noun pairs: "bokgolo ba ba tlhogo", "lenyalo le le tlhogo", "madi a a tlhatsi".
- Write three sentences using the adjective "tswelela" to describe different nouns of your choice.
- Form both masculine and feminine singular sentences using the adjective "lentswe" (cold).
Conclusion
Descriptive adjectives are an essential part of Tswana grammar, allowing speakers to describe and add more information to nouns. By understanding how descriptive adjectives agree with nouns in terms of number and gender, you will be able to confidently use them in a variety of contexts. And with practice, you'll soon be able to elevate your Tswana to the next level!
Other Lessons
- Conjunctions
- How to Use Have
- Verb Conjugation
- How to Use Be
- Prepositions of Place
- Gender
- Adjectives
- Plural Nouns
- Conditional Mood
Sources
- The 'new adjectives' of Tswana
- Tswana Grammar - Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
- Setswana syntax : a survey of word group structures in SearchWorks ...
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