bjale
The Sepedi word for "now" is bjale.
bjale is an adverb used to indicate that an action or state is occurring at the present time.
Meaning: at the present time (adv)
Did you know?
- The word bjale is shared across several closely related Sotho-Tswana languages, making it a recognizable bridge for speakers of Sesotho and Setswana.
- In some dialects of Northern Sotho, bjale can be used in a rhetorical sense to signal that a speaker is about to deliver a crucial point or a conclusion.
- In Sepedi-speaking households, the emphasis on 'now' can change from a simple time marker to a subtle command for urgency depending on the tone used with the word.
Examples in context
- Ke nyaka go šoma bjale.I want to work now.
- Re swanetše go tšwa bjale.We must leave now.
- Ke nyaka go ja bjale.I want to eat now.
Example conversation
Tshepiso and Kabelo are meeting at the office.
- TshepisoDumela Kabelo, o fihlile bjale?Hello Kabelo, have you arrived now?
- KabeloEe, ke fihlile.Yes, I have arrived.
- TshepisoA re thome beše bjale.Let us start work now.
- KabeloKe dumela, a re yeng.I agree, let's go.
