Matshwantshi [Similes]

Matshwantshi [Similes]

[ENG] Figurative and poetic language in Setswana includes a large set of predefined similes, known as “matshwantshi” [singular: letshwantshi]. These matshwantshi are used for tshwantshanyo [actual similes], or can sometimes be used to construct tshwantshiso [poetic metaphors].

The table below lists them in their “infinitive form”. However, just as with maele, when used in actual paragraphs or conversation, the structure of the phrase may be significantly different, as this is all dependent on other grammar elements within that paragraph, such as verb tense, person, noun position, etc. For instance “Go nna bonya jaaka lelobu”, when used in a sentence may appear as “o bonya e kare lelobu” or “di bonya mme e se malobu” [notice how the object noun has been pluralised for this purpose], etc. What is important is the core meaning of the phrase.

SNo.Matshwantshi
1Go akabala jaaka motho a aketswe.
2Go akgega jaaka loleme la motho yo o maaka.
3Go arogana jaaka dikala tsa setlhare.
4Go atlhama jaaka leruarua.
5Go baba jaaka nnete
6Go balabala jaaka motho a fatwa motlhagare.
7Go boduloga jaaka letlametlo.
8Go boifisa jaaka lefifi la ntshwarele ngwana.
9Go boifiwa jaaka loso.
10Go boitshega jaaka pula ya dikgadima.
11Go bokolela jaaka podi.
12Go bolaela mo teng jaaka botlhole.
13Go bonwa ka sewelo jaaka tsie.
14Go bonwa ka tshokolo jaaka khumo.
15Go bonya-bonya jaaka serua.
16Go didimala jaaka setopo.
17Go direlwa jaaka nama.
18Go dupelela jaaka ngaka ya sedupe.
19Go falatsa jaaka ntša e nwa mae.
20Go fela jaaka mashi a kgomo ya motete.
21Go fetofetoga jaaka lelobu.
22Go fora jaaka moenene.
23Go fosa jaaka nakedi.
24Go fufula jaaka pitse e tswa lebelong.
25Go gakala jaaka kgabo ya molelo.
26Go galalela jaaka galase.
27Go galalela jaaka marang a letsatsi.
28Go galefa jaaka nare e gobaditswe ke mostomi.
29Go gamarega jaaka thutlwa e tshoganyeditswe ke motsomi.
30Go golela ganong jaaka peperuga.
31Go golela godimo jaaka thutlwa.
32Go gonyela jaaka khudu.
33Go gopa mpa jaaka noga.
34Go humanega jaaka tampana ya letlotla.
35Go ikgata jaaka seretse.
36Go inamainama jaaka mogwe a bona bagwegadi.
37Go ingwaa ka meno jaaka tonki.
38Go ipetleka jaaka selaga.
39Go iphara gongwe le gongwe jaaka sekaku/tlhagala.
40Go itaanya leleme jaaka noga.
41Go itaya kwa thoko jaaka tlhobolo ya bujane.
42Go ithata jaaka katse.
43Go itseneka jaaka seboko se le mo magaleng.
44Go itsetsepela jaaka ntša e ya go kalediwa.
45Go itsoketsa jaaka tsela.
46Go itumela bomatla jaaka ntšanyana e kgotse.
47Go ja o itshutlha jaaka koko/letlhalerwa.
48Go ja thata jaaka kolobe/serathanyane.
49Go kalakatege jaaka poo ya mariga.
50Go kapa kwa le kwa jaaka ntša e ja dintsi mo phefong.
51Go karagana jaaka namane.
52Go kata ka morago jaaka pitse.
53Go katologana jaaka dinaka tsa kgomo.
54Go katologana jaaka dithaba.
55Go kekera jaaka koko e fisiwa ke lee.
56Go kgabola jaaka logadima.
57Go kgatlhisa jaaka tlhabo ya letsatsi.
58Go kgojwa jaaka nama ya segosi.
59Go kgwa motho jaaka segotlhola.
60Go kitlana jaaka ngata ya bojang.
61Go kokoroga jaaka tshwene ya rotwe.
62Go koloba jaaka kokwanyane e netswe ke pula.
63Go lala paeng jaaka morubisi.
64Go latlha motho jaaka katse e le mo kgetseng.
65Go latlha motho ka legong jaaka noga.
66Go laya jaaka serame.
67Go lebala jaaka koko.
68Go lelemela jaaka noga.
69Go loma botlhoko jaaka moruthwane.
70Go loma o fodisa jaaka peba.
71Go lotologa jaaka nama ya mokoduwe.
72Go nama jaaka thotse.
73Go nanabela jaaka katse.
74Go ngaa jaaka segankure.
75Go ngala jaaka khukhwane/sebokolodi.
76Go ngaparela jaaka boletswa.
77Go ngongobala jaaka moloi a tshwerwe.
78Go nkga ditshwang jaaka phoko.
79Go nkga jaaka nakedi.
80Go nkga monate jaaka sethunya.
81Go nna bodipa jaaka tonki/mmoulo.
82Go nna bofitlha jaaka noga.
83Go nna bogale jaaka tau.
84Go nna boi jaaka mmutla.
85Go nna bokete jaaka kgetse ya letswai.
86Go nna bokgwabo jaaka tlhware e meditse.
87Go nna boleta jaaka bobowa ja katse.
88Go nna bonako jaaka logadima.
89Go nna bonolo jaaka konyana.
90Go nna bontsintsi jaaka dinaledi.
91Go nna bonya jaaka lelobu.
92Go nna borethe jaaka tshilwana.
93Go nna bosula jaaka nama e sena letswai.
94Go nna boteng jaaka bodiba.
95Go nna botlha jaaka madila/ting.
96Go nna botlhale jaaka mmutla wa mainane.
97Go nna botlhoko jaaka kgengwe/santlhoko.
98Go nna botlhole jaaka noga.
99Go nna digobo jaaka senonnori.
100Go nna ditlhong jaaka setlhong.
101Go nna kgologolo jaaka dithaba.
102Go nna kgolokwe jaaka lee.
103Go nna leferefere jaaka noga/phokoje.
104Go nna letshwenyo jaaka tsitsiri.
105Go nna letswai jaaka motswaitswai.
106Go nna maaka jaaka ditaola.
107Go nna mafura jaaka kolobe.
108Go nna magwata jaaka gopane.
109Go nna makgwapa jaaka kgaga.
110Go nna mangana jaaka phage.
111Go nna marapo jaaka tlou.
112Go nna mariba jaaka tshwene.
113Go nna masisi jaaka lephoi.
114Go nna maswe jaaka tlala e tsena ka lelwapa la motho.
115Go nna matlho a masesane jaaka motho a bonetse dintšanyana.
116Go nna matlho a matona jaaka morubisi.
117Go nna matlolo a maswe jaaka nkwe.
118Go nna mohibidu jaaka nama ya pitse e gana go butswa.
119Go nna mokhutshwane jaaka toro e e monate.
120Go nna moleele jaaka tsela ya Kgalagadi.
121Go nna monnye jaaka setlhong.
122Go nna montle jaaka ngwana wa kgosi.
123Go nna montsho jaaka legala/mosidi.
124Go nna mosetlha jaaka nta ya modidi.
125Go nna mosha jaaka moso wa letsatsi.
126Go nna mosweu jaaka mashi.
127Go nna mpa tona jaaka segwagwane.
128Go nna pelokgale jaaka tau.
129Go nna pelonomi jaaka mmamasiloanoka
130Go nna pelotelele jaaka lenong.
131Go nna pelothetlha jaaka lefatshe/phiri.
132Go nna sematla jaaka phiri.
133Go nna serota jaaka poo.
134Go nna setlhogo jaaka tlala.
135Go nna setshwakga jaaka pela.
136Go nna teme-pedi jaaka noga.
137Go nna thata jaaka mogatla wa tonki.
138Go nna tsididi jaaka mmele wa noga.
139Go ntsha pelo jaaka dijo tsa ditoro.
140Go nyelela jaaka leswafe/mouwane.
141Go nyoriwa jaaka sekaka.
142Go peperetla jaaka molelo wa Kgalagadi.
143Go phaphasela jaaka folaga/serurubele.
144Go phatshima jaaka sebilo.
145Go raela jaaka Saatane.
146Go rata bagolo jaaka setlhabi.
147Go rata batho jaaka tlala.
148Go rata ntwa jaaka nare.
149Go ratega jaaka khumo.
150Go rema ditokololo jaaka kgopo.
151Go robala jaaka lesea.
152Go robala ka ditlhako jaaka kgomo.
153Go rota kgapetsakgapetsa jaaka khudu.
154Go rotola matlho jaaka katse ya matlotla.
155Go rukutlha jaaka serurubele.
156Go rwala jaaka masigo.
157Go sala motho morago jaala loso.
158Go sega jaaka legare.
159Go sega sebete jaaka bojalwa jo bo nkwe.
160Go selasela jaaka phiri.
161Go senya jaaka kgwanyepe.
162Go shadikanya matlho jaaka legodu.
163Go shebasheba jaaka sekukuni.
164Go sisimoso mmele jaaka letlalo la noga.
165Go sotla jaaka bolwetse jwa mafatlha.
166Go suma jaaka noga ya lebolobolo.
167Go suma jaaka noka e tlhatsa.
168Go sutsa jaaka pitsa ya mosoko.
169Go swela mo logapeng jaaka khudu.
170Go swela moteng jaaka nku.
171Go swela moteng jaaka serowa se jewa ke nkale.
172Go theogela o sa ikhutse jaaka tshoswane.
173Go thoba matsadi jaaka mogodungwana.
174Go tlhamalala jaaka thupa.
175Go tlhapelwa jaaka letlakala.
176Go tlhodiya jaaka tladi e thunya.
177Go tlhoka botshabelo jaaka loso.
178Go tlhoka mosola jaaka kgomo e husitse.
179Go tlhomola pelo jaaka lenyalo la Tshipi.
180Go tlola jaaka letsetse.
181Go tsabekela jaaka naledi.
182Go tsamaela ntlha e le nngwe jaaka lebati.
183Go tsapoga jaaka tlhase.
184Go tsepa jaaka lomao.
185Go tshwana jaaka dipeba.
186Go tshwenya jaaka tlhagala ya tlhogo.
187Go tsipola mangana jaaka katse a hupile peba.
188Go tsokotsega jaaka dikala tsa setlhare.
189Go tuuletsa jaaka motse wa baswi.
190Go upalala jaaka khudu.
191Go wa jaaka lekatane.