Northern Sotho · Pedi
The Sotho-Tswana variety of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in north-eastern South Africa. One of the eleven official languages of South Africa; mutually distinct enough from Sesotho to be treated separately.
Sesotho
Also known as: Southern Sotho, Sotho
A Sotho-Tswana Bantu language and the national language of Lesotho. Also one of the official languages of South Africa, where it is widely spoken in the Free State and Gauteng.
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Frequently asked questions
What language is Sesotho?
Sesotho is a dialect of the Sotho language.
Where is Sesotho spoken?
Sesotho is primarily spoken in Lesotho, South Africa.
Which region is Sesotho associated with?
Sesotho is part of the East & Southern Africa region on DialectAtlas.
Is Sesotho known by other names?
Yes — Sesotho is also referred to as Southern Sotho, Sotho.
What are the other dialects of Sotho?
Sotho also includes Sepedi. Each variety has its own vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural context.
Other Sotho dialects
See on the atlas →Nearby dialects
See on the atlas →348 km away
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A Sotho-Tswana Bantu language and the national language of Botswana. Closely related to Sesotho, with substantial speaker communities in South Africa's North West and Northern Cape provinces.
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