Emergency

1. Nthuse! Ke hloka thuso.

   Help! I need help!

   Usage

   Shouted when you urgently need help

   Grammar Note

   Nthuse is the imperative of thusa (help) with the object marker n- (me). Add hle at the end to soften it.

2. Bitsang mapolesa!

   Call the police!

   Usage

   Asks bystanders to call the police

   Grammar Note

   The ending -ng makes the imperative plural, addressing a group. Mapolesa is the plural of lepolesa (police officer) and is used for the police as a body.

3. Ke hloka ngaka ka potlako.

   I need a doctor urgently

   Usage

   Said when a doctor is needed urgently

   Grammar Note

   Ka potlako means "quickly". Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

4. Ke lahlehile. Ha ke tsebe hore ke hokae.

   I am lost. I don't know where I am.

   Usage

   Said when you are lost and do not know where you are

   Grammar Note

   Lahlehile is the perfect of lahleha (get lost). In the negative present the verb after ha ke ends in -e (tseba becomes tsebe).

5. Tjhelete ya ka e utsuwe.

   My money has been stolen

   Usage

   Reports that your money has been stolen

   Grammar Note

   Utsuwe is the stolen form, also found in sentences about a stolen ID book. Tjhelete is class 9, so it takes ya ka and e. Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

6. Mollo! Tswang!

   Fire! Get out!

   Usage

   Shouted during a fire to make people get out

   Grammar Note

   Tswang is the plural imperative of tswa (go out). Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

7. Ke na le bohloko ba mpa bo boholo.

   I have a very bad stomach ache

   Usage

   Tells a doctor or pharmacist about severe stomach pain

   Grammar Note

   Bohloko ba mpa is "stomach ache". Bo boholo agrees with the class 14 noun bohloko. Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

8. Ke hloka kliniki le ditshebeletso tsa tshohanyetso.

   I need a clinic and emergency services

   Usage

   Says that a clinic and emergency services are needed

   Grammar Note

   Ditshebeletso tsa tshohanyetso is the word for emergency services. Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

9. Emisa!

   Stop it!

   Usage

   Said to make someone stop what they are doing

   Grammar Note

   Emisa is the imperative of "stop", as in Emisa ho etsa lerata (stop making noise).

10. O se ke wa nkama!

    Do not touch me!

    Usage

    Firmly refuses when a stranger touches you

    Grammar Note

    O se ke wa + verb is a prohibition. Ama is "touch" with n- (me). Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

11. Leshodu!

    Thief

    Usage

    Shouted when you see a thief

    Grammar Note

    The plural of leshodu is mashodu.

12. Mollo!

    Fire!

    Usage

    Shouted when you notice a fire

    Grammar Note

    The plural of mollo is mello.

13. Polao!

    Murder

    Usage

    Shouted to report a murder

    Grammar Note

    Polao is the noun derived from bolaya (kill).

14. Qhomane!

    Bomb

    Usage

    Warns of a bomb

    Grammar Note

    Qhomane is the word for bomb.

15. Leshodu! Le tshwareng!

    Thief! Catch him!

    Usage

    Calls on others to catch a thief

    Grammar Note

    With an object concord (le) the imperative ends in -e (tshwara becomes tshwareng). Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

16. Seteishene sa mapolesa se kae?

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

    Asks where the police station is

    Grammar Note

    Seteishene sa mapolesa means police station.

17. Na ho motho ya buang Sejapane?

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Looks for someone who speaks Japanese

    Grammar Note

    Na at the start makes a question. The prefix Se- forms language names. Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

18. Motho enwa o idibane.

    This person is unconscious

    Usage

    Reports that a person has lost consciousness

    Grammar Note

    Idibana means to faint. O idibane is its perfect form. Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

19. Motho o a nwella!

    Someone is drowning

    Usage

    Calls for help when someone is drowning

    Grammar Note

    Nwella means "drown". Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

20. Ke shapilwe.

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Says that you have been beaten

    Grammar Note

    The ending -ilwe is the passive perfect. Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

21. Ke hlabilwe ka thipa.

    I was stabbed

    Usage

    Says that you have been stabbed with a knife

    Grammar Note

    Hlaba means "stab". Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

22. Ke thetswe.

    I was deceived

    Usage

    Says that you have been deceived

    Grammar Note

    Thetsa means "deceive"; -we makes it passive. Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

23. Ho bile le kotsi ya koloi.

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

    Reports that a traffic accident has happened

    Grammar Note

    Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

24. Tswang ka monyako wa tlokotsi.

    Please escape through the emergency exit

    Usage

    Directs people to leave through the emergency exit

    Grammar Note

    Monyako wa tlokotsi is the word for emergency exit. The plural imperative also works as a polite request.

25. Hlokomela!

    Watch out!

    Usage

    Warns someone of danger

    Grammar Note

    Hlokomela means "be careful". Use hlokomelang for several people.

26. Ke maemo a tshohanyetso.

    It's an emergency

    Usage

    Says that this is an emergency

    Grammar Note

    Maemo a tshohanyetso is the word for emergency situation.

27. Ke kopa o nkise sepetleleng.

    Please take me to a hospital

    Usage

    Asks someone to take you to the hospital

    Grammar Note

    Ke kopa o + subjunctive is a polite request. The ending -ng marks a place (sepetlele becomes sepetleleng). Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

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