BGCSE Setswana 0562 flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Aspirated vs unaspirated consonants

In Setswana, ph, th, kh, tlh and tsh are pronounced with a puff of air, while p, t, k, tl and ts are not. The contrast changes word meaning, so listeners must hear the aspiration.

Seven Setswana vowels

Setswana has a, e, ê, i, o, ô, u. The marked ê and ô are open mid vowels, as in êma and ôma, and differ from close e and o in quality and in tone-bearing words.

Dumela and Dumelang

Dumela greets one person; Dumelang greets a group or shows respect to an elder. The reply is Le kae? (how are you?) answered Ke teng (I am here/well) or Re teng for several people.

Polite plural address lo

Using the plural second person lo and plural imperatives (tlang, bonang) to one person marks respect or formality, while singular o and tla suit peers, children and close relatives.

Reported speech shift

When converting direct to indirect speech, pronouns and tense shift: direct Ke tla ya becomes indirect o re o tla ya. The reporting verb o re or a re introduces the clause.

Skimming versus scanning

Skimming reads quickly for the general idea using titles and topic sentences. Scanning searches the passage for a specific item such as a name, date or figure without reading every word.

Fact versus opinion

A fact is a stated event, number or verifiable detail. An opinion contains evaluative words such as molemo (good), bosula (bad) or go na le pelaelo (without doubt) and cannot be checked against the text alone.

Pronoun reference tracking

Concords o, a, ba, se and go refer to a preceding noun of matching class. To answer reference questions, find the nearest earlier noun that agrees in class and number.

Cause and effect connectors

Connectors such as ka gonne (because), ka ntlha ya (because of), fa e le gore (if) and ke ka moo (that is why) signal reasons and results, guiding answers to why-questions.

Noun class prefixes

Setswana nouns group into classes by prefix: mo-/ba- for people, mo-/me- for some objects, le-/ma-, se-/di-, n-/di-, lo-/di-, bo-/ma- and go- for infinitives. Concord follows the class.

Subject concord agreement

The verb prefix agrees with the subject noun class: Mosadi o a bala, Basadi ba a bala, Seatla se a opa, Bana ba a tshameka. Wrong concord is a common exam error.

Object concord position

The object concord sits between the subject concord and the verb stem: Ke a mo bona (I see him), Ke ba bona (I see them), Ke se bona (I see it, class 7).

Present tense -a- marker

The present tense inserts -a- after the subject concord when no object follows: ke a tsamaya, o a tsamaya. With an object the -a- is dropped: ke tsamaya sekolo.

Negation with ga and -e

Negation uses ga before the subject concord and changes the verb ending to -e: Ga ke tsebe (I do not know), Ga a tle (he is not coming), Ga ba ye (they are not going).

Past and perfect marking

The past uses ne with the subject concord (ke ne ke le teng, I was there), while the perfect suffix -ile marks completed action: o tsamaile (he has walked), ke bone (I saw).

Future tla and habitual na le

The future tense uses tla before the verb: Ke tla ya (I will go). Habitual action uses na le plus the infinitive: Ke na le go ya (I usually go).

Motho ke motho ka batho

This proverb means a person is a person through other people. It expresses botho, the value of communal interdependence, and is often quoted in essays on community and respect.

Go tshola pelo

This idiom literally means to carry a heart but means to be patient or endure hardship. Idioms must be learned as whole units because their meaning cannot be predicted from the parts.

Word family from -bona

The root -bona (see) yields ponelo (sight), pono (vision) and bonagala (be visible). Recognising a shared root helps infer the meaning of unfamiliar derived words in comprehension passages.

Homonyms noka and noga

Noka means river and noga means snake. They differ in consonant and tone, so spelling and pronunciation must be checked carefully when reading or writing these words.

Formal letter structure

A Setswana formal letter contains the writer's address, date, recipient's address, salutation such as Mogolo, the body, a closing such as Wa lona, and a signature. Missing parts lose format marks.

Essay introduction and conclusion

The introduction states the topic and position; the conclusion restates them without adding new points. Each body paragraph develops one idea supported by reasons or examples.

Balanced discursive connectors

Discursive essays use paired connectors such as ka letsogo le lengwe ... ka letsogo le lengwe (on one hand ... on the other) to present opposing views and then reach a conclusion.

Narrative time markers

Narratives sequence events with markers: kwa tshimologong (at first), morago ga moo (after that), ka nako eo (at that time), kwa bofelong (finally). They keep the plot clear for the reader.

Papiso and tshwantshanyo

Papiso is a simile marked by jaaka or jwalo ka (as, like). Tshwantshanyo is a metaphor, an implied comparison without such markers, often used in poetry and praise names.

Elements of prose fiction

Prose analysis covers motlhankedi (plot), batho (characters), lefelo (setting), mogopolo (theme) and thulano (conflict). Answers should link each element to a specific event in the text.

Drama analysis terms

Drama study examines dialogue, stage directions, monologue and the turning point (bothitho) that leads to resolution. Conflict usually drives the action toward the climax.

Narrative point of view

First-person narration uses ke and nna, giving the narrator's own view. Third-person narration uses o and ba and allows a narrator standing outside the events to describe several characters.

Theme supported by evidence

A theme statement must be backed by a quotation or event from the text. Asserting a theme such as botho without textual support earns little credit in literature answers.

Kgotla assembly

The kgotla is the traditional community assembly where the kgosi presides. Speech follows respect conventions: speakers greet, wait to be acknowledged, and use formal address before presenting views.

Bogadi (lobola)

Bogadi is bridewealth negotiated between the two families at marriage. It symbolises the union of families and the husband's commitment, and is not a purchase of the bride.

Maboko praise poetry

Maboko are praise poems reciting ancestry, clan totems and achievements. They use imagery, repetition and rhythm, and are performed with audience response, often at weddings and ceremonies.