Learn isi Zulu Beginners

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCuHQD2PkWg

Sawubona Sanbonani [Hello, Good morning, Are you still alive?

sawubona baba [Greet an older man

sawubona ma/mama/auntie Greet an older woman

sawubona bhuti/sisi Greet a male/female friend

Yebo! Yeah, I'm still fine, I'm still alive. Similar to our “Yeah!”

Cha! No!

Unjani? Ninjani? How are you? How's it?

Wena unjani? Nina Ninjani? And you? How are you?

Ngiyaphila Siyaphila I am feeling fine

Ngikona Sikona I’m fine / We’re fine. I Right.

Hamba Kahle Hambani Kahle Go well!

Sala Kahle Salani Kahle Stay well!

Lala Kahle Lalani Kahle Sleep well!

Sobonana futhi / Sizobona We will see each other again.

Ngiyabonga kakhulu! Siyabonga kakhulu! [ngi-/sijabonga ga’kuulu] Thank you very much.

Ngubani igama lakho? What’s your name?

Ngingu. I am

Igama lami ngu My name is .

Uphumaphi? Where are you from?

Ngiphuma e Jalimani. Siphuma e goli I’m from Johannesburg

Uhlalaphi? Where are you living?

Ngihlala eThekwini. Sihlala eThekwini. I’m living in Durban / We’re living in

Durban.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmbeh5nBn3E

1 – one - kunye
2 – two - kubili
3 – three - kuthathu
4 – four - kune
5 – five – kuhlanu
6 – six - yisithupa
7 – seven – yisikhombisa
8 – eight - yisishiyagalombili
9 – nine – yisishiyagalolunye
10 – ten – yishumi
11 – eleven – yishumi nanye
12 – twelve - yishumi nambili
13 – thirteen - yishumi nantathu
14 – fourteen – yishumi nane
15 – fifteen - yishumi nesihlanu
20 – twenty - amashumi amabili
21 – twenty one - amashumi amabili nanye
22 – twenty two – amashumi amabili nambili
50 – fifty – amashumi amahlanu
100 – hundred - ikhulu
1000 – thousand - inkulungwane

Sisebenza I’m / We’re working at

Sharp! / Shoar! [shap] [schoor] I Right, Everything is fine! (slang) slang word, you can always

use it!

Moja! Cool! slang

Ai ngeke! I don’t believe you! Too much of everything

Haybo! Wow, that’s amazing. You can hear it nearly every day.

Unamanga! You’re telling lies!

Angiqondi / Angizwa I don’t understand.

Ngiyaxolisa Sorry / Excuse me

Umlungu Abelungu White person(s) Is a kind of derogatory.

Small Talk

Kuyashisa kakhulu namhlanje! It’s very hot today!

Kuyabanda kakhulu namhlanje! It’s very cold today!

Ngisikuluma kancane IsiZulu. I speak a little bit of Zulu.

Ukudla Bekumnandi kakhulu namhlantje! The food was very delicious /tasty today.

Ilanga libalele! The Sun is shining.

Ngihlinze inkukhu kakhulu izolo! I’ve slaughtered a lot of chicken yesterday.

Umlungu uyakwazi ukukhuluma IsiZulu? – Cha, akakwazi. Can the white person speak Zulu?– No, he can’t.

Isinkwa siphelile The bread is finished.

Kuyanetha It is raining.

Ubani Osuzile? Who was farting?

Zikhona izibwane ekhaya lakho? Have you got any animals at home?

Ngizithanda zonke izilwane I like all animals.

Inyama imnandi. The meat is tasty.

Orders

Lalela! Lalelani ! Listen !

Woza lapha ! Wozani lapha! Come here!

Shesha! Fast!

Akusheshe lapho! Make it fast!

Woza! Wozani! Come!

Phuma! Phumani! Go Out!

Sukuma! Sukumani! Stand up!

Suka! Sukani! Go away!

Yeka lokho! Yegani lokho! Stop that!

Hlala Phansi! Hlalani Phansi! Sit down!

Thula! Thulani! Be Quiet!

Linda!! Lindani! Wait!

Buya Buyani! Come back !

Qaphela! Qaphelani! Be careful / cautious !

Musa ukuyenza leyonto! Don’t do that!

Fakela! Fakelani! Fill in !

Geza izandla zakho! Gezani izandla zakho! Wash your hands!

Khuluma kancane! Khulumani kancane! Speak slowly!

Yidla! Yidlani! Eat !

Other useful Expressions

Ngiyacabanga I am thinking

Liqumile! It’s broken.

Sizobaka ikhekhe. We will bake a cake.

Kulungile! It’s okay.

Kulula! It’s easy. Please don’t mix it up with

Yebo, Ngiyasazi. Yes, I know.

Kahle kakhulu. Very Good.

Ngiya esitolo. I’m going to the shop.

Ngifuna ukudlala Ibhola. I want to play soccer.

Asinayo imoto. We don’t have a car.

U.. uyakhala ngoba ulambile. … is crying because he is hungry.

Angi bhemi I don’t smoke.

Jingane elungile Izingane ezilungile That’s a nice child. That are nice children!

Ngiya e… I’m going to…

Ngiyagoduka I’m going home.

Ngizokubuya ngesonto. Sizokubuya ngesonto. I’m / We’re coming back on Sunday.

Ngifanele ngisebenza kakhulu. I have to work very hard.

Ngiyaxolisa, kodwa angiqondi kahle usho ukuthini. I’m Sorry, but I don’t understand

what you’re saying. .

Kubuhlungu! It is painful. Like the question, but the voice must go down at the

end of the word.

Ngiyagula! Siyagula! I am / We are sick.

repositions and stuff like that

Kakhulu Very, very much

Kancane A little bit

Phezulu Up !

Phansi Down !

Ngoba Because

Lutho Nothing

Laphaya Therefore

Kodwa But

Lapha There

Masinyane soon

Personal Pronouns and stuff like that

Ngi- / mina I / emphasized

U- / wena You, He. She / emphasized

I- / yona It / emphasized

Si- / tina We / emphasized

Ni- / nina You / emphasized

Ba- / bona They / emphasized

Yami My

Yakho Your

Yabo Their

Questions

Yini? Why? / What?

Ubani? Obani? Who?

Nini? When?

Luphi / Kuphi / Uphi ? Where? Depends…

Kanjani? How?

Imalini? How much?

Ngingakuzwa? Can I taste it?

Ubani lona? Who is this?

Uyagula? Are you sick?

Ubani umngani wakho? Who is your friend?

Wenzani? What are you doing?

Ukhatele? Are you tired?

Uyangizwa? Can you understand me?

Ufunani? What do you want?

Uhlekani? Why are you laughing?

Kubuhlungu? Is it painful / sore?

Uthini? What are you saying?

Ukhalelani? Why are you crying?

Ngingakusiza? Can I help you?

Uzobuya? Do you come back?

Uyahamba manje? Are you going now?

Usaphila (na)? Are you still fine?

Ulala kamnandi? Did you sleep well?

Ngubani Ofuna amanzi? Who wants water?

Luphi Ubisi? Where is the milk?

Uphi u …. ? Where is ….?

Uyafuna Ukudlala Ibhola? Do you want to play soccer?

Ubulaphi izolo? Where were you yesterday?

Uyafuna ukubhukuda? Do you want to swim?

Uyakwazi ukukhuluma IsiNgisi? Do you speak English?

Uyasithanda? Do you like it?

Uyayithanda? Do you like us?

Wenzani? What are you doing?

Yini uphatheke kabi? Why are you sad?

U…. ukhoma na? – Cha, akekho. Is ……… there? – No, he isn’t.

Usaphila Ubaba wakho? Is your father still alive?

Wenzeni ngamaholidi? What did you do in the holidays?

Flirt-Corner

Ubukeka umuhle kahulu namhlanje! You look very beautiful today!

Ngiyakuthanda I love/like you.

Umile kahle You have a nice shaped body.

Khulula! Strip off / Take your clothes off

Unezinwele ezinhle [unesinwele esinchle] You have beautiful hair

Ngiyaluthanda uncumolwakho! I love your smile.

Uyafuna ukushadanami? [Do you want to marry me?

Ngiyakukhumbula! Siyakukhumbula! I / We missed you! Adjectives

Muhle Beautiful!

Imnandi Nice / Tasty!

Kahle Good

Kabi sad

Kumnyama Dark

Komile dry

Verbs

suza To fart Ngubani Osuzile?

Hamba To go

Woza To come

Hlala To live in

Hlala Phansi To sit down

Thula To be quiet

Lala To sleep

Phuma To go out / to come from

Dla To eat

Siza [To help

Yiza [ To come =woza

Suka To go away

Thi To say

Khuluma To speak

Sukuma To stand up

Cula To sing

Chama To wee

Funa To want

Funda To learn / read

Cela To wish / desire

Yima To wait

Linda To wait

Qonda To understand

Enza To do

Sebenza To work

Gula To be sick

Godola To be cold

Lambile To be hungry

Khatele To be hungry

Shisa To be hot Is applied to the weather

Khumbula To miss

Thanda To like, to love

Khala To cry

Khatazeke To be sad

Jabula To be happy

Bona To see

Azi to know

Zwa To hear

Shaya To hit / to beat Shaya wena!

Zama To try

Letha To bring

Beka took

Thenga To buy

Bonga To thank Ngiyabonga!

Phonza To throw

Bamba To hold

Yeka To let go

Qala To start

Thatha To take

Nouns

Unkulunkulu God

IKati Cat

Ihhashe Horse

Inja Dog

Ipeni Pen

Indlu House

Umuzi Village

Imali Money

Isikhathi Time

Umdlalo Game

umshado wedding

imoto car

Ibhasi Bus

Isikolo School

Ibhanoyi Airplane

Ibhola Ball

Ilanga Sun

Time

Izolo yesterday

Namhlanje today

Manje now

Kusasa tomorrow

unyaka year

Inyanga month

Body

Umzima ] Body

Zinyawo Foot / feet

Madolo knee

umlenze imilenze Leg(s)

isisu stomach

Ingalo Izingalo Arm(s)

Isandla Izandla Hand(s)

iminuse fingers

Mahlombe shoulder

Ikhanda head

Ihlo Amehlo Eye(s)

izindlebe Ears

iKhala Nose

izinwele hair

Family

Ubhuti Brother

Umtwana child

Abantwana children

Umuntu Human being

Abantu People

Umfethu / Bafethu Elder,, Brother, Friend Slang

Usisi Sister

Umugani Friend

Indoda Madoda Man / men

Umfazi Woman

Intombazana Amatombazana Girl / girls

Umfana Abafana Boy / boys

Food

Itiye Tea

Ubisi Milk

Ikhofi Coffee

Phuza Drink

Usawoti Salt

Ushukela Sugar

Amahabhula Apples

Utamatisi Tomatoes

Ikhekhe Cake

Izinkwa Bread

Inyama Meat

Amanzi Water

Inkukhu Chicken

Izinkomo Cattle

Siyabonga kakhulu Simon! simon.geiger@yahoo.de

Computers and Internet terms
computer – ikhompiyutha
e-mail – i-imeyili
Internet – i-intanethi

Tags: Basic Zulu, isizulu, Learn Zulu free, Zulu for beginners

Category: Learn Mzansi 9 Languages