Ke a go rata
The English phrase "I love you" is translated into Sepedi as Ke a go rata.
Ke a go rata is an affirmation of romantic feeling. The verb rata can mean both "to love" and "to like", so the intensity of the phrase is often understood through context and tone.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase breaks down literally as Ke (I), a (present continuous marker), go (you) and rata (love/like).
Did you know?
- In many Sepedi speaking communities, romantic love is often expressed through acts of service or providing for the family rather than by saying Ke a go rata aloud.
- The word rata is a linguistic relative of the Zulu word -thanda and the Tsonga word -rhandza.
- The word rata is also used when talking about preferences, such as liking a specific food or color, making it the universal word for any positive attraction.
Examples in context
- Ke a go rata, morati wa ka.I love you, my beloved.
- Ke a go rata kudu.I love you very much.
- O a tseba gore ke a go rata?Do you know that I love you?
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye before work.
- TshepisoKe a go rata, Kabelo.I love you, Kabelo.
- KabeloLe nna ke a go rata, Tshepiso.I love you too, Tshepiso.
- TshepisoO be le letšatše le lebotse.Have a beautiful day.
- KabeloKe a leboga, wena le wena.Thank you, you as well.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries rata, CC BY-SA 4.0.
