Sesotho for the South African and Lesotho diaspora in Europe
06
Basotho greetings and codes of respect (Ntate, 'M'è)
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about learning Sesotho
Sesotho uses the Latin alphabet without complicated diacritics, which makes reading easy. The main challenges are Bantu grammar: 15+ noun classes (each noun belongs to a class that determines agreement, verbal prefixes and pronouns) and an agreement system very different from English. But the system is regular and logical. Count on 8 to 12 months with regular lessons to reach a conversational B1 level.
They are three closely related Bantu languages of the Sotho-Tswana group, partially mutually intelligible. Sesotho (Southern Sotho) is the language of Lesotho. Sepedi (Northern Sotho) is spoken in Limpopo (South Africa). Tswana is the language of Botswana and several South African provinces. Learning one gives you a strong base to understand the other two.
Yes. Sesotho is the mother tongue of about 4 million South Africans, mainly in the Free State around Bloemfontein, and in certain Johannesburg townships (Soweto). It is one of the 11 official languages. For travel, business or culture (kwaito, amapiano), speaking Sesotho opens doors that English alone cannot, particularly in urban and rural Basotho communities.
The Basotho diaspora is smaller than some other African communities in Europe, but it exists, particularly in London, Paris and around university hubs. The wider South African diaspora in Europe numbers several tens of thousands, with a fraction speaking Sesotho. Sesotho is also useful for humanitarian, diplomatic and development missions linked to Lesotho.
There are two slightly different orthographies: the Lesotho one (more traditional, using 'oa' and 'ea') and the South African one (more modern, using 'wa' and 'ya'). For example, 'lumela' (hello) is spelled the same in both, but 'oa hao' (yours) in Lesotho becomes 'wa hao' in South Africa. The two variants are mutually intelligible. At Targumi, we teach the Lesotho orthography, which remains the academic reference.
One plan, the Complete plan, gives you every language, live small-group classes with native teachers, interactive lessons and the community: $17 a week, $49 a month or $99 a quarter, after a 7-day free trial. The Platform plan, without live classes, costs $19 a month.
100% online. When live classes are scheduled for this language, they take place in small groups via Google Meet; the schedule is in the platform. Interactive lessons stay accessible 24/7.
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You can cancel anytime from your profile ("My subscription" section) with no hidden fees. Your access stays active until the end of your paid period.
“Been on Targumi for 3 months. The small group format is exactly what I needed. My teacher takes time to correct accent, it's precious. Made more progress in 3 months than in 2 years of regular apps.”
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“What sold me is you actually speak from class one. No 10 hours of theory before opening your mouth. And the platform between classes is well-built, I revise on the morning commute.”
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“Honestly I had doubts at first because I'd tried plenty of methods without sticking. This is different, the teacher knows their stuff, adapts to your level, and we have fun on top of it. 6 months in and still motivated.”
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“Really good experience overall, the rhythm between live classes and independent practice is well-balanced. Small note: the mobile app lags sometimes, but the teaching content is well worth the price.”
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“The thing that makes a real difference compared to other platforms: teachers are native and trained. You feel it, especially on accent and everyday expressions you don't learn in textbooks.”
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A complete learning platform: learn to build sentences, listen to audio recorded by native speakers, practise with exercises.
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Learner discussion groups, with the teachers: practise writing, chat every day.
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Monthly
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7 days free, then $49 per month
$0
for 7 days, then $49 per month
4 live classes a week with a native teacher: small groups of 3 to 5 people. Practise, ask your questions, improve your pronunciation, and let yourself be guided as you learn the language. No obligation, join in as you wish. There are classes for every level.
A complete learning platform: learn to build sentences, listen to audio recorded by native speakers, practise with exercises.
Every live class replay available, the ones held before you signed up and the upcoming ones, with their PDF, available to download.
Learner discussion groups, with the teachers: practise writing, chat every day.
Level certificate at the end of each learning path.
Every language included: over 100 languages, and you switch language whenever you like, at no extra cost.
Payment method required, $0 today. Cancel in 1 click before the trial ends.
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Complete plan
Quarterly
Three months to build solid foundations
7 days free, then $99 per quarter
$0
for 7 days, then $99 per quarter
that is $33 per month
4 live classes a week with a native teacher: small groups of 3 to 5 people. Practise, ask your questions, improve your pronunciation, and let yourself be guided as you learn the language. No obligation, join in as you wish. There are classes for every level.
A complete learning platform: learn to build sentences, listen to audio recorded by native speakers, practise with exercises.
Every live class replay available, the ones held before you signed up and the upcoming ones, with their PDF, available to download.
Learner discussion groups, with the teachers: practise writing, chat every day.
Level certificate at the end of each learning path.
Every language included: over 100 languages, and you switch language whenever you like, at no extra cost.
Payment method required, $0 today. Cancel in 1 click before the trial ends.
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