dumela
The Sesotho word for hi is dumela.
dumela is used as a friendly, informal greeting.
Meaning: friendly, informal greeting (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word dumela literally means 'to greet' or 'to say hello'.
Which one should you use?
Use dumela when speaking to one person. When greeting more than one person, use the plural form dumelang.
How does it change in a sentence?
To ensure grammatical agreement, switch from the singular dumela to the plural dumelang when your target audience consists of multiple people.
Did you know?
- The root of dumela is linked to the concept of 'accepting' or 'receiving', suggesting that when you greet someone, you are essentially 'accepting' their presence.
- The plural dumelang is not only used for groups but can sometimes be used as a mark of extreme respect toward a single person of high rank.
- While dumela is the standard greeting, the response often involves asking o kae, which literally means 'where are you' but is used to ask 'how are you'.
Examples in context
- Lumelang, ntate. Ke kopa thuso.Hello, sir. I need assistance.
- U phela joang, 'M'e?How are you, ma'am?
- Dumela, ntate.Hi, father.
- Dumela, mme.Hi, mother.
Example conversation
Palesa and Thabo meet at the market.
- PalesaDumela, Thabo!Hi, Thabo!
- ThaboDumela, Palesa!Hi, Palesa!
- PalesaO tsamaya kae?Where are you going?
- ThaboKe ya lapeng.I am going home.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry dumela, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
