Sesotho Web : Nouns and Noun classes

In Sesotho, like many other African languages, the nouns are divided into various noun classes. The noun class determines the subject concord for instance - this is very important in the construction of a sentence. For further reference also see the Lesotho Sesotho (LSe) noun class list - this page lists information using only the South African Sesotho (SASe) orthography.

Classes 16, 17 and 18 are called locative classes and they mainly indicated a place or a space.

People	Food and drinks	Animals
FAMILY aunt - rakgadi (1a) brother - moholwane (1) child - ngwana (1a) children - bana (2a) cousin - motswala (1) daughter - moradi (1) daughter-in-law - ngwetsi (1a) father - ntate (1a) father-in-law - ratsale (1) father-in-law (man) - mohwe(1) grandchild - setloholo (7) grandfater - ntatemoholo (1a) grandmother - nkgono (1a) husband - mohatsa (1) mother - mme (1a) mother-in-law - matsale (1) mother-in-law - mohwehadi (1) older brother - aubuti (1a) older sister - ausi (1a) sister - kgaitsedi (9) son - mora (1) son-in-law - mokgwenyana (1) spinster - lefetwa (5) uncle - malome (1a) wife - mosadi (1) OTHER actor - sebapadi (7) ambassador - moambasadara (1) baby - lesea (5) bachelor - lesoha (5) boy - moshemane (1) chairperson - modulasetulo (1) clerk - tlelereke (9) customer - moreki (1) doctor - ngaka (9) friend - motswalle (1) girl - ngwanana (1a) herbalist - rameriana (1) judge - moahlodi (1) king - morena (1) lawyer - ramolao (1) librarian - radibuka (1) man - monna (1) musician - sebini (7) police officer - lepolesa (5) premier - tonakgolo (5) salesman - morekisi (1) soldier - lesole (5) teacher - titjhere (9) teenager - motjha (1) translator - mofetoledi (1) young man - mohlankana (1) visitor/traveller - moeti (1) widow - mohlolohadi (1) widower - mohlolohadi (1) woman - mosadi (1)	alcohol - tahi (9) apple - apole (9) apricot - apolokose (9) bananas - dibanana (10) beans - dinawa (10) beef - nama (9) ya kgomo beer - jwala (14) bread - bohobe (14) butter - sereledi (7) cabbage - khabetjhe (9) cake - kuku (9) carrot - sehwete (9) cauliflower - kholifolawa (9) cheese - kase (9) chicken - nama (9) ya kgoho cocoa - khoukhou (9) coffee - kofi (9) colddrink - senomaphodi (7) cream - lebejana (5) cucumber - komokomore (9) egg - mahe (6) fat - mafura (6) fig - feiye (9) fish - tlhapi (9) flour - folouru (9) garlic - konofole (9) granadilla - keranatela (9) grape - morara (3) guava - kwaba (9) hamburger - hambeka (9) herbs - senoko (7) honey - mahe (6) a dinotshi jam - jeme (9) lettuce - letise (5) maize - poone (9) mango - mengo (9) meat - nama (9) milk - lebese (5) mutton - nama (9) ya nku oil - oli (9) onion - anyanese (9) orange - lamunu (9) pea - erekisi (9) peach - perekisi (9) pear - pere (9) peanut - matokomane (6) peper - pepere (9) pork - nama (9) ya kolobe porridge - papa (9) potato - tapole (9) pineapple - peneapole (9) pumpkin - mokopu (3) quince - kwepere (9) rice - raese (9) salt - letswai (5) sausage - boroso (9) seafood - dijo (10) tsa lewatle soup - sopo (9) sour milk - mafi (6) sugar - tswekere (9) tea - tee (9) tomato - tamati (9) water - metsi (6) watermelon - lehapu (5) wine - veine (9)	ant - lerwana (5) ape - kgabo (9) baboon - tshwene (9) bat - bete (9) bear - bere (9) bee - notshi (9) bird - nonyana (9) buck - letsa (5) buffalo - nare (9) bug - kokwanyana (9) butterfly - serurubele (7) camel - kamele (9) cat - katse (9) chameleon - lempetje (5) cheetah - lengau (5) chicken - kgoho (9) cockroach - lephela (5) crab - lekgala (5) crocodile - kwena (5) crow - lekgwaba (5) dog - ntja (9) donkey - tonki (9) dove - leeba (5) duck - pidipidi (9) eagle - ntsu (9) elephant - tlou (9) fish - tlhapi (9) flamingo - folaminko (9) fly - ntsintsi (9) frog - senqanqane (7) giraffe - thuhlo (9) goat - podi (9) guinea fowl - kgaka (9) hawk - pakwe (9) hippo - kubu (9) horse - pere (9) hyena - phiri (9) jackal - phokojwe (9) leopard - nkwe (9) lion - tau (9) moth - mmoto (9) mouse - tweba (9) ostrich - mpshe (9) owl - sephooko (7) pig - kolobe (9) porcupine - noko (9) python - tlhware (9) rabbit - mmutla (3) rat - roto (9) rhino - tshukudu (9) scorpion - phepeng (9) sheep - nku (9) snake - noha (9) spider - sekgo (7) springbuck - letsa (5) stork - mokotatsie (3) swallow - lefokotsane (5) tortoise - kgudu (9) turkey - kalakunu (9) vulture - lenong (5) whale - leruarua (5) wild duck - letata (5) zebra - pitsi (9)
Clothing	Food related items	Transport
belt - lebanta (5) cap - kepisi (9) coat - jase (9) dress - mose (3) hat - katiba (9) jacket - baki (9) jersey - jeresi (9) pants - borikgwe (14) shirt - hempe (9) sandals - disantale (10) shoes - dieta (10) skirt - sekethe (7) socks - dikausu (10) suit - sutu (9) tie - thae (9) trousers - borikgwe (14) vest - besete (9)	bottle - botlolo (9) bowl - sejana (7) crockery - dijana (8) cup - kopi (9) fork - fereko (9) glass - kgalase (9) jug - jeke (9) kettle - ketlele (9) knife - thipa (9) pan - pane (9) plate - sejana (7) pot - pitsa (9) spoon - kgaba (9) teaspoon - kgabana (9) tin opener - sebuladithine (7) tray - terei (9)	airplane - sefofane (7) bicycle - baesekele (9) boat - seketswana (7) bus - bese (9) car - koloi (9) cart - kariki (9) helicopter - helikopotare (9) lorry - lori (9) minibus taxi - khombi (9) motorbike - sethuthuthu (7) ship - sekepe (7) taxi - tekisi (9) train - terene (9) tractor - terekere (9) truck - teraka (9) wagon - koloi (9)
Body parts	General items	Places
arm - sephaka (7) back - mokokotlo (3) bladder - senya (7) blood - madi (6) bone - lesapo (5) brain - boko (14) buttocks - dibono (10) cheek - lerama (5) chest - sefuba (7) chin - seledu (7) ear - tsebe (9) elbow - setswe (7) eye - leihlo (5) face - sefahleho (7) finger - monwana (3) foot - leoto (5) hair - moriri (3) hand - letsoho (5) head - hlooho (9) heart - pelo (9) hip - noka (9) intestine - lela (5) kidney - phio (9) knee - lengole (5) leg - leoto (5) liver - sebete (7) lung - letshwafo (5) mouth - molomo (3) muscle - mosifa (3) neck - molala (3) nose - nko (9) organs - dikahare (10) shoulder - lehetla (5) skin - letlalo (5) stomach - mpa (9) teeth - meno (6) throat - qoqotho (9) tongue - leleme (5)	ball - bolo (9) bed - bethe (9) blanket - kobo (9) book - buka (9) broom - lefielo (5) computer - khomputa (9) cupboard - khabete (9) carpet - tapeite (9) chair - setulo (7) door - lemati (5) door opening - monyako (3) fridge - sehatsetsi (7) iron - aene (9) lamp - lebone (5) letter - lengolo (5) mirror - seipone (7) money - tjhelete (9) music - mmino (3) oven - onto (9) paper - pampiri (9) pen - pene (9) pencil - pensele (9) stove - setofo (7) table - tafole (9) tap - pompo (9) telephone - fono (9) television - televishene pillow - mosamo (3)	apartment - folete (9) bank - banka (9) castle - kasetlele (9) cemetery - mabitleng (6) church - kereke (9) cinema - baesekopo (9) circus - serekisi (7) classroom - phaposi (9) clinic - tliliniki (9) court - lekgotla (5) farm - polasi (9) garage - karatjhe (9) garden - tshimo (9) hotel - hotele (9) hospital - sepetlele (7) house - ntlo (9) hut - mokgoro (3) kitchen - kitjhine (9) kraal - lesaka (5) laboratory - laboratori (9) land - naha library - laeborari (9) mountain - thaba (9) office - ofisi (9) orphanage - dikgutsaneng (9) palace - paleisi (9) prison - teronko (9) room - kamore (9) river - noka (9) school - sekolo (7) sea - lewatle (5) shop - lebenkele (5) station - seteishene (7) supermarket - suphamakethe (9) tent - tente (9) toilet - ntlwana (9) university - yunivesiti (9) zoo - serapa (7) sa diphoofolo

Class	Prefix	Subject concord	Example	Translation of example
1	mo-	o	mosadi	woman
2	ba-	ba	basadi	women
1a	-	o	ntate	father
2a	bo-	ba	bontate	fathers
3	mo-	o	mose	dress
4	me-	e	mese	dresses
5	le-	le	leleme	tongue
6	ma-	a	maleme	tongues
7	se-	se	sefate	tree
8	di-	di	difate	trees
9	-	e	ntja	dog
10	di-	di	dintja	dogs
Classes 11, 12 and 13 are mainly used in languages such as isiZulu and isiXhosa
14	bo-	bo	bohobe	bread
15	ho-	ho	ho tsamaja	to walk
16	-	ho	fatshe	down
17	ho-	ho	hodimo	up
18	mo-	o	mose	abroad