Explore Sotho through 10+ example sentences from English, with an explanation of the meaning and related words like bantu. Ideal for language learners, writers and word enthusiasts.
Sotho meaning
- A group of closely related Bantu lects spoken in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, and Zambia.
- Sesotho (“the language”) (Southern Sotho).
Synonyms of Sotho
Using Sotho
- The main meaning on this page is: A group of closely related Bantu lects spoken in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, and Zambia. | Sesotho (“the language”) (Southern Sotho).
- Useful related words include: bantu, bantoid language.
- In the example corpus, sotho often appears in combinations such as: northern sotho, sotho and, the sotho.
Context around Sotho
- Average sentence length in these examples: 23.1 words
- Position in the sentence: 3 start, 16 middle, 1 end
- Sentence types: 20 statements, 0 questions, 0 exclamations
Corpus analysis for Sotho
- In this selection, "sotho" usually appears in the middle of the sentence. The average example has 23.1 words, and this corpus slice is mostly made up of statements.
- Around the word, northern, southern, east, tswana, kingdom and language stand out and add context to how "sotho" is used.
- Recognizable usage signals include and southern sotho speakers have and classification northern sotho is one. That gives this page its own corpus information beyond isolated example sentences.
- By corpus frequency, "sotho" sits close to words such as aar, abdulla and abimbola, which helps place it inside the broader word index.
Example types with sotho
The same corpus examples are grouped by length and sentence type, making it easier to see the contexts in which the word appears:
Classification Northern Sotho is one of the Sotho languages of the Bantu family. (13 words)
During the 19th century, the Ngoni and Sotho peoples arrived from the south. (13 words)
Naledi, Mapetla, Tladi, Moletsane and Phiri were for Sotho- and Tswana-speaking people. (13 words)
The morphological and possible lexical variation among these dialects has led to the above assertion that 'Northern Sotho' is no more than a holding category for otherwise unclassified Sotho-Tswana varieties spoken in northeastern South Africa. (36 words)
Confusion of nomenclature with Sepedi Northern Sotho has often been equated with its major component Sepedi, and continued to be known as Pedi or Sepedi for some years after the new South African constitution appeared. (35 words)
The Moritsane culture is historically associated with the Khalagari (Kgalagadi) chiefdoms, the westernmost dialect-group of Sotho (or Sotho-Tswana) speakers, whose prowess was in cattle raising and hunting rather than in farming. (33 words)
Example sentences (20)
Sotho (Tshwana, Northern Sotho and Southern Sotho) speakers have a similar accent, with slight variations.
Classification Northern Sotho is one of the Sotho languages of the Bantu family.
Geographical distribution of Northern Sotho in South Africa: density of Northern Sotho home-language speakers.
However, the Pan South African Language Board and the Northern Sotho National Lexicography Unit now specifically prefer and endorse the names "Northern Sotho" or "Sesotho sa Leboa".
Maho (2002) leaves SePhalaborwa and the "East Sotho" varieties of SeKutswe, SePai, and SePulana unclassified within Sotho–Tswana.
The Moritsane culture is historically associated with the Khalagari (Kgalagadi) chiefdoms, the westernmost dialect-group of Sotho (or Sotho-Tswana) speakers, whose prowess was in cattle raising and hunting rather than in farming.
The morphological and possible lexical variation among these dialects has led to the above assertion that 'Northern Sotho' is no more than a holding category for otherwise unclassified Sotho-Tswana varieties spoken in northeastern South Africa.
NBW’s official mascot, Funda Bala which means "read, read" in Nguni and Sotho will make an appearance at select Exclusive Books.
The radio station, which was established two weeks ago, broadcasts from Montrose Studios in Bulawayo in seven languages – Ndebele, Xhosa, Venda, Sotho, Tonga, Kalanga and English.
Confusion of nomenclature with Sepedi Northern Sotho has often been equated with its major component Sepedi, and continued to be known as Pedi or Sepedi for some years after the new South African constitution appeared.
During the 19th century, the Ngoni and Sotho peoples arrived from the south.
Evidence of agriculture and iron use dates from about the 4th century and people speaking languages ancestral to current Sotho and Nguni languages began settling no later than the 11th century.
For example, by Meinhof's numbering, Shona has 20 classes, Swahili has 15, Sotho has 18 and Ganda has 17. Additionally, there are polyplural noun classes.
In 1868, Moshoeshoe asked that the Sotho Kingdom be annexed by Britain, to save the remnant.
Lobedu (also Khilovedu or Selobedu) exists only in an unwritten form, and the standard Northern Sotho language and orthography is usually used for teaching and writing by this language community.
Missionaries invited by Moshoeshoe I developed orthography and printed works in the Sotho language between 1837 and 1855.
More specifically, the stone-walled ruins of Sotho–Tswana towns and villages are scattered around the parts of the former Transvaal in which Johannesburg is situated.
Museums, monuments and memorials * The Bakone Malapa Northern Sotho Open-Air Museum — Depicts the traditional and modern-day lifestyle of the Bakone people.
Naledi, Mapetla, Tladi, Moletsane and Phiri were for Sotho- and Tswana-speaking people.
One of the major states to emerge from the Mfecane was the Sotho Kingdom founded at Thaba Bosiu by Moshoeshoe I around 1821 to 1822.
Common combinations with sotho
These word pairs occur most frequently in English texts:
- northern sotho 10×
- sotho and 5×
- the sotho 4×
- southern sotho 3×
- sotho is 2×
- sotho or 2×
- sotho tswana 2×
- of sotho 2×
- and sotho 2×
- sotho has 2×