Tswana (Setswana)

Tswana is a Bantu language spoken by about 4.4 million people in Bostwana, where it is the national and majority language, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The majority of speakers, about 3.6 million, live in South Africa, where the language is officially recognised. Tswana is closely related to Southern and Northern Sotho, and is also known as Beetjuans, Chuana, Coana, Cuana and Sechuana.

There some difference between the Tswana orthographies used in Botswana and South Africa.

Tswana pronunciation

Tswana pronunciation

Download an alphabet chart for Tswana (Excel)

Sample texts in Tswana

Botswana's National Anthem

Fatshe leno la rona,
Ke mpho ya Modimo,
Ke boswa jwa borraetsho;
A le nne ka kagiso.

Tsogang, tsogang! banna, tsogang!
Emang, basadi, emang, tlhagafalang!
Re kopaneleng go direla
Lefatshe la rona.

Ina lentle la tumo
La tšhaba ya Botswana,
Ka kutlwano le kagisano,
E bopagantswe mmogo.

Tsogang, tsogang! banna, tsogang!
Emang, basadi, emang, tlhagafalang!
Re kopaneleng go direla
Lefatshe la rona.

Source: http://setswana.blogspot.com

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Batho botlhe ba tsetswe ba gololosegile le go lekalekana ka seriti le ditshwanelo. Ba abetswe go akanya le maikutlo, mme ba tshwanetse go direlana ka mowa wa bokaulengwe.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Information about Tswana | Phrases | Numbers

Links

Information about the Tswana language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tswana_language
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Тсвана_(язык)

Online Tswana lessons and courses
https://www.livelingua.com/peace-corps-setswana-course.php
http://www.setswana.info/wiki/index.php?title=Course
https://www.youtube.com/user/LearningSetswana
http://files.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/audio/languagelessons/botswana/Bw_Setswana_Language_Lessons.pdf

Online Tswana radio
http://www.motswedingfm.co.za/sabc/home/motswedingfm

Bantu languages

Bangi, Basaa, Bemba, Bena, Benga, Bhaca, Bukusu, Bulu, Central Teke, Chichewa, Chokwe, Chuwabu, Comorian, Digo, Duala, Eton, Ewondo, Fang, Ganda/Luganda, Gogo, Gusii, Gwere, Haya, Hehe, Herero, Ibinda, Ikizu, Ikoma, Jita, Kamba, Kiga, Kikuyu, Kimbundu, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Kisi, Kongo, Konjo, Koti, Kukuya, Kunda, Kuria, Lambya, Lingala, Loma, Lozi, Luba-Katanga, Luchazi, Lunda, Luvale, Makaa, Makonde, Makhuwa, Mandekan, Maore, Masaaba, Mbukushu, Mbunda, Mende, Mongo, Mushungulu, Mwani, Nambya, Nande, Nkore, North Teke, Northern Ndebele (South Africa), Northern Ndebele (Zimbabwe), Northern Sotho, Nyamwezi, Nyakyusa, Nyemba, Nyole, Nyungwe, Nzadi, Oroko, OshiWambo, Pagibete, Punu, Ronga, Safwa, Sena, Sengele, Shona, Soga, Songe, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Sukuma, Swahili, Swati, Tanga, Tembo, Tonga, Tshiluba, Tsonga, Tswa, Tswana, Tumbuka, Umbundu, Venda, Vwanji, Xhosa, Yao, Yasa, Zigula, Zinza, Zulu

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 23.04.21

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