Ke a go rata le nna
The English phrase "I love you too" is expressed in Sepedi as Ke a go rata le nna.
This phrase is used as a direct response to someone saying Ke a go rata (I love you).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase breaks down literally to "I love you also I" (Ke = I, a = present tense marker, go = you, rata = love, le nna = also/with me).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the subject concord Ke (I) and the object concord go (you) to specify the subject and object of the verb rata.
Did you know?
- The word rata does not only mean 'love' in a romantic sense but is also used to say you 'like' a certain food or object.
- In many traditional Northern Sotho cultures, expressing love through direct words like Ke a go rata was historically less common than showing love through actions or gifts.
- The verb rata in Sepedi shares a common ancestral root with the Zulu word -thanda and the Tsonga word -rhandza, despite how different they sound in modern speech.
Examples in context
- Ke a go rata le nna.I love you too.
- O mpona ka bopheleng baka, ke a go rata le nna.You are my whole life, I love you too.
- Ke a go rata le nna, moratiwa.I love you too, my beloved.
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye at the door.
- KatlegoKe a go rata, Lesedi.I love you, Lesedi.
- LesediKe a go rata le nna, Katlego.I love you too, Katlego.
- KatlegoKe tla go bona kamoso.I will see you tomorrow.
- LesediEe, tla re bonane kamoso.Yes, let us see each other tomorrow.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries rata, CC BY-SA 4.0.
