Ke nako mang?
What time is it?
Usage
Asking the time
Grammar Note
nako is "time" and mang "which, what". ka nako mang "at what time" occurs on tn.wikipedia. Answers take the form nako ya + ordinal (for example nako ya boraro). Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.
Gompieno ke letsatsi lefe?
What day is it today?
Usage
Asking what day of the week it is
Grammar Note
letsatsi is "day, sun" and lefe is "which" for class 5. The answer is the name of a weekday (for example Labobedi). Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.
Go bulwa ka nako mang?
What time does it open?
Usage
Asking when a place opens
Grammar Note
go is an impersonal subject ("it"). bulwa is the passive of bula "open". Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.
Go tswalwa ka nako mang?
What time does it close?
Usage
Asking when a place closes
Grammar Note
tswalwa is the passive of tswala "close, shut" (in the dictionary). Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.
Go tla tsaya nako e kae go goroga koo?
How long will it take to get there?
Usage
Asking how long a trip will take
Grammar Note
go tsaya nako "take time" and nako e kae "how long" both occur on tn.wikipedia. tla marks the future. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.
A re kopane ka nako ya boraro mo tshokologong
Let us meet at 3 pm
Usage
Fixing a meeting time in the afternoon
Grammar Note
tn.wikipedia has ka nako ya boraro mo tshokologong "at three in the afternoon" in opening hours. boraro is "third". mo maitseboeng would make it evening, mo mosong morning. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.
Ke nako ya bobedi e fetilwe ke metsotso e le masome a mararo
It is half past two
Usage
Telling a time as minutes past the hour
Grammar Note
tn.wikipedia train times have nako ya botlhano e fetilwe ke metsotso e le masome a mararo "half past five". Swap the hour in the same pattern. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.
A go bulwa ka bofelo jwa beke?
Is it open on weekends?
Usage
Checking whether a place is open at the weekend
Grammar Note
bofelo jwa beke "end of the week" is used on tn.wikipedia for the weekend. mafelo a beke is also used. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.
Go simologa leng?
When does it start?
Usage
Asking when something starts
Grammar Note
simologa means "begin". leng "when" goes at the end. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.
Go felela leng?
When does it end?
Usage
Asking when something ends
Grammar Note
felela means "come to an end". go felela ka "end with" occurs on tn.wikipedia. Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.
Go tloga ka Mosupologo go fitlha ka Labotlhano
From Monday to Friday
Usage
Giving a range of weekdays
Grammar Note
go tloga ... go fitlha ... "from ... until ..." occurs on tn.wikipedia. Weekdays take ka before them (ka Mosupologo). Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.
Ke kgwedi efe?
What month is it?
Usage
Asking what month it is
Grammar Note
kgwedi is "month" (class 9) and efe is "which". The answer is a month name (for example Phalane). Composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; native review recommended.
Mosupologo
Monday
Usage
Naming a day of the week
Grammar Note
The dictionary lists Mosupologo "Monday", and it appears in bus timetables on tn.wikipedia. The loanword Mantaga is also used.
Labobedi
Tuesday
Usage
Naming a day of the week
Grammar Note
In the dictionary Labobedi is Tuesday, not Monday.
Laboraro
Wednesday
Usage
Naming a day of the week
Grammar Note
In the dictionary Laboraro is Wednesday.
Labone
Thursday
Usage
Naming a day of the week
Grammar Note
In the dictionary Labone is Thursday.
Labotlhano
Friday
Usage
Naming a day of the week
Grammar Note
In the dictionary Labotlhano is Friday.
Matlhatso
Saturday
Usage
Naming a day of the week
Grammar Note
Saturday, in the dictionary and on tn.wikipedia.
Sontaga
Sunday
Usage
Naming a day of the week
Grammar Note
The dictionary lists Sontaga "Sunday" (a loanword). Traditionally it is also letsatsi la Tshipi, "the day of the bell".
Gompieno
Today
Usage
Saying today
Grammar Note
The dictionary lists gompieno "today".
Ka moso
Tomorrow
Usage
Saying tomorrow
Grammar Note
The dictionary lists ka moso "tomorrow". It is written as two words; the single word kamoso means "the future".
Maabane
Yesterday
Usage
Saying yesterday
Grammar Note
The dictionary lists maabane "yesterday", and it is on tn.wikipedia.
Jaanong
Now
Usage
Saying now
Grammar Note
The dictionary lists jaanong "now", and it is very common in the New Testament.
Mosong
Morning
Usage
Saying morning
Grammar Note
The dictionary lists mosong "morning". mo mosong means "in the morning".
Motshegare
Midday
Usage
Saying midday
Grammar Note
The dictionary lists motshegare "daytime"; it is common in the New Testament. The dictionary also lists a sense "today".
Maitseboa
Evening
Usage
Saying evening
Grammar Note
maitseboa covers late afternoon to evening (9 times in the New Testament). The dictionary also glosses it as "afternoon"; tn.wikipedia uses mo maitseboeng for the evening.
Bosigo
Night
Usage
Saying night
Grammar Note
The dictionary lists bosigo "night", with go le bosigo "when it was night".
Letsatsi le letsatsi
Every day
Usage
Saying something happens every day
Grammar Note
letsatsi le letsatsi "day by day" occurs on tn.wikipedia. malatsi otlhe "all days" is also used.
Beke eno
This week
Usage
Saying this week
Grammar Note
tn.wikipedia has beke eno "this week". beke is the loanword for "week".
Beke e e latelang
Next week
Usage
Saying next week
Grammar Note
tn.wikipedia has beke e e latelang "the following week". latelang is from latela "follow".
Beke e e fetileng
Last week
Usage
Saying last week
Grammar Note
tn.wikipedia has beke e e fetileng "the past week" in two places.
Bofelo jwa beke
Weekend
Usage
Saying weekend
Grammar Note
Literally "the end of the week"; used on tn.wikipedia for the weekend.
Ferikgong
January
Usage
Naming a month
Grammar Note
The dictionary lists Ferikgong "January". Month names are capitalised and also appear as kgwedi ya Ferikgong "the month of ...".
Tlhakole
February
Usage
Naming a month
Grammar Note
The dictionary and tn.wikipedia have Tlhakole "February". Month names are capitalised.
Mopitlwe
March
Usage
Naming a month
Grammar Note
The dictionary and tn.wikipedia have Mopitlwe "March". Month names are capitalised.
Moranang
April
Usage
Naming a month
Grammar Note
The dictionary and tn.wikipedia have Moranang "April". Month names are capitalised.
Motsheganong
May
Usage
Naming a month
Grammar Note
The dictionary and tn.wikipedia have Motsheganong "May". Month names are capitalised.
Seetebosigo
June
Usage
Naming a month
Grammar Note
The dictionary and tn.wikipedia have Seetebosigo "June". Month names are capitalised.
Phukwi
July
Usage
Naming a month
Grammar Note
The dictionary and tn.wikipedia have Phukwi "July". Month names are capitalised.
Phatwe
August
Usage
Naming a month
Grammar Note
The dictionary and tn.wikipedia have Phatwe "August". Month names are capitalised.
Lwetse
September
Usage
Naming a month
Grammar Note
The dictionary and tn.wikipedia have Lwetse "September". Month names are capitalised.
Phalane
October
Usage
Naming a month
Grammar Note
The dictionary gives October as kgwedi ya Phalane. tn.wikipedia also shows the form Diphalane.
Ngwanatsele
November
Usage
Naming a month
Grammar Note
The dictionary and tn.wikipedia have Ngwanatsele "November". Month names are capitalised.
Sedimonthole
December
Usage
Naming a month
Grammar Note
The dictionary and tn.wikipedia have Sedimonthole "December". Month names are capitalised.
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