dumela, o kae?
The English phrase "hello, how are you" is translated into Sepedi as dumela, o kae?
This phrase is a common greeting used to start a conversation and ask about someone's well-being.
What does it mean word for word?
The component o kae? literally translates to "where are you?", but it is used idiomatically to mean "how are you?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The form dumela, o kae? is used specifically when addressing one person. If you are greeting more than one person, you should use the plural form dumelang, le kae? instead.
Did you know?
- The word dumela is not just a greeting but can also be used in a legal or formal context to mean 'to agree' or 'to accept'.
- When using dumela, o kae?, it is common to wait for the other person to respond with Ke gona, which literally means 'I am present' or 'I am here'.
- The plural form dumelang, le kae? is not just for groups of people, but can also be used to show extreme respect to a single highly-ranked individual.
Examples in context
- Dumela, o kae?Hello, how are you?
