
Losika (Family and Familial Titles)
Names and Titles of Family Members and Relatives in Setswana
Let’s start with the curious fact is that although there are some direct mappings between English and Setswana titles, there are those that do not have equivalents in the other language. The word cousin, for instance is one interesting concept, which has a lengthy Wikipedia page to itself, explaining (among others) how technically, you are in fact your own uncle’s and grandmother’s cousin, does not have a direct equivalent in Setswana. On the other hand, there are different words for aunt/uncle, each of which specifies the exact nature of the relationship between such an aunt/uncle and your parent.
1. Batsadi [Parents]
Motsadi [Parent] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Motsadi | Motsadi wa gago | Motsadi wa gagwe |
a) Ntate/Rre (and less formally, Papa) [Father]
Your male parent. Note that the words Ntate and Rre may also be used as “Mister” (eg Rre Kgosi means Mr Kgosi”), even though the usage of “Ntate” in this manner is less common in Botswana (and some people deem it to be Sesotho usage), or as “sir” to denote respect (eg “dumela rre”, although less common than “dumela rra”, means greetings, sir”.
“Your father” is expressed as rraago/ntataago, in singular, and rraalona/ntataalona in plural.
“His/her father” is rraagwe/ntataagwe (eg rraagwe/ntataagwe Michael). The plural is “rraabo” (eg rraabo Michael means the father of Michael and others).
“Rra” means the father of. “Rra Kgosi” would therefore mean Kgosi’s father.
Rre/Ntate [Father] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Rre | Rraago | Rraagwe |
Ntate | Ntataago | Ntataagwe |
b) Mme (and less formally, Mama) [Mother]
Your female parent. Note that the word Mme may also be used as “Madam” (eg Mme Kgosi means Mrs/Miss/Ms Kgosi”), or as “madam” to denote respect (eg “dumela mme”, although less common than “dumela mma”, means greetings, ma’am”. To emphasise the marital status or a married woman, Mme is sometimes followed by Mma, as part of the title (eg Mme Mma Kgosi).
“Mma” means the mother or wife of. “Mma Kgosi” would therefore mean Kgosi’s mother or Kgosi’s wife. Yes, Mma Kgosi, Mme Kgosi, or Mme Mma Kgosi can all be used for Mrs Kgosi.
“Your mother” is expressed as mmaago (which is sometimes perceived as being brash, and instead a politer “mme mmaago” or “mme wa gago” is used), in singular, and mmaalona in plural.
“His/her mother” is mmaagwe (eg mmaagwe Michael). The plural is “mmaabo” (eg mmaabo Michael means the mother of Michael and others).
Mme [Mother] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Mme | Mmaago | Mmaagwe |
2. Balologolwane [Grandparents]
Although some speakers still make a distinction between paternal and maternal grandfathers, it has become common to find the same title being applied, regardless.
a) Ntatemogolo/Rremogolo [paternal grandfather]
However, Rremogolo has gradually become more associated with usage as Mmemogolo’s husband. See “Mmemogolo” below.
Ntatemogolo/Rremogolo [Grandfather] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Ntatemogolo | Ntataagomogolo | Ntataagwemogolo |
Ntatemogoloago | Ntatemogoloagwe | |
Rremogolo | Rremogoloago | Rremogoloagwe |
Rremogoloago | Rremogoloagwe |
b) Nkuku/Nkoko/Koko [grandmother]
However, in many dialects, Nkoko/Koko is also often used as Malome’s wife. See “Malome” below.
Nkuku/Nkoko/Koko [Grandmother] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Nkuku | Nkukuago | Nkukuagwe |
Nkoko | Nkokoago | Nkokoagwe |
Koko | Kokoago | Kokoagwe |
c) Bagologolwane [Grandparents and other living ascendants]
Bagologolwane (singular “mogologolwane”) refers to grandparents and all other living ascendants that came before them, as well as their siblings, uncles, aunts, and cousins.
Mogologolwane [Grandparent (and higher ascendents)] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Mogologolwane | Mogologolwane wa gago | Mogologolwane wa gagwe |
d) Badimo [Dead ascendents]
Badimo (singular “modimo”) refers to grandparents and all other ascendants that came before them, as well as their siblings, uncles, aunts, and cousins, who have passed on, and are believed to be watching over you.
The word “modimo” here is written as an ordinary noun, with a lower-case “m”, and has a totally different from Modimo written as a proper noun, being the translation of “God”, and has no plural form. A discussion on Modimo, modimo, ledimo and other things “most high” will be blogged in the near future.
Badimo [Dead ascendents] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Modimo | Modimo wa gago | Modimo wa gagwe |
3. Bana [Children]
Familial titles of children from the point of view of their parents and other ascendants.
a) Ngwana [Child of a parent]
This is the gender-neutral form.
Ngwana [Child] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Ngwanake | Ngwana wa gago | Ngwana wa gagwe |
b) Morwa [Son]
Morwa [Son] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Morwa | Morwaago | Morwaagwe |
c) Morwadi [Daughter]
Morwadi [Daughter] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Morwadi | Morwadiago | Morwadiagwe |
d) Leitibolo [First-born Child]
Leitibolo [First-born] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Leitibolo | Leitibolo la gago | Leitibolo la gagwe |
e) Gofejane [Last-born Child]
Gofejane [Last-born] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Gofejane | Gofejane wa gago | Gofejane wa gagwe |
f) Motlogolo/Setlogolo [Nephew or Niece]
A person identifies as a setlogolo of his/her mother’s people (surname).
Motlogolo/Setlogolo [Nephew or Niece] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Motlogolo | Motlogoloago | Motlogoloagwe |
Setlogolo | Setlogolo sa gago | Setlogolo sa gagwe |
g) Setlogolwana [Grandchild]
A person identifies as a setlogolwana of his/her paternal grandmother’s people (surname).
Setlogolwana [Grandchild] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Setlogolwana | Setlogolwana sa gago | Setlogolwana sa gagwe |
h) Kokomana [Great-grandchild]
A person identifies as a kokomana of his/her maternal grandmother’s people (surname).
Kokomana [Great-grandchild] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Kokomana | Kokomana ya gago | Kokomana ya gagwe |
4. Batsalwalemotho [Siblings (and Cousins)]
Now this is where the “gender-based complications” begin. But it’s not all that complicated though. Titles for same-sex siblings distinguish relative age, while different-sex siblings don’t.
When it comes to cousins, it is the gender differences of their parents that plays a role in their classification as Setswana makes a distinction between cousins born of same sex sibling parents and opposite sex sibling parents.
The child of a father’s sister or mother’s brother is Ntsala. [Ntsalaake in possessive (1st person), “ntsalao” in second person, and “ntsalaagwe” in third person].
The child of your father’s brother or mother’s sister is deemed a “cousin-sibling”, and gets the same title as your actual siblings: nkgonne/nnake/kgaitsadi.
a) Motsalwalemotho [Sibling]
Motsalwalemotho [Sibling] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Motsalwalenna | Motsalwalewena | Motsalwaleene |
b) Nkgonne/Mogolole/Golowe [Elder Same-sex Sibling]
[“mogoloo” in second person, and “mogolowe” in third person].
A male refers to his older brother as nkgonne, as does a female when referring to her older sister.
Nkgonne [Same-sex older sibling] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Nkgonne/Nkonne | Mogoloo | Mogolowe |
Mogolole | Mogoloo | Mogolowe |
Golowe | Mogoloo | Mogolowe |
The latter two terms, “mogolole” and “golowe”, are often used more as terms of endearment or politeness than formal statements, and are therefore only used in first-person form.
c) Nnake [Younger Same-sex Sibling]
[“monnao” in second person, and “monnawe” in third person].
A male refers to his younger brother as nnake, as does a female when referring to her younger sister.
Nnake [Same-sex younger sibling] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Nnake | Monnao | Monnawe |
Mmotlana | Monnao | Monnawe |
“Mmotlana”, are often used more as terms of endearment or politeness than formal statements, and is therefore only used in first-person form.
d) Kgaitsadi [Opposite-sex Sibling]
A male refers to his sister (older or younger) as kgaitsadi, as does a female when referring to her brother (older or younger).
However, it has become relatively common for the use of “nkgonne” and “nnake” to be used in the stead of kgaitsadi.
Kgaitsadi/Kgantsadi [Opposite-sex sibling] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Kgaitsadi | Kgaitsadio | Kgaitsadie |
Kgantsadi | Kgantsadio | Kgantsadie |
e) Morwarre [Brother]
Usually used only by boys and men. It applies to all male siblings regardless of relative age.
Morwarre [Brother] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Morwarre | Morwarraago | Morwarraagwe |
f) Morwdiarre [Sister]
usually used only by girls and women. It applies to all female siblings regardless of relative age.
g) Lewelana [Twin]
This term is used to refer to children from the same pregnancy – be it twins, triplets, quadruplets, etc. A third party may refer to twins as mawelana, just as they [twins] can refer to each-other as each-other’s mawelana.
The other word for twin is lefatlha (pl mafatlha), but this is used for animals and other non-human purposes, and is therefore considered to be demeaning when applied to a person.
Lewelana [Twin] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Lewelana | Lewelana la gago | Lewelana la gagwe |
h) Cousin-brothers and Cousin-sisters
Children of your father’s brothers and mother’s sisters are referred to as your cousin-siblings, and are accorded the exact same titles as those of your actual siblings.
However, age consideration is based on the relative ages of your parents and not yourselves, such that all your father’s younger brother’s and mother’s younger sisters sons call you “big brother” even if they are actually older than you.
i) Ntsala [True Cousins]
Here, age is assigned as equal, regardless of actual age. A very casual and jovial relationship is customary between the children of opposite-sex siblings, who often engage each other in pranks and other jocular discomforts.
Ntsala [True Cousin] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Ntsala | Ntsalao | Ntsalae |
5. Batsalwa-le-batsadi [Uncles and Aunts]
The same concept of applying gender and relative age is used when assigning the different versions of uncle and aunt.
a) Rramogolo (not to be confused with Rremogolo). [Father’s elder brother].
Rramogolo [Father’s older brother] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Rramogolo | Rramogoloago | Rramogoloagwe |
Rraagomogolo | Rraagwemogolo |
Feminisation of paternal uncles’ titles is usually used to create titles for their wives. In the case of Rramogolo, we get Mmamogolo.
Mmamogolo [Father’s older brother’s wife] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Mmamogolo | Mmamogoloago | Mmamogoloagwe |
Mmaagomogolo | Mmaagwemogolo |
b) Rrangwane [Father’s younger brother] and his wife, Mmangwane (not to be confused with Mmamane).
Rrangwane [Father’s younger brother] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Rrangwane | Rrangwanaago | Rrangwanaagwe |
Mmangwane [Father’s younger brother’s wife] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Mmangwane | Mmangwanaago | Mmangwanaagwe |
c) Rakgadi [Father’s sister – both older and younger]. Her husband is also addressed with the same title, Rakgadi.
Rakgadi [Father’s sister (and father’s sister’s husband)] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Rakgadi | Rakgadiago | Rakgadiagwe/Rakgadie |
d) Malome [Mother’s brother – both older and younger]. His wife is also addressed as “Mrs Malome”, Mmamalome.
Malome [Mother’s brother] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Malome | Malomaago | Malomaagwe |
Mmamalome [Mother’s brother’s wife] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Mmamalome | Mmamalomaago | Mmamalomaagwe |
e) Mmemogolo (not to be confused with Mmamogolo). [Mother’s elder sister].
Although her husband is supposed to also use the same title, many younger users often find it a tad effeminate, and have resorted to using Rremogolo instead. You may remember Rremogolo from the “Grandfather” discussion above.
Mmemogolo [Mother’s older sister (and mother’s older sister’s husband)] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Mmemogolo | Mmemogoloago | Mmemogoloagwe |
f) Mmamane (shortened to Mmane in some dialects). [Mother’s younger sister].
Similar to Mmemogolo’s husband, her husband also uses the same title, Mmamane/Mmane. However, for the same reason of sounding effeminate, many younger/urban users prefer to erroneously use “Rrangwane” here. Remember, Rrangwane is father’s younger brother. and this launches us into a vicious circle of cause and effect, as now, this also results in the assumption that “mmangwane” should be used here, instead of “mmamane”.
Mmamane [Mother’s younger sister (and mother’s younger sister’s husband)] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Mmamane | Mmamaneago | Mmamaneagwe |
Mmane | Mmaneago | Mmaneagwe |
Parents’ cousins and other relatives are addressed the same way as their siblings.
Non-relatives would also be assigned uncle/aunt out of respect. This is usually done on the basis of which parent such an uncle/aunt is more associated with.
It may be worthwhile to note that paternal uncles/aunts’ titles start with the masculine R [rramogolo, rrangwane, and rakgadi] and the maternal ones start with the feminine M [mmemogolo, mmamane, and malome].
6. Bagwegadi [In-laws]
a) Mogatsa [Spouse]
This gender-neutral form is often reserved for elders in some dialects, as it is believed to carry some sexual connotations and therefore children using it on elders is considered tantamount to insulting them. However, this taboo view is not common in the northern parts of Botswana.
Mogatsa [Spouse] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Mogatsake | Mogatse | Mogatso |
b) Monna [Husband]
The word for husband is the same as for man. Essentially, “He is her husband” is the same sentence is “He is her man”.
Monna [Husband] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Monna | Monna wa gago | Monna wa gagwe |
c) Mosadi [Wife]
As with husband, the word for wife is the same as for woman. Essentially, “She is his wife” is the same sentence is “She is his woman”.
Mosadi [Wife] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Mosadi | Mosadi wa gago | Mosadi wa gagwe |
d) Mogwegadi [Parent-in-law]
Usually used in plural form as a collective term, this word is also applied to other elders in the spouses family.
Mogwegadi [Parent-in-law] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Mogwegadi | Mogwegadi wa gago | Mogwegadi wa gagwe |
e) Ratsale [Father-in-law]
Separate gender specific terms for parents-in-law. Although the word for father-in-law is not often used, but instead replaced with “mother-in-law” even when referring to the spouse’s father – as this apparently emphasises respect, it does exist.
Ratsale [Father-in-law] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Ratsale | Ratsalaago | Ratsalaagwe |
f) Matsale [Mother-in-law]
Matsale [Mother-in-law] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Matsale | Matsalaago | Matsalaagwe |
g) Mogwe/Mokgwenyana [Son-in-law]
Similar to “mogatsa” (see above), “mogwe” is often reserved for elders in some dialects, as it is believed to carry some sexual connotations and therefore children using it on elders is considered tantamount to insulting them. However, this taboo view differs in different parts and settings in Botswana.
Mokgwenyana is seen as a safer alternative, even though some people feel it is more South African Setswana or even Sesotho.
Mogwe/Mokgwenyana [Son-in-law] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Mogwe | Mogwe wa gago | Mogwe wa gagwe |
Mokgwenyana | Mokgwenyana wa gago | Mokgwenyana wa gagwe |
h) Ngwetsi/Makoti [Daughter-in-law]
Although there is nothing considered wrong with using the word “ngwetsi”, some people favour “makoti”, but also run the risk of being accused of using South African Setswana or even Sesotho.
Ngwetsi/Makoti [Daughter-in-law] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Ngwetsi | Ngwetsi ya gago | Ngwetsi ya gagwe |
Makoti | Makoti wa gago | Makoti wa gagwe |
i) Sebare [Brother-in-law]
Only men refer to their brothers-in-law thus, while the women would just call them “brother” or “son-in-law”.
Although I am yet to confirm the origins of this word, it appears to be the only one universally depicted as meaning brother-in-law. However, this word appears particularly close to the Afrikaans word “swaer”, which means the same thing to be left off as coincidence.
Sebare [Brother-in-law] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Sebare | Sebare sa gago | Sebare sa gagwe |
j) Mogadibo [Sister-in-law]
Similar to with brother-in-law, only women use this term to refer to their sisters-in-law. Men just call them “sister” or “daughter-in-law”.
Mogadibo [Sister-in-law] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Mogadibo | Mogadibo wa gago | Mogadibo wa gagwe |
k) Mogadikane [Sister-wife (in polygamy)]
A word that was rapidly falling out of use due to the maligning of polygamy, it seems to be catching traction again as advocates and practitioners of the age-old practice seem to be getting a lot of attention lately.
Mogadikane [Sister-wife (in polygamy)] | ||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person |
Mogadikane | Mogadikane wa gago | Mogadikane wa gagwe |
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