Table Of ContentSifunda isiZulu
Francisco José
Lesson 1
Sawubona! - Greeting
Greetings are based on acknowledging the presence of the other person using the
verb ukubona (to see) and enquiring after health and well-being using the verb
ukuphila (to be well)
ukubona to see
ukuphila to live = be well
ukujabula to be glad, be happy
ukuzwa to hear
ukukwazi to know
njani? how? yebo yes
Singular
Sawubona hello
Yebo, sawubona hello
Unjani? How are you?
Kunjani? How’s it going?
Uphila njani? How are you?
Usaphila (na)? Are you still well?
Ngikhona Me, I'm well wena unjani? and how are you?
Kulungile It's okay kunjani kuwe? how's it with you?
Ngisaphila I'm still well wena uphila njani? you, how is it with you?
Ngiyaphila I'm well wena usaphila? are you still well? or ngicela kini? how's
yours = how's the family
Nami ngikhona Me, I'm fine
Nakimi kulungile It's okay with me (... on my side)
Nami ngiyaphila Me, I'm well
Nami ngisaphila Me, I'm still well
Nami Me too
Kulungile Okay
Ngiyathokoza ukukwazi I am pleased to know you
Ngiyajabula uma uyaphila I'm glad (if) you are well
Ngiyajabula ukuzwa ukuthi usaphila I am glad to hear that you are well
Ngiyajabula ukuzwa loko I am glad to hear that
Ngijabulela ukukwazi I'm glad to know you
Ngiyajabula I'm glad
Nami ngiyajabula I also am glad
Kumnani ukukwazi It is nice to know you
Nami me too
Plural
Sanibonani [say Sabonaan'] Hello
Yebo, sanibonani Hello
Ninjani How are you?
Kunjani kini? How’s it going?
Niphila njani? Are you well?
Nisaphila (na)? Are you still well?
Sikhona We’re well nina ninjani? and how are you?
Kulungile It's okay kunjani kini? how’s it with you ?
Sisaphila We are still well nina niphila njani? and you, are you well?
Siyaphila We are well nina nisaphila? are you well too? or sicela kini?
how’yours? = how’s your family
Nathi sikhona Us, we’re fine
Nakithi kulungula It’s okay with us ( …on our side)
Nathi siyaphila Us, we're well
Nathi sisaphila We are still well
Nathi Us too
Kulungile It's okay
Siyathokoza ukukwazi We are pleased to know you
Siyajabula uma niyaphila We are glad (if) you are well
Siyajabula ukuzwa ukuthi niyaphila We are glad to hear that you are well
Siyajabula ukuzwa lokoWe are glad to hear that
Sijabulela ukukwazi We are glad to know you
Siyajabula We're glad
Nathi siyajabula We also are glad
Kumnani ukuwazi It is nice to know you
Nathi Us too
Lesson 2
Hamba kahle - Departing
Saying goodbye is based on leaving or staying using the verbs ukuhamba (to
leave) and ukusala (to stay)
ukuhamba to go, leave
ukushiya leave behind
ukuwehlukena differ = go apart
mange now
kulungile ok
Hamba kahle Good bye (when person is leaving = go well) Hambani kahle pl. Sala
kahle Goodbye (when person is staying = stay well) Salani kahle pl.
Usale kahle You stay well
Nisale kahle pl. Uhambe kahle You go well Nihambe kahle pl.
Sengiyahamba I am going now
Mangihambe Let me go = I'm going Mangikushiye Let me leave you = I'm going
Masahlukane Let us part = I'm going Ngifenele ngiyahamba I must go Uyahamba
na? You are leaving now? Kulungile Ok masiyahambe let's go now
Sobonana futhi? We will see each other again soon?
Ubuya nini? You come back back when? Ngibuya .. I return ... eg Ngizokubuya
ngoLwesine I will come back on Thursday Ngiyabuya masinyane I'm coming back
soon
Bekumnandi ukuhlangana nawe It was good to have met you
Kumnandi ukuhlangana nawe It's good to know you
Ngisendleleni I'm on my way now
Lesson 3
Wena ungubani? - What’s your name?
You ask a person's name using -bani? (who?) and ukuthi+ni (to say+what)
See also interrogatives, introducing people
-bani? who?
ungubani? who are you?
igama name (ama- pl.)
isibongo surname - (izi- pl.)
isithakazelo praise name (izi- pl.)
Wena ungubani? You, who are you?
Ngubani igama lahko? What is your name? Lithini igama lahko? What is your
name? = it says what your name Igama lami My name is Igama lami ngu- My
name is called ... Ngingu- I am called ...
Ngubani isibongo sakho? What is your surname?
[First name]-bani? (Name) who? = ask a surname Sithini isibongo sakho? What
is your surname Isibongo sami ngu- My surname is ... Ngingu- I'm ... (isibongo
sami my surname) or just Singu- It's...
Ngubani isithakazelo sakho? What is your praise name?
Sithini isithakazelo sakho? What is your praise name? = what says your praise
name Singu- It's...Isithakazelo sami ngu- My praise name is ..
Lona kuMatthew This is Matthew
Igama lakhe nguMatthew His name is Matthew Isibongo sakhe Williams His
surname is Williams Mangikwetule ku- or Manginethule ku pl. Let me introduce
you to ... Mangikwazise ku- or Manginazise ku pl. let me make know to you ...
NguMatthew lo This is Matthew (to introduce one person of many already named)
Surnames and Praise Names
Cele - Ndosi
Dlomo- Mhkabela
Buthelezi - Shenge
Nkosi - Dlamini
Ndovu - Gatsheni
Ntuli - Mphenba
Khumalo - Mntungwa
Lesson 4
Usebenzani? - What do you do?
To ask what someone does (for a living) - use the verbs ukusebenza (to work) and
ukukwenza (to do) plus the interrogatives -ni (what) and -phi (where)
ukusebenza to work
ukuwenza to do (it)
ukufunda to study
-ni? what?
-phi? where?
nginu- ngiyi- I am
njenga, njenge- njengo- as njenjani? as what?
Usebenzani? What is your work?
Usebenzaphi Where is your work Usebenza kuphi? You work where?
Ngisebenza e- I work at ... as... Ngingu- ngiyi- I am eg ngiyiVet or
ngingumfundisi Ngisebenza e- ... njenja- I work at .../as ... eg ngisebenza eFleet
Street njengeGrantmaker or ngisebenzela iSainsburys I work for Sainsbury's
Wena wenzani? What do you do? = you, you do what
Wenzani ngokusebenza? You do what for a living? Nami ngisebenza etc
Ngizosebenza I will work Ngifanelene ngisebenze kakhulu I must work very hard
Angisebenzi I am not working Ngingasebenza I can work Ngingathanda
ukusebenza I would like to work
Ngiyafunda I am studing
Ufunda kuphi? or Ufundaphi? Where are you studying? Ufundani (lapho?) What
are you studying (there?) Angifundi I'm not studying Ngifunda I study eg Ngifunda
isiZulu I study Zulu Ngifunda eDeptford College I study at Deptford College
Lesson 5
Uhlalaphi? - Where are you from?
Asking where people live and where they come from is done using the verbs
ukuhlala (to stay), ukuphuma, ukuvela (to come from), ukdabuka to come from
originally and the interrogative -phi (where)
-phi?, kuphi? where
ukuhlala to stay = live
ukuphuma to come from = lit. appear
ukuvela to come from
ukudabuka to come from originally
kodwa but
isizwe nationa(ality)
Uhlalaphi? You stay where now?
or Uhlala kuphi? Where is it you stay? Ngihlala e- I stay at ...
Uphumaphi? You come from where?
Ngiphuma e- I come from ...eg ngihlala eNew Cross kodwa ngiphuma
eDeptford live in New Cross but I come from Deptford
Ungowakuphi ? Where are you from = belong
Ungowasiphi isizwe? What is your nationality = you are of it where Ngingu- ngiyi-
[country] I'm [nationality] eg ngiyiNgisi I'm (an) English(man) or ngingumZulu I'm
a Zulu Ngigowase ... I belong ... eg ngigowaze eBristol I belong in Bristol
Udabukaphi? You come from where originally?
Ngidabuka (eBristol) I come from (Bristol) originally
Nivelaphi? Where do you come you from?
Sivela eNgilandi We come from England Ukuphi ngokuhlala? Your home is
where? SiseLondon We are from London Bakuphi ngokuhlala? Where do they
reside? BaseLondon ngokuhlala They are staying in London
Nationalities
UmNgisi, iNgisi Englishman (amaNgisi pl.) isiKoshi Scotsman iJalimanei
German UmHoholandi Dutchman (abaHholandi pl.) iFulentshi Frenchman
iBuhnu Afrikaner UmZului Zulu (amaZulu pl.) UmSwati Swazi (amaSwati pl.)
UmXhosa Xhosa (amaXhosa pl.) iNdebele (amaNgebele pl.) UmTswana Tswana
(abeTswana pl.) UmSuthu Suthu (abeSuthu pl.) UmVenda Venda UmTsonga
Tsonga
Places
Johannesburg EGoli = place of gold Germiston EDukthole Durban EThekwini Port
Elizabeth EBayhi Zululand KwaZulu Amanzimtoti EManzimtoti Ladysmith
EMnambithi East London EMoti Umlazi EMlazi Peitermaritzburg EMgungundlovu
or Emaltizboko London ELandini
Lesson 6
Uyasazi isiZulu? - Do you know?
Asking whether someone can do some thing is based on the verb construction
uyakwazi uku- (do you know how to). Also important are the verb stems -azi
(know), -khuluma (speak) and -qonda (understand)
ukukwazi to know (it) = uku-ku-azi
uyakwazi uku- you know how to
ukukhuluma to speak
ukucathula to toddle = to be a beginner
ukuqonda to understand
kancane little kahle well
uxolo pardon, excuse me
ukuxolisa to ask for pardon
cha no
Uyakwasi uku- You know how to ... eg uyakwasi ukulugisa izabane? do you
know how to make the lights work?
Uyakwasi ukukhuluma (isiZulu?) Do you know how to speak (Zulu?) Yebo,
ngiyakwasi Yes,I know how to Angikwazi I don't know how Akakwazi she doesn't
know how
Uyasazi You know
Ukhuluma You speak
Uyasazi isiZulu na? Do you know Zulu? Ukhuluma isiZulu? Do you speak Zulu?
Yebo ngiyasazi Yes I know it Yebo, ngikhuluma (isiZulu) Yes, I speak (Zulu)
Cha, angazi No, I don't know it Angikhulumi I don't speak it
Ukhulamani? What (language) do you speak? = ukhulama-ni Nikhulamani
ekhaya? What do you (people) speak at home? Siikhuluma isiXhosa We speak
Xhosa
Uyasazi isiZulu na? Do you know Zulu?
Yebo, ngiyasazi kodwa hayi kahlulu Yes, I know it but not very well Ngisazi
kancane, ngisasifunda I know it a little, I'm still learning it Angisikhulumi khale
khakhulu, ngisacathula I don't speak it very well, I'm still a beginner = a toddler
Ngiyaqonda na? Do you understand?
Angiqondi kahle I do not understand well Ngiyaxolisa kodwa angiqondi kahle
usho ukuthini Sorry, but I do not understand well what you are saying Awupinde
Please repeat Awukhulume kacane Please speak (more) slowly
Usifundephi isiZulu? You learned Zulu where? = u-si-funde-phi
Ngisifunde esikoleni I learned it at school Ngisifunde eLondoni I learned it in
London Ngisafunda ukukhuluma isiZulu I am still learning to speak Zulu
Languages
isiZulu Zulu isiNgisi English isiBhuna Afrikaans isiSuthu Suthu isiXhosa Xhosa
isiTswana Tswana isiFulentshi French isiVenda Venda isiSwati Swazi
isiNdebele Ndebele isiJalimane German
Lesson 7
Sikhathi manje? - What time is it?
Asking the time uses isikhathi (time) and the verb stem -thi (say)
ukuthi to say (that)
isikhathi time
Yisikhathi bani manje? or sithini isikhathi manje? or ysikhathini manje? or
ngubani isikhathi manje? or sasikhathi manje? or sikhathi manje? What's the
time now Ngu-[time in English] It's (time) eg ngu-2.30 it's half past two
