dumela rra
“Good morning” in Tswana is dumela rra.
The phrase is used as a general greeting upon seeing someone for the first time in the morning, rather than a literal translation of 'good' and 'morning'.
Meaning: when seeing someone for the first time in the morning (intj)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Adding rra (man) or mma (woman) to the greeting makes it more polite and respectful than just saying dumela.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are greeting more than one person, you should use dumelang instead of dumela.
Did you know?
- The word dumela is actually a command in its root form, essentially telling the person to 'acknowledge' or 'accept' your presence. It functions as a social bridge rather than a description of the time of day.
- In Tswana culture, the greeting is often accompanied by a specific physical posture, such as a slight bow or a handshake, depending on the age of the person you are addressing. The words and the gesture are inseparable components of the greeting.
- When using dumela rra or dumela mma, you are not just being polite, you are acknowledging the person's social standing and seniority. In Tswana culture, failing to add these respectful markers can be perceived as a direct insult to an elder.
Examples in context
- Dumela rra, o tsogile jang?Good morning sir, how are you this morning?
Example conversation
Phenyo greets Kabo's father in the driveway.
- PhenyoDumela rra.Good morning, sir.
- KaboDumela, ngwana.Good morning, child.
- PhenyoO tsogile sentle rra?Did you wake up well, sir?
- KaboEe, ke tsogile sentle.Yes, I woke up well.
