Hotel

1. Ke batla ho ingodisa

   I want to check in

   Usage

   Used at a hotel reception to ask for check-in

   Grammar Note

   "ingodisa" is to register one's name. There is no fixed hotel formula, so the registering sense is used. Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

2. Senotlolo sa phaposi ya ka se kae?

   Where is my room key?

   Usage

   Used to ask for or locate your room key

   Grammar Note

   "X se kae?" asks where X is; senotlolo is an se- class noun. Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

3. Dijo tsa hoseng di sebeletswa nako e kae?

   What time is breakfast served?

   Usage

   Used to ask what time breakfast is served at the hotel

   Grammar Note

   "dijo tsa hoseng" is the word for breakfast (literally "foods of the morning"). Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

4. Ke batla ho tloha hoteleng

   I want to check out

   Usage

   Used when you are ready to check out of your hotel

   Grammar Note

   "hoteleng" is hotele "hotel" with the locative suffix -ng. Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

5. Phaposi ya ka e na le lerata haholo. Ke kopa thuso

   My room is very noisy. Please help.

   Usage

   Used to report a problem with your room to reception

   Grammar Note

   "e na le lerata" means "has noise". Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

6. Phaposing ya ka ha ho na metsi a tjhesang. Ke kopa metsi a tjhesang

   My room has no hot water. Please bring hot water.

   Usage

   Used to report a lack of hot water to hotel reception

   Grammar Note

   "ha ho na …" means "there is no …". "metsi a tjhesang" is "hot water". Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

7. Ke kopa o nthuse ka mekotla ya ka

   Please help me with my bags

   Usage

   Used to ask a hotel porter for help with luggage

   Grammar Note

   "thusa" (help) with the object prefix n- "me" becomes nthuse in the subjunctive. The plural of mokotla is mekotla. Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

8. Bosiu bo bong ke bokae?

   How much is one night?

   Usage

   Used at guesthouses and hotels to ask the price per night

   Grammar Note

   "Bosiu bo bong" means one night. Prices are asked as "X ke bokae?". Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

9. Ke batla phaposi e kgolo e nang le dibethe tse pedi

   I want a large room with two beds (twin room)

   Usage

   Used when booking to ask for a large or twin-bed room

   Grammar Note

   "e nang le" is the relative "that has". "bethe" is a loan from English bed. Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

10. Thaole

    Towel

    Usage

    For asking when the room has none

    Grammar Note

    A loan from English towel; the plural is dithaole

11. Mosamo

    Pillow

    Usage

    For an extra one; the plural is mesamo

    Grammar Note

    A common everyday word.

12. Kobo

    Blanket

    Usage

    For asking for an extra one on a cold night

    Grammar Note

    The plural is dikobo. The Basotho blanket is also a cultural symbol

13. Sesepa

    Soap

    Usage

    At the room or a shop; the same word for hand and body soap

    Grammar Note

    A loan from Afrikaans seep; the plural is disepa

14. Shampu

    Shampoo

    Usage

    Use it when you need to distinguish it from bar soap

    Grammar Note

    A common everyday word.

15. Borashe ba meno

    Toothbrush

    Usage

    At a shop or the front desk when you have forgotten yours

    Grammar Note

    Literally "brush of teeth"

16. Pampiri ya ntlwana

    Toilet paper

    Usage

    Needed where none is provided

    Grammar Note

    Literally "paper of the toilet". "ntlwana" is the word for toilet

17. Ke kopa o hlwekise phaposi

    Please clean the room

    Usage

    For requesting housekeeping; show your room number with it

    Grammar Note

    The subjunctive of hlwekisa "clean" is hlwekise. Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

18. Ke batla phaposi e thotseng

    A quiet room

    Usage

    Say what you want at check-in; useful for avoiding a room on the road side

    Grammar Note

    "thotseng" is the word for quiet. Composed sentence built with regular grammar.

19. Lerata

    Noise

    Usage

    Point at it to complain about noise next door or outside

    Grammar Note

    A noun of the le-/ma- class pair (plural marata)

20. Motlakase

    Electricity / power

    Usage

    Use it when asking about outage times

    Grammar Note

    A common everyday word.

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