Xhosa phrasebook
From Wikitravel
Contents
Xhosa is a language of South Africa.
[edit] Pronunciation guide
[edit] Vowels
- a
- like a in hard
- e
- like e in red
- i
- like ee in seen
- o
- like a in all
- u
- like oo in moon
[edit] Consonants
- d, f, h, j, l, m, n
- Pronounced as in English
- r, s, sh, v, w, y, z
- Pronounced as in English
- dl
- Similar in sound to hl (see below)
- g
- always like g in go
- hl
- Place your tongue to the side of your mouth and expel the air (like Welsh ll sound)
- ts
- A hissing sound made by placing your tongue just above your teeth and ejecting air.
- tsh
- similar to dge in judge
- ty
- similar to dge in judge
[edit] Common diphthongs
[edit] Clicks
- c
- Place your tongue at the back of the teeth and suck in, like when expressing annoyance.
- q
- Place your tongue on the roof of the mouth and suck in, like imitating a clock's ticking.
- x
- Place your tongue on your upper right jaw and pull it down, as if urging on a horse.
[edit] Phrase list
[edit] Basics
- Hello.
- . ('Molo' )
- Hello. (informal)
- . ( )
- How are you?
- Unjani?
- Fine, thank you.
- Ndikhona.
- What is your name?
- Ngubani igama lakho?
- My name is ______ .
- Igama lami ngu ______ .
- Nice to meet you.
- Ndiyavuya ukukwazi.
- Please.
- Nceda.
- Thank you.
- Enkosi.
- You're welcome.
- . ('wamkelekile' )
- Yes.
- Ewe.
- No.
- Hayi.
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- . ('uxolo'ndiyathetha )
- Excuse me. (begging pardon)
- Uxolo andivanga.
- I'm sorry.
- . ('ndixolele' )
- Goodbye
- Uhambe/Usale kakuhle.
- Goodbye (informal)
- . ( )
- I can't speak Xhosa.
- Andisithethi isiXhosa.
- Do you speak English?
- Uyasithetha isingesi na?
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- ? ('Ukhona apha kuni othetha isiNgesi' ?)
- Good morning.
- Molo.
- Good evening.
- . ('Molo' )
- Good night.
- Ulale kakuhle.
- Good night (to sleep)
- . ( )
- I don't understand.
- Andiva.
- Where is the toilet?
- ? ('Iphi indlu encinci' ?)
[edit] Problems
- My ... have been stolen.
- I ... yami itshontshiwe.
- I've lost my ...
- Ngilahlekelwe yi ...
- handbag
- sikhwama
- passport
- pasipoti
- luggage
- mpahle
- wallet
- spaji
[edit] Numbers
- 0
- unothi
- 1
- -nye
- 2
- -mbini
- 3
- -thathu
- 4
- -ne
- 5
- hlanu
- 6
- -thandathu
- 7
- -sixhenxe
- 8
- -sibhozo
- 9
- -sithoba
- 10
- -shumi
[edit] Time
- English expressions for telling the time are commonly used by Xhosa speakers
[edit] Duration
- in the morning
- kusasa
- during the day
- emini
- in the evening
- emvakwemini
- at night
- ebusuku
- yesterday
- izolo
- today
- namhlanje
- tomorrow
- ngomso
[edit] Days
- Sunday
- iCawe
- Monday
- uMvulo
- Tuesday
- uLwesibini
- Wednesday
- uLwesithathu
- Thursday
- uLwesine
- Friday
- uLweshlanu
- Saturday
- uMgqibelo
[edit] Months
- January
- uMdumba
- February
- uMthupha
- March
- ukwindla
- April
- uThazimpunzi
- May
- uCanzibe
- June
- uSilimela
- July
- uNtulikazi
- August
- eyeKhala
- September
- eyoMsintsi
- October
- eyeDwarha
- November
- eyeNkanga
- December
- eyoMnga
[edit] Colors
- black
- mnyama
- blue
- luhlaza
- brown
- ntsundu
- green
- luhlaza
- orange
- orenji
- red
- bomvu
- white
- mhlophe
- yellow
- mthubi
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Bus and train
[edit] Directions
[edit] Taxi
- How much is it to...?
- Yimalini ukuya e...? ( !)
- Take me to this address.
- Ndise kule adresi.
- Please stop here
- Ima apha
[edit] Lodging
[edit] Money
[edit] Eating
[edit] Bars
[edit] Shopping
[edit] Driving
[edit] Authority
[edit] Emergency
- Help!
- Nceda!
- Look out!
- Qaphela!
- Call the police!
- Biza amapolisa!
- Get a doctor!
- Biza ugqirha!
- Go away!
- Hamba
- I'm ill.
- Ndiyagula.
- I'm lost.
- Ndilahlekile.
- Leave me alone!
- Ndiyeke!
- Stop thief!
- Yima sela!
| This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow! |
