Zulu phrasebook

Zulu (isiZulu) is the language of the Zulu people, the majority of them living in South Africa.

Pronunciation guide

Note that Zulu is a tonal language, so the meaning of some words depends on whether you use a high or low pitch. For instance, "Unjani?" with a high tone on the 'u' means "How are you?" whereas a low thone on the 'u' means "How are they?"

Vowels

Zulu vowels are very similar to those found in English.

Consonants

Zulu has three click consonants, represented by "c," "q," and "x" in written Zulu.

c: Click your tongue off the back of your teeth, like a disapproving "tsk tsk."

x: This sounds like the click made to summon a horse. Click the side of your tongue off your molars, on either or both sides of your mouth.

q: This is the hardest click. It should sound somewhat like a cork being popped from a bottle. Put your tongue on the edge of your hard palate, and pull it off sharply. This will take some practice.

Here are the other consonants that can be difficult:

t like the "t" in "tea"

k somewhere between English "k" and English "g"

kh this is a digraph; it is pronounced like a hard k in English, like k in "kick".

hh A digraph, this is a voiced "h", like "ch" in the Scottish "loch" but softer.

y Like the English "y"

b Like the English "b"

Phrase list

Basics

Hello (to one person): Sawubona.
Hello (to a group of people): Sanibonani.
How are you? (singular 'you'): Unjani?
How are you? (plural 'you'): Ninjani?
I'm fine.: Ngiyaphila
We're fine.: Siyaphila
What's your name?: Ungubani igama lakho?
My name is _____.: Igama lami ngingu _____.
Can you help me?: Ungangisiza?
How much (does it cost)?: Yimalini?
What's the time?: Isikhathisini?
Where are you from?: Uphumaphi?
I come from ___________.: Ngiphuma _____.
Do you speak English?: Uyasikhuluma isiNgisi?
Thank you.: Ngiyabonga.
Stay well / Go well. (used as 'goodbye'): Sala kahle / Hamba kahle.

Problems

Leave me alone.: Ngiyeke!
Don't touch me!: Ungangithinti!
I will call the Police.: Ngizobiza amaPhoyisa.
Police!: Phoyisa!
Thief!: Sgebengu!
I need your help.: Ngidinga usizo lwakho.
It's an emergency.: Kuyaphuthuma.
I'm lost.: Ngidukile.
I lost my bag.: Ngilahlekelwe isikhwama sami.
I lost my wallet.: Ngilahlekelwe isikhwama sami semali.
I'm sick.: Ngiyagula.
I need a doctor.: Ngidinga udokotela.
Please can I use your phone.: Ngicela ukusebenzisa ucingo lwakho.

Numbers [Izinombolo]

Numbers in Zulu are quite complex, with all of them acting as adjectives that alter the subsequent word. The numbers listed below are the traditional Zulu numbers, but virtually all Zulu speakers use the English counting system for convenience.

zero: iqanda
one: kunye
two: kubili
three: kuthathu
four: kune
five: isihlanu
six: isithupha
seven: isikhombisa
eight: isishiyagalombili
nine: isishiyagalolunye
ten: ishumi
eleven: ishumi nanye
twelve: ishumi nambili
thirteen: ishumi nantathu
fourteen: ishumi nane
fifteen: ishumi nesihlanu
sixteen: ishumi nesithupha
seventeen: ishumi nesikhombisa
eighteen: ishumi nesishiyagalombili
nineteen: ishumi nesishiyagalolunye
twenty: amashumi amabili
twenty-one: amashumi amabili nanye
twenty-two: amashumi amabili nambili
twenty-three: amashumi amabili nantathu
twenty-four: amashumi amabili nane
twenty-five: amashumi amabili nesihlanu
twenty-six: amashumi amabili nesithupha
twenty-seven: amashumi amabili nesikhombisa
twenty-eight: amashumi amabili nesishiyagalombili
twenty-nine: amashumi amabili nesishiyagalolunye
thirty: amashumi amathathu
forty: amashumi amane
fifty: amashumi amahlanu
sixty: amashumi ayisithupha
seventy: amashumi ayisikhombisa
eighty: amashumi ayisishiyagalombili
ninety: amashumi ayisishiyagalolunye
hundred: ikhulu
one hundred one: ikhulu nanye
one hundred two: ikhulu nambili
two hundred: amakhulu amabili
three hundred: amakhulu amathathu
four hundred: amakhulu amane
five hundred: amakhulu amahlanu
six hundred: amakhulu ayisithupha
seven hundred: amakhulu ayisikhombisa
eight hundred: amakhulu ayisishiyagalombili
nine hundred: amakhulu ayisishiyagalolunye
thousand: inkulungwane
two thousand: izinkulungwane ezimbili
three thousand: izinkulungwane ezintathu
four thousand: izinkulungwane ezine
five thousand: izinkulungwane ezinhlanu
six thousand: izinkulungwane eziyisithupha
seven thousand: izinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa
eight thousand: izinkulungwane eziyisishiyagalombili
nine thousand: izinkulungwane eziyisishiyagalolunye
ten thousand: izinkulungwane eziyishumi
eleven thousand: izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezinanye
twelve thousand: izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezimbili
thirteen thousand: izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezintathu
fourteen thousand: izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezine
fifteen thousand: izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezinhlanu
sixteen thousand: izinkulungwane eziyishumi eziyisithupha
seventeen thousand: izinkulungwane eziyishumi eziyisikhombisa
eighteen thousand: izinkulungwane eziyishumi eziyisishiyagalombili
nineteen thousand: izinkulungwane eziyishumi eziyisishiyagalolunye
twenty thousand: izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamabili
thirty thousand: izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamathathu
forty thousand: izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamane
fifty thousand: izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamahlanu
sixty thousand: izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamathupha
seventy thousand: izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamakhombisa
eighty thousand: izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamaisishiyagalombili
ninety thousand: izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamaisishiyagalolunye
hundred thousand: izinkulungwane eziyikhulu
two hundred thousand: izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamabili
three hundred thousand: izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamathathu
four hundred thousand: izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamane
five hundred thousand: izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamahlanu
six hundred thousand: izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamathupha
seven hundred thousand: izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamakhombisa
eight hundred thousand: izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamaisishiyagalombili
nine hundred thousand: izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamaisishiyagalolunye
one million: isigidi

Time

now: (manje/njengamanje...)
later: (esikhathini esizayo...)
before: (esikhathini esidlulile...)
morning: (ekuseni...)
afternoon: (ntambama...)
evening: (ntambama...)
night: (ebusuku...)

Clock time

What time is it?: (ubani/sithini isikhathi...)
one o'clock (when AM/PM is obvious): (ihora lokuqala...)
two o'clock (when AM/PM is obvious): (ihora lesibili...)
one o'clock AM: (ihora lokuqala ekuseni...)
two o'clock AM: (ihora lesibili ekuseni...)
noon: (ntambama...)
one o'clock PM: (ihora lokuqala ntambama...)
two o'clock PM: (ihora lesibili ntambama...)
midnight: (phakathi kwamabili...)

Duration

_____ minute(s): (imizuzu...)
_____ hour(s): (amahora...)
_____ day(s): (izinsuku...)
_____ week(s): (amaviki...)
_____ month(s): (izinyanga...)
_____ year(s): (iminyaka...)

Days : (Izinsuku)

Monday: uMsombuluko
Tuesday: uLwesibili
Wednesday: uLwesithathu
Thursday: uLwesine
Friday: uLwesihlanu
Saturday: uMgqibelo
Sunday: iSonto

Months : (Izinyanga)

January: (Masingana)
February: (Nhlolanja)
March: (Ndasa)
April: (Mbasa)
May: (Nhlaba)
June: (Nhlangulana)
July: (Ntulikazi)
August: (Ncwaba)
September: (Mandulo)
October: (Mfumfu)
November: (Lwezi)
December: (Zibandlela)

Writing time and date

day: (usuku...)
week: (iviki...)
month: (inyanga...)
year: (unyaka...)
century: (...)
leap year: (...)
1:00 PM: (...)
2:00 PM: (...)

Colors

blue: luhlaza okwesibhakabhaka
orange: kusawolintshi
purple: kunsomi
green: luhlaza okotshani
gray: mpunga
brown: nsundu
black: mnyama
white: mhlophe

Transportation

[English word] - [Zulu word] ([plural Zulu word])

car - imoto (izimoto)

bus - ibhasi (amabhasi)

ship -umkhumbi (imikhumbi)

plane - indiza, ibhanoyi (izindiza, amabhanoyi)

motorcycle - isithuthuthu (izithuthuthu)

train - isitimela (izitimela)

Directions

Taxi (itekisi)

Hotel (ihhotela)

Money (iMali)

Eating

Bars

Shopping

Driving

Authority

I haven't done anything wrong.: (Angenzanga lutho okubi)
It was a misunderstanding.: (Beku yimpazamo)
Where are you taking me?: (Ungisaphi)
Am I under arrest? ; (Ngiyaboshwa na?)
I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.: (ngi ngum_______)
I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.: (...)
I want to talk to a lawyer.: (Ngifuna ukukhuluma nommeli wami)
Can I just pay a fine now?: (Ngicela ukukhokha ifayini manje)

Learning more

How do you say _____ in Zulu?: (Usho ______ kanjani ngesiZulu)
What is this/that called?: (kungabe kuyini lento/Ibizwa ngani)

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