Emergency

1. Nthuse! Ke kopa thuso!

   Help me! I need help!

   Usage

   To call for help in danger

   Grammar Note

   The imperative of thusa "help" is thuse with n- "me". To several people say Nthuseng. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

2. Bitsa mapodise!

   Call the police!

   Usage

   To get someone to call the police

   Grammar Note

   To several people: Bitsang mapodise. mapodise is a plural used for the police as a whole. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

3. Ke tlhoka ngaka ka bonako

   I need a doctor urgently

   Usage

   For sudden illness or injury

   Grammar Note

   ngaka means doctor (it also covers traditional healers). bonako means "speed". Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

4. Ke timetse. Ga ke itse gore ke kae

   I am lost. I do not know where I am

   Usage

   When you are lost

   Grammar Note

   timela means "go astray"; the perfect is timetse. Ga ke itse gore ... "I do not know that ..." is attested on tn.wikipedia and in the Bible. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

5. Ke nnile le kotsi ya koloi

   I have had a car accident

   Usage

   After a car accident

   Grammar Note

   kotsi ya koloi "car accident" is attested on tn.wikipedia. No fixed phrase for "hit by a car" was verified. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

6. Madi a me a utswitswe

   My money has been stolen

   Usage

   After a theft

   Grammar Note

   utswitswe is the passive perfect of utswa "steal"; madi is class 6, hence a. Attested on tn.wikipedia. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

7. Molelo! Tswang!

   Fire! Get out!

   Usage

   To warn of a fire and get people out

   Grammar Note

   tswa means "come out"; the plural imperative is tswang. molelo has 69 occurrences in the Bible text. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

8. Ke utlwa botlhoko mo mpeng

   I have stomach pain

   Usage

   To describe a stomach ache

   Grammar Note

   utlwa botlhoko "feel pain" is attested on tn.wikipedia. mpa "stomach" becomes mo mpeng "in the stomach". Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

9. O se ka wa dira jalo!

   Do not do that

   Usage

   To make someone stop an unwelcome act

   Grammar Note

   o se ka wa + verb forms a prohibition; attested on tn.wikipedia and in the Bible. To several people use Lo se ka lwa dira jalo. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

10. O se ka wa nkgoma!

    Do not touch me

    Usage

    When someone tries to touch you

    Grammar Note

    kgoma means "touch" (dictionary and tn.wikipedia). The object prefix n- "me" gives nkgoma. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

11. Ntlogele!

    Leave me alone

    Usage

    When someone keeps bothering you

    Grammar Note

    tlogela means "depart from, leave (something)"; with n- "me" it gives ntlogele. Native review of the exact sense is recommended. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

12. Legodu!

    Thief!

    Usage

    When you spot a thief

    Grammar Note

    Listed in the dictionary as thief, with examples on tn.wikipedia and in the Bible.

13. Molelo!

    Fire!

    Usage

    To warn of a fire

    Grammar Note

    69 occurrences in the Bible text. No separate word for "a fire (blaze)" was verified. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

14. Polao!

    Murder!

    Usage

    To report a killing

    Grammar Note

    tn.wikipedia has many forms like polao ya ... "the killing of ...". The verb is bolaya "kill". Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

15. Tshwara legodu!

    Catch the thief!

    Usage

    When a thief is running away

    Grammar Note

    tshwara means "hold, catch"; do not confuse it with tswa "come out". To several people: Tshwarang legodu. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

16. Kantoro ya mapodise e kae?

    Where is the police station

    Usage

    To find a police station

    Grammar Note

    kantoro is a loan from English "office" (67 occurrences on tn.wikipedia). No dedicated word for "police station" was verified, so this says "police office". Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

17. A go na motho yo o buang Sejapane?

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese

    Usage

    To look for a Japanese speaker

    Grammar Note

    Sejapane occurs 23 times on tn.wikipedia. Se- is the language prefix, as in Setswana and Sekgoa. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

18. Motho yo o idibetse

    This person has fainted

    Usage

    When you find someone collapsed

    Grammar Note

    idibala means "faint" (dictionary); the perfect is idibetse. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

19. Motho o a nwela!

    Someone is drowning!

    Usage

    When you see someone drowning

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary glosses nwela as "sink, drown"; it is the applied form of nwa "drink". Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

20. Ke tlhabilwe ka thipa

    I have been stabbed with a knife

    Usage

    After being stabbed

    Grammar Note

    tlhaba means "stab, pierce"; the passive perfect is tlhabilwe. tn.wikipedia has go tlhaba ... ka thipa "stab with a knife". Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

21. Ba tsene ka dikgoka mo kamoreng ya me

    Someone has broken into my room

    Usage

    After a break-in

    Grammar Note

    ka dikgoka means "by force" (the dictionary has tsaya ka dikgoka). Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

22. Ke ene yo o dirileng molato

    That person is the culprit

    Usage

    To point out the offender to the police

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary glosses molato as "fault, offence"; dira molato is "do wrong". Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

23. Ke tsietsitswe

    I have been cheated

    Usage

    After being cheated

    Grammar Note

    tsietsa means "deceive" (dictionary); the passive perfect is built by regular rules. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

24. Go nnile le kotsi ya koloi

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

    To report an accident

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary glosses kotsi as "accident"; ya koloi adds "of a car". Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

25. Tlhokomela!

    Watch out

    Usage

    To warn of danger

    Grammar Note

    tlhokomela means "take care, look after". To several people: Tlhokomelang. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

26. Potlaka!

    Hurry up

    Usage

    To ask someone to hurry

    Grammar Note

    In the dictionary: potlaka "hurry". To several people: Potlakang. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

27. Tla ka bonako

    Please come right away

    Usage

    To call someone urgently

    Grammar Note

    tla is the imperative of "come". To several people: Tlang ka bonako. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

28. Ke maemo a tshoganyetso

    It is an emergency

    Usage

    To say that it is an emergency

    Grammar Note

    maemo a tshoganyetso is used on tn.wikipedia for a state of emergency. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

29. Ke kopa o nkise kwa sepatela

    Please take me to a hospital

    Usage

    To ask to be taken to hospital

    Grammar Note

    nkise = n- "me" + the subjunctive of isa "take to". sepatela has 172 occurrences on tn.wikipedia, meaning "hospital". Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.

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