Tswana medical terms

This is a list of Tswana (Setswana) medical terms that correspond to the English words.

English	Setswana
Abdominal pain	Botlhoko mo maleng
Abnormal breathing	Go hema mo go sa siamang/tlwaelesegang
Abortion	Go senya mpa
Abscess	Tlhagala,phologolo,sebola
Absent period	Go tlolwa ke dikgwedi
Abuse	Kgokgontsho
Alcohol	Bojalwa
Anemia	Go tlhofofala ga madi, go fela madi
Anesthesia	Molemo wa kidibatso/o o robatsang
Ankle	Legwejane(lenyenyana-side of malleoli)
Anorexia nervosa	Bolwetsi jwa go itima dijo le go bopama mo go feteletseng
Anus	Phatlha ya marago
Apgar test	Tlhatlhobe ya APGAR
Appendicitis	Tutuma ya lelana(tutuma-inflammation)
Appendix	Lelana:lelanyana
Arm	Lebogo:letsogo
Armpit	Legwafa
Arthritis	Bolwetsi jwa ditokololo (tutuma ya ditokololo)
Asphyxia, suffocation	Go hupela(go hupetsa mowa)
Asthma	Bolwetsi jwa khupelo
Aunt	Rakagadi
Baby	Losea, Ngwana
Back	Mokwatla
Back of knee	Kgorikgotshane
Back pains	Ditlhabi tsa mokwatla
Bag of waters	Kgetsi ya metsi
Birth defect	Bogole
Bladder	Setlha
Bladder	Setlha
Bleeding	Go tswa madi
Bleeding	Go tswa madi
Bleeding between periods	Go tswa madi ka fa bosading ka nako e e seng ya setswalo
Blindness	Bofofu
Blister	Lerophi
Blood clot	Lethole la madi/leswele la madi/go rema ga madi
Blood in sputum	Segotlhola se se nang le madi
Blood in the stool	Madi mo mantleng
Blood in the urine	Madi mo motlhapong
Blood pressure High (HBP)	Kgatelelo ya Mari e e kwa godimo
Blood pressure Low (LBP)	Kgatelelo ya madi e e kwa tlase
Blood pressure	Kgatelelo ya madi
Blurred vision	Pono e e sa tlhapang
Bone	Lerapo
Bone fracture	Go robega ga lerapo
Bottlefeed	Go anyisa ka lebotlele
Bowel movement	Go tsamaya ga mala
Boyfriend	Tsala ya mosimane
Brain	Boboko/Tlhaloganyo
Brain stroke	Go swa mohama
Breast	Lebele
Breast engorgement	Go ruruga ga lebele
Breast milk	Mashi a lebele
Breast pump	Pompo ya lebele
Breastfeed, nurse	Go anyisa ka lebele
Breech presentation	Go tla ka maoto ga ngwana
Bronchitis	Tutuma ya kgokgotso
Brother	Morwarre
Bruise	V-teteelo/topela/teketa n-dingalo
Bump	Thurugo/boruruso(go ruruga)
Burn	Go sha/fisa
Burning feeling	Go ikutlwa o sha(phisego)
Burp	Go kgobola
Buttocks	Marago
Calf	Ngwari:potongwane
Cancer	Kankere
Cardiac arrest	Go ema ga pelo
Cardiac arrhythmia	Go itaya ga pelo mo gom sa siamang
CD4 count	Palo ya masole a mmele
Cervix	Molomo wa popelo
Cesarean section, C-section	Go belega ka loaro
Cheek	Lerama
Chest	Sehuba:lefatlha
Childbearing	Pelegi
Childbirth	Go belega
Chills	Mofikela,serame
Chills	Mhikela, go roroma
Chin	Seledu
Choking	Beta,go hupelwa
Circumcision	Go kgaola letlalo la bonna
Clavicle	Kgetlana
Clotting of blood	Go rema ga madi
Coccyx	Lerapo la mogatla
Cold Human skin	Letlalo le le tsididi
Coldness in extremities	Botsididi mo dikarolong tse di kgakala
Colon	Lela le letona:telele
Colostrum	Kgatsele
Coma	Kidibalo e e tseneletseng
conceive	Ithwala(go ithwala)
Conception	Boithwalo(go ithwala)
Condom	Sekausu
Constipation	Komelelo ya mala
Contraception	Thibelo ya boimana
Contractions	Ditlhabi tsa pelegi
Convulsions	Phafamogo, tsibiketso
Cough	Kgotlholo(go gotlhola)
Cough	Kgotlholo
Coughing up blood	Go gotlhola madi
Cramp	Go gonega mesifa
Cravings	Dikeletso(go eletsa)
scab	Legogo
Cut	Sega
Deafness	Bosusu
Dehydration	Go tlhoka metsi mo mmeleng
wikt:Delivery room	Ntlwana ya pelegi
Depressed	Go nyema moko
Diaper rash	Bogwata jo bo dirwang ke motseto(bogwata jwa motseto)
Diaper-urine test	Tlhatlhobo ya motlhapo mo motsetong
Diarrhea	Letshololo/go tshabisega
Dilatation of the cervix	Go bulega ga molomo wa popelo
Dilated pupil	Go golofala(namalala ga thaka ya leitlho
Dislocation	Go lokologa /phethego
Dizziness	Sedidi
Doctor	Ngaka
Double vision	Go nna pono pedi
Drowsiness	n. Go otsela, go ya dikgofeng
Dry cough	Phaphalalo ya sehuba
Dry skin	adj. Komelelo ga letlalo
Due date	Tsatsi la tshiamelo/tshwanelo
Ear (internal)	Tsebe
Ear drum	Moropa wa tsebe
Ectopic pregnancy	Boimana jo bo kwa ntle ga popelo
Elbow	Sejabana,sekgono
Embryo	Ngwana yo o mo popelong
Endometritis	Tutuma ya popelo
Episiotomy	Go oketsa bosadi ka nako ya pelegi
Esophagus	Mometso
Eye	Leitlho
Eyelid	Phupu ya leitlho
Face	Sefatlhego
Fainting	v. Go idibala, go gonoga, go tsewa ke sedidi
False labor	Pelegi e e seng yone/e e seng ya boaammaruri
Family	Lelapa
Family planning	Go rulaganya ga go tshola mo lelapeng
Father	Ntate/ papa
Fatigue	Letsapa
Female cousin	Ntsalake
Fetal distress	Go tshwenyega ga losea
Fetal monitoring	Go tlhokomela losea
Fetus	Losea(namane)
Fever	Letshoroma, febara, sethitho, sethukhuthukhu
Finger	Monwana (toe=Monwana wa leoto)
Fingernail	Lonala
Folic acid	Kotla ya folic acid
Foot	Lenao
Forearm	Mosetlatshe, momo wa lebogo
Forehead	Phatla
Frequent urination	Go ntsha motlhapo kgapetse
Gall bladder	Santlhokwe
Gallstones	Matlapana a santlhokwe
Genitals	Mapele
Girlfriend	Tsala ya mosetsana
give birth	Go tshola, go belega
Grandfather	Ntatemogolo
Grandmother	Nkoko
Grandson	Ngwana wa ngwana
Gum	Lerinini
Gynecologist	Ngaka ya malwetsi a sesadi
HAART	Diritibatsi tsa mogare
Hair	Moriri
Hand	Seatla
Head	Tlhogo
Head presentation	Go tswa ga tlhogo
Headache	Go opiwa ke tlhogo
Hearing loss	Tatlhegelo ya kutlo
Heart	Pelo
Heartbeat Fast	Go itaya ga pelo ka bonako
Heartbeat Irregular	Go itaya ga pelo go go sa tlwaeletsegang
Heartbeat Slow	Go itaya ga pelo ka bonya
Heartbeat:	Go itaya ga pelo
Heartburn	Lesokolela
Heel	Serethe
Hemorrhage	Tshologo ya madi, go dutla madi
Hernia	Boruruga
Hip	Noka
HIV	Mogare wa HIV
Husband	Mokapelo wa rre yo o nyetseng
I don't know	Ga ke itse
I don't understand	Ga ke tlhaloganye
Identical twins	Mafatlha a tshwanang
Ill, sick	Go lwala, go gatelelwa ke bolwetse
Incontinence	n. Bosenaboithibo jwa motlhapo, go sa kgone go ikisa seemelong
Induction	Go tlhoma,go tsenya
Infection	Bolwetse ja go tselanwa
Inflammation	Tutuma, kgotelo
Insomnia	Go tlhorega boroko
Intestines	Mala a mannye
Intravenous, IV	Go tsenya molemo mo mading
Inverted nipple	Thoba e e tlhanogileng
Irregular periods	Seome/ go bona setswalo nako nngwe le nngwe
Itch	Pabego, adj., go baba
Jaw	Lotlhaa
Kidney	Philo
Kidney stones	Matlapana a philo
Knee	Lengole
Labia	Phese
Labor	Pelegi
Labor pains	Ditlhabi tsa pelegi
Labor positions	Boemo jwa pelegi
Lactation	Go sisa ga mabele
Laryngitis	Go swa lentswe, go swaetsega lentswe
Leg	Leoto
Lip	Pounama:molomo
Liver	Sebete
Liver function tests	Tlhatlhobo ya ka fa sebete se berekang ka teng
Locked jaw	Go kitlana meno
Loose teeth	Go khinoga, go latlhegelwa ke meno
Loss of Appetite	Tatlhego ya go eletso ya dijo
Loss of Libido	Tatlhego ya maikutlo a thobalano
Loss of Memory	Tatlhego ya go gopola
Loss of Voice	Tatlhegelo ya lentswe
Loss of:	Tatlhegelo ya
Lungs	Makgwafo
Malaria	Letshoroma/moteteselo
Male cousin	Ntsalake
Marijuana	Motokwane
Mastitis, breast infection	Tutma ya mabele
Maternity	Go bewa botsetsi
Meconium	Tilane/thola
Medical student	Moithuti wa bongaka
Menstrual flow	Setswalo
Menstrual pains	Ditlhabi tsa setswalo
Midwife	Mmelegisi
Milk	Mashi a lebele
Milk glands	Kgekgele/kgeleswa ya mashi
Miscarriage	Go senyegelwa
Moist skin	Letlalo le le metsi
Mother	Mme/mama
Mouth	Molomo
Natural childbirth	Pelegi ya tlholego
Nausea	Pherogo ya sebete
Nausea	Pherego ya sebete, khidikego, mosetlego
Neck	Molala
Nephew	Setlogolo sa mosimane
New mother	Mme yo mosha
Newborn	Losea
Niece	Setlogolo sa mosetsana
Nightsweats	Go huhula bosigo
Nipple	Thoba
No	Nnyaa (nnyaa, mma; female/ nnyaa, rra; male)
Nose	Nko
Nostril	Leroba la nko
Numbness	n. Bosisi, bogatsu
Nurse	Mooki
Obese	O ya go nna moimana
Obese	Go nona, go nna mokima
Obstetrician (OB)	Ngaka ya tsa pelegi
Obstetrics	Tsa pelegi
Ovaries	Lee: boe
Pancreas	Ngati:marakana mantsi
Paralysis	Go swa mhama, go swa karolo
Parasite	Senwamadi/setshedinyana se se nnang mo mmeleng wa motho
Partner	Mokapelo
Paternity	Lesika la borra/borra
Peeling of the skin	Go oboga letlalo
Pelvis	Selalo(lerapo la selalo)
Penis	Lepele, bonna
Perineum	Kwa tlase
Period	Motlha(wa setswalo)
Placenta	Kgolu, samorago (anaimal-mothana)
Placenta	Kgolu, samorago (anaimal-mothana)
Pneumonia	Tutuma ya makgwafo, thibamo
Postpartum	Morago ga pelegi
Postpartum depression	Go nyema moko morago ga pelegi/kutlo botlhoko e e feteletseng morago ga pelegi
Pregnancy	Boimana
Pregnancy and delivery	Boimana le pelegi
Pregnancy test	Tlhatlhobo ya boimana
Prelabor	Pele ga pelegi
Premature	Ngwana yo o tsileng pele ga nako
Prenatal	Pele ga pelegi
Prenatal care	Tlhokomelo pele ga pelegi
Prenatal vitamins	Dikotla tsa pele ga pelegi
Pressure	Kgatelelo
Preterm labor	Go belega pele ga nako
Protection	Gom iphemela/tshireletso
Puffiness	Boruruga
Push downwards	Kgarameletsa kwa tlase
Rape	Go thubetsa
Recovery	Go fola
Rectum	Mongopo:kutukwe
Rheumatic fever	Sekorotane
Rib	Legopo, kgopo
Rupture of membranes / bag of waters	Go tswa ga metsi kwa tlase / go duela lfatshe
Sanitary napkins	Motseto
Scar	Lobadi
Scratch	n. Ngwaya; kgwarinya; ngapa v, go ingwaya
Seizures	Go kanakanyega, go bolawa ke dikoto
Sexual intercourse	Tlhakanelo dikobo
Shin	Motwane
Shock	n. Letshogo
Shoulder	Legetla
Sister	Morwadia-rre
Skull	Legata
Sore nipples	Go tutela ga mabele
Spasm	Go thebetha, go gonega mosifa
Spine	Mokwatla
Spleen	Lebete
Sprain	Tsipoga
Stages of childbirth	Tshetsha tsa pelegi
Sterilize	Kemiso (emisa)-go phepahatsa ka botlalo
Stiff	Karalala, kwatlalala, gagamala
Stillbirth	Go senyegelwa
Stitches	Meroko(moroko)
Stomach	Mogodu
Stomach gas	Mowa mo mpeng
Stroke	Go swa mhama
suck	Go anywa
Swelling	n. Borurugo, pudula
Tampons	Mosangwana wa bomme
Tapeworm	Sebokwana sa mala/seboko sa mala
Tear	Keledi or go kgagola
Testicles	Botonanyana:thala
Thigh	Serope
Throat	Mometso
Thumb	Monwana wa kgonope
Tightness in chest	Go gagamala ga mafatlha
Tingling	Bogatsu
Toe	Monwana wa maoto
Tongue	Loleme
Tonsils	Dikodu
Tooth	Leino
Torn ligament	Go kgaoga mosifa
Transmission	Tshelano(go tshelana bolwetsi)
Tremor	n. Thoromo, adj, go roroma
Tuberculosis	Thibamo, kgotlholo e tona
Tumor	Boswa
Twins	Mafatlha /mawelana
Twitch	v. Thebetha
Ulcer	n. Seromo, ntho, seso
Umbilical cord	Khujwana
Uncle	Malome
Unconsciousness	n. Kidibalo
Unexplained weight loss	Tatlhegelo ya mmele
Urethra	Tsela ya motlhapo
Urinalysis	Tlhatlhobo ya motlhapo
Urine sample	Morafolo wa motlhapo
Uterus	Popelo
Uterus	Popelo
Vaccinate	Bo kentiwa
Vaccine	Mokento
Vagina	Bosadi
Vaginal bleeding	Go tswa madi ka fa bosading
Vaginal discharge	Go tswa metsi ka fa bosading (a masweu)
Vertebrae	Lerapo la mokwatla
Virus	Mogare
Vomit	n. Lotlhatso, v. tlhatsa/ kgwa
Waist	Letheka
Weight	Bokete
Weight at birth	Bokete ka nako ya pelegi
What is (your, the child’s) name	Leina la gago ke mang
Wife	Mokapelo wa mme yo o nyetsweng
Wound	Ntho
Wrist	Tokololo ya seatla
X-ray	Seipone
Yes	Ee (ee, mma; female/ ee, rra; male)

See also

• Medical terminology

Surgery