Basic Nouns

1. Metsi

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for asking for water: "Ke kopa metsi" (water, please)

   Grammar Note

   A plural-only noun (class 6) with no singular

2. Dijo

   Food

   Usage

   The general word for food; useful when looking for somewhere to eat

   Grammar Note

   dijo is a class 10 plural noun. Lesotho spelling: "lijo"

3. Tjhelete

   Money

   Usage

   Cash and money in general: "Ke batla ho ntsha tjhelete" (I want to withdraw money)

   Grammar Note

   Borrowed from Afrikaans geld. Lesotho spelling: "chelete"

4. Ntlwana

   Toilet

   Usage

   The usual word for a toilet; a public toilet is "ntlwana ya bohle"

   Grammar Note

   Plural dintlwana; the word pitsana also means toilet

5. Moriana

   Medicine

   Usage

   Used to ask for medicine at a pharmacy or hospital

   Grammar Note

   Plural meriana; "sehlare" also means medicine

6. Diphahlo

   Luggage

   Usage

   Luggage as a whole; a single bag is mokotla

   Grammar Note

   Diphahlo is the plural of phahlo; it is used for luggage

7. Senotlolo

   Key

   Usage

   A key for a room or car: "Senotlolo sa ka" (my key)

   Grammar Note

   Borrowed from Afrikaans sleutel; plural dinotlolo

8. Tekete

   Ticket

   Usage

   A ticket; "tekete ya bese" is a bus ticket

   Grammar Note

   Borrowed from English ticket; plural ditekete

9. Phasepoto

   Passport

   Usage

   The passport asked for at borders and hotels

   Grammar Note

   Borrowed from English passport; plural diphasepoto

10. Mohala

    Phone

    Usage

    A telephone; a mobile phone is "mohala wa letsoho"

    Grammar Note

    mohala also means "cable, rope" (homonym); plural mehala

11. Seteishene

    Station

    Usage

    A railway or bus station; "seteishene sa terene" is a railway station

    Grammar Note

    Borrowed from English station; plural diteishene

12. Sepetlele

    Hospital

    Usage

    Hospital; a word to know when you need to ask the way in an emergency

    Grammar Note

    Plural dipetlele

13. Mapolesa

    Police

    Usage

    The police (police officers); one officer is lepolesa

    Grammar Note

    mapolesa is the plural of lepolesa; "koloi ya mapolesa" is a police car

14. Lebenkele

    Shop

    Usage

    A shop; plural mabenkele

    Grammar Note

    Borrowed from Afrikaans winkel

15. Phaposi

    Room

    Usage

    A room; "phaposi ya ho hlapa" is a bathroom

    Grammar Note

    Borrowed from Afrikaans kamer; plural diphaposi

16. Tsela

    Road

    Usage

    A road or path; used when asking the way

    Grammar Note

    Plural ditsela

17. Lelapa

    Family

    Usage

    Family or household; plural malapa

    Grammar Note

    "lelapa la ka" means "my family"

18. Lebitso

    Name

    Usage

    A name; plural mabitso. "Lebitso la ka ke …" (my name is …)

    Grammar Note

    lebitso also means the grammatical term "noun"

19. Hlooho

    Head

    Usage

    The head; a headache is "hlooho e opang"

    Grammar Note

    Plural dihlooho; it also means "topic, heading"

20. Mahlo

    Eyes

    Usage

    Eyes (plural form); the singular is leihlo

    Grammar Note

    Singular leihlo, plural mahlo

21. Tsebe

    Ear

    Usage

    The ear; plural ditsebe

    Grammar Note

    Plural ditsebe

22. Nko

    Nose

    Usage

    The nose; plural dinko

    Grammar Note

    Plural dinko

23. Molomo

    Mouth

    Usage

    The mouth; molomo also means lip; plural melomo

    Grammar Note

    Plural melomo

24. Leino

    Tooth

    Usage

    A tooth; plural meno. Toothache is "leino le opang"

    Grammar Note

    Plural meno

25. Mmetso

    Throat

    Usage

    The throat; used to describe a sore throat

    Grammar Note

    The word qoqotho also refers to the throat

26. Molala

    Neck

    Usage

    The neck; plural melala

    Grammar Note

    Plural melala

27. Lehetla

    Shoulder

    Usage

    The shoulder; plural mahetla

    Grammar Note

    Plural mahetla

28. Monwana

    Finger

    Usage

    A finger; plural menwana

    Grammar Note

    Plural menwana

29. Sefuba

    Chest

    Usage

    The chest; plural difuba

    Grammar Note

    Plural difuba

30. Mpa

    Stomach / belly

    Usage

    The stomach or belly; "mpa e opang" would describe a stomach ache

    Grammar Note

    Plural dimpa; the verb opa means "to hurt" (composed sentence).

31. Mokokotlo

    Back

    Usage

    The back; plural mekokotlo

    Grammar Note

    Plural mekokotlo

32. Letheka

    Waist / lower back

    Usage

    The waist; plural matheka

    Grammar Note

    Plural matheka

33. Lengole

    Knee

    Usage

    The knee; plural mangole

    Grammar Note

    Plural mangole

34. Letlalo

    Skin

    Usage

    The skin; plural matlalo

    Grammar Note

    Plural matlalo

35. Mmele

    Body

    Usage

    The body as a whole

    Grammar Note

    A noun for the body as a whole, not for a body part

36. Lesapo

    Bone

    Usage

    A bone; plural masapo. A fracture is "lesapo le robehileng"

    Grammar Note

    Plural masapo

37. Madi

    Blood

    Usage

    Blood; a plural-only noun

    Grammar Note

    A class 6 noun with no singular

38. Hotele

    Hotel

    Usage

    A hotel; plural dihotele

    Grammar Note

    Borrowed from English hotel

39. Boemafofane

    Airport

    Usage

    An airport, the place where aeroplanes land and take off

    Grammar Note

    A compound word (boema- relates to "place")

40. Boemabese

    Bus stop

    Usage

    A bus stop; also "setopo sa dibese"

    Grammar Note

    A compound; dibese is the plural of bese "bus"

41. Seteishene sa mapolesa

    Police station

    Usage

    A police station; for asking the way or making a report

    Grammar Note

    "seteishene" (station) + sa "of" + mapolesa "police"

42. Khemisi

    Pharmacy

    Usage

    A pharmacy; plural dikhemisi

    Grammar Note

    Borrowed from English chemist; the person is mokhemisi

43. Letsoho

    Hand / arm

    Usage

    Means both hand and arm; plural matsoho

    Grammar Note

    Sesotho has no separate words for hand and arm

44. Leoto

    Leg / foot

    Usage

    Means both leg and foot; plural maoto

    Grammar Note

    For the part below the knee there is also the word moomo

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