JCE Setswana 11 key terms

The Bantu language spoken by the Batswana people, mainly in Botswana and South Africa; it is the subject of this examination and belongs to the Sotho-Tswana language group.

A large family of languages spoken across central and southern Africa, sharing noun-class systems and verb morphology; Setswana is one member of this family, related to Sesotho and Sepedi.

The traditional Setswana system of naming and classifying nouns into groups, each with its own singular and plural prefixes; it governs agreement between nouns and adjectives, verbs, and pronouns in a sentence.

A noun class prefix attached to a stem to form a noun, for example mo- in motho (person); the prefix also determines which concord prefixes are used elsewhere in the sentence.

The singular prefix of a noun class, used when referring to one person, animal, or thing; it contrasts with the plural prefix, which marks more than one.

The plural prefix of a noun class, used when referring to two or more persons, animals, or things; for example ba- in batho, the plural of motho.

A word that expresses an action or state, such as go tsamaya (to walk) or go robala (to sleep); in Setswana the verb carries prefixes agreeing with the subject and can take object markers.

The root of a verb, the part that carries the core meaning before any prefixes or suffixes are added; for example -tsamay- in go tsamaya.

A verb form whose subject is affected by the action rather than performing it, often marked by a suffix such as -wa or -iwa; for example go ratwa means to be loved.

A word that names a person, place, thing, or idea, such as ntlo (house) or kgosi (chief); in Setswana every noun belongs to a class that controls sentence agreement.

A word that stands in place of a noun, such as nna (I) or wena (you); Setswana pronouns change form according to the noun class and the role in the sentence.

A word that describes or qualifies a noun, such as kgolo (big) in ntlo kgolo; in Setswana the adjective takes a concord prefix agreeing with the noun class of the noun it describes.

A singular noun form referring to one entity, for example ngwana (child); it is paired with a corresponding plural form in the same noun class.

A plural noun form referring to more than one entity, for example bana (children); it is formed by changing the class prefix from singular to plural.

The negative form of a sentence or verb, expressing that something is not the case; in Setswana it is formed with negative markers such as ga or se, as in ga ke tsebe (I do not know).

A question or interrogative sentence, used to ask for information; Setswana forms questions with question words such as mang (who) or eng (what), or with a rising intonation.

A command or imperative sentence, telling someone to do something, for example Tsamaya! (Go!); the verb appears without a subject prefix in the basic imperative form.

The past tense, used for actions that have already happened; in Setswana it is marked by tense morphemes such as -ne- or -a- placed before the verb root.

The present tense, used for actions happening now or generally; Setswana marks it with tense morphemes such as -a- before the verb, depending on the subject and the negative or positive form.

The future tense, used for actions that will happen; Setswana commonly expresses it with the auxiliary tla before the verb, as in ke tla tsamaya (I will go).

The structure of a sentence, including the order of subject, verb, and object; Setswana normally follows subject-verb-object order, with concords linking the parts.

A sentence or utterance that expresses a complete thought; in examination tasks, candidates may be asked to identify parts of a sentence or to rewrite it in another form.

A paragraph, a group of related sentences dealing with one idea; comprehension questions often ask candidates to find the main idea of a paragraph or explain a phrase within it.

An explanation or definition that makes the meaning of a word, phrase, or passage clear; examination questions may ask for a short explanation in Setswana of a given term.

Understanding or comprehension, the ability to grasp the meaning of a text; a comprehension passage tests whether the reader can follow ideas, infer meaning, and answer questions accurately.

A piece of writing, such as a letter, essay, or report; the examination may require candidates to produce a written text of a specified type and length.

A letter, a written message sent to a person or organisation; formal and informal letters follow particular conventions of greeting, body, and closing in Setswana.

A short story or narrative, often with a moral or entertainment purpose; candidates may be asked to summarise a story, identify characters, or explain its lesson.

A proverb, a short traditional saying that expresses wisdom or advice, such as a well-known Setswana proverb; candidates should be able to explain the meaning and use of common proverbs.

A chief or traditional ruler in a Tswana community; the word also appears in idioms and proverbs and is used as a term of respect for a leader.

The traditional meeting place and council of a Tswana community, where public matters are discussed; the word also refers to the assembly itself and features in cultural texts.

Behaviour or conduct, the way a person acts; in literature and composition tasks, candidates may discuss the behaviour of characters and the lessons it teaches.

A traditional age regiment or age group among the Batswana, into which young people were initiated together; the term also appears in historical and cultural reading passages.

Culture, the customs, beliefs, and practices of a people; Setswana examination texts often deal with the importance of preserving traditional culture and values.

To read, the act of interpreting written text; reading comprehension is a core skill tested through passages followed by questions on meaning and inference.

To write, the act of producing written text; candidates are assessed on spelling, grammar, and the organisation of ideas in their written work.

Spelling, the correct arrangement of letters in a word; accurate spelling is expected in written answers, and marks may be lost for repeated errors.

A closely related Bantu language spoken in parts of Botswana and neighbouring areas; it shares many features with Setswana and is sometimes compared with it in language study.