South Africa (also Eswatini, Lesotho, Zimbabwe)
isiZulu culture stories
The food, names, greetings, sayings and everyday life behind isiZulu, the most widely spoken home language in South Africa (~12M first-language speakers). Each story links to words you can hear and practise in a free five-minute lesson.
Culture stories
Culture stories
Culture stories for isiZulu will appear here
We will email you when a new one is published, or you can read the culture guide now.
Words to know
- Sawubonasah-woo-BOH-nah · Hello (to one person)
- Sanibonanisah-nee-boh-NAH-nee · Hello (to many people)
- YeboYEH-boh · Yes / hello-reply
Culture guide
isiZulu sayings and traditions
Compiled from the public sources listed under each section. Pronunciations are simple sound-it-out guides. Not yet reviewed by a native speaker: if something looks wrong, tell us.
isiZulu proverbs
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Inkunzi isematholeni
Say it: een-KOON-zee ee-seh-mah-toh-LEH-nee
"The bull is among the calves"
Real leadership comes from living among and understanding those you lead, not standing apart from them.
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Akukho lutho olungapheli
Say it: ah-KOO-koh LOO-toh oh-loon-gah-PEH-lee
"Nothing lasts forever"
Both hardship and good fortune are temporary: a comfort in difficult times, a caution in good ones.
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Ukhala ngaso linye
Say it: oo-KAH-lah NGAH-soh LEE-nyeh
"He cries with one eye"
Said of someone who pretends to be sorry when they are not.
Food and music
Umqombothi, a traditional beer brewed from maize and sorghum, is poured into a shared ukhamba vessel and drunk kneeling as a mark of respect. Two Zulu music traditions travelled the world from here: isicathamiya, soft a cappella harmony singing performed with careful, tiptoeing steps (cathama), and maskandi, guitar-driven folk music about love, politics and everyday life.
Say it: Umqombothi oom-qohm-BOH-teeIsicathamiya ee-see-kah-tah-MEE-yahMaskandi mah-SKAHN-dee
Sources: Wikipedia: Isicathamiya · Wikipedia: Maskandi
Ilobolo: sealing a marriage
Ilobolo is the bride-wealth a groom's family gives the bride's family. It was historically paid in cattle and is more often paid in cash today. It is talked about as a relationship between two families rather than a purchase: a sign of respect, and of the groom's readiness to support a family.
The families agree the amount before the wedding. Many women describe ilobolo as recognition of their worth and upbringing, not a price placed on them.
Umkhosi Wokweshwama: the first fruits festival
Umkhosi Wokweshwama is the annual first fruits festival, held around the December solstice at the Enyokeni Royal Palace in Nongoma. By tradition no one eats from the new harvest until the king has tasted it first.
The festival was banned by colonial authorities after 1879 and revived in 1990. It continues today as a time of thanksgiving and renewal.
Sources: Wikipedia: Umkhosi Wokweshwama · The Ulwazi Programme: the first fruit ceremony
Learning isiZulu on Bantu Plaza
Where is isiZulu spoken?
isiZulu is spoken in South Africa (also Eswatini, Lesotho, Zimbabwe). It is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa (~12M first-language speakers).
Can I try isiZulu for free?
Yes. The free five-minute isiZulu lesson runs in your browser with no account needed. You learn a few real greetings and phrases from the Bantu Plaza isiZulu course.
Can I learn isiZulu with a live tutor?
Yes. Bantu Plaza lists isiZulu tutors for one-to-one online lessons. You can compare tutors, prices and open times on the Find a tutor page.
What does the isiZulu Complete Language Pack cost?
The isiZulu Complete Language Pack costs $99 and covers levels A1 to C2 of isiZulu, with interactive lessons you use inside your Bantu Plaza account.
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