Figurative Language in Setswana (3): Dithamalakane [Riddles]
[ENG] Figurative and poetic language in Setswana includes a large set of predefined riddles, known as “dithamalakane” [singular: thamalakane]. Below are several, together with their explanations.
[TSN] Manateshapuo a Setswana, a akaretsa le dithamalakane. Moalo o o fa tlase, o supa dingwe tsa tsone, mmogo le dithekololo.
LELEPA | THANOLO | |
---|---|---|
1 | Ka kgwarinya lobota,badimo batla ba ntshetse morago. | Ditlhase |
2 | Baloi ba mminamitlwaneng | Marothodi a pula |
3 | Bana ba a bina mme mmabo ga a bine | Setlhare le makala a sona mo phefong |
4 | Basimane ba ba tlholang ba lelekane mme ba sa tshwarane | Maotwana a koloi |
5 | Bosumane wa go swela tseleng | Selei |
6 | Buruburu, rradijase | Setlhong |
7 | Dikgomo tse di tshwaana, tse di poo khonou. | Meno le loleme |
8 | Dinonyane tsa masela kgakala, megatla e le tshwagong | Matlho |
9 | Ditloo tse pedi tse di mo pitseng | Matlho |
10 | Ditlou di bolola ka mophato bosigo mme bontsi ga bo di bone. | Baloi |
11 | E nkoto e nne e jele e nkoto pedi mo go e nkoto e tharo | Ntsa e jetse koko mo pitseng |
12 | Go nna ga ntsanyana ya tshipi ke go kanama | Keetane |
13 | Golo fano re lekantswe re apere kobo ya tholo mmogo. | Moriri |
14 | Ka anega bosane ntle, ya re ke tsoga, ka fitlhela ba seyo. | Dinaledi |
15 | Ka di latlhela makgabaneng tsa tla di mphulere. | Molora wa leiso |
16 | Ka itaya mpipi, mpipi a gana go tswa lebadi | Metsi |
17 | Ka itaya mpipi, mpipi a tswa lebadi | Diretse |
18 | Ka kopana le monnamogolo, yare a mpona a tsenya tlhogo | Khudu |
19 | Ka lapa, a sala | Tsela |
20 | Ka mmotsa dikgang ke didimetse | Go bala |
21 | Ka mo gata a omana. | Matlhare a a omeletseng |
22 | Ka o tshela maokeng, wa boa wa mpharafela | Molora |
23 | Ka re ke tshwara ngwana, ngwana a gana. | Metsi |
24 | Ka thothora boupi kaja kgetsi | Mogodu |
25 | Ka tlhatlega ka e kana, ka bo ka khurumela ka e kana | Lefatshe le loapi |
26 | Ka tlhotlhora boupi kaja kgetse. | Mogodu |
27 | Ke ale a bopepeltse, Matebele. | Ditshoswane |
28 | Ke golegile koloi; dikgomo di a tsamaya, yone e eme. | Noka |
29 | Ke lepelela modubeng, ka re: “Rra Nthuta pula” | Pula |
30 | Ke sale ke kgwathisa basimane maloba, le gompieno ba ntse ba kgwathile fela. | Ditlhomeso |
31 | Ke sale ke roma mosimane, le gompieno ga a ise a bowe. | Leromo |
32 | Kgomo e khunwana ya tlhaba e tshwana, e tshwana ya thaba e tshwaana, e tshwaana ya thaga lesaka. | Molelo, pitsa le mashi |
33 | Kgomo e tswa Engelane, e tshologa sebodu ka tlhogo | Kerese |
34 | Kgomo ya etsho ya wela bodibeng, ka sala ke e tshwere ka mogatla. | Sego |
35 | Kgomola lodi o je kota | Nchwe |
36 | Khukhwane khukhu e morwalo o thata | Pinagare |
37 | Koko ya poo, selela ka mogatla | Seme |
38 | Kotana tshweu sewelawela melapong baprista ba e bitsa koma | Lefulo la metsi ha noka e tlhatsa |
39 | Lephutshe le le fa gare ga tshimo. | Ngwedi |
40 | Letebele le le kwa ga mmago, le kwa ga mme le teng. | Pitsa |
41 | Letlharapa le le kgobokanelwang ke dinonyane tsotlhe. | Kgosi |
42 | Mo ke leng teng ga se tlhokagale | Ntshi |
43 | Modimo wa nko e e metsi | Kgomo |
44 | Monna wa phakela a le fa, ditedu ke nama, molomo ke lerapo. | Mokoko |
45 | Monna yo e reng a le monnye o bo o sa mo rate, e re a gola a bo a phimoga | Lerotse |
46 | Monna yo moleele, mosugadinakedi | Mosi |
47 | Monna yo o humang bosigo, motshegare a humanega. | Losaka |
48 | Motho ke yo ga a ke a tlogela go ntshala morago. | Moriti |
49 | Motshedi o belege moswi, moswi o belege motshedi. | Pitse, sale, le motho |
50 | Nnoi o o theka lesesane | Moruthwane/mofu |
51 | Nonyane e tshweu, mmamoleane. | Mashi |
52 | Ntlo e e dikgoro tse pedi e e sa nkeng di tswalwa. | Nko |
53 | Ntlo e tshweu e e senang lebati | Lee |
54 | Photi e e tshabelang ntlheng e le nngwefela. | Lebati |
55 | Pitsana e nnye e e kgorwang ke botlhe. | Boroko |
56 | Podi ya pholo sefula le dipotsane. | Ngwedi le dinaledi |
57 | Pota ka foo re bolaye kgano. | Ditsebe |
58 | Pula di na matsorotsoro nkgwana ya poru ga e tlale | Motlhoboloko |
59 | Rre o makgasa mme borotho ke a bo ja. | Borokhu |
60 | Sa re kgwatlha mosimeng sa ruta podi matseba | Molodi |
61 | Sa re nyedi sa re tseke. | Legadima |
62 | Sa re thathatha sa roba kgong tsa mafatlha | Tladi |
63 | Se le bonnyennye bo kana, botlhale se bo tsaya kae? | Ditaola/Bola |
64 | Se le bonnyennye bo kana, molapo se o tlola jang? | Segogwane |
65 | Se le bonnyennye bo kana, tlatlana se e loga jang? | Segokgo |
66 | Se re Kagari! ntsweng, bomhele ba tla ba siane | Dintsa di atumela fa pitsa e falwa |
67 | Se se mo kotswaneng, se se se keng se fela. | Boroko |
68 | Se se na molomo, metsi se a tsaya kae? | Legapu |
69 | Selo se se mo kokong ka kwa morago, mo mothong se kwa pele | Lengole |
70 | Setlhare se se fulwang ke batho botlhe | Mabele |
71 | Tilodi ya dikgwa tse. | Nakedi |
72 | Tiri-tiri, nonyane ya kgosi. | Pula |
73 | Tshetlha ya dikgwa tse. | Tau |
74 | Tshwene kotama bana ba tshege. | Pitsa e tsholwa |
75 | Ya tloga e le nosi, ya boa e ntsifetse | Peo |