Zulu phrasebook

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 ayis