monna wa me
The English phrase "my husband" is translated into Tswana as monna wa me.
monna wa me is used to refer to the man to whom a woman is married.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of monna (man), wa (of) and me (me).
How does it change in a sentence?
The possessive particle wa is used to link the noun monna to the first-person singular possessive pronoun me.
Did you know?
- In traditional Tswana culture, a woman may refer to her husband as rre (father) as a sign of respect.
- The particle wa in monna wa me originally comes from a Proto-Bantu root meaning 'to fall'.
- In many Tswana-speaking communities, a woman might refer to her husband as monna to show respect, as using his actual name can be seen as too blunt or disrespectful in certain formal social contexts.
Examples in context
- Ke go rata, Ntate.I love you, Daddy (my husband).
- Monna wa me o a bereka.My husband works.
- Ke rata monna wa me.I love my husband.
Example conversation
Masego is introducing her husband to a friend.
- MasegoKabelo, yo ke monna wa me.Kabelo, this is my husband.
- KabeloDumelang, ke itumelele go go kopana.Hello, I am pleased to meet you.
- MasegoMonna wa me o tlhagelela masego.My husband brings good luck.
- KabeloKe a bona, o na le moya o montle.I see, he has a nice spirit.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries wa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
