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