Language/Southern-sotho/Grammar/Negation
Hi Southern Sotho learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about negation in Southern Sotho. As an intermediate learner, you must have mastered the positive forms of the language, so it is time to learn about the negative forms.
Don't miss the chance to check out these pages as you wrap up this lesson: Conditional Mood, Future Tense, Adjectives & How to Use Be.
Introduction[edit | edit source]
Negation is an essential part of any language, and Southern Sotho is not an exception. It is the opposite of affirmation, and it is used when we want to express the negation of a fact, action, or event. If you are still struggling with the basics of Southern Sotho grammar, do not hesitate to check our Find native speakers and ask them any questions. Also, you can refer to our Grammar section to revise the concepts.
Negative Verbs[edit | edit source]
Negating a verb in Southern Sotho is easy. We take the positive form and add the prefix "ha" or "ho" to the verb stem, depending on the class of the noun or subject. For example:
| Southern Sotho | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ke ruta | keɪ ˈɾutɑ | I love |
| Ha ke ruta | ha keɪ ˈɾutɑ | I do not love |
| o tla ikemisetsa | ɔ t͡ɬɑ ikʰɛmisɛt͡sɑ | He/she will approve |
| Ha o tla ikemisetsa | ha ɔ t͡ɬɑ ikʰɛmisɛt͡sɑ | He/she will not approve |
| re bona Jehova | rɛ ˈbɔna ʤɛhɔvɑ | We see Jehovah |
| Ha re boa Jehova | ha rɛ ˈbɔa ʤɛhɔvɑ | We do not see Jehovah |
In the examples above, we can see two types of negative prefixes, "ha" and "ho." Their use depends on the vowel harmony and the class of the noun or subject. It is essential to memorize the class system and the vowel harmony rules to choose the correct negative prefix.
Negative Adjectives[edit | edit source]
Negating adjectives follows the same pattern as negating verbs. We add the "ha" or "ho" negative prefix to the adjective stem. For example:
| Southern Sotho | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| lebitso le le ntle | lɛˈbit͡so lɛ lɛ ntlɛ | a beautiful name |
| lebitso le le hantle | lɛˈbit͡so lɛ lɛ hantlɛ | an ugly name |
| laboa ba ba se nang | lɑˈbɔa bɑ bɑ sɛ nɑŋ | clever children |
| ha ba tla laboa | hɑ bɑ t͡ɬɑ lɑˈbɔa | not clever children |
In the examples above, we can see that the negative prefix replaces the positive prefix "se," which indicates the possession of a quality. The same pattern applies to all adjectives in Southern Sotho.
Negative Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Negating pronouns is similar to negating adjectives and verbs. We add the negative prefix "ha" or "ho" to the pronoun stem. For example:
| Southern Sotho | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ke | ke &ße | I |
| ha ke | ha ke &ße | I (negative) |
| o tla | ɔ t͡ɬɑ | he/she will |
| ha o tla | ha ɔ t͡ɬɑ | he/she will not |
| le | lɛ | it/they |
| ha le | ha lɛ | it/they (negative) |
In the examples above, we can see that the negative prefix "ha" replaces the positive prefix of the pronoun.
Negative Adverbs[edit | edit source]
Negating adverbs is straightforward. We add the negative prefix "ha" or "ho" to the adverb stem. For example:
| Southern Sotho | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| hantle | hɑntlɛ | nicely |
| ha hantle | ha hɑntlɛ | not nicely |
| kholo | kʰɔlɔ | big |
| ho kholo | hɔ kʰɔlɔ | not big |
| tsohle | t͡sɔhɪlɛ | all |
| ho tsohle | hɔ t͡sɔhɪlɛ | not all |
In the examples above, we can see that the negative prefix "ha" replace the positive prefix "ho" of the adverb.
Examples in Dialogue[edit | edit source]
Here are some examples in a dialogue to see the use of negation in context:
- Person 1: Ke na le bothata ba ho reka lefaseng. (I have a problem with the stove.)
- Person 2: Ha ke na le botlalo. (I do not have a solution.)
- Person 1: O na le sebete sa morena? (Do you have the king's permission?)
- Person 2: Ha ke na le sebete sa hae. (I do not have his permission.)
- Person 1: Nka kgopisa dipere tsa hao. (I will give you your money back.)
- Person 2: Na na, ha ke na le kgopolo. (No, I do not have patience.)
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Negation is an essential concept in Southern Sotho, and you must master the fundamental rules and vocabulary to communicate effectively. Remember that practice makes perfect, so try to include negation in your conversations with native speakers. Do not hesitate to ask them for feedback and corrections. We hope that you found this lesson useful!
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Sources[edit | edit source]
With this lesson finished, you may want to explore these additional pages: Say Hello and Greetings in Southern Sotho, How to Use Have & Plurals.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]