The Zulu language is referred to as ‘isiZulu’, and is the most widely spoken home language of the eleven official languages in South Africa. The word Zulu means ‘heavens’ or ‘sky’, and the amaZulu are the ‘People of heaven’.
Learn isiZulu
With over 8 million Zulu people in KwaZulu-Natal, it is useful to know a few words and phrases to help you communicate and get by. This page has a few tips on learning isiZulu and a few phrases that are sure to be useful to you during your visit to us in Eshowe, Zululand.
| Greeting | / | Basic Expressions | / | Numbers | / | Days of the Week | / | Pronunciation Guide | / | Clicks in Zulu |
Greeting is a very important part of human interaction everywhere in the world. Here are some of the basic greeting phrases used in isiZulu.
| English | siZulu |
| Hello (To one person) | Sawubona |
| Hello (To more than one person) | Sanibonani |
| How are you? | Unjani? |
| I am well, how are you? | Ngisaphila, wena unjani? |
| What is your name? | Ngubani igama lakho? |
| My name is… | Igama lami ngu… |
| How can I help you? | Ngingakusiza ngani? |
| Goodbye (To person leaving) | Hamba kahle (Go well) |
| Goodbye (If you are leaving) | Sala kahle (Stay well) |
| Good luck | Ngikufisela inhlanhla |
| Have a safe journey | Ube nohambo oluhle |
The conversation would go as follows:
John: ‘Sawubona’ (Plural – ‘Sanibona’)
Peter: ‘Yebo sawubona’;
John: ‘Kunjani’ or ‘Unjani’ (Plural – ‘Ninjani’)
Peter: ‘Ngisaphila, wena unjani’ (Plural – ‘Sisaphila, nina ninjani’)
John: ‘Nami ngisaphila’
A few phrases and that may be of use to anyone wishing to have a basic conversation in Zulu are:
| Basic Expressions in Zulu | ||
| Yes | Yebo | |
| No | Cha | |
| Please | Ngiyakucela | |
| Thank you | Ngiyabonga | |
| Help | Siza | |
| Danger | Ingozi | |
| Emergency | Kuyaphuthuma | |
| Excuse me | Uxolo | |
| I am sorry | Ngiyaxolisa | |
| I love you | Ngiyakuthanda | |
| Days of the week in Zulu | ||
| Monday | uMsombuluko | |
| Tuesday | uLwesibili | |
| Wednesday | uLwesithathu | |
| Thursday | uLwesine | |
| Friday | uLwesihlanu | |
| Saturday | uMgqibelo | |
| Sunday | iSonto | |
Computers and Internet terms
Some words in modern urban Zulu are ‘borrowed’ from English or Afrikaans, and you’ll often find that different words have the same meaning. There will be an official translation which would be derived from standard Zulu, and an informal or slang term with the same meaning.
| Computer | Ikhompiyutha | |
| i-imeyili | iposi likagesi | |
| Internet | i-intanethi | |
| website | i-webhusayithi | isizindalwazi |
General prefixes when having a conversation
When speaking isiZulu, the prefix indicates the number of people you are addressing, or whether the word is a plural or singular. In English to make a word plural, one would generally add an ‘s’ whereas in isiZulu it is the prefix that indicates this.
The word ‘funa’ means ‘want’, see how the prefix changes:
| Ngi | I | Ngifuna ushukela | I want sugar |
| U | You/He/She | Ufuna ushukela | You/He/She want(s) sugar |
| Si | We | Sifuna ushukela | We want sugar |
| Ni | You all | Nifuna ushukela | All of you want sugar |
| Ba | They | Bafuna ushukela | They want sugar |
| a | as in father |
| b | like b in English but slightly softer |
| bh | b (break in voice before saying – pronounce as if it is the first sound in word) |
| ch | dental click (see note below) |
| d | d (break in voice before saying – pronounce as if it is the first sound in word) |
| dl | similar to ll in Llewellyn |
| s | as in send |
| f | as in fat |
| g | as in guinea (break in voicing before saying – pronounce as if it is the first sound in word) |
| gc | dental click (see note below) |
| gq | palatal click (see note below) |
| gx | lateral click (see note below) |
| h | as in how |
| hh | as in hotel |
| hl | similar to ll in Llewellyn |
| i | as ea in tea |
| j | as j in join (break in voicing before saying – pronounce as if it is the first sound in word) |
| k | as g in good |
| k | as ck in tick |
| kh | as c in call, followed by a strong rush of air |
| kl | combination of k and first sound in Llewellyn |
| l | as l in lull |
| m | as m in mum |
| n | as n in nun |
| nc | dental click (see note below) |
| ng | as ng in linger |
| nq | palatal click (see note below) |
| nx | lateral click (see note below) |
| ny | similar to ny in Kenya |
| o | as a in all |
| p | as p in tip |
| ph | p in push, followed by a strong rush of air |
| qh | palatal click (see note below) |
| s | as s in say |
| sh | as sh in show |
| t | as t in pot |
| th | as t in take, followed by a strong rush of air |
| ts | as ts in pots, but sharper |
| tsh | like ch in cheese, but with a more forceful puff of air |
| u | as o in to |
| v | as v in vain |
| w | as w in well |
| xh | lateral click (see note below) |
| y | as y in you |
| z | as z in zoo |
C – To pronounce the dental click, c, press the tip of the tongue against the front teeth, and then withdraw it sharply, at the same time dropping the back of the tongue from the soft palate. This sound may be compared with the sound you would make when sucking something from your upper teeth, or the sound of sympathy when someone says ts-ts.
Q – To pronounce the palatal click, q, press the tip of the tongue against the front palate and then follow with the same procedure as with c. This sound may be compared with the sound a person would make when trying to imitate the sound of a cork being pulled from a bottle.
X – To pronounce the lateral click, x, place the tip of the tongue against the hard palate as if you were going to produce the n sound. Press one side of the tongue against the side of the jaw. Then, without shifting the tip of the tongue from the hard palate, withdraw the side sharply from the jaw. This sound differs from the other two in that the release takes place at the side(s) of the tongue and not at the front. This sound is sometimes made to express regret or to spur on a horse.
Zulu lessons are available; just ask when you are here…