
150 Animal names in Setswana (part 2)
Today we continue with our quest to have a translation of at least 150 animal names into Setswana. This post continues from last month, where we listed 35 carnivores and 42 prey mammals (totalling 77 animals). As said in the last post, pluralisation in Setswana is usually quite straightforward, as it follows a very principle (as discussed in Ditlhopha tsa Maina [Noun Classes]). However, the use of animal names in folk tales and other familial settings has resulted in a lot of personification associated with some animals, and this has caused some of these animal names to take a somewhat unorthodox pluralisation. Consequently, an additional column for plural forms has been added to the table showing the animal names in English and their Setswana equivalents.
This entry today is just a quick reference guide, a more detailed listing, which includes pictures and scientific names of each animal can be accessed from the Diphologolo [Animals] page.
The second part (published today) lists the remainder of perhaps the 150 animals one is most likely to interact with. these are classified as domestic animals, birds, arthropods, and aquatic creatures.
Domestic Animals
ENGLISH SINGULAR | SETSWANA SINGULAR | SETSWANA PLURAL | |
1 | Cattle | Kgomo | Dikgomo |
2 | Horse | Pitse | Dipitse |
3 | Donkey | Tonki | Ditonki |
4 | Pig | Kolobe | Dikolobe |
5 | Sheep | Nku | Dinku |
6 | Goat | Podi | Dipodi |
7 | Domestic Dog | Ntša | Dintša |
8 | Domestic Cat | Katse | Dikatse |
9 | Chicken | Koko | Dikoko |
10 | Duck | Pidipidi | Dipidipidi |
11 | [Domestic] Goose | Leganse/Sehudi se se Ruiwang | Maganse/Dihudi tse di Ruiwang |
12 | Peafowl | Phikoko/Pikoko | Diphikoko/Dipikoko |
13 | Turkey | Kalakuma/Kalakune | Dikalakuma/Dikalakune |
14 | Camel | Kamela | Dikamela |
Birds
ENGLISH SINGULAR | SETSWANA SINGULAR | SETSWANA PLURAL | |
1 | Kori Bustard | Kgori | Dikgori |
2 | Ostrich | Ntšhe | Bontšhe |
3 | [Lesser] Flamingo | Mogolori | Megolori |
4 | [White] Stork | Lekololwane | Makololwane |
5 | [Spur-winged] Goose | Sehudi [se se Phatshwa] | Dihudi [tse Diphatshwa] |
6 | [Grey] Heron | Kokolofutwe | Bokokolofutwe |
7 | Woodland Kingfisher | Seinodi se se Tala | Diinodi tse Ditala |
8 | Fish Eagle | Aodi | Diaodi |
9 | Martial Eagle | Ntsu | Dintsu |
10 | Verreaux’s/Black Eagle | Phakalane | Diphakalane |
11 | Black Kite | Segodi/Nkgodi | Digodi/Bonkgodi |
12 | [Cape] Vulture | Lenong | Manong |
13 | Pied Crow | Legakabe | Magakabe |
14 | Cape Crow | Lehukubu | Mahukubu |
15 | Secretary Bird | Tlhangwe | Botlhangwe |
16 | Hammerkop | Mmamasiloanoka | Bommamasiloanoka |
17 | Go-away Bird | Mokowe | Mekowe |
18 | [African] Hoopoe | Mmadilepe | Bommadilepe |
19 | Cardinal Woodpecker | Phaphadikota / Kokomere | Bophaphadikota /Dikokomere |
20 | [Yellow-billed] Hornbill | Korwe | Bokorwe |
21 | Pigeon | Leeba | Maeba |
22 | Dove | Lephoi | Maphoi |
23 | Guinea Fowl | Kgaka | Dikgaka |
24 | [Orange River] Francolin | Lesogo | Masogo |
25 | [Western] Cattle Egret | Moleane | Meleane |
26 | [Red-Billed] Oxpecker | Kala/ Kalatshomi | Dikala/Dikalatshomi |
27 | Alpine Swift | Peolwane | Dipeolwane |
28 | Weaver | Thaga | Bothaga |
29 | Blue Waxbill | Bii-bii | Mabii-bii |
Arthropods
ENGLISH SINGULAR | SETSWANA SINGULAR | SETSWANA PLURAL | |
1 | Thick-tailed/Death Stalker Scorpion | Leshokgo/ Leshibishibi | Mashokgo/Mashibishibi |
2 | Scorpion (generic) | Phepheng | Diphepheng |
3 | Baboon Spider/Tarantula | Tshere/ Tsheru | Ditshere/Ditsheru |
4 | Spider (generic) | Segokgo | Digokgo |
5 | Centipede | Mositlaphala | Mesitlaphala |
6 | Millipede | Sebokolodi | Dibokolodi |
7 | Worm (generic) | Seboko | Diboko |
8 | Snail | Kgopa | Dikgopa |
9 | Butterfly/Moth | Serurubele | Dirurubele |
10 | Fly | Ntsi | Dintsi |
11 | Bee | Notshe | Dinotshe |
12 | Wasp | Mofu/Moruthwane | Mefu/Meruthwane |
13 | Matabele Ant | Lesonya | Masonya |
14 | Ant (generic) | Tshoswane | Ditshoswane |
15 | Harvester Termite | Motlhwa | Metlhwa |
16 | Winged/Alate Termite | Kokobele | Dikokobele |
17 | Beetle/Bug (generic) | Khukhwane | Dikhukhwane |
18 | [Praying] Mantis | Seleetswane | Dileetswane |
19 | Locust | Tsie | Ditsie |
20 | Grasshopper | Tsiane | Ditsiane |
21 | Cricket | Senyetse | Dinyetse |
22 | Corn Cricket | Setotojane | Ditotojane |
23 | Mosquito | Monang/Montsana | Menang/Mentsana |
24 | Cockroach | Lefele | Mafele |
25 | Bedbug | Tsitsiri/Tshitshidi | Ditsitsiri/Ditshitshidi |
26 | Flea | Nta | Dinta |
27 | Tick | Kgofa | Dikgofa |
Aquatic Creatures
ENGLISH SINGULAR | SETSWANA SINGULAR | SETSWANA PLURAL | |
1 | Bullfrog | Letlametlo/ Segwagwa | Matlametlo/Digwagwa |
2 | Frog/Toad | Segwagwane | Digwagwane |
3 | Tadpole | Koloti/Kwididi | Dikoloti/Dikwididi |
4 | Fish | Tlhapi | Ditlhapi |
5 | Catfish | Twene | Ditwene |
6 | [Fresh-water] Turtle | Khudubane | Dikhudubane |
7 | Tortoise | Khudu | Dikhudu |
Coincidentially, the total for today’s lists is also 77, bringing our grand total to 154. Not bad! even if I say so myself.😉
Featured image source:
BotswanaPost releases flamingo stamps