Setswana — top 348 words
High-frequency vocabulary for English speakers. Reveal each card, then rate your recall — the schedule adapts (SM-2) and is stored on your device.
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Full word list
| # | Setswana | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dumela | hello (to one person) |
| 2 | Dumelang | hello (to several people) |
| 3 | Dumela rra | hello, sir |
| 4 | Dumela mma | hello, madam |
| 5 | O tsogile jang? | how are you? (lit. how did you wake?) |
| 6 | Ke tsogile sentle | I'm well (lit. I woke well) |
| 7 | Le kae? | how are you (all)? (lit. where are you?) |
| 8 | Re teng | we are fine (lit. we are here/present) |
| 9 | O kae? | how are you? (lit. where are you?) |
| 10 | Ke teng | I am fine (lit. I am here) |
| 11 | Ke a leboga | thank you |
| 12 | Ke itumetse | I am glad / pleased |
| 13 | Intshwarele | excuse me, forgive me |
| 14 | Ke kopa … | please … (lit. I request …) |
| 15 | Tsamaya sentle | goodbye (to one leaving: go well) |
| 16 | Sala sentle | goodbye (to one staying: stay well) |
| 17 | Robala sentle | good night (sleep well) |
| 18 | Ee | yes |
| 19 | Nnyaa | no |
| 20 | Ga ke itse | I don't know |
| 21 | Ke lapile | I am tired |
| 22 | Ga ke a lapa | I am not tired (note the irregular negation) |
| 23 | Leina la me ke … | my name is … |
| 24 | O bidiwa mang? | what is your name? (lit. you are called who?) |
| 25 | A o bua Sekgoa? | do you speak English? |
| 26 | Ke ithuta Setswana | I am learning Setswana |
| 27 | Go siame | all right, it's fine, OK |
| 28 | Pula! | rain! — the Setswana blessing and national cheer |
| 29 | nngwe | one |
| 30 | pedi | two |
| 31 | tharo | three |
| 32 | nne | four |
| 33 | tlhano | five |
| 34 | thataro | six |
| 35 | supa | seven |
| 36 | robedi | eight (lit. bend two fingers) |
| 37 | robongwe | nine (lit. bend one finger) |
| 38 | lesome | ten |
| 39 | lesome le bongwe | eleven |
| 40 | masome a mabedi | twenty |
| 41 | lekgolo | one hundred |
| 42 | sekete | one thousand |
| 43 | motho | person (class 1; plural: batho) |
| 44 | batho | people |
| 45 | monna | man; husband (pl. banna) |
| 46 | mosadi | woman; wife (pl. basadi) |
| 47 | ngwana | child (pl. bana) |
| 48 | bana | children |
| 49 | mosimane | boy (pl. basimane) |
| 50 | mosetsana | girl (pl. basetsana) |
| 51 | rre | father; sir |
| 52 | mme | mother; madam (also: but/and as conjunction) |
| 53 | nkoko | grandmother |
| 54 | rremogolo | grandfather |
| 55 | malome | maternal uncle |
| 56 | rakgadi | paternal aunt |
| 57 | nnake | my younger sibling |
| 58 | mogolo | elder sibling; elder |
| 59 | losika | family, relatives, lineage |
| 60 | tsala | friend (pl. ditsala) |
| 61 | kgosi | chief, king (pl. dikgosi) |
| 62 | morutabana | school teacher |
| 63 | moithuti | student, learner |
| 64 | ngaka | doctor; traditional healer |
| 65 | moruti | pastor, minister |
| 66 | modisa | herder, shepherd |
| 67 | molemi | farmer |
| 68 | Motswana | a Tswana person (pl. Batswana) |
| 69 | tlhogo | head |
| 70 | leitlho | eye (pl. matlho) |
| 71 | tsebe | ear (pl. ditsebe) |
| 72 | nko | nose |
| 73 | molomo | mouth |
| 74 | leleme | tongue |
| 75 | leino | tooth (pl. meno) |
| 76 | seatla | hand (pl. diatla) |
| 77 | letsogo | arm (pl. mabogo) |
| 78 | leoto | leg, foot (pl. maoto) |
| 79 | pelo | heart |
| 80 | madi | blood (also: money — context decides) |
| 81 | moriri | hair |
| 82 | sefatlhego | face |
| 83 | mpa | belly, stomach |
| 84 | mokwatla | back |
| 85 | letlalo | skin, hide |
| 86 | lerapo | bone (pl. marapo) |
| 87 | ntša | dog (pl. dintša) |
| 88 | katse | cat |
| 89 | kgomo | cow, head of cattle (pl. dikgomo) |
| 90 | nku | sheep (pl. dinku) |
| 91 | podi | goat (pl. dipodi) |
| 92 | pitse | horse (pl. dipitse) |
| 93 | tonki | donkey |
| 94 | koko | chicken (also: knock-knock at a door) |
| 95 | kolobe | pig |
| 96 | tlhapi | fish (pl. ditlhapi) |
| 97 | nonyane | bird (pl. dinonyane) |
| 98 | tau | lion (pl. ditau) |
| 99 | tlou | elephant (pl. ditlou) |
| 100 | nare | buffalo |
| 101 | kubu | hippopotamus |
| 102 | kwena | crocodile |
| 103 | phiri | hyena |
| 104 | phokoje | jackal |
| 105 | tshwene | baboon |
| 106 | tshephe | springbok, antelope |
| 107 | phuti | duiker (small antelope) |
| 108 | noga | snake (pl. dinoga) |
| 109 | ntsi | fly (insect) |
| 110 | monang | mosquito |
| 111 | metsi | water |
| 112 | noka | river (pl. dinoka) |
| 113 | molapo | stream, riverbed |
| 114 | letsha | lake, pan |
| 115 | lewatle | sea, ocean |
| 116 | letsatsi | sun; day (pl. malatsi — days) |
| 117 | ngwedi | moon |
| 118 | kgwedi | month (pl. dikgwedi) |
| 119 | naledi | star (pl. dinaledi) |
| 120 | legodimo | sky, heaven (pl. magodimo) |
| 121 | leru | cloud (pl. maru) |
| 122 | pula | rain (also: the Botswana currency; a blessing) |
| 123 | phefo | wind; cold air |
| 124 | mmu | soil, earth |
| 125 | lefatshe | earth, land, country, world |
| 126 | thaba | mountain (pl. dithaba) |
| 127 | letlapa | rock, stone (pl. matlapa) |
| 128 | motlhaba | sand |
| 129 | lerole | dust |
| 130 | setlhare | tree; medicine (pl. ditlhare) |
| 131 | bojang | grass |
| 132 | sekgwa | forest, thicket |
| 133 | naga | wilderness, veld, countryside (pl. dinaga — lands) |
| 134 | molelo | fire |
| 135 | mosi | smoke |
| 136 | mogote | heat |
| 137 | serame | cold, frost |
| 138 | komelelo | drought |
| 139 | dijo | food |
| 140 | bogobe | porridge — the staple dish |
| 141 | mabele | sorghum (a different tone pattern means 'breasts') |
| 142 | mmidi | maize, corn |
| 143 | borotho | bread |
| 144 | nama | meat |
| 145 | mashi | milk |
| 146 | tee | tea |
| 147 | kofi | coffee |
| 148 | letswai | salt |
| 149 | sukiri | sugar |
| 150 | lee | egg (pl. mae) |
| 151 | leungo | fruit (pl. maungo) |
| 152 | namune | orange (fruit) |
| 153 | morogo | leafy greens, spinach dish (pl. merogo) |
| 154 | dinawa | beans |
| 155 | seswaa | seswaa — pounded slow-cooked meat, the national dish |
| 156 | magwinya | fat cakes (fried dough) |
| 157 | bojalwa | beer, alcohol; traditional sorghum beer |
| 158 | ntlo | house, hut (pl. matlo) |
| 159 | lelwapa | courtyard, home, household |
| 160 | lebati | door |
| 161 | fensetere | window |
| 162 | setulo | chair (pl. ditulo) |
| 163 | tafole | table |
| 164 | buka | book (pl. dibuka) |
| 165 | pene | pen |
| 166 | pitsa | cooking pot (pl. dipitsa) |
| 167 | kobo | blanket; traditional blanket (pl. dikobo) |
| 168 | diaparo | clothes, clothing |
| 169 | mosese | dress, skirt |
| 170 | ditlhako | shoes |
| 171 | tšhelete | money |
| 172 | sethunya | flower (also: gun — context decides) |
| 173 | koloi | car, vehicle; ox-wagon (pl. dikoloi) |
| 174 | baesekele | bicycle |
| 175 | tsela | road, path, way (pl. ditsela) |
| 176 | motse | village, town (pl. metse) |
| 177 | toropo | town, city |
| 178 | sekolo | school (pl. dikolo) |
| 179 | kereke | church |
| 180 | kgotla | the kgotla — traditional court and meeting place |
| 181 | moraka | cattle post |
| 182 | masimo | the fields, farmlands |
| 183 | patlo | search; courtship negotiation |
| 184 | gompieno | today |
| 185 | maabane | yesterday |
| 186 | kamoso | tomorrow |
| 187 | moso | morning; the next day |
| 188 | phakela | early morning; to rise early |
| 189 | motshegare | daytime, midday |
| 190 | maitseboa | evening |
| 191 | bosigo | night |
| 192 | beke | week (pl. dibeke) |
| 193 | ngwaga | year (pl. dingwaga) |
| 194 | selemo | summer; ploughing season |
| 195 | mariga | winter |
| 196 | nako | time (pl. dinako) |
| 197 | jaanong | now |
| 198 | pele | before; in front; first |
| 199 | morago | after; behind |
| 200 | gantsi | often |
| 201 | ka gale | always, usually |
| 202 | gangwe | once |
| 203 | go bua | to speak |
| 204 | go bala | to read; to count |
| 205 | go kwala | to write |
| 206 | go ithuta | to learn, to study |
| 207 | go ruta | to teach |
| 208 | go ja | to eat |
| 209 | go nwa | to drink |
| 210 | go robala | to sleep, to lie down |
| 211 | go tsoga | to wake up, to get up |
| 212 | go tsamaya | to go, to walk, to leave |
| 213 | go tla | to come |
| 214 | go ya | to go (to) |
| 215 | go dira | to do, to make, to work |
| 216 | go bereka | to work (colloquial) |
| 217 | go reka | to buy |
| 218 | go rekisa | to sell |
| 219 | go bona | to see, to get |
| 220 | go utlwa | to hear, to feel, to understand |
| 221 | go itse | to know |
| 222 | go rata | to love, to like |
| 223 | go batla | to want, to look for |
| 224 | go kopa | to request, to ask for |
| 225 | go botsa | to ask (a question) |
| 226 | go araba | to answer |
| 227 | go fa | to give |
| 228 | go tsaya | to take |
| 229 | go tlisa | to bring |
| 230 | go isa | to take (something) to |
| 231 | go baya | to put, to place |
| 232 | go bula | to open |
| 233 | go tswala | to close; to give birth |
| 234 | go apaya | to cook |
| 235 | go tlhapa | to wash (oneself), to bathe |
| 236 | go tlhatswa | to wash (things) |
| 237 | go feela | to sweep |
| 238 | go opela | to sing |
| 239 | go bina | to dance |
| 240 | go tshameka | to play |
| 241 | go tshega | to laugh |
| 242 | go lela | to cry |
| 243 | go taboga | to run |
| 244 | go ema | to stand, to stop |
| 245 | go nna | to sit, to stay, to become, to be |
| 246 | go dula | to sit, to live (dwell) |
| 247 | go sala | to remain, to stay behind |
| 248 | go fitlha | to arrive; to hide |
| 249 | go simolola | to begin |
| 250 | go fetsa | to finish |
| 251 | go leka | to try |
| 252 | go thusa | to help |
| 253 | go itaya | to hit, to strike |
| 254 | go kgaola | to cut |
| 255 | go bolaya | to kill |
| 256 | go fenya | to defeat, to win |
| 257 | go akanya | to think |
| 258 | go gopola | to remember, to think of |
| 259 | go lebala | to forget |
| 260 | go tshaba | to fear, to flee |
| 261 | go lwa | to fight |
| 262 | go swa | to die |
| 263 | go tshela | to live, to be alive; to cross |
| 264 | go gola | to grow |
| 265 | go lema | to plough, to farm |
| 266 | go disa | to herd (livestock) |
| 267 | go tshwara | to hold, to catch, to grasp |
| 268 | go romela | to send |
| 269 | go tlogela | to leave, to stop (doing) |
| 270 | go feta | to pass, to surpass |
| 271 | go boa | to return, to come back |
| 272 | go rapela | to pray |
| 273 | go leboga | to thank |
| 274 | go duela | to pay |
| 275 | go nyala | to marry (of a man) |
| 276 | go nyalwa | to marry (of a woman) |
| 277 | -golo | big, great (mogolo, segolo…) |
| 278 | -nnye | small, little (monnye, bonnye…) |
| 279 | -ntle | beautiful, good, fine (montle, dintle…) |
| 280 | -maswe | bad, ugly |
| 281 | -ntsho | black (montsho…) |
| 282 | -tshweu | white (motshweu…) |
| 283 | -hibidu | red (mohibidu…) |
| 284 | tala | green; blue; raw |
| 285 | -leele | tall, long (moleele…) |
| 286 | -khutshwane | short (mokhutshwane…) |
| 287 | -ntsi | many, much (bantsi, dintsi…) |
| 288 | thata | hard, difficult; very |
| 289 | bonolo | easy; gentle, kind |
| 290 | monate | nice, pleasant, delicious |
| 291 | molemo | good; useful (also: medicine) |
| 292 | -ntšhwa | new (montšhwa, sešwa…) |
| 293 | -kgologolo | old, ancient |
| 294 | botlhoko | painful, sore; sorrow |
| 295 | sentle | well, nicely, properly (adverb) |
| 296 | tsididi | cold |
| 297 | ke | I (subject concord); it is (copula) |
| 298 | o | you (sg.); he/she (class 1 subject concord) |
| 299 | re | we (subject concord) |
| 300 | lo | you (plural subject concord) |
| 301 | ba | they (class 2 subject concord) |
| 302 | ga … -e | negative frame: ga ke itse — I don't know |
| 303 | a | question particle: A o bua Setswana? — Do you speak Setswana? |
| 304 | le | and; with; also; you (pl.) concord |
| 305 | gore | that; so that |
| 306 | fa | if; when; here |
| 307 | gonne | because |
| 308 | kgotsa | or |
| 309 | jaaka | like, as |
| 310 | mo | in, at, on (locative) |
| 311 | ka | with, by means of; can; about |
| 312 | ga | of (possessive for some classes); at the place of |
| 313 | wa / ya / la / sa / ba / tsa | of — possessive concords by noun class |
| 314 | mang? | who? (Ke mang? — Who is it?) |
| 315 | eng? | what? (Ke eng? — What is it?) |
| 316 | kae? | where? (O kae? — Where are you?) |
| 317 | leng? | when? |
| 318 | goreng? | why? |
| 319 | jang? | how? (O tsogile jang?) |
| 320 | -kae? | how many? (Di le kae? — How many are there?) |
| 321 | Setswana | the Tswana language; Tswana custom |
| 322 | Sekgoa | English; European language/ways |
| 323 | Botswana | Botswana (land of the Tswana) |
| 324 | botho | humanity, human kindness (ubuntu) |
| 325 | kagiso | peace |
| 326 | lorato | love |
| 327 | boitumelo | joy, happiness |
| 328 | tumelo | faith, belief |
| 329 | botshelo | life |
| 330 | loso | death |
| 331 | tlala | hunger, famine |
| 332 | lenyora | thirst |
| 333 | bolwetse | illness, disease |
| 334 | tiro | work, task, deed (pl. ditiro) |
| 335 | thuto | education, lesson, teaching |
| 336 | puo | language, speech (pl. dipuo) |
| 337 | lefoko | word (pl. mafoko — words, news) |
| 338 | polelo | statement, story, sentence |
| 339 | nnaane | folktale (pl. dinnaane) |
| 340 | pina | song (pl. dipina) |
| 341 | mmino | music, dance |
| 342 | motshameko | game, play (pl. metshameko) |
| 343 | bogosi | chieftainship, kingship |
| 344 | mosepele | journey, trip |
| 345 | kitso | knowledge |
| 346 | maikaelelo | intention, goal, plan |
| 347 | tshimologo | beginning, origin |
| 348 | bokhutlo | ending, conclusion |