Learn Sesotho

Where it's spoken

Lesotho and South Africa

Speakers

around 8 million

Writing system

Latin alphabet

Sesotho is an official language in both Lesotho and South Africa, and a clean route into the Sotho–Tswana family.

What makes Sesotho different

• Lesotho and South African spelling conventions differ slightly.
• Written with many separate short words, unlike the Nguni languages.
• Greeting properly before any request is expected, not optional.

Your first Sesotho phrases

Each phrase is written the way it's spelled, then respelled for English speakers with the stressed syllable in capitals.

• LumelaHello/loo-MEH-la/
• Kea lebohaThank you/keh-AH leh-BO-ha/
• O amoheletsweWelcome/oh a-mo-heh-LEH-tsweh/
• Sala hantleGoodbye/SA-la HAN-tleh/
• EYes/EH/
• CheNo/CHEH/
• Ka kopoPlease/ka KO-po/
• NtshwareleSorry/n-chwa-REH-leh/

Want the full list? Read the free Sesotho phrasebook with pronunciation, grab the free printable Sesotho starter kit, or compare SemaSoma with other African language apps.