Difference between revisions of "Zulu phrasebook"

Revision as of 04:10, 5 September 2010

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

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

Zulu vowels are very similar to those found in english. However, 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?"

Consonants

t like the t in "tea"

k somewhere between a K and a G in English

kh this is a digraph; it is pronounced like a hard k in english, like k in "kick". Not pronounced like "ch" in the Scottish "loch"

h like English h

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

Click 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 of sharply. This will take some practice.

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

Basics

Sawubona

"Hello" to one person

Sanibonani

"Hello" to a group of people

Unjani?

"How are you?" (singular 'you')

Ninjani?

"How are you?" (plural 'you')

Ngikhona

I'm fine.

Sikhona We;re fine

Ungubani igama lakho?

"What's your name?"

Igama lami ngingu_____

"My name is _____"

Ungangisiza?

"Can you help me?"

Yimalini?

"How much (does it cost)?"

Isikhathisini?

"What's the time?"

Uphumaphi?

"Where are you from?"

Ngiphuma ______.

"I come from" ___________.

Uyasikhuluma isiNgisi?

"Do you speak English?"

Ngiyabonga

"Thank you"

Sala kahle / Hamba kahle

"Stay well / Go well" (used as 'goodbye')

Problems

Leave me alone. 

Don't touch me! 

I will call the Police. 

Ngizobiza amaPoyisa

Police! 

Stop! Thief! 

I need your help. 

It's an emergency. 

I'm lost. 

I lost my bag. 

I lost my wallet. 

I'm sick. 

I need a doctor. 

Can I use your phone? 

Numbers

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

Clock time

Duration

Days

Monday 

uMsombuluko

Tuesday 

uLwesibili

Wednesday 

uLwesithathu

Thursday 

uLwesine

Friday 

uLwesihlanu

Saturday 

uMgqibelo

Sunday 

iSonto

Months

Writing time and date

Colors

blue 

luhlaza okwesibhakabhaka

orange 

i-orenji

purple 

iPhephuli

green 

luhlaza

gray 

mpunga

brown 

nsundu

black 

mnyama

white 

mhlophe

Transportation

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

car - imoto (amamoto)

bus - ibhasi (amabhasi)

ship -umkhumbhi (imikhumbhi)

plane - indiza, ibhanoyi (izindiza, amabhanoyi)

motorcycle - ithukathuka (amathukathuka)

train - isitimela (izitimela)

Bus and train

   (ibhasi)  (isitimela) 

Directions

Taxi (itexsi)

Lodging (ihhotela)

Money (iMali)

Eating

Bars

Shopping

Driving

Authority

iphoyisa (amaphoyisa) police