Dumela, o tsogile jang?
The English phrase "hello how are you" is expressed in Tswana as Dumela, o tsogile jang?
This phrase is a common greeting used to say hello and inquire about someone's well-being. The phrase begins with the word Dumela, which means "hello".
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, Dumela, o tsogile jang? translates to "Hello, how did you rise?", where the second part of the phrase asks how you have woken or risen.
Which one should you use?
While O kae? is another way to ask "How are you?", the form O tsogile jang? is specifically used for more formal situations.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address more than one person or to show respect to an elder, change the singular pronoun o to the plural lo, resulting in Dumela, lo tsogile jang? When responding to the question o tsogile jang?, change the subject pronoun from o (you) to ke (I) and use the adverb sentle (well) to say Dumela, ke tsogile sentle.
When do people say it?
A common and polite way to respond to this greeting is to add rra (sir) or mma (ma'am) at the end, such as in the phrase Ke tsogile sentle, rra. (I am well, sir).
Did you know?
- The word Dumela is rooted in the word dumela, which means 'agree' or 'believe'. Greeting someone in Tswana is linguistically linked to the act of acknowledging or agreeing with their existence.
- Tswana belongs to the Bantu language family, meaning the structure of Dumela and tsogile is related to languages spoken across a vast part of sub-Saharan Africa, including Zulu and Xhosa.
- While O tsogile jang? literally asks how you woke up, it is used throughout the entire day, not just in the morning.
Examples in context
- Dumela, o tsogile jang?Hello, how are you?
