Language/Tswana/Vocabulary/Family-Members

Tswana → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Family Members

Introduction

In this lesson, you will learn the names of different family members in Tswana, as well as how to use them in sentences. Family is an essential part of Tswana culture, and it is essential to know how to address and talk about family members accurately. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to identify and use Tswana words for the mother, father, sister, brother, and other family members.

Tswana Vocabulary for Family Members

Below is a table with the most common Tswana words for family members. Take time to study the words and their pronunciation.

Tswana	Pronunciation	English
Mma	Mma	Mother
Rra	Hra	Father
Eng	Eng	Brother
Ngwana	Ngwana	Child
Bogadi	Bogadi	Sister
Tsona	Tsuna	Grandmother
Koko	Koko	Grandfather
Modimo	Modimo	God

Note that in Tswana culture, family titles are commonly used. For example, a father can be called Motswana ("father of the Tswana"), and older sister can be called Nkgono ("queen"), and an older brother can be called Ntate ("father"). These titles are a sign of respect for elders in Tswana culture.

Using Tswana Vocabulary for Family Members

To practice using Tswana vocabulary for family members, let's form some simple sentences with them.

• Mma o rata matso a hao ("Your mother likes your eyes.")
• Ngwana o jele meroho ("The child ate vegetables.")
• Rra a tsamaya ka nnete ("The father walks carefully.")
• Ngwana ke mokgwa wa go amogela Rra le Mma ("A child is a way of welcoming fathers and mothers.").
• Bogadi ke koko e sale ba ba itekaneleng ("Sisters are grandmothers who still need to learn new things.")

Conclusion

In Tswana culture, family is an integral part of life, and it is essential to have the language skills to express this. In this lesson, you have learned the Tswana vocabulary for family members, how to pronounce them, and how to use them in sentences. Keep practicing and building your Tswana language skills.

Table of Contents - Tswana Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Basic Greetings

• Greetings and Introductions
• Polite Expressions

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Sentence Structure

• Subject Pronouns
• Verb Conjugation

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Numbers

• Counting 1-10
• Ordinal Numbers

  ---

Days of the Week and Months

• Days of the Week
• Months of the Year

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Nouns and Articles

• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Plural Nouns

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Common Objects and Places

• Household Items
• Places in Town

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
• Adverbs

  ---

Food and Drink

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Meals and Dining

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Prepositions of Place
• Prepositions of Time
• Conjunctions

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Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

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Possessives and Demonstratives

• Possessive Pronouns and Adjectives
• Demonstrative Pronouns and Adjectives

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Tswana Traditions and Customs

• Traditional Clothing
• Tswana Cuisine

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Tswana Holidays and Celebrations

• National Holidays
• Traditional Celebrations

Other Lessons

• Meals and Dining
• Family
• Places in Town
• Household Items
• Feelings and Emotions
• Counting 1 10
• Food
• Education
• Animals
• How to Say Hello and Greetings

Sources

• Level 12 - Family Members - Setswana Vocabulary Builder - Memrise
• Tswana Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com
• Peace Corps/ Botswana - An Introduction to the Setswana Language