How to Learn Botswana's Official Language

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Like all languages you must persevere and dedicate yourself to that language.

   It takes years to learn a new language but once you've mastered verbs, grammar and pronunciation, the rest will fall into place; it is also very beneficial to listen to native speakers actually conversing in Setswana.
   
   It would benefit you to talk to native speakers, use Setswana audio tapes or actually visit Botswana.
2. 2

   Step 2: Observe pronunciation

   , Here are some Setswana greetings- Hello
   - Dumela How are you?
   - O kae? I am fine.
   - Ke teng.
   
   Goodbye
   - Tsamaya sentle (go well) / Sala sentle (stay well) Good luck
   - Masego , Some common expressions are given below yes
   - ee no
   - nnyaa please
   - tsweetswee thank you
   - ke a leboga help
   - thusang danger
   - kotsi emergency
   - tshoganyetso excuse me
   - nxe I am sorry.
   - Ke kopa maitshwarelo I love you.
   - Ke a go rata ,
   - A lo amogela (dikarata tsa molato/ditšheke tsa bajanata)? How much is this?
   - Ke bokae? I want ...
   - Ke batla ...
   
   What are you doing?
   - O dira eng? What is the time?
   - Ke nako mang? Where are you going?
   - O ya ke? Numbers one
   - nngwe two
   - pedi three
   - tharo four
   - nne five
   - tlhano six
   - thataro seven
   - supa eight
   - robedi nine
   - robongwe ten
   - lesome eleven
   - lesomenngwe twelve
   - lesomepedi thirteen
   - lesometharo fourteen
   - lesomenne fifteen
   - lesometlhano twenty
   - masomepedi twenty one
   - masomepedi nngwe twenty two
   - masomepedi pedi fifty
   - masometlhano hundred
   - lekgolo le le lengwe thousand
   - sekete se le sengwe Computers and Internet terms computer
   - khomphuta e-mail
   - e-maili e-mail address
   - aterese ya e-maili Internet
   - Inthanete Internet café
   - Khefi ya Inthanete website
   - websaete website address
   - aterese ya websaete
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   Step 3: knowing how Batswana pronounce and speak words is very important to get a clear

4. 4

   Step 4: good understanding of Setswana here is an example of Setswana pronunciation: a - as a in father (aga) b - as b in bat (bana) d - like d in do (dira) e - as e in exit (ema) f - as f in farm (fofa) g - as ch in loch (goga) h - as h in ham (huduga) i - as ea in eat (bina) j - as j in job (ja) k - as c in clerical (kopa) l - as l in list (lema) m - as m in mum (mae) n - as n in now (nna) ng - as ng in linger (ngaka) o - as o in order (bona) p - as p in pull (pitsa) r - as r in rope (reka) s - as s in say (sala) s - as tion in station (seteišene) šw - as sw in swift (mašwi) t - as t in pot (tau) tšh - as ch in church (ntšha) u - as oo in book (bula) w - as w in well (wena) y - as y in yearn (yola

5. 5

   Step 5: Learn the Greetings.

6. 6

   Step 6: Learn Expressions.

7. 7

   Step 7: Questions / sentences Do you accept (money/credit cards/traveler's cheques)?

Detailed Guide

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