Zulu Vocabulary

ncese

sorry

ube ngcono

get well

-gula

sick

ngiyagula

I am sick.

uyagula

you are sick

siyagula

we are sick.

niyagula

you all are sick

bayagula

they are sick

uphethwe yini?

What are you suffering from?

Ngiphethwe

i am suffering from

umkhuhlane

cold/flu

ngumkhuhlane

from a cold/flu

mehlo madala

long time no see

angisakwazi

long time, no see

ayisazani

long time, no see

kade ngakugcina

long time, no see

umlenze

leg

unyawo

foot

amehlo

eyes

isisu

stomach

ikhanda

head

Sawubona baba

Hello Father/male elder

Ubaba/ubab'omdala/ubab'mncane

Father's brother (uncle)

U-anti/ubabekazi

father's sister

umkhulu

grandfather

umfowethu/ubhuti

my brother

umfowenu

your brother

umfowabo

his/her brother

umfowethu/abafowethu

Father's brother's children (male cousin)

umama

Mother/female elder

umalume

mother's brother (uncle)

Umam'ncane/umamkhulu/u-anti

Mother's sister (aunty)

ugogo/ukhulu

grandmother

umzala/ugazi

Cousin from mothers side

udadewethu/usisi

my sister

udadewenu

your sister

udadewabo

his/her sister

ngikhona

i am well 2

uyaphila?

are you well?

ngiyaphila

i am well

nami ngiyaphila

i am also well

ungubani?

who are you?

umndeni

family

-hlala

stay

umshayeli

driver

-shayela

drive

umfana/indodana

boy/son

intombazane/indodakazi

girl/daughter

umfundi

student

-funda

learn/study/read

-fundisa

teach

ekhaya

at home

uhlalaphi?

Where do you stay?

ufundaphi?

where do you study?

uzofunda nini?

when are you going to study?

-thatha

Take

-Cela

Ask

-landa

Fetch

-geza

Bath

-vula

Open

Ngiyapheka

I am cooking

Sisiza ugogo

We are helping grandmother

Ngicwecwa ukherothi

I am peeling carrots

Niyaqoba

You all are chopping

Usiza ugogo

You are helping grandmother

Nidla kakhulu

You all eat alot

Bayaphuma

They are going out

Uphuza amanzi

He/she is drinking water

Baphaka ukudla

They are dishing out food

-lala

sleep

-sala

remain/stay behind

-thela

pour

ipeni

pen

iphela

cockroach

-siza

help

isilima

idiot

-bona

see

-thola

acquire/receive/find

izolo

yesterday

isonto

week/church/sunday

ngiyathela

i am pouring

siyalala

we are sleeping

-susa

remove

-vula

open

izulu

weather/sky/heavens

-pheka

cook

iphepha

paper

iphutha

mistake

-posa

post

-popola

examine/check with instrument

-hlola

examine/check with eyes

ipasi

ID Document

-thola

find

-thenga

buy

uthando

love

ithemba

hope

-teleka

strike

-tetema

whine

itiye

tea

intombi

girl/girlfriend